Hd400 Patch Change Lag

[mickroddy]

Hi,

 

I know we've had this problem on here before but I have tried the suggestions in previous posts and nothing has fixed it so I'm hoping someone will have some new Ideas.

I've owned my HD400 for about 6 months now and am starting to get some really nice tones out of it but the problem I have is this-

 

There is a slight lag or moment of silence when changing patches. Not very long but enough to really annoy me because when I kick in a new patch for a solo I miss the attack or the first note of whatever I play.  I can hit the switch early, but that still leaves a short period of silence. 

 

The problem can also be heard if for example I am playing through Patch 'A' and tap the 'A' button again the sound goes off then back on. Done in quick succession it is similar to flicking the pickup switch on my Les Paul back and forth to get that stutter effect.

 

I'm sure this can't be normal.  I don't consider myself to have that discerning an ear (especially in comparison to a lot of you guys I'm sure) but it is very annoying. 

 

After initial disappointment with the unit, I stuck with it and have started to love the tones I'm getting from it, in fact I find it hard to get a bad sound out of it now I've got the hang of it. But this is something I can not put up with playing live.

 

Please, if anyone knows how to fix this give me a clue.  Likewise,  if you're all sitting there thinking "yeah they all do that" then let me know and I can stop chasing my tail and move on.

 

If anyone is reading this with their gear set up maybe you could try hitting the same batch button a few times and let me know if you get the stutter?  That would probably confirm if it is normal or not.

 

Here's How I'm using it and what I've tried,

 

• I am not using it with the edit software and it is not connected to my laptop.
• I have updated the Firmware and re flashed several times.
• I am connected by one cable from L out to FX Loop Return on a combo amp.
• I have done the factory reset,
• The Pedal Calibration,
• I've tried the HD500 Global reset (Power on holding Left)
• Safe mode (Power on holding Right)
• Power on holding Down.
• The problem has always been there since I bought it used. (Think I've been had)
• The lag is also present when using the looper making it almost un-useable.

Nothing has worked so far.

 

Please help me if you can, I will be eternally grateful

 

Thanks in advance

 

Mick

[arislaf]

I do not own a 400- I have 500, but the lag is there , about 0.3 of a second, but without turning off the sound.on looper everything is on time, no sound is loss.Best suggestion, open a ticket and sent for repair..

[spaceatl]

Yea, I know what you are talking about...Changing patches to go to a lead doesn't work all that well with the HD400 alone...When I was using it, I 4CM some pedals into my HD400 since it is lacking a bit in the FX...mainly gain stomps...DM-3 and FL2 in the loop...This way I could stay on the same patch for a lead...basically when a smooth transition is needed, you really can't change patches...

 

This is one of those, "...hey Doc, it hurts when I do this..." sort of things...you just have to avoid it...when a smooth patch transition is needed, you just have to learn to work around it with a 400 and I think a little outboard gear helps...

 

There are a couple of ways to get a lead boost without adding pedals and keeping on the same patch....This assumes basic rock where you might have a crunchy brown rhythm tone and need a little more for the lead...if you aren't using the FX Loop, you can short it with a little patch cord (Left send to Left return)...depending on the tone you have you can set the loop to be PRE(drive amp harder like a screamer), POST (clean boost) and use the Send level to adjust the boost level...FX Loop switch becomes a boost...You could even stick a whole preamp in there and change it POST and switch to a whole different tone...The other thing you can use is the Volume Pedal....set the min to something like 70% and the max to 100%...turns it into a booster...set the volume pedal pre or post depending on the boost you need...

 

I use the HD Desktop most of the time now and still try to limit changing patches within a song...but then I can morph a Soldano crunch channel from the clean to dirty with that modeler...You can crossfade two amps in the same patch if you want to....You can't do that on a 400...I would say that maybe you are ready to move up...

[mickroddy]

Thanks to both of you for you help.

I'll give those ideas a try but the reason for going down the multi fx route for me was the convenience of being able to program multiple changes with one stomp of my foot.

I love the amp models, and the effects for that matter but I got rid of an old zoom in the 90s for this reason and I would have thought Line 6 would have found a way around it by now. My old flextone 3 had smoother transition than this!

Thanks again to you both for taking time out to help, in the long run you are probably right, time to move on. Shame :-(