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POD HD as an effects only unit with an Amp.


baddmann28
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I'm trying to use this unit for effects only through a tube amp.. Using the 4 cable method, it's changing the sound of the amp, to the point the amp sounds dead and less volume. Is there a certain way to set the HD 500 up to be more transparent? I'm not using amp or cab modeling. I only want to use the Wah/ boost in the front, and the Delay, Phase/Flange/Chorus in the loop. There has to be a way to make this sound better- what am I missing?

 

Is anyone successfully using it in this way? I'm no genius with it obviously.

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If you never intend to use the amp or cab models in the POD, then you could just run straight into the Blackstar, then place the POD in the amp's FX loop, and skip the 4CM. That's really only useful if you want the ability to switch back and forth between using the POD's amp models, vs. having the Blackstar's pre-amp in the POD's signal chain. Maybe that will get you the sound you're looking for.

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The Pod HD send has a 6DB volume drop so you need to boost the signal just before the FX loop effect block. There are a couple ways to do it but I'd say the most popular two options is with a studio EQ just before the FX block, or move the FX block right after the mixer and boost the mixer 3db per side. This video covers it in depth:

 

 

I run it this way with several of my tube amps and it is very transparent. I really wish Line 6 included an amp control jack, it would've been so convenient!

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Just an update, thank you that worked. Other than the wah sticking on which threw me for a loop. Once I figured that out, I was good. I do think the volume dropped slightly, so next week, I'll try to boost the loop slighly more, or try an EQ, but 99% there.

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  • 6 years later...

I know this thread is old. My apologies. I recently acquired an hd500x and a crate bv120h. I tried the 4cm and what happened was the control panel on the amp became inactive. None of the knobs were responsive. On top of that issue, the amps natural sound was lost. Idk how to fix this issue. Does anyone have any insight or solutions?

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On 10/29/2021 at 1:03 PM, chadharvey said:

I know this thread is old.

yeah, so old that I hadn't even started saying my catchphrase: 

Buying an HD500x with the intentions of not using the amp modeling is the equivalent of buying a Ferrari solely to drive from your garage to the end of the driveway to get your mail. 

 

On 10/29/2021 at 1:03 PM, chadharvey said:

 I recently acquired an hd500x and a crate bv120h. I tried the 4cm and what happened was the control panel on the amp became inactive. None of the knobs were responsive. On top of that issue, the amps natural sound was lost. Idk how to fix this issue. Does anyone have any insight or solutions?

Assuming both units are in good working order, what you are experiencing is typically due to hooking it up wrong. 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, pianoguyy said:

yeah, so old that I hadn't even started saying my catchphrase: 

Buying an HD500x with the intentions of not using the amp modeling is the equivalent of buying a Ferrari solely to drive from your garage to the end of the driveway to get your mail. 

 

Assuming both units are in good working order, what you are experiencing is typically due to hooking it up wrong. 

 

 

First off, it doesn't make a bit of sense to use amp modeling to change the entire tone of an already great sounding amp. Secondly, it was more cost effective than buying a ton of pedals to get the effects I wanted. Third, just because I don't use the modeling on my tube amp it doesn't automatically mean I don't use the modeling in other situations. 

 

That being said, as far as hooking everything up correctly, I've followed the diagrams that can easily be found via Google, so that's likely not the cause. But thanks for offering your opinion, with no obvious solution. It was quite helpful of you, and very generous to take time out of your life to offer up absolutely nothing.

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33 minutes ago, chadharvey said:

But thanks for offering your opinion, with no obvious solution. It was quite helpful of you,

 

Two days, no one else had anything to offer. And, short of telling you that you are doing it wrong, what more did you want. You didn't actually offer up how you hooked it up for anyone to tell you where you went wrong. We just know that you did it wrong somewhere. 

 

And how is it that we know that you did it wrong... 

50 minutes ago, pianoguyy said:

Assuming both units are in good working order, what you are experiencing is typically due to hooking it up wrong. 

 

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7 minutes ago, pianoguyy said:

 

Two days, no one else had anything to offer. And, short of telling you that you are doing it wrong, what more did you want. You didn't actually offer up how you hooked it up for anyone to tell you where you went wrong. We just know that you did it wrong somewhere. 

 

And how is it that we know that you did it wrong... 

 

Yes, because common sense doesn't dictate that anyone who knows what 4cm is wouldn't have taken the time to find out how it's done. According to ever single thing I've looked up, I didn't connect it wrong. You know what they say about assumptions, don't you?

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On 10/29/2021 at 7:03 PM, chadharvey said:

I recently acquired an hd500x and a crate bv120h. I tried the 4cm and what happened was the control panel on the amp became inactive. None of the knobs were responsive. On top of that issue, the amps natural sound was lost. Idk how to fix this issue. Does anyone have any insight or solutions?

 

If you followed the correct 4CM connection scheme ..

feScQ2F.jpg


..and you activated the FX LOOP via the dedicated switch on the front panel of your amp ..

image.png.089ba8f06cacb0542f8af50ed5790e80.png


.. and you have placed a FX LOOP block in the POD chain to activate and set its own FX LOOP ..
everything should work (amp's control panel included), if not, probably a cable or the amp's FX LOOP circuit is not working properly ..


if you bought both units used, maybe some contacts, connectors or switches are dirty and need cleaning..
if your amp has a footswitch check that too.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All about POD HD500/X

help and useful tips

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2 minutes ago, hurghanico said:

 

If you followed the correct 4CM connection scheme ..

feScQ2F.jpg


..and you activated the FX LOOP via the dedicated switch on the front panel of your amplifier ..

image.png.089ba8f06cacb0542f8af50ed5790e80.png


.. and you have placed a FX LOOP block in the POD chain to activate and set its own FX LOOP ..
everything should work (amp's control panel included), if not, probably a cable or the amp's FX LOOP circuit is not working properly ..


if you bought both units used, maybe some contacts, connectors or switches are dirty and need cleaning..
if your amp has a footswitch check that too.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

All about POD HD500/X

 

help and useful tips

Yeah, both are used. Reverb doesn't work on the amp. I knew that going into the purchase. I haven't connected the foot switch, so that's not the issue unless it also needs to be connected. Some of my cables are kinda old, but they don't cause any issue when running the hd500x through anything else. I'll try cleaning up ports and whatnot to see if that helps.

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18 minutes ago, chadharvey said:

Yes, because common sense doesn't dictate that anyone who knows what 4cm is wouldn't have taken the time to find out how it's done. According to ever single thing I've looked up, I didn't connect it wrong. You know what they say about assumptions, don't you?

But you obviously did it wrong, or else it would be working. 

So instead of being hard headed, try telling us what you did. 

 

Oh, I did 4cm, and I did it right. 

That's not an answer. 

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