teremy

... itisfinallyworkinghellyeah.mp3

edit: actually not fixed at all :(

But the recording pretty much what I hear when I have my headphones connected to the pod hd500 and that means I don't even have it connected via usb to my computer, so can't be the drivers? Also tried on another computer. I am using audacity and I don't see anything like POD HD ASIO, I'm just selecting "Digital Audio Interface (Line 6 POD HD500)". Also I installed the current drivers and firmware etc. etc.

Hello. Following another topic of mine ( http://line6.com/support/topic/7044-pod-hd-500-low-volumeoutput/ ). Does anybody own the hd500 + the emg dg-20? This would really be helpful, I think something's wrong with my hd500, so for testing purpose it would be best if someone could record something ( using usb ) and post the recording + preset he used ( maybe also add additional information like which pickup was selected and the spc and exp configuration of the guitar ).

Bought it online but it's no problem sending it back. I will wait for the stuff from the guy with the same pickups and I will borrow another guitar from a friend to test with. Then if I still have the impression of my HD500 having a defect or something, I will send it back.

As I said in my original post, I have set it to Studio/Direct, also tried out other options. Some people were experiencing problems when they set the second input to "Guitar" or "Same" ( http://line6.com/supportarchivenew/thread/74045?start=0&tstart=0 ), still doesn't fix my problem.

But the tone I used was the exact tone that you used for your recording? I know there are differences, since we're using a different guitar, but with 2 guitars that I have tested with, I don't think it sounds great. What exactly is PAD btw.? What does it stand for? I have tried that option ( with many other options ) though... I don't 100% know if there's something wrong with my hd500, but I have spend much more time tweaking the sound than actual playing and I don't want that to continue. I was also using bridge pickups. I guess they are hotter, they are active humbuckers. Good thing my friend owns multiple guitars, so I guess I borrow another one that has passive ones. Still what bothers me is that I can't seem to get a decent tone out of my hd500. Compared to the ones I found on youtube it sounds like total crap, also when they provide their presets it sounds so different + I always have to turn volume up or boost the signal etc. to just be able to use the preset and even with some tweaking I don't get it to sound as good as it does in the video.

Or maybe it is the hd500 that's causing the problem. I was looking for some presets on youtube, so I can hear what it can actually sound like and then use the preset in my hd500 to hear what it sounds like with my equip. My friend's guitar has humbuckers and since the emg's in my guitar are single coils, shouldn't I be able to get a sound at least similar to what I'm hearing? With either guitar It doesn't sound good :/. What guitar/pickups did you use (sounds like a telecaster to me)? Whatever I record it sounds nothing compared to your recording, even with my friend's guitar (that has cost 675€)! Did you use a pick for the playing? Here I have recorded with my friend's guitar with the settings I attached ( the one you also posted as an image ), centered pan and no boost. I don't think it sounds good and when it comes to a lead sound it just sucks, also the bass seems to overdrive the sound, so when playing lower notes the sounds is much louder ( though it doesn't really sound that much louder, it just overdrives and clipping occurs ). What I recorded doesn't sound like complete crap, but it is nothing compared to your recording and even something that simple, I was not able to achieve up to this point. Thanks for your help guys! testing.mp3

Yep those are the Gilmour pickups. I found someone on the internet who owns a hd500 and has the same pickups ( I posted a video of him in my original post ) and he is willing to send me a preset and record something with it. Then I have the best possible comparison! I'll let you know how it turned out.

I never plugged it into a real amp and the sound I hear through headphones is the same sound that is recorded, but here lies the problem ;-). Let's assume there is something wrong with my EMG DG-20's. I didn't buy them directly from EMG, so what can I do now? Is there a way to somehow test the output ( using some tool or anything? ). EMG also doesn't seem to have a forum nor can I find anything related to customer support. I have installed the pickups on my own but I'd say there wasn't much you could do wrong since it came assembled on a pickguard and all you had todo was some screwing, no soldering was involved... Considering others get a great tone with those pickups and I am using the exact settings, there MUST be something wrong.

I borrowed the guitar of a friend and it seems the problem has something todo with my guitar. His guitar has way better output and the guitar cable also doesn't change anything. I already took a look into my guitar and fixed some loose connection, but the output is still the same :/. I will test some more tomorrow and maybe let some professional have a look at my guitar.

Also tried again with your settings and with the mixer levels set to +12db. The sound is still very quiet and when I use the "microphone boost" I get a lollipop sound that is overdriven and there's also clipping. I have never been happier about something being wrong :D . Have to wait some days in order to test it with my friends guitar + new guitar cable etc....

THANK YOU! Now that really helps! So I do have an actual problem here. You were using the settings I provided in my original post, right? I own the hd500 since september last year and in the meantime got a new pc, the problem has always been there ( been using compression and distortion etc. to get a somewhat useful volume, but also many background noises, I'm kind of cross with myself now, since I didn't really do anything about it, thankfully I still got guaranty ). I read so many stuff and I'm not a noob regarding the configuration, also I can usually help myself using google, but not this time. I have ordered a new guitar cable ( of quality ) that will arrive until tuesday. Also messaged a friend if he could lend me his guitar + guitar cable for one day ( he will ;) ) and then I will also try it using my laptop ( so another computer ). That should tell that the problem lies within the hd500. @Brazzy: Your test.mp3 sounds fine and I have NEVER been able to get such a good tone out of my hd500! The batteries of my EMGs are also fully loaded ( just switched them ), I bought the pickups with the hd500 and also had it tested with my old pickups. Maybe I also find a way to test a hd500 in a shop and also bring my own for comparison. Thank you guys, this helped a lot!

