POD HD Pro X: Weird sound.

[bshaw0313]

My POD HD Pro X just arrived yesterday and I have been extremely excited to play around with it.  I was really depressed when it sounded horrible.  I am sure that it is either a setting error or something of that nature and not a defective unit so some other catastrophic problem.

 

My Setup:

Guitars: Ibanez RG7321 with two humbuckers, no idea what brand, and a Jackson Dinky with Seymour Duncan pickups, humbucker and two singles (no idea of the model since I've had it for about 10 years).  All pickups are passive.

POD HD Pro X

Audio Technica ATH-M30x headphones

 

I don't use an amp because I live in an apartment, and I doubt my computer specs matter since the problem exists even when not connected.

 

The Issue:

Originally, the sound seemed to fade in and out randomly and everything was extremely quiet.  There was almost low end on any patches even when I boosted them, and volume was consistently bad across all patches.  Some patches were so quiet that I didn't even hear anything.  Others were somewhat loud but the sound was still cutting in and out strangely and it most likely didn't sound the way it was supposed to.

 

Steps Taken So Far:

--Tested the sound over multiple patches, including brand new ones with nothing in them.  The fading in and out of sound was always there, but was lessened on a brand new patch with nothing added.  Even on these tracks the sound just didn't sound right, still missing that "punch".  (Sorry I am lacking the words to properly explain this at the moment.)

--I made sure the output was set to direct/studio.  It was already.

--Tested various input combinations for both line 1 and 2.  Tried all setting for the Guitar-Z setting. No Change.

--Tested with both guitars on multiple patches.  No Change

--Tried a second pair of headphones.  No change.

--Downloaded the Pro X Edit software and Monkey, patched both and updated the flash (I think that is what it is called).  No change.

--Tested patches downloaded from the site.  No Change.

--Re-updated the flash and chose not to keep previous patches.  No change.

--Setup the Pro X as my computer sound card.  No change.  (The sound from the computer that played through the Pro X however sounded perfect and did not have the fluctuating volume.)

--Through experimentation I noticed if you hit the strings on the guitar extremely softly the sound actually seem to sound normal.  I mean extremely soft as in breathing on them.  The second you apply any actual force the sound cuts out again.  It seems the fluctuating sound is caused by fluctuating picking intensity.  I tested multiple patches with this and it seems to be the same for all of them.

 

 

It is 5:30 am so there are no music stores open.  I will be buying a new guitar cable to eliminate that as a problem, although it works fine on my previous setup so I do not think that is the issue.

 

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

-B

 

 

[mborsini52]

This is the exact same problem a in have been having with my brand new HD Pro X for nearly a year. I have been fighting with Line 6 to get it repaired or replaced and I'm pretty frustrated with the customer service. I have no idea what is causing the volume fluctuation. Please advise if you get this resolved and I will do the same.

[mistermikev]

I am posting this in hopes it helps as this type of issue with drive you mad...

I was getting what I would call 'static noise'.  I would turn off computer - that would cure it. 

 

fix:

went into bios and turned off 'hpet' high performance <something> timing? 

long story short... motherboard power management options were causing spikes in power supply and this would sputter into my pro x...

this setting fixed it completely for me and it was not obvious (after I monkey'd with wall plugs, power conditioners, cables, guitars, etc)

hope it helps.

 

ps, disconnecting from my computer made no dif.  if it was on - it made the noise.