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2553 Views 19 Replies Latest reply: Nov 23, 2010 11:17 AM by Lespaulidas RSS
Jason_Kennedy Just Startin'
Jason_Kennedy
37 posts since
Mar 27, 2009
Currently Being Moderated

Nov 21, 2010 3:05 PM

Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

I've had the HD500 for about a month now and I've finally nailed a great tone. And I have to say, the HD500 sounds AWESOME! I previously had an X3 Live and for what I use the gear for, the HD500 blows it waaayyyy out of the water.

 

What I found finally helped me get that perfect tone, and the reason I'm posting this discussion, was by panning both left and right outputs to the centre. I'm only running a single amp setup so I don't really have any need for stereo.

 

I just thought I'd share this as doing this simple thing really improved the sound I was getting. When it was panned hard left-right the sound was a little thin and even a little distant; but when they are both centred it sounds really full and sweet.

 

So if you are struggling with a thin-ish sound, give this a go and see if it helps!

 

Here's to a great piece of kit!! Well done Line 6!!

 

Jason

  • ozbadman Gear Head
    ozbadman
    1,474 posts since
    Apr 17, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 21, 2010 3:14 PM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    Congrats, and interesting.

     

    I would expect the 1/4" mono out should sound identical, as the HD500 is supposed to combine the left and right when just a single plug is connected. It sounds like you're saying Line 6's mixer colours the sound under these conditions. I'll have to look into that.

     

    Thanks,

     

    David.

  • MickSlick Just Startin'
    MickSlick
    71 posts since
    Apr 5, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 21, 2010 5:18 PM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    Also try panning the left all the way to the right and the right all the way to the left, seems counterintuitive, but really improved a number of my patches.

    • ozbadman Gear Head
      ozbadman
      1,474 posts since
      Apr 17, 2008
      Currently Being Moderated
      Nov 21, 2010 6:05 PM (in response to MickSlick)
      Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

      MickSlick wrote:

       

      Also try panning the left all the way to the right and the right all the way to the left, seems counterintuitive, but really improved a number of my patches.

      Hmmm. Sounds like you have your real mixer set up oddly. This should make no difference in sound quality if your actual mixer has equal settings on both left and right channels.

  • MickSlick Just Startin'
    MickSlick
    71 posts since
    Apr 5, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 21, 2010 7:20 PM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    My main monitoring / patch set up rig is studio monitors / sub hooked up via computer, straightforward stereo mix.

     

    Regarding setting the patches up this way, some of the factory presets are actually set up this way by line 6, check it out.

  • xxrix Just Startin'
    xxrix
    8 posts since
    Jun 23, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 22, 2010 9:41 AM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    Yes, setting the pan control to the centre makes a huge improvement to the sound, I've also discover this point last week and i've got amazing results!!!!

    It has been like the end of the saint graal reserch....or maybe the beginning......

    • guitars69 Iknowathingortwo
      guitars69
      419 posts since
      Jan 27, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Nov 22, 2010 12:46 PM (in response to xxrix)
      Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

      Are you guys sure this isn't just the natural volume change when panning center?  Panned center the volume would be a few db louder and in general, louder always sounds better...

       

      Could be that some comb filtering or something pops up when mono and that this is the sound you were hoping for.

       

      I pan center anyways since I use a single output to our headphone mix and my other guitarist takes the other side.  Stereo effects sound cool alone but are useless live for me at least.

  • John_BlisterTip Just Startin'
    John_BlisterTip
    80 posts since
    Jan 25, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 22, 2010 3:20 PM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    .

     

     

     

    In Mixing....whenever someone describes something as thin and distant it is almost always Phase Cancelation. I would suggest always using a single mono source--as is done on almost every guitar recording we have ever heard--no chance of phasing that way.

    • Jason_Kennedy Just Startin'
      Jason_Kennedy
      37 posts since
      Mar 27, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Nov 23, 2010 12:45 AM (in response to John_BlisterTip)
      Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

      I'm familiar with phasing, but I don't think it's that. Surely it would get worse by putting the L and R signals on top of one another rather than them being panned wide left and right?

       

      Unless there is some weird phasing happening on the internals of the HD500?

       

      Thanks

       

      Jas

  • Andy_Mack Just Startin'
    Andy_Mack
    49 posts since
    Aug 13, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 23, 2010 7:28 AM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    Hey Jason,

     

    I am also NOT interested in getting a stereo signal, so I need to try this out tonight.  I originally had lots of trouble finding "my sound" on the HD500 and was initially disappointed, but it's coming together now.  Maybe this will push it over the top in terms of awesomeness.

     

    later,

    Andy

  • Lespaulidas Just Startin'
    Lespaulidas
    145 posts since
    Sep 5, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 23, 2010 11:01 AM (in response to Jason_Kennedy)
    Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

    Do you guys think this is something I should try with a DT50 LINK connection as well?   I guess I'll gie it a try, but was wondering what some of you more knowledgeble Line 6 guys have to say about this issue and the LINK connection.  Thanks.

    • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
      Nick_Mattocks
      9,065 posts since
      Mar 26, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Nov 23, 2010 11:11 AM (in response to Lespaulidas)
      Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

      Hi

       

      If you have a DT50, yes go for it.  The L6 Link is your best route to the DT50 really.  A single DT50 will sum both L + R channels when using L6 Link.  The amp models to use ideally with a DT50 are reckoned to be the PRE models as they, in partnership with the power amp section and mode/NFL switching should give you the closest possible emulation of the amp that was originally modelled BUT you can of course use whatever amp models you wish

       

      Nick

      • Lespaulidas Just Startin'
        Lespaulidas
        145 posts since
        Sep 5, 2009
        Currently Being Moderated
        Nov 23, 2010 11:17 AM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
        Re: Finally Nailed a Great Tone!

        Thanks for the quick response Nick!  Yes I do use all the PRE models, and I am very happy with my tone I have created via HD500 /LINK /DT50.  But reading this post, I was thinking that if I could get it better by panning (as suggested by the op), then I think for me, it would put my sound over the top!  I'll report back when I finally get home to try this.  Thanks again.

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