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357 Views 17 Replies Latest reply: Dec 20, 2012 7:10 AM by vidaljuanes RSS
MarkJones77 Just Startin'
MarkJones77
10 posts since
Jul 11, 2006
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 7, 2012 10:35 AM

HD500 vs XT Live

Greetings all,

 

I have been a Line6 end user for a few years now (XT Live) and am thinking about getting an HD500 but sadly finding the time to get to a dealer to try one out seems to be all but impossible at the moment.

 

I guess my question would be best answered by someone who has made that particular transition.

 

While i understand that the HD500 will have surpassed the XT in terms of technology i actually have grown quite fond of some the patches in the 'ol XT and would like to transfer them accross to the HD (if i buy one) i guess this would be possible via monkey?

 

What are the key differences between the two, i know i could read the Line6 blurb but i am fairly sure that if i let them they would sell me back one of my old shirts telling me it is waaaayyyyyy better than before !  LOL

 

I play lots of covers and need the flexibility of lots of different sounds/patches

 

 

 

Can anyone let me know what i could be letting myself in for please? and in your opinion is it worth the time and the extra spend?  LOL  

 

Apologies to you experienced Line6 users if these seem like a daft questions.

 

 

 

nb current gear :-

 

Amps

 

Fender DeVille

Seymour Duncan 84-50 Quadratone (4 x 10)

Marshall 6101(112)

peavey Valveking (112)

Peavey Triumph 60w (112)

 

 

numerous guitars but for the purposes of this post

 

IBZ USA F4 (Neck) (H)

IBZ USA C3 (Middle) (S)

IBA USA F2 (Bridge) (H)

 

Many thanks if you have read this

Even more thanks if you decide to help me out and reply.

 

Cheers.....Jonesy

Tags: live, hd500
  • phil_m Expert Line 6 User
    phil_m
    4,243 posts since
    Jan 25, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 7, 2012 10:56 AM (in response to MarkJones77)
    Re: HD500 vs XT Live

    I've owned PODs from all the different generations. There's more amp models on the XT Live, but the amps that on the HD500 are much better, imo. The effects on the HD500 are way better the XT Live, both in sonic quality and in flexibility. On the HD500 you have a completely flexible signal chain compared to the relatively fixed one on the XT Live. Personally, I think it's almost a no-brainer in going to the HD500 from the XT Live.

  • Triryche Expert Line 6 User
    Triryche
    3,698 posts since
    Feb 20, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 7, 2012 11:01 AM (in response to MarkJones77)
    Re: HD500 vs XT Live

    +1 to phil.

     

    And even though there are less amp models, there are deep editing parameters that allow you to create many amp tones.

     

    You can not transfer your patches to the HD, you would have to build them from scratch.

  • hurghanico Just Startin'
    hurghanico
    399 posts since
    Jan 28, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 7, 2012 3:06 PM (in response to MarkJones77)
    Re: HD500 vs XT Live

    I happily switched from XTL to HD500

    MarkJones77 ha scritto:

     

    ...What are the key differences between the two...

    - the touch dynamic response.. depending on how soft or hard you hit the strings you get nuances of timbre much like you would get with a real tube amp ..

    - very similar to reality timbral response of the modeled amp to volume changes from the pot of the guitar ..
    - more settings to customize the final sound
    - the possibility of having two amp models at the same time
    - improved quality of the     available amps and effects models
    - greater flexibility of concatenation of the effects
    - the looper

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    some XTL amp models are not in the HD ..

    if you absolutely need them, don't sell the XTL ..
    or wait a while before selling it, so you can make a direct comparison

     

  • Apologist Iknowathingortwo
    Apologist
    638 posts since
    Jan 24, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 8, 2012 5:10 AM (in response to MarkJones77)
    Re: HD500 vs XT Live

    Ive owned both and prefer the HD series.

     

    My favorite new technology is the ability to edit the cab and tube response of amp. You can filter out the lower end flab of the cab ... make it sustain forever ... add extra punch etc..and with the amp parameters you can adjust sag .. the modeled cranking of volume reaction to to the tubes ..etc. etc..

     

    Also even if you don't have dual amps running you can still blend sounds via the flexibility of putting fx anywhere in the chain so you can have one effect mixed to Channel A and the other only on Channel B ..

     

    In short .. its a great change up I don't think you will be disappointed though it may be a challenge at first to have to replicate all your old tones since they will not transfer to the HD series.

    • MarkJones77 Just Startin'
      MarkJones77
      10 posts since
      Jul 11, 2006
      Currently Being Moderated
      Dec 9, 2012 8:35 AM (in response to Apologist)
      Re: HD500 vs XT Live

      Thanks Apologist, lovin the idea of "sustain forever" as one of the tracks i cover is Parisienne walkways and i usually struggle to get that "one note" to hang on long enough..........so often the drummer has to come to rescue !! and that ain't pretty ! lol

  • vidaljuanes Just Startin'
    vidaljuanes
    104 posts since
    May 16, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 8, 2012 5:55 AM (in response to MarkJones77)
    Re: HD500 vs XT Live

    hola a todos, yo no soy experto pero emigre del XT Live al HD 500 hace mas de un año, y claro que extrañe algunos de los sonidos que me brindo el XT(por ejemplo los auto wah) , pero la calidad de los sonidos limpios, el peso y oscuro de la distorciones tedejan muy feliz. es muy superior software auque extraño la grafica de las equalizaciones.

    espero que te de una buena referencia.

     

    • vidaljuanes Just Startin'
      vidaljuanes
      104 posts since
      May 16, 2010
      Currently Being Moderated
      Dec 8, 2012 6:03 AM (in response to vidaljuanes)
      Re: HD500 vs XT Live

      Hi all, I'm no expert but the XT Live migrate to HD 500 over one year, and of course miss some of the sounds that gave me the XT (eg auto wah), but the quality of clean sounds , weight and distortions dark tedejan very happy. software is far superior graphical stranger auque the equalizaciones.

      I hope to give you a good reference.

       

      • joel_brown Just Startin'
        joel_brown
        90 posts since
        Nov 26, 2006
        Currently Being Moderated
        Dec 9, 2012 7:06 AM (in response to vidaljuanes)
        Re: HD500 vs XT Live

        Don't expect to just turn on the PODHD and have great tones.  Expect to tweak and learn for the next few months until you get comfortable with it.  At some point you'll probably wish you had just stayed with the XT Live, then when all seems bleak and hopeless, it'll finally click and you'll be glad you did it.  I'm actually serious...  Be very patient.  The presets suck and it takes a while to figure out how to get the damned thing to do what you want.  But when it finally does what you want, it's really nice.

      • MarkJones77 Just Startin'
        MarkJones77
        10 posts since
        Jul 11, 2006
        Currently Being Moderated
        Dec 9, 2012 8:37 AM (in response to vidaljuanes)
        Re: HD500 vs XT Live

        EEEK, i hope it doesn't take me a year!  Thank you vidaljuanes, very helpful reference.

  • MarkJones77 Just Startin'
    MarkJones77
    10 posts since
    Jul 11, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 9, 2012 8:24 AM (in response to MarkJones77)
    Re: HD500 vs XT Live

    WOW, thanks to you all so very much for taking the time out to leave your comments and suggestions, i really appreciate it guys!!!!

     

    So it seems to me that it will be a monumental pain in the backside to make the change but ultimately would be very rewarding if ii take the plunge.

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