Rewolf48

The single volume control applying to all outputs is not just a bit of a pain for getting levels right, but as you found is dangerous especially when it has the potential to cause hearing damage. I don't think I can mention this enough - I suggest using a volume control or headphone amp in-line between the HD series and headphones, leaving HD volume up and turning the headphone volume right down. I used to use the former permanently inline for my IEM which I purchased after nearly getting deafened on a flight once when the Pilot announcements bypassed the entertainment system volume control (because of the IEM sensitivity I had this on minimum). Worse he wouldn't shut up and insisted on completely ruining the end of the film to tell us about some local charity thing which I didn't care a lollypop about about because I was going to transfer to another flight. The latter is what I now use (Fiio E6 about £20) and not only does it place the headphone volume in your pocket, but also resolves the impedance issues and thus improves the sound.

"set input 2 to something different even if you don't have a 2nd amp" There are loads of threads about this and how on using the "Same" setting doubles the input amplitude into the Amp models depending on where the Amp is located. try these: http://line6.com/support/topic/2033-pod-hd-500-500x-new-routing-schematics/ http://line6.com/support/topic/4586-pod-hd500-hd500x-input-settings-phase-issue-myth-and-facts-single-input-vs-both-inputs/ or going back a bit: http://line6.com/supportarchivenew/thread/74045

Assuming that you are using a dynamic mic (condensers or other mics that need phantom power don't work) have you correctly adjusted the mic trim knob that is hiding on the back somewhere (I have an HD500). You could add just a Pre-Amp model or a Tube Compressor to an otherwise empty signal chain if you need to raise the level more.

The guaranteed compatible option is Line 6 Stage Source starting with L2m, but it isn't cheap (nor are any of the other powered speakers with active processing). Never heard of anybody that wasn't happy connecting an HD500 to an L2m using a digital connection. Some nice videos if you search for HD500 L2t and perhaps Paul Hindmarsh e.g: [some people have had a few problems with fan buzz on L2 series, but I don't think they mentioned HD at the same time]

Did I get a chance to say that I am not angry about this, just disappointed? :huh: That's the problem with a board that is mainly US based, you go to sleep in Europe and the world conversation moves on without you.

I would also add that you need a MIDI interface on the PC because the HD series doesn't have a MIDI over USB capability. The MIDI functionality is described in the Advanced Guide Appendix B. One thing that you really have to watch out for is that Patch Changes on the HD will always send a Program Change message that is fixed to the new HD Patch number and cannot be disabled or changed. http://line6.com/data/6/0a06434dc1a55085c5d6532bf/application/pdf/POD%20HD500%20Advanced%20Guide%20v2.10%20-%20English%20(%20Rev%20A%20).pdf

"there should be no sound when I have every thing turned off" Are you sure? Most effects units will default to pass-through if they are switched "off", with the exception being an Amp where there is no context of being bypassed. On the HD series the volume of an Off state Amp defaults to full volume bypass as if it was an Effect, but if you don't want that you can easily change it by switching the Amp off and then changing the bypass volume option that then appears.

http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/24134/20140801/android-vs-ios-market-share-google-apple.htm "The report by Strategy Analyticsfinds that Apple's iOS market share fell to 11.9 percent from 13.4 percent in the same quarter last year. Accordingly, Android smartphone shipments in the last quarter made up 249.6 million units, up from 186.8 million a year earlier, dwarfing the 35.2 million Apple iPhones shipped" "In the Android vs. iOS debate, Google's mobile platform has long won in terms of market share. So the news that Google's lead of the smartphone market has inched ever higher is a bit ho hum. But in any case, a new report shows that Android's global market share reached a record 84.6 percent last quarter at the expense of all other mobile OS platforms including Apple's iOS, Microsoft's Windows Phone and Blackberry" When are Line 6 going to open up this product to the other 85% of the population?

I guess we should really be complaining to Line 6 about the lack of realism of the Variax models because the don't account for nodes coinciding with pickup position when playing harmonics. It should just be a case of determining from the pickup position what frequencies for that string will have a node at that distance from the bridge and then doing a cut around those frequencies. Gets a bit trickier when alternate tunings are included though, but that just shifts the node frequencies proportional to the tuning. What it can't model is when you have physically changed the tuning from standard.

In other words a headphone amp after the HD500 and before the headphones. The E6 I referred to is only £20.99. The difference when attached to HD500 is really significant especially on overall smoothness and clarity at the lower end. Did I mention how useful it is to use a headphone extension cable and to have the headphone amp with its own volume control in your back pocket?

Amplifi for the masses to encourage new guitar players... err no actually only for 12% of them because rest don't have iOS devices with the majority (85%) using Android if viewed on a worldwide scale. http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/24134/20140801/android-vs-ios-market-share-google-apple.htm "In the Android vs. iOS debate, Google's mobile platform has long won in terms of market share. So the news that Google's lead of the smartphone market has inched ever higher is a bit ho hum. But in any case, a new report shows that Android's global market share reached a record 84.6 percent last quarter at the expense of all other mobile OS platforms including Apple's iOS, Microsoft's Windows Phone and Blackberry" Igloo - I am sure that you really enjoy having your Amplifi in your living room, and I would have had one by now too... except me and my kids only have Android devices so we bought a competitors practice amp instead and make do with twiddling the knobs on it while streaming audio on the surround sound system. How many times does Line 6 need to be told the Android support is essential?

