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1884 Views 13 Replies Latest reply: Sep 21, 2011 12:42 AM by Nick_Mattocks RSS
jesuscares Just Startin'
jesuscares
240 posts since
Feb 3, 2007
Currently Being Moderated

Sep 14, 2011 6:44 PM

Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

Hi Guys,

Please let me know how the HD 500 sounds on a MK 2.What would be the best way to connect the HD with Spider valve Mk2 for best results?

  • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
    spaceatl
    4,456 posts since
    Jan 24, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Sep 14, 2011 7:03 PM (in response to jesuscares)
    Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

    I have used my HD bean with my MK1 and MK2 SVs....With that I run power amp in, combo power amp mode, line level....I have 4CM the SVs into my HD400...it neat but the HD models and FX really do sound better so I just use the power amp in...really good amp for the HDs I think...

  • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
    Nick_Mattocks
    9,065 posts since
    Mar 26, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Sep 14, 2011 11:34 PM (in response to jesuscares)
    Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

    I rarely bother with the 4CM with any amp I use my HD500 with.  The HD500 is more controllable and more flexible in terms of where I can place FX and 8 FX slots is usually more than enough for me.

     

    If i am using either of my Spider Valve amps as a host amp for the HD500 I generally just feed a single 1/4" output from the HD500 to the Power Amp In socket on the back of either my Spider Valve 112 (MkI) or my Spider Valve 212 MkII

     

    I set the AMP/LINE switch to LINE and the HD500 output mode to Combo Pwr Amp and turn the MASTER up to 100% to ensure the power tubes are receiving sufficient level - my overall output volume is controlled by the Spider Valve Master Volume control (some amps don't work this way and you have to control the overall output level using the MASTER control on the HD500)

     

    Nick

    • jesuscares Just Startin'
      jesuscares
      240 posts since
      Feb 3, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Sep 15, 2011 9:26 AM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
      Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

      What is 4 CM.Please explain.

      • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
        Nick_Mattocks
        9,065 posts since
        Mar 26, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Sep 15, 2011 12:00 PM (in response to jesuscares)
        Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

        Four Cable Method (4CM).  There's lots of info in these forums about this.

         

        What it allows is for some FX to be placed before your amp's front input and other FX to be placed in your amp's FX loop. 

         

        Say your HD500 has a patch with the signal chain set up as follows:

         

        Wah > Screamer > FX Loop > Chorus > Delay > Reverb

         

        Your Wah and Screamer would be placed before the amp's pre-amp whilst the Chorus, Delay and Reverb will go in your amp's FX Loop

         

        Physical connections:

         

        Guitar > HD500 input

        HD500 FX Send > Amp Front Input

        Amp FX Send > HD500 FX Return

        HD500 output > Amp FX Return

         

        You would almost certainly use no amp modelling in the HD500 as your amp itself will handle that.

         

        Nick

        • jesuscares Just Startin'
          jesuscares
          240 posts since
          Feb 3, 2007
          Currently Being Moderated
          Sep 15, 2011 6:56 PM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
          Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

          Sounds interesting but does it really make a big difference with so much of wiring? Does it make the sound rich in anyway? I have an A B Y switch which probably could be handy in this type of wiring you mentioned.

          • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
            spaceatl
            4,456 posts since
            Jan 24, 2007
            Currently Being Moderated
            Sep 15, 2011 7:35 PM (in response to jesuscares)
            Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

            It really just options....the FX Loop is basically the ABY...So you can program a chain in the HD to have stomps in front of the SV preamp...have other things like delay, verb after...You can program a footswitch in the 500 to turn on the FX loop and turn off the HD amp model in one click...then you are using the SV amp model with the same FX chain you have in the HD...use midi to control it...Basically you can have two two tones on tap in the same patch...It saves DSP in the HD as you need only a single amp chain...Things like spillover delay becomes more doable...lots of stuff you can do with that setup...but it is a lot more wire...

          • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
            Nick_Mattocks
            9,065 posts since
            Mar 26, 2007
            Currently Being Moderated
            Sep 16, 2011 3:57 AM (in response to jesuscares)
            Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

            +1 to space

             

            When I play live, and I think probably most guitarists are similar, I tend to use four main sounds for the vast majority of the set: Clean, slightly Overdriven, Crunch and Lead.  For the remaining 5-10% of the set I might need a special custom patch or two.

