smrybacki Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Anyone using this as their ONLY DAW input sound device? Are you satisfied with it? As I sit here thinking about this, I only use my USB Sound Card (A M-Audio Fast Track Pro) for vocals (I only use condenser mics needing 48v) and bass input, and occasionally for the Variax via 1/4 inch. I also have an HD500 for the Variax and so forth. I am thinking that I can combine both of those devices usefullness into one HD Pro X. Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 You will need a foot controller like the FBV MKii to replace the HD500 controllers if you want to easily change things while playing live. Other than that the HD ProX offers more i/o for studio use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 You will need a foot controller like the FBV MKii to replace the HD500 controllers if you want to easily change things while playing live. Other than that the HD ProX offers more i/o for studio use. I would keep the HD500 and use it with the Tech21 Power Engine(s) I plan to shelve as well (if I do this) for live use if/when I ever do that. Might be some open mic nights and such I guess... My goal here is to simplify and declutter my recording studio. Right now it's jammed full with 2 Tech21 Power Engines, the HD 500 on the floor, the Fast Track Pro is only used as I stated up front. Heck, I'd use my HD500 this way if it had phantom power, but because I really love my Rode condenser I don't wish to get a dynamic mic so I hang onto the Fast Track. My studio monitors are preferable to the PE60s sound wise, but I cannot plug two separate inputs into my monitors. SHeeshh...it's always something lol... So anyway, I am thinking an HD Pro X replaces the HD500, the Fast Track and both Power Engines -- because I can simply rout the HD Pro X output into my studio monitors and record vocals via the HD Pro X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 ... So anyway, I am thinking an HD Pro X replaces the HD500, the Fast Track and both Power Engines -- because I can simply rout the HD Pro X output into my studio monitors and record vocals via the HD Pro X. Yes, that setup will work and will replace the other equipment as you describe. My simplest studio setup is exactly that - HD Pro to studio monitors and to DAW, recording electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and vocals. If you want to add midi at some point you will need a midi interface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Yes, that setup will work and will replace the other equipment as you describe. My simplest studio setup is exactly that - HD Pro to studio monitors and to DAW, recording electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and vocals. If you want to add midi at some point you will need a midi interface. The HD Pro has MIDI, I believe plus I do have a MIDI 4x4 kicking arounf here somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 The HD Pro MIDI is not a full midi interface. It won't be recognized as a MIDI device by your DAW. You can't record, for instance, midi keyboard sequences or drum triggers. It is only used for midi program change and CC controller info; no key on/off midi events are recognized by the Pod products. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 The HD Pro MIDI is not a full midi interface. It won't be recognized as a MIDI device by your DAW. You can't record, for instance, midi keyboard sequences or drum triggers. It is only used for midi program change and CC controller info; no key on/off midi events are recognized by the Pod products. Well heck, that's good to know. I will be hanging on to my M-Audio 4x4 MIDI interface I guess then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Yes, that setup will work and will replace the other equipment as you describe. My simplest studio setup is exactly that - HD Pro to studio monitors and to DAW, recording electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and vocals. If you want to add midi at some point you will need a midi interface. If I may ask, how does your HD Pro work as recording interface? Obviously, the guitar tones are great but is the faux vocal strip functionality that Line6 references pretty fairly clean for solid vocal recording, for example? My recording needs are very modest (I think) as I only record guitar and some of my own vocals. There may be times when I'd want to bypass all the guitar stuff in the POD and record dry using insert effects in my DAW. Any other stuff I use is in Reason 7, basically synths and studio effects like pitch correction, leveling, de-essing and so forth. So I figure if your situation is similar and you don't find any obvious flaws, it is likely a good bet for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 My studio needs and use are very similar to yours, and the Pod Pro works well for me. The vocals sound fine (from a purely technical perspective 😜). I have prepared a couple of presets to support simultaneous wet & dry recording as well as simultaneous guitar & vocal recording. If you want to try them out search Customtone under my username. They were prepared on an HD500 but can easily be converted to the Pro. Note that recording a dry signal using the Pod as the audio interface is not truly dry due to the A/D conversion at the inputs. The HD Pro does provide a truly dry output tapped from the guitar input, and sends it in analog form to the Dry Output on the rear panel. However, you would need a separate interface to get that into your DAW, and the conversion needs to happen somewhere. I have not bothered with that; the dry signal using my preset works fine for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 My studio needs and use are very similar to yours, and the Pod Pro works well for me. The vocals sound fine (from a purely technical perspective ). I have prepared a couple of presets to support simultaneous wet & dry recording as well as simultaneous guitar & vocal recording. If you want to try them out search Customtone under my username. They were prepared on an HD500 but can easily be converted to the Pro. Note that recording a dry signal using the Pod as the audio interface is not truly dry due to the A/D conversion at the inputs. The HD Pro does provide a truly dry output tapped from the guitar input, and sends it in analog form to the Dry Output on the rear panel. However, you would need a separate interface to get that into your DAW, and the conversion needs to happen somewhere. I have not bothered with that; the dry signal using my preset works fine for me. Thank you for the reply and the wisdom, as always. This makes sense to me