The HD series allows for many effects to be overdriven just they could be in the real world, and they have modelled the resulting effect whether compression, distortion or both. Which is great for realism and very useful if you really want the effect of overdriving a Tape Echo, but a right pain if you were not expecting it as your signal suddenly gets distorted or gets the wrong sort of distortion, especially if raising the gain pre-amplifier causes effects post-amplifier to start distorting. Hence gain staging for the HD is critical unlike many other effect units where each effects I/O is "normalised" and can't cause unexpected distortion. It isn't officially written down anywhere, but -12db appears to be the maximum signal level you can get away with for an absolutely clean path

I agree with using a real capo to move up - just to remove the warble. The only exception is when you need to change tunings mid song which I have had to do for songs like Aqualung as the acoustic is best played capo @ 3rd while the electric is normal.

Yes the models will always work for the harmonic - I actually tried it last night and I got sound from the harmonic with mags, but at a very low level but as I was using a very high gain patch at the time I could hear it fine. When I switched from mags to model the level of the harmonic jumped right up in level

No guitar to hand, but if the distance from nut to 5th fret is close to the distance from bridge to neck pickup then there will be little or no string vibration for the neck pickup to react to.

And this http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/tipsAndPitfalls#clippingEffects

"I believe the only pedal that will work for EXP 2 with the POD HD 500X, is the Line 6 Mission EP1-L6 pedal" The Roland EV-5 works fine as long as the minimum volume knob is set to 0 - any other value and it doesn't work so well.

Just thought I should mention another real benefit of using an amp like the E6 (which is tiny and easily fits into the case with the IEM) and that is you have independent volume control. The HD500 can therefore be set to full volume and send full level signals out of the other outputs (1/4, XLR) such as PA or a Recorder while the volume in the headphones is controlled by the amp which will typically be in your pocket.

I agree that the possibilities with JTV are quite large, but the spider capo can't be done unless you have a lot of presets to jump between and potentially change preset every time you change chord position as the whole point of them is for open chords and you would need a preset for each combination of open and fretted strings. The spider capo sets an alternate set of open notes, but everything fretted above the capo will be in normal pitch. JTV when you change Tuning you change every note on the string. You could simulate a spider capo if you only pitch changed every note below the capo point back to the capo point, but the JTV isn't programmed to do that. As far as I can see the idea never got to IdeaScale. The Idea of using alternate tunings alone for playing songs is quite an old one, I recall an even older thread from this one http://line6.com/support/topic/968-change-variax-tunings-using-footswitches/ where a character called Merlin said that he would play songs just by using predefined tunings - and that was on an original Variax where you had to dedicate the Preset to the tuning. To confuse the audience he would drink beer with his fretting hand.

On an old TGP thread I found the suggestion of using a headphone amp such as the Fiio E6 between HD and headphones. So after a bit of digging I discover that it is relatively highly recommended in Audiophile boards and that Westone are bundling their in-ears with them now, so I got one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/FiiO-E06-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B005HJWWW8 With the iPod and Laptop into Westone UM1 there is a very noticeable difference especially with low-end, high-end smoothness and general separation. I haven't had a chance to test them on the HD yet, but because they are a very high impedance device and are designed to drive lower impedance headphones they should have a similar effect with an HD500

I though your method these days was to use a Kemper Profiling Amp ;) Welcome back although I expect the visit to be rather short

I have a volume control linked to Exp 2 at the end of each of my patches. It is very low DSP and neutral to tone, but I can set min and max levels for the pedal movement on each patch to level them, and then when live with the inevitable variation in band volume levels I can adjust things on the fly. Typically min is set to about half volume of max, so at no time will I get an embarrassing silence when I come in.

"It would be nice if there was an Android version of the M20D control app...." I would give a +1 to this, but that would be a bit disingenuous because I don't have a M20D. I would like one though, can't justify it. Lots of requests for an Android control App for Amplify which is much worse than for M20D because you can't do a lot with it without an iDevice. Despite the fact that Apple exclusivity is costing Line 6 sales (my purchase of an Amplify for my daughter is a definite example) and it being the No1 request on IdeaScale there appears to be absolutely nothing happening on that count. I don't expect much change with Yamaha as owners either - they provide iDevice Apps for their high-end keyboards which similarly are just simple control interfaces with no real-time audio and they don't offer Android versions either.

It is possible to change the frequency response of the modelled pickups using Workbench by changing the Pot and Cap values, and therefore simulate virtually anything. But it is a real black art. For a start you need to know what the frequency response of the target pickup is, and what the response of the current modelled pickup is, and how the Pot and Cap values impact on the response. The tutorial here: http://www.vettavill...al 6 290107.pdf goes into a lot of details about how changing the values affects the sound... but the link is currently not responding, and while I have a downloaded copy at home I don't at work so I can't show you. Or you can just look at standard response charts like this one and trust that something similar happens when you change settings in workbench:

This must be a first - Line 6 released a new HD500 Firmware Version 2.32 on 6/17/14 (17th June 2014 for the rest of the world) "POD HD500 RELEASE NOTES v2.32.00 POD HD500 Flash Memory v2.32 is a FREE firmware update for all POD HD500 users. This release addresses a noise glitch that could potentially occur when exiting tuner mode while streaming USB audio. It is strongly recommended that all users install this update as soon as possible. Although there should be no sonic impact to existing patches as a result of this update, it is recommended that you connect to the POD HD500 Edit application and back up any patches you may wish to keep as a precaution." And nobody appears to notice! I certainly didn't, but I have been a bit busy recently. Has anybody tried it yet?