             

            The 4 cable method with the HD500 particularly offers more options - if you really feel you need them.  As Space says you can effectively switch between the sound of the SV on its own and the HD500 adding some extra FX and the HD500 doing all the modelling and just using the SV as a power amp.

             

            It's horses for courses.  If your needs are ultra complex then 4CM might give you what you need, but if your needs are just normal or normally complex then the POD HD500 into the SV's power amp you will probably find the HD500 connected to the power amp section of your SV is all you actually need.

             

            Nick

            • jesuscares Just Startin'
              jesuscares
              240 posts since
              Feb 3, 2007
              Currently Being Moderated
              Sep 18, 2011 10:21 PM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
              Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

              I just did my first gig with HD 500 connected into the Power amp in of the spider Valve.I must say ,except for a few tones the sound was disappointing.I had the master volume set to normal levels.2 aspects of the sound that i didnt like was that on the clean tones there was a sort of compressed attack &  some of the distorted tones (which sound great on my studio apeakers) were sounding muddy,cracked & lacked smoothness unlike playing directly into the SV.Not sure why this happens.the same happened when i tried it with the X3L instead of HD.Playing directly into the Sv is sweet & the sustain terific.If there was a way to turn off the modeled amps on the SV & yet use the oboard knobs to EQ,it would be great.I can manage well with the SV's effects except that it doesnt allow you to use 2 delays on 1 rig like the HD 500 could do.

              Has anyone come across those 2 issues I mentioned,while using the POD with the SV.

              • jesuscares Just Startin'
                jesuscares
                240 posts since
                Feb 3, 2007
                Currently Being Moderated
                Sep 18, 2011 10:22 PM (in response to jesuscares)
                Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

                If there are some good links to the 4 cable method,Please post.Thanks.

              • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
                Nick_Mattocks
                9,065 posts since
                Mar 26, 2007
                Currently Being Moderated
                Sep 19, 2011 1:35 AM (in response to jesuscares)
                Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

                That surprises me.  The HD500 using PRE models and with the AMP/LINE switch set to LINE and connected using one 1/4" out into the power amp in socket on the back of the Spider Valve with the HD500 output mode set to Combo Pwr Amp - and with Cab Modelling switched OFF, my Spider Valve and HD500 sounds really good - and the HD500 modelling sounds way better to me than the Spider Valve's own front end or the X3 Live.  The Spider Valve amp models and FX models are bypassed completely when using the power amp.

                 

                To me it sounds like there's something not quite right with the way you have it set up.

                 

                Nick

                • justinjag77 Just Startin'
                  justinjag77
                  39 posts since
                  Mar 25, 2010
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                  Sep 20, 2011 6:46 AM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
                  Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

                  maybe you should go a different route, just imo...instead of the hd500 maybe look into the M5 in the fx loop of the SV, so u can get the xtra delay or fx's your looking for...simplicity is key 4 me

                • jesuscares Just Startin'
                  jesuscares
                  240 posts since
                  Feb 3, 2007
                  Currently Being Moderated
                  Sep 20, 2011 9:33 PM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
                  Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

                  nickmattocks wrote:

                   

                  - and with Cab Modelling switched OFF, my Spider Valve and HD500 sounds really good - and the HD500 modelling sounds way better to me than the Spider Valve's own front end or the X3 Live. 

                   

                  Nick

                  Thanks for the reply.i did pretty much everything you mentioned except for Cab Modelling switched off.Is this done in the HD? How do I switch if off.

                  • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
                    Nick_Mattocks
                    9,065 posts since
                    Mar 26, 2007
                    Currently Being Moderated
                    Sep 21, 2011 12:42 AM (in response to jesuscares)
                    Re: Spider Valve Mk2 & HD 500

                    Yes - cab modelling is part of the AMP model block(s) in the HD500 and you can turn it off there on a per preset basis.  You may find that you want cab modelling on sometimes and off at others.  I normally turn it off when feeding a non DT-50 amp, but not with all amp models every time.  It depends what sound I'm after really, however the real speaker cab does a pretty good job most of the time, but if it sounnds overly harsh or brittle then I'd keep cab modelling turned on

                     

                    Nick

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