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Ordering An Hd500x This Weekend, What Accessories Do I Need?


justcrash
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Hey all, like the title says, I am ordering a new HD500X after a few things finish up on ebay this weekend. I'm already planning on getting a gig bag for it. What else do I need? A special cable to connect it to my PC? Something to go to the PA, if desired? Eventually I'll get a DT amp (no idea what wattage or head/combo yet, but that's another thread), will I need another type of cable to connect that?

 

My big fear is, I'll get it, open it up, all excited and be like "Oh, well, crap, I need another 3 types of cables to edit this on my PC/play with it in front of my amp." Save me from me! :p

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comes with the power cable and the computer/usb cable.

you'll just need a cable to go to the amp... or monitors....

and when you get a DT amp an XLR cable.

Thank you! For now I'm using it pretty much like a pedal board, turning off the amp sims I believe. May decide to run it straight into the pa.. How does that sound?

 

What is the popular consensus on which DT to get? I can't imagine I'll need more wattage than the 25 if I'm using a PA anyway, but the 50, which also does 25, is very tempting. Likewise, the lack of weight on the head vs the combo is nice, but then I also have one more thing (a cab) to load in/out at a gig.

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sounds great, you just want to make sure you change the output mode accordingly depending on what you're playing into.

 

i have the DT50, but i think that the DT25 is probably better for most and more popular...

I got the DT50 before the DT25's were released.

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I used to have a Vetta II (wish I didn't sell it), I can't imagine the HD500X is a lot more complicated than that? I always loved the ability to run from the vetta direct to the PA and then just use the amp speakers as my monitor.

 

I understand what you mean about the Dt25. My GF bought me a Slash SL5, 20 watts I think, maybe 25. Anymore, I prefer smaller wattage amps. It isn't like I'm playing collesiums. :)

sounds great, you just want to make sure you change the output mode accordingly depending on what you're playing into.

 

i have the DT50, but i think that the DT25 is probably better for most and more popular...

I got the DT50 before the DT25's were released.

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lol. Seriously tho, a 2nd expression pedal would be handy.

One would usually leave onboard expression pedal as

volume and assign a pitch shifter or wha wha to the other.

Its assignable to many parameters.

 

Thanks man, you'll probably think I'm an idiot but everytime I've had a volume pedal, I've managed to accidentally turn it down right before a gig during set up. Then I go to hit that first note 5 minutes before we go on and... silence. Queue panic, remove a year off of my life. :p

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The HD500(x) has a 1/4" input for a 2nd special-design foot pedal. Just connect the mission pedal with a standard 1/4"-1/4" 2-conductor cord. Following the instructions on how to calibrate it. It shows up in HD500 Edit as a second controller. You can assign virtually any controllable parameter to it, just like you can with the foot pedal already on the unit. Wah-wah, pitch shift, drive control of the amp (to smoothly change from clean to crunch), Univibe speed, there are lots of things you can do with them besides volume control. I don't use a volume control per se, using the tuner to mute instead, but I do on the front end of some effects to act as a swell of sorts.

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A great accessory to a brand new Pod HD is alcohol. Have a couple beers while you read the (full-online-only) manual and wait for it to arrive. Then a few more drinks are good while you dink with it for the first time and build some easy patches.

 

Another good accessory is a buddy. let him mess around with it too, because then you can drink and read more, so when you pick it back up you have some more familiarity with it. It's time-consuming to learn well, but oh man, is it worth it.

 

Enjoy!

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Yeah, it comes with the primary crucial stuff. The USB cord is standard, like the kind you connect a printer to your computer with. You will just need the obvious stuff, 1/4" cable(s) to plug guitar into it, 1/4" to go from HD500 to an amp. Does not have any RCA outs. Has the standard 1/4" headphone jack.

 

It's worth mentioning that when using the HD500 connected to a PC, the HD500 should be designated as the soundcard, if you want to use it for recording. In that case, the audio playback / output is routed out the main 1/4", XLR, and headphone outs on the HD500, so you will need the speakers connected to the POD to hear anything.

 

You will definitely want to deal with the monkey. The Line6 Monkey that is. It's their software which allows you to update the HD500 to the latest and greatest firmware / flashware. Just do what it says, in terms of disconnecting the USB cable when it says, power cycle it when it tells you. Do that first, using the login you have here to connect and register your gear with L6.

 

When it prompts you if you want to save your patches during update, say 'no' for these first updates.

 

Once you have everything updated on the HD500, Monkey should also install drivers on the PC, and the HD Edit software. Do yourself a favor, and get ALL of that out of the way first. While drinking those beers! ;)

 

For me, I like to start in studio/direct mode. Especially if you intend to connect to a PA. Once you get a DT amp, that changes everything, but for now, studio/direct is essential. It's your new best friend.

 

If you have any amps, use the FX return. 1/4" cable from HD500 (L) (mono) out to the 1/4" FX return on the amp. In studio/direct mode... This will sound most correct for the time being.

 

Now, no offense intended to the onboard presets - but skip them, all of them. Head straight to a blank patch. Choose an amp model. Play. Choose a different amp model. Play.. Repeat, adding beer as needed.

 

When you are feeling adventurous, head over to CustomTone and snag some patches. Load them into HD Edit, using the 'send' function will transfer them to blank slots on the HD500. I suppose same goes for the onboard default presets.

 

The reason I say 'start with the blank patch', is there are some SERIOUS volume differences between patch to patch. Like, scary big volume jumps. Auditioning a few of the HD amp models will give you a good sense of what this thing has to offer. Also tweak the mic choices; any given amp model will sound radically different based on the mic choice. Again, because it's studio/direct, this is the setting which will sound 'right' for direct recording, direct to PA, and to any FX return of an amp - because you want to bypass external preamping and tap the HD500 tone direct to a power amp with as little coloring as possible.

 

The reason I say use the HD edit software, is because it makes it a good bit more obvious when you look through existing presets, and when you want to set up your own.

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Great replies, especially ColonelForbin!  My dream rig (jtv69, hd500x, dt25 head, dt 1x12 cab) will arrive on Monday and I'm going to use his reply as a quick start guide.  I also ordered a 3' 16 gauge speaker cable (head to cab), a 25' AES/EBU cable for L6 Link (hd500x to DT25) and a VDI cable for the Variax.

 

I own a Variax 500 and Vetta II so I also ordered a couple extra speaker cables to try some funky experiments.

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