coolwhip Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Hi This is my first post on this forum, so I hope I am posting in the right place. I recently purchased the Pod HD500x. I used to play on the Boss GT-10 to a Fender HRD, and on other occasions to some other tube amps through pedals. My issue is this: My POD HD500X seems to have a transient spike issue. What i mean by that is, when I play a note, the initial sound (including, but not restricted to, the pick attack) sounds much louder (though not distorting) than the remaining part of the note. I have tried to vary my picking style, but even a softly picked note produces a spike. I noticed this even when I listen to the dry signal with no amps or effects (on a much smaller scale, of course). I have tried it both with high output humbuckers and low output single coils. The initial spike is still there. I've noticed that It is more pronounced on the higher frets. The only way around this for me right now, is to crank the gain/drive up on the amp sims. I am running direct to the PA when using the POD. Does anyone who has used the 500 or the 500x have this issue? Please help, as I want to return this if it is a problem with the A/D converter. Thank You coolwhip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjnette Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Check your guitar pickup height. Does it do it on the neck P'up? Ideally it should be fairly low to get full bass.. This is my first thought as the string effects the magnetic flux in the P'up. If you got it so close to the string. The next is the input page in the HD. You can adjust the impedance. Also, change the input 2 from same to variax as this makes it a little more quiet and might be contributing. There is some documentation on this in a tread, "What every 500 owner should know" There is also amp page edits that can be done, bias, excursion etc and this effects the attack and feel. You just might have to teak it to your liking. If it is there in no amp mode, is it there in when the tuner is engaged? How does it sound in another pre amp to PA.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolwhip Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 Hi, thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I have tried varying the pickup height to no avail. It does it on the neck pickup too. In fact I lowered the pickup so much that it half fell out of its mounting ring. I've put the impedance to "Auto". Do I change this? For me, "Auto" seems to give the best tone. I am at a loss about how I would calculate my impedance manually. I know my pickups' DC resistance, tho. And yes, I did change the input 2 to Variax (One of the first things I did :P ) I will take a look amp parameters. (I also just realized that there is a "cab parameters" tab too. Will play around with that and post results) This issue is there on almost all amp models on the 500X. With regards to another preamp, I have run the GT-10 in direct mode too, while I hated the sound, it did not have these transient spikes. I really wish the POD had some sort of transient compressor kinda thing like NI Guitar Rig's Transient Master. This issue is there while using headphones and while recording through the USB. Thank You coolwhip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akeron Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 've put the impedance to "Auto". Do I change this? For me, "Auto" seems to give the best tone. I am at a loss about how I would calculate my impedance manually. I know my pickups' DC resistance, tho. It has nothing to do with pickup impedance, but it's the amp input and effect impedance. The amps are normally 1M but 3.5M sounds brighter and with more gain than 1M. There is a table with the different impedances in the advanced guide manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjnette Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Is it possible that the transient spike or pick attack isn't captured in the Boss as it is in the HD and that you are noticing a difference. If it isn't to your liking you might be able to accentuate it it with the focus EQ with a tight parametric bell curve and then attenuate it. Incidentally, During a mix of mine I scooped the wet recorded signal to make room for vocals and other parts and when mixed down listening in the car I did notice pick transient fairly prominent especially after it has been compressed on a buss for glue and another for some glue verb. It was a kind of scraping in there. My conclusion is to go for the tone at the recording stage, by thinking ahead. And keep the Mix EQing to an absolute minimum. One trick is to insert the usual plugins on the main buss toggled on and off before and inbetween tracking. Hope you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolwhip Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Thank you guys for the replies. I played around with the cab and amp parameters but this issue wont go away. These spikes prohibit any kind of soft playing, as the initial spike is quite out of proportion to the remaining part of the note. This weekend I will take this to the local Guitar Center and compare it with the other PODs there. I hope this is an issue with only my particular piece as it would be a shame if all HD500Xs are made this way. This is my first POD, so I will test out the HD500 as well. I think this might be an A/D converter issue or something. Thanks coolwhip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjnette Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Time to upload a sample Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akeron Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 It could be that what you hear are "ghost notes" that are also in the original amp models (even in the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe). Try modifying the "Sag" and "Bias" deep editing parameters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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