I disagree, the update is exactly what I wanted.

1- No point working on anything until the basic input issues were resolved, getting the best transfer of tone and getting rid of noise from 'input 2' etc. were the priority. You get a good tone in before you mess with it, this gives you a better chance and makes it easier to do it.

2 - Presets ARE important, I have a bass and DT-25, can't wait to dive in - I learn from presets. Also, presets sell units to NEW users, more new users = longer shelf life and more developement, its good business and good for current users. There is nothing wrong with using presets, if you find the sound you like then happy days, less time tweeking, more time playing!

I have had my HD500 since it came out, haven't even scrathced the surface yet, I am overwelmed with amps, effects and options- I doin't know where youn guys get the time that want more! I'm realy not getting the EQ thing either- I either record at home and EQ in my DAW or into a PA with an EQ to get the 'room' sound- Its an amp sim and fx pedal sim, now people want it to be a mixing desk

From me - 100% THUMBS UP for this update, no reservations; 2 big updates that add amps, fx and new tools (not just fix bugs) is far more than other hardware manufacturers do.

Just a guess but I would imagine that adding an additional dedicated EQ stage would require a significant chunk of extra DSP?

I am a new HD bean user but have already found that a simple dual amp + spring reverb patch uses so much DSP that I can't add a single tubescreamer in front of the amp pair before the DSP limit is reached. That really surprised me.

Perhaps there is a little bit of spare DSP kept in reserve for updates/safety margin etc but presumably L6 can't add anything that would compromise existing patches so options may be limited?

I guess the new pickup loading facility is comparable to adding an EQ stage (I presume they don't actualy change the physical imput impedance?) - but the HD design is presumably DSP limited in how much extra they can add without compromising what is already available?

Footnote - parhaps L6 should consider adding a DSP allocated meter or bargraph to HD Edit so we can see how near to the limit we are when creating patches. I think that would be very helpful.

If your PA doesnt have EQ, I highly reccomend getting a little EQ Pedal (BOSS GE7) as they have very guitar friendly F, they go for under 40 quid on ebay. ART EQ-351 (31 band) rackmount go for 80 quid new...

Sure, Line 6 could model one, but they don't 'have to' (it wasn't an advertsed feature!) and it may take a while...also it will eat a DSP slot for a fairly basic effect.

IMHO, you shouldn't need to EQ a good tone, the shape and sound of what comes out of the amp can pretty much be dialed in at the amp, I'm not saying you can get that tone out of the HD500 witout and EQ stage, I'm just saying you shouldn't have to I'm playing with the update now with my DT25 and I like what I hear 'out of the amp', but I have never pluged in directly to a PA (without going through a mixing desk with EQ) so I can't comment on the sound that comes out- you could be trying to compensate for the PA or the room; try borrowing a multiband EQ  and see (a) If an EQ fixes the sound and (b) how many bands/much tweeking was required?

PS- Don't get me wrong, I would also like to see more FX, clean amps, accustic amps, bass amps, who wouldn't :-) It is also interesting that this thing could drift towards being a more convential 'general purpose' effects unit for use with DAWS...

+1

I am a huge fan of the Mid focus...It seems to be full bandwidth....It's a bandpass, but just about any curve can be obtained...It's sorta like a Pultec and it's the most powerful one of the bunch...But a two sided bandpass approach is a bit more difficult to get your head around...At leanst in terms of a mastering approach where a smooth response curve is the goal...

The lack of frequencies does make it a little strange to use the EQs and I hope they get those labeling issues people have worked in at some point...but I honsetly found with the HD I need far less corrective EQ as compared to the XT generation...

As much as I like an updated EQ, I've learned to work around that (Just manage the bass frequencies and you're golden, even if it means setting the amp bass to Zero on many amps and on top of that use a low shelf from the Shift EQ, it's not like it hasn't been done with real world amps after  recording them  with a mic. To me I view that as authenticity of the models because to get a decent recorded sounds VIA mics from most real amps, the bass is set very low and a high pass or low cut is applied).

If the unit wasn't so DSP and effect slot limited, I would agree with you.  Ultimately, I want to EQ my tone, so I got my "brown sound", then add effects.  When I've EQ'ed the tone to the point where I want, I often run out of either effects blocks or DSP.  If the cab/mic emulation included an EQ'ed tone that got the sound a lot closer to ideal, this would partially resolve the issue.  Also, if there were stronger EQ effects, we could use less of them (although each effect would likely be more DSP-intensive - on net I'd dedicate less DSP/blocks to EQ though).

Try the Recto amp with XXL 4x12 cab.  Even with the SM 57 on axis, you need to fine tune the low end being turning the bass to 0, even if you turn up the other controls.  There's a HUGE ~140HZ hump you have to kill to get a usuable sound.

What exactly should I be listening for when using the different InputZ? I use mainly high gain patches.

Sean_Clarke wrote:

 

I have had my HD500 since it came out, haven't even scrathced the surface yet, I am overwelmed with amps, effects and options- I doin't know where youn guys get the time that want more! I'm realy not getting the EQ thing either- I either record at home and EQ in my DAW or into a PA with an EQ to get the 'room' sound- Its an amp sim and fx pedal sim, now people want it to be a mixing desk

Some of us old farts have had experience with many of the amps and effects being modeled and have tried and/or owned others which we would like to see represented.  Speaking only for myself, I have little to no use for many of the effects present, so there is no sense diving into their options.  On the other hand, Line 6 has turned its back on literally a 15 year period of high-gain tone with the exception of the Treadplate which doesn't do much for those of us who aren't into the Nickleback sound.

Regarding the EQ comment.  I am not the least bit interested in a mixing desk.  I rehearse and play live through a real guitar amp, depending on the HD500 to serve as a preamp w/MFX.  The only way I've found to get a decent tone (for me, you know, the one in my head?) with the paltry offering of high-gain models is to EQ them.

I'm happy that you're happy with what you have, but please don't pretend to assume things about people with whom you don't seem to agree.

Hi values will give brighter sound and lower values will give darker sounds, but it does change the way your fingers feel as it's not just rolling off the hi or low Frequencies like an EQ.