greghall

I've got mine mounted to a Pedaltrain Pro with a handful of external pedals and my signal chain is as follows:

 

Guitar -> Korg Pitchblack -> ISP Decimator -> Ibanez Wheeping Demon -> Helix Guitar input.

FX Loop 3 containing TC Mini Spark

FX Loop 4 containing BBE Sonic Stomp -> TC Ditto Looper

I also have an external Mission L6 expression pedal.

 

I have the entire board wired with 2 Lava Cables Tightrope kits.

 

All this is either fed into a L6 DT25 (using L6 Link), H&K Tubemeister 36 (4CM) or an Alto TSA110 (XLRs).

 

All this is mounted nicely to the board excluding the wah and expression pedal but when I pack it up into the Pedaltrain bag, they sit nicely above the Helix's mounting space.

Nice! Can you post a picture of your board?

+1, that would be a brilliant feature on the Helix display

The Flashback X4 requires a MIDI Clock signal to set the tempo, but that isn't supported in Helix yet.

Let's hope they add it soon!

The short answer is the master volume determines power amp distortion

The pre-amp is a digital model - so the channel gain determines how distorted the tone going into the power amp sounds. The channel volume simply increases the volume of that tone rather than increasing the distortion.

At lower master volume settings, the power amp tubes don't distort the tone more - they simply make the pre-amp tone louder. At higher master volume settings, the tubes start to add distortion. If the level of the channel volume is set high, the tubes will start to distort at the lower master volume setting, so it's generally a case of playing around with the gain, channel volume and master volume to find what sounds best to you.

I tend to set the master high, around 75%, the gain around 40% and the channel volume around 50% when playing live (mic'd through the pa - I'm using pedals in front of the amp now, instead of the PODHD). For home use I just turn down the channel volume to about 30% then adjust the master to get the volume I want.

Hope that helps 

I have just noticed that when I have low volume option on and amp position I selected, that volume is louder than when I have the low volume option off.

 

I don't think that is normal. All the other amp positions work as expected with the low volume on/off options. I have a dream rig setup, but this is with a strat plugged straight in.

 

I have the 2.0 firmware. I have done a factory reset with no change.

 

Thoughts?

Actually that's normal (or it always has been with my DT25 anyway) - and it depends on where the master, channel volume and gain are set.

Low volume mode isn't a volume control as such, it switches in power amp modelling so that you can turn the amp down and still get a good tone. Position (topology) 1 is the quietest of the 4 topologies in full power mode, so this 'effect' is most noticeable on that one. 

Set the pan on both A and B channels to centre, i.e. zero (that's what I meant by 50% - but it was a bad way of expressing it :-)

To mute channel B, turn the channel B volume level down as far as it will go, until it says mute.

Hope that helps

I had a Spider Jam for a while, and found that plugging the POD into the CD/MP3 input with the POD in Studio Direct mode sounded best with that amp. You are basically bypassing the amp modelling in the amp and just using the POD that way.

Some of the later Spider amps have a way to disable the amp modelling when you power on the amp, so you can plug the POD into the amp input, but I can't remember how. 

So, if I understand correctly, working without POD HD,  we can actually SAVE 8 presets

Yes

and the amp will remember them when we switch back and fourth between channels and topologies.

Sort of ... the amp remembers the amp model, topology and class settings, but the gain, bass, mid, treble and reverb and volume levels are per channel (whatever they are currently set to). The DT is a two channel amp with different options per channel. This is why Zap has set up his amp with a clean channel and a drive channel - so he can change the topology (amp model) without having to change the other settings manually every time.

I only switch between the 2 channels when playing live, so this really isn't an issue for me :-)

For that, the best way would be setup the amp with "DT Edit" application, and midi cables?

I set up mine using the MIDI function on the HD500 - just a patch set up to send MIDI messages - I've not tried the DT Edit or the iPhone app, but I think others have used these successfully.

Regards

 

Anyone able to clarify that?

Thank you all!

 

Miguel

I left channel A with the default amps, and set up channel B with the Solo Clean, Solo Crunch, Plexi and the Uber - it works great.

Regards

MIDI control messages can be set per footswitch/expression pedal, per patch on the HD500, so you can certainly select a Nova Drive preset by using an individual footswitch (FS 1 - 8). You will have to set up the MIDI control for each HD patch you use.

As far as I'm aware, the MIDI CC commands are not sent on patch select, so it won't set the Nova Drive preset automatically on patch change.

Regards

Andertons video:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/multi-fx-units/pid29665/cid693/line-6-pod-hd500x.asp?playVideo=pAI2rOT-QuY&utm_campaign=130709podhd500x&utm_content=1062376505237&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Emailvision

In fairness the HD500 has been around a longer than a year, and the X looks more like a minor hardware upgrade. I would hope that this will extend the life of the HD series, with more firmware features in the pipeline. 

I don't think there are any definitive rules - there is so much flexibility and creative potential :-)

But, here is a suggested basic 'start with' list :

1. Switch from full to 'pre' amp model.

2. Think in mono! The DT is a mono amp, so dual amp patches, stereo effects, etc aren't going to sound the same.

3. Centre the mixer channels. i.e. both at 50% (or set channel A to 50% and mute channel B if you aren't using dual paths).

4. Having switched to a 'pre' amp model, you have probably lost your original tone (back to defaults), so mute your effects, set the DT topology you want, then adjust the tone controls and gain and volume settings. You might want to record your studio direct tones before you start, so you have reference tones (I suggest two recordings for each patch, one with effects on and the other with all the effects muted).

5. Then individually adjust each effect - again these sound quite different through the power section of the DT.

The amp models and effects respond very differently when put through the DT (compared to studio direct), particularly at volume, so you need to do 4) and 5) at your gig volume level.

