Hd500x-Power Engine 60 similar to Spider Test Mode?

[mbach72]

Hey everybody, I know these topics have been beaten to death but I have a question I can't quite find an answer too, and yes I've read just about every thread on the HD500/HD500x I can find on the web.

 

I just got my HD500x a few weeks ago and I've been slowly learning my way through the numerous parameters and trying to put together some decent tones. I started off playing through effects return of my Randall Rm100.Unfortunately, I'm currently playing that amp through a cab with terrible speakers, so no matter what I put though it, it sounds terrible. That's a shame too, because that's a screaming amp, but that another story.

 

 I've seen lots of people recommending the Tech21 Power Engine 60. While looking around for one of those something hit me. I have an old Spider 3-75 watt sitting around that I've used for playing around the house. That amp has the same Celestion Seventy/80 that the Power Engine uses. I can run the Spider in test mode which basically just bypasses everything before the power amp. So essentially, it's a 75 watt power amp going into a Seventy/80. I've been running Combo-Power Amp mode into that and getting what I think are decent tones, at least to my undiscriminating ear. I've been using the "Pre" amp models and the live voiced cabs  as the Seventy/80 is a pretty boring, neutral sounding speaker(which is, I'm guessing, why they use it on modeling amps) and the subtle changes of the cab models help me dial in the sounds I'm looking for.

 

So the question is; Is there something about the Power Engine that would be drastically different from this setup, or is it basically the same thing? The only real difference I can see is that I can't control the volume of the Spider in test mode and have to use the POD's master volume. I realize that the POD get a better SNR with the master up higher, but this setup is just for the house so I can deal with that.

 

Finally, what would the advantages/disadvantages of a powered PA speaker be compared to  this setup?

 

Thanks in advance for and help!

[dbagchee]

I think it will be fine for what you want to use it for - probably not worth investing in the Power Engine unless you are gigging out.

 

The main drawback I found with mine (tried this with my old Spider II 75 in "bypass" mode) is that I couldn't get anywhere near the same volume as when running through the Spider's preamp. The Power Engine should give you more juice plus is has the EQ to fine tune it a little more.

 

If you want something new a Powered Speaker would probably be your best bet as you can control all your sound within the Pod, generally get a better "spread" for your sound, and also have the bonus of being able to use for backing tracks, vocals etc - that stuff won't sound great through the power engine.