I almost sold mine and was bummed out at the sound of the HD500 unit for a really long time. I've got and old Line AX212 that sound way better than the HD 500. But I added the DT25 and te HD 500 got alot better.  I just made the input change to a bunch of patches and they all sound quiter. I need to spend tomorrow trying out the changes to give a  final report. I wasn't able to turn up the amp tonight to experience the full effect. i will report back. I have sent weeks learning to program this unit. and it gets better everyday. The collective knowledge of many beats a single mind everytime.

(Grimm, I'm pretty sure it's just mono, not TRS.)

Thanks for this thread. I've only got headphones to try it out on so far, but I'm certainly noticing a nice difference. I play at church through the desk (no amp) and always felt like my patches were usually too driven in that situation. This helps. I look forward to a "none" setting in the future.

I actually play a Tyler Variax (JTV59), so I set my second input to "Guitar" as my version none.

What I found when experimenting with these is that Guitar is quieter than Aux for me (and Mic is way too noisy).

Also, "Variax Channel 1" and just "Variax" are quite different! With just Variax set, you get BOTH the model + the mags in one input, so if you had an acoustic model on, you would be sending both that and the onboard magnetic pickups to input 1. It doesn't say that in the manual.

So I read this thread while my HD500 was on order and I made this change before strumming a single cord.  But after playing for a bit and not being real thrilled with the sound I changed it back for comparison and it sounded way better.  When I go from Guitar/Guitar to Guitar/Variax the sound gets much more muffled.  This seems to make sense too because you are essentially averaging your guitar input with a flat 0 volt input which would cut the amplitude in half.  I'm using the guitar input set normal with a telecaster, strat and les paul.  This is with firmware 1.31.  So I guess my only point is that people shouldn't blindly override this default because they might be shooting themselves in the foot.  Am I the only one that has had this experience?  One other point, if you use this "fix" you are breaking all the dual amp tones aren't you?  It would seem that one of the two amps would be fed a null signal.

To HiBoost:

It IS always good to experiment.  The point was that by ONLY selecting the guitar IN you are kind of "starting from zero" while summing the inputs CAN and often times DOES result in overdriving the input in my experience.  Let me also preface that by saying that with my MIM standard strat, it really isn't an issue because the pickups aren't that hot, but with my Epi LP (customized pickups) it is a big problem and changing the input setting solves the issue.

I also understand what you are saying about the models sounding "duller" but I wouldn't characterize them as "duller" just not as slammed with signal as they are when you select the single input option.  What I've found is that selecting only the input you are using keeps the noise floor down as well as a second preamp input or summing tended to add more noise to the overall sound.  

HiBoost wrote:

 

...

So that seems to indicate that with tones configured in certain ways having the Guitar/Variax setting would not produce the desired results.  The one amp or series of effects would not be heard since it is getting a null signal.  Right?

 

 

 



I'm not sure - I'm a bit confused. Can you provide an example of the Inputs that would do this, and the specific description in the documentation that supports the null signal? Also, please specify what you mean by 'desired results'.

I think I get what he is talking about...I have found with the HD Bean that I am getting the "desired result" (Which I guess means, I am happy with it?) with single amp tones when I set input 2 to Mic....When I use dual tones or single tones with the AC30 PRE model or the ENGLE PRE I set input 2 same as those models are a tad weaker and I am not on the link with the DT50 getting the gain ramp up from the amp...

maybe there is some confusion in that input configuration  is a per patch setting?

Anyway, the HD Bean in simplified example since it doesn't have the Vax input...Other than that, it works the same way on the dual signal paths...

HiBoost wrote:

 

...So now if I have a tone set up such that input 1 is path A and input 2 is path B (which is definitely possible based on the documentation I pasted above) then path A will get my guitar yet path B will get nothing... 

That depends on whether or not you have any FX in the signal chain before the paths are split, as described in the manual.

So, following your example of Input settings, your Guitar input would be fed to only Path A if there were no Amp/FX before the path split (and yes, in that case Path B would get a null signal), but to both Paths A and B if there were an FX placed before the split.

Placing no FX before the path split in the HD500 creates the X3 Dual Tone scenario where the Tone inputs and the 2 signal paths (Tones) are tied inextricably. And, yes, in the X3 you can create Tone 2 with its amp and FX, and then fail to assign it to an appropriate physical input, resulting in a null signal to Tone 2. Same thing with the HD500 - if you want an input routed to a path you need to understand how the assignments are made and how the routing is done, and then assign the inputs accordingly to get the 'desired result'.

The Guitar=Input 1 and Variax (not connected) = Input 2 on the HD500 , with no FX before the path split, is exactly analogous to the X3 Dual Tone setup with Tone 1 Input = Guitar and Tone 2 Input = Variax (not connected).  Yes - you will only hear the Guitar on Tone 1 and nothing on Tone 2. If you want to hear the Guitar on X3 Tone 2 you need to include it in the Tone 2 Inputs. Just like if you weant to hear it on Path B of the HD500 in a prest with no FX before the split you need to include Guitar in the Input 2 setting.

kvines, it's up to you if you want to send the guitar to both signal paths, as described above (then use guitar). If you want to minimise the extra drive by doubling up the inputs (as described by the original post), set it to Mic.

For those still trying to understand this routing business, perhaps set up a dual-amp tone where the amps are very different (clean / dirty) and they're panned hard left / right. Then use headphones so you can hear one tone in one ear and a totally different tone in the other.

Then, as described by numerous posts here now, you should be able to set input 2 to something not connected and get no sound in that ear. If you still get sound, adjust your FX settings. This is how I found out what the "Variax" is compared to the "Variax Ch 1" - by making them very different sounds (in this case guitar sounds).