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590 Views 7 Replies Latest reply: Oct 2, 2012 2:00 AM by fmarinheiro RSS
kerryb1964 Just Startin'
kerryb1964
4 posts since
Feb 13, 2009
Currently Being Moderated

Aug 24, 2012 4:29 PM

HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

I am running my HD 500 inot a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and the tone is really crappy. I've read all the posts here and recently tried running in combo power amp mode output into the power amp section of the HRD. I am using the pre-modeles too. I have turned off the cab models and even the amp models and still don't get good tone.This has been suggested in posts here. Unfortunately, I am not getting anything close to nice tube amp sound and the HRD sounds better with the HD 500. The distortion sounds are fizzy and washed out or overly harsh. I EQ'd these things many times and still can't get a decent tone. I am seeking at least a similar to using guitar pedals into a tube amp. The 500 seems to be very capable of doing that and much more so I am sure I am not doing something right. But this thing is far from being able to just run it into a tube amp front and go, the tone really sucks. Anybody using the HRD with their HD 500's and have this trouble? Anybody have any other suggestions for working with the HRD? At this point I'll even take a suggestion for using a completely different amp if it gets good tone, otherwise its back to analog pedals for me. I play at church and tried running the HD 500 into the PA and it still sounds bad even using the proper outputs, etc. Don't want to give up on the HD 500 yet but I am close to throwing in the towel - it jsut shouldn't be this hard to get a good tone out of this thing. I have not tried the 4 Cable Method yet so I guess that will be my last hope. But I really like the idea of using all the cool amp models. I appreciate any advice any can give.

  • scottyo78 Just Startin'
    scottyo78
    114 posts since
    May 29, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Aug 28, 2012 2:43 PM (in response to kerryb1964)
    Re: HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

    I feel your pain. I don't have any direct suggestions and will be getting the HD500 in 7 -10 day but...

    I've run my "POD XT Live" direct into our/my church system and it sounds fine.

    I've also run it into my DAW/Rockit powered speakers and/or live thru my twin reverb and it's fine.

     

    I've seen youtube videos of the HD500 run into amps.

    I say all this to give you hope, to not give up and that there's others who've done it.

    Keep at it, I'm sure you'll figure it out.

     

    ciao

    • kerryb1964 Just Startin'
      kerryb1964
      4 posts since
      Feb 13, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Aug 28, 2012 2:49 PM (in response to scottyo78)
      Re: HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

      Thanks for the response. I switched to my line 6 spider valve and am using the power amp section, which has improved the sound somewhat. The HRD should sound great with the HD 500 since it is a really good sounding amp clean. Not really sure what the problem is. I've seen tons og guys play the HD 500 into HRD's live and they sound great. Not sure what the specific mojo needed is for my amp, but it should not be this hard to get good tones with this thing through a tube amp.

  • the_budmaster Just Startin'
    the_budmaster
    7 posts since
    Mar 14, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Aug 28, 2012 5:46 PM (in response to kerryb1964)
    Re: HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

    I use my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe White Lightning. I've found that the amp models on the HD500 dont sound great if you go through the normal amp input on the HRD, if you want to use the amp sims + your amp then plug into the power amp in & bypass the HRD's preamp. I've only just started experimenting with this but so far I've found this is the best way to use both.

     

    The other option, which is what i've been doing so far, is to only use the POD HD for effects & disable the amp/cab sims.

  • fmarinheiro Just Startin'
    fmarinheiro
    5 posts since
    Mar 21, 2012
    Currently Being Moderated
    Aug 31, 2012 9:00 AM (in response to kerryb1964)
    Re: HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

    Hi kerryb1964, i understand your pain very well.

     

    Any luck so far?

     

    I have the same problem, my HRD sounds like cheat when used with POD HD500.

    I have this unit for about one week and i can't get a decent sound using the Power amp in of the HRD and the pod output set to combo power amp.

    I think it's a great unit and it sounds indeed very well using headphones but maybe my amp doesn't like th pod lol. It's frustrating.

     

    Let me know of you've had any luck with this rig.

     

    Cheers 

  • meambobbo Iknowathingortwo
    meambobbo
    1,702 posts since
    Dec 13, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Sep 6, 2012 8:13 AM (in response to kerryb1964)
    Re: HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

    a friend of mine I used to jam with had that same amp, and when he ran his Boss unit into it, he'd use the Boss distortion as well as cab simulation.  I thought "cab simulation - that's wrong" and tried to dial in a good tone with the cab simulation turned off, and simply couldn't do it - I ran into all the problems you just described.

     

    I would use Studio/Direct mode, and try a wide variety of cabs and mics.  Find a few you like, then start tweaking the cab dep's and see if you can make improvements to the tone.

     

    do you know what kind of speaker is in the amp?  usually, the speaker is where most of the highs are rolled off getting that more natural guitar tone.  I believe Fender uses very bright speakers, which means the tone would still be quite bright even if you ran the Pod into the Power amp in connection and bypassed the pre-amp.  That's why Studio/Direct and cab/mic sims might be the answer.

     

    Also, the Mid-Focus EQ has a low-pass filter that can help roll off highs.  Start with HP freq 0% and Q 50% and LP freq 100% and Q 0%, then slowly move LP freq from 100 down to about 65%.  You should find a sweet spot where it dials out the harshness but you still have a crisp tone.

  • kerryb1964 Just Startin'
    kerryb1964
    4 posts since
    Feb 13, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Oct 1, 2012 3:30 PM (in response to kerryb1964)
    Re: HD 500 Does Not Sound Good Thru Hot Rod Deluxe Amp

    Thanks for all the input. I have really found no answer that I like with the HRD so I  went back to my Line 6 Spider Valve and have had good success running into the power amp section. The HRD sounds pretty good with my analog pedals so I guess I will just use it that way. The HD 500 sounds killer straight into my marshall JCM 2000 with 2x12 cab BTW. So maybe it is just finicky with the fender amps. I've seen a lot of guys play the HD 500 through fender HRD's and they sound great. Just not my luck. Sorry to report no solutions for anyone else having the same problem but the HD 500 does sound pretty good going into another Line 6 amp product so that may be worth a try,

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