I've found this process takes time, but after a while it becomes instinctive, as you get more of a feel to how the amp responds. Taking regular breaks to rest your ears also helps. 

Hope that helps. Enjoy!

No, the cab sims are associated with the amp setting, you can't run then independently. 

The DT can be controlled by any MIDI device, but I'm not sure I would risk using a laptop or iOS device when playing live. 

Just pick your favourite two amp models, and work with those :-)

The DT is just a two channel amp, so whilst you can set up different amp models / settings for each topology, the tone / volume controls are per channel. You can set tone / volume using MIDI, but any adjustments are per channel. The DT doesn't remember them per topology.

If you want to store the tone / volume settings per topology, you need to use a connected HD device. This becomes the 'brain' of the amp. Otherwise the DT works in a similar way to a traditional amp (albeit with a lot more flexibility).

Hope that helps

Another advantage of the 2.0 update: if you are using the DTxx reverb rather than an HDxxx reverb effect (for instance, to save DSP in the HD), the update allows you to configure a different TYPE of reverb in the DT (if you don't like the default). This can only be set with MIDI though, not with the L6 Link 

If you are not using dual paths, try muting channel B in the mixer, and set the pan on channel A to 50%, this really helps to reduce the volume of the DT.

If all the pod is doing is using both amps as a power amp, I still dont see why a valve power amp, or the FX return of any other valve head would be any different.

Granted the DT can model Class A,  but that is the only advantage I can see.

Another big advantage of using the DT amp is the integration with the HD (i.e. Line 6 Link), you can change the whole amp configuration with a single tap of the foot :-) 

I can see how that could be useful when the DT is connected to an HD, but it would be a bit meaningless / confusing to anyone who only uses the amp.

It's best the put the looper in the effects loop, i.e JTV>HD500>Looper>HD500. That way you can position the looper at any point in your signal chain (using mono or dual paths).

I use a Ditto looper in the effects loop and it works great. I generally have it positioned at the end of the chain, so I can change effects on different parts / overdubs.

Just remember to add the effects loop for every patch you want to use with your Jamman.

Regards 

I think the original question is a valid one, if you are intending to use the DT25 amp standalone. I agree with Zap that it makes no sense when connected to an HD500, as the HD500 becomes part of the DT amp when connected with the L6 Link, providing a lot more control.

But having some of the different pre-amp models configured in the DT25 might be useful, for instance, if there was a problem with the HD500 at a gig. 

I've not tried using the HD500 to configure the DT amp via the midi control, but in theory this should be possible, It would be very interesting to hear from anyone who has tried it? 

By running your normal (pre amp) patches through the DT in standby (i.e. low volume mode - LVM), you are only hearing the pre-amp - there is no automatic power amp modelling unless the DT is used standalone, so it is almost always best to use a full amp patch when using the DT LVM. 

So if you are using headphones, the the easiest option is to plug them into the HD500, turn the DT off, and switch to Studio Direct mode.

You will have to build duplicate patches (i.e. pre and full) for when you are using the DT as an amp and for when you are using headphones (either LVM into soundcard or direct from HD500) - it is never going to sound the same on headphones anyway, because they have a much different response to a guitar amp speaker cabinet. There is no real way around this.

Hi Thomas,

The DT master volume regulates the power passed through (drive) the tubes, i.e. the power used to amplify the (digital) pre-amp.

The HD500 patch volume is purely a digital volume control, and is not designed to affect the drive / tone of the pre-amp (likewise the mixer level). However, when the HD500 is used with a DT amp, if the patch level is set too low, it will affect the tone, because the power amp needs a reasonable input level to start with. I generally find that anything over about 30% works fine.

Some people advocate / have reported very good results using a power attenuator to reduce the volume. If using the DT on its own, that's a much better option than Low Volume Mode, IMO.

However, when combined with the HD500, I have found I can get a very good tone at a reasonably low volume level by various settings, such as selecting one of the quieter DT topologies, adjusting the patch volume, gain, mixer volume and adding a drive effect if needed. Muting channel B also really helps. I always keep the DT master over 50% though.

... or just play loud! :-)

Regards

Greg

Hi Thomas,

Are you connecting your HD500 to the DT25 with the L6 Link? And your JTV with the VDI cable?

This is how I set up a new dream rig patch ...

1. Select the guitar model you want to use on the JTV.

2. Start with a clean patch and firstly set the mixer to 50% on each channel. This really improves the tone, as the DT25 is a mono amp. I also usually mute channel B as this reduces the volume of the pre-amp into the DT25 power amp section, which lets you turn the master up and drive the valves harder, especially if you are in a small venue or at home.

3. Select a pre version of your favourite amp model - probably a Marshall or the Soldano for the sort of sounds your looking for. Just go through the pre amp models until you find one that's closest to the tone you are looking for. The 'full' amp models aren't designed to work with the DTxx amps. 

4. Set the patch volume to about 50% and the DT master to between 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock. If it's too loud for the room you are in, reduce the patch volume, or the channel volume in the mixer, rather than the DT master, so you drive the valves. Once the overall volume is about right, then adjust the gain, and EQ until it sounds right.

5. Obviously the tone will change depending on the guitar model, so set the HD to control the Variax model once you are happy with the tone. (I always do this, so I don't forget which model I used to set up the patch).

6. Once you are happy with all this, then add effects, one at a time, paying attention to the effect on levels. Then check the different combinations of effects work well together.

Give that go, and if you are still having trouble getting a good sound, let me know. 

Hope that helps,

Greg

PS I do all my patch editing on the HD500 and DT now. I used to only use the HD Edit program (which is great), but that doesn't help if you need to tweak things quickly in a live setting, so I recommend getting familiar with the HD500 interface.