Yes, I also tried the microphone boost, though I don't think it is necessarily a good idea, since the tone can get distorted? It of course makes it louder, but still doesn't sound right. When somebody is also using the hd500 and the same pickups, shouldn't I get the same result using the same settings? It's also set to 100 under "Levels".

As I said I am using the 2-Line POD HD500 device to record. I also attached a recording and you don't get such result if you're just recording an unamplified guitar. Also under the recording devices I can see how loud my playing is ( just like you can with a microphone etc. ). Using a different software than audacity doesn't matter, since I can roughly see the volume under the recording devices and also hear it because my headphones are plugged in the hd500. What would help is if someone could record just a few chords or anything using the settings I have mentioned in my original post. Still got the idea that something is wrong :/.

But still I want to record what I'm hearing through the headphones and vice versa, so when I have to normalize it every time after recording I think it's hard to play along a backing track or find a good setting that goes with the backing track ( you see, I don't just want to record stuff, sometimes I just want to play ;) ). Also this doesn't explain why the guy on the video I posted has a decent level of volume when also using the same pickups as I do. It can't be normal to have everything maxed to get an actual sound, guitar players usually also adjust the volume knob of their guitar ( leave some headroom ) for different soundings. Thanks for your reply though!

Hello. I actually had created a similar thread months ago and made sort of a workaround using compression or distortion but it seems I'm really having a problem with my hd500 unit. I have it connected via usb and also want to record this way ( using the "2-Line 6 POD HD500" recording device, which you get when connected via usb ). My problem is that I can't get a decent level of volume/output. I have read lots of stuff and tried out many configurations, though nothing fixed it. I have the output mode of the hd500 set to STUDIO/DIRECT. On the front of the hd500 i have the 1/4" out set to LINE and the "guitar in" set to normal. Though I also tried out any other configuration! I have tried multiple amp models using the hd500 edit software. I have maxed both levels in the mixer to +12.0db. I have maxed the CH VOL of the amp, maxed the master volume and drive is set to 50 as you can see here: Now to get you an image of the low volume I have recorded something with these settings ( see the lowvolume.mp3 attachment ). What would also help me is if you record something using this exact settings. Just have my guitar plugged into the pod hd500 and the pod hd500 connected to my computer via usb. Computer can't be the problem since I tried with another and my guitar should also not be the problem, since I have changed my pickups to EMGs which came assembled on a pickguard including all the electronic stuff, so technically I have tested it with 2 guitars. Also tried 2 different guitar cables ( though they are cheap ones ). I have ordered a good guitar cable and I will test with the guitar + guitar cable of a friend in a few days if that will make a difference. Can you guys tell me if there is something wrong with my hd500? I saw a video on youtube of someone using the hd500 and the same pickups as I do ( emg dg 20 ) and in his video he got a decent level of volume even when theres no amp model selected yet. He's also recording via usb ( I asked him, that's also why I know about the pickups he used ), video is here and at 1:28 he's playing without an amp model using the pickups that I use too: http://youtu.be/KPXGMoal5ZE?t=1m28s You will also see that he's not even using the +12db boost in the mixer nor maxed CH VOL and the master volume is at 50%. With my settings what volume do you get? I know you can also boost the signal using a configuration in the Line 6 Audio-MIDI Devices but still that won't get me sound as the guy in the video ( who's sort of using the same equipment as I do ) and I don't want the sound to get to distorted. What is wrong? Is my unit broken or something? Still got guaranty of course and the problem seems to have always been there, though with such a unit I assumed that I was doing something wrong, since there are so many possibilities of how to configure this thing. Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for anything that might help me fix this. Cheers, Teremy lowvolume.mp3

Thank you very much guys! The full version of the amp does indeed have a better output/volume. And yes, the master volume also increases the output and it let's me use the AC30 without any compression in front of it. Thanks again :). Oh and btw. I think the AC30 model sounds great!

Thank you for your answers. Can you give more information on how to use the "FULL" version of the amp and not just the PRE(amp?)? Since I also have the 2x12 Silver Bell Cabinet selected, I don't really get what you mean :( . Also I was listening to someone on youtube and I downloaded his preset and he was also recording with just his guitar plugged into the HD500 and recording via USB. I also needed to max out some things for decent volume. Another question: With my setup, would you have as low volume as me? Isn't my setting usual? All the factory presets are also like that, aren't they?

Hello. I own a HD500 for a few days now. I think the models and everything are great, but I'm really having problems with the volume. For example I want to use the AC30 model, but even when I max the Channel Volume ( CH VOL ) and the Drive I can't get enough volume to work with. I even maxed the level to +12db in the mixer and still can't get a decent amount of volume ( the volume is there, but considering max. CH Vol, max. Drive, max. boost in the mixer, it's definitely not acceptable ). I could of course use compression or distortion in front of the amp, but I can't see that as a solution, since I maxed everything and still not getting a good volume and comp. or dist. also affect the sound ( of course ). I searched quite a bit and this guy here seems to have the same problem: http://line6.com/supportarchivenew/thread/63490 I have my HD500 connected via USB, which is also how I record. I made pictures of the settings and also recorded my guitar ( one with just the AC30 model and the other one with added compression ). I think the compressed one sounds fine, but I'm not satisfied with having to always use a compression for the cleaner amp models ( some models give a nice amount of volume, especially the more dirty ones ). Also the output mode is set to studio/line, but also tried other options in the software and also on the HD500 itself ( the switches ). Can you guys try my settings and upload your playing? What could be the problem? My guitar pickups should give enough output ( EMG DG-20 active pickups with fully loaded battery ). Kind regards, John clean.mp3 clean_comp.mp3