and I will be checking out your presets later on at home with my HD500. My last niggling concern is a vague suspicion that immediately after I get this thing to replace my HD500, Line6 will materialize "the next big thing" and make it obsolete...the perils of a digital world :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 ...My last niggling concern is a vague suspicion that immediately after I get this thing to replace my HD500, Line6 will materialize "the next big thing" and make it obsolete...the perils of a digital world :) Ahh, yes.... there's always a next big thing on the horizon. I recall that at winter NAMM this year, when Line 6 announced the new Firehawk and other things, it was noted by some users that they called 2015 the year (not the winter) for guitarists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Ahh, yes.... there's always a next big thing on the horizon. I recall that at winter NAMM this year, when Line 6 announced the new Firehawk and other things, it was noted by some users that they called 2015 the year (not the winter) for guitarists. EVERY year is a year for guitarists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoguyy Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 "the next big thing" and make it obsolete...the perils of a digital world 1. My last set up lasted for 20+ years without any new parts being added, I don't need to buy new when the old is perfectly working. I doubt the microchip gear will last that long, but I am willing to try. 2. When it comes to computers, phones, and other consumer electronics, I buy the best available at the time that I need something. Buying the best assures that it will be relevant tomorrow. Overshadowed by the new stuff, but still relevant. Only once did I hold off on making a purchase when I needed it, waiting for "the next big thing", and that was because it was already announced and the new features were that much better/different. Usually they aren't (hd500 vs hd500x). Imagine saying to your wife "you're good for now, but next year a better model is going to be available." Or buying a 2014 car with 30mpg, and then trading it in for a 2015 that gets 31. When you think of things in that perspective, you tend to keep your stuff longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazzy Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Don't forget you can control the Pro with the HD500 via midi. I do this with my X3 Pro. As for my X3 being old.....well when people hear it thay don't say that it sounds old. Oh Yeah did I mention I still use it? It's been going strong since 2008 and when I power it up it stays on for hours before I power down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 1. My last set up lasted for 20+ years without any new parts being added, I don't need to buy new when the old is perfectly working. I doubt the microchip gear will last that long, but I am willing to try. 2. When it comes to computers, phones, and other consumer electronics, I buy the best available at the time that I need something. Buying the best assures that it will be relevant tomorrow. Overshadowed by the new stuff, but still relevant. Only once did I hold off on making a purchase when I needed it, waiting for "the next big thing", and that was because it was already announced and the new features were that much better/different. Usually they aren't (hd500 vs hd500x). Imagine saying to your wife "you're good for now, but next year a better model is going to be available." Or buying a 2014 car with 30mpg, and then trading it in for a 2015 that gets 31. When you think of things in that perspective, you tend to keep your stuff longer. Oh, I agree. I have gear that I've owned and used longer than many of the people in the place have been on the earth. I was mostly kidding, but in the spirit of this conversation, say you bought an HD Pro X and the day after you could return it, Line 6 comes out with a newer model that doubles the DSP and offers many other new features at the exact same price -- you're not gonna be just a little peeved by that? Really? I mean, life goes on and all that but still it would steam my clams a little bit just for the crappy timing lol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoguyy Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Oh, I agree. I have gear that I've owned and used longer than many of the people in the place have been on the earth. I was mostly kidding, but in the spirit of this conversation, say you bought an HD Pro X and the day after you could return it, Line 6 comes out with a newer model that doubles the DSP and offers many other new features at the exact same price -- you're not gonna be just a little peeved by that? Really? I mean, life goes on and all that but still it would steam my clams a little bit just for the crappy timing lol... luckily, products get announced before they hit stores, so you won't really run into that problem. but also... If I needed more DSP, I wouldn't have bought the unit. Since I have the right amount of features, I wouldn't be missing the extra in the new one. Nor do I do the rental return stuff. If I bought it today, I own it unless it is defective. TRULY defective, not "its defective for using % for the eq". No its not, its a programming decision and you had ample opportunity to know it in advance. But, basically, what you're describing is what happened over Xmas when GC put the 500x on sale for some unbelievably low price. And the cell phones that are $199 one week and $1 the next, then $30, then $149. I don't sweat that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrybacki Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 luckily, products get announced before they hit stores, so you won't really run into that problem. but also... If I needed more DSP, I wouldn't have bought the unit. Since I have the right amount of features, I wouldn't be missing the extra in the new one. Nor do I do the rental return stuff. If I bought it today, I own it unless it is defective. TRULY defective, not "its defective for using % for the eq". No its not, its a programming decision and you had ample opportunity to know it in advance. But, basically, what you're describing is what happened over Xmas when GC put the 500x on sale for some unbelievably low price. And the cell phones that are $199 one week and $1 the next, then $30, then $149. I don't sweat that stuff. Well, I don't lay awake nights worrying over any of this either. I did say it was "a niggling (petty) concern" and it was tongue in cheek after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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