codamedia

The LA Studio comp is based on an LA2A.... a two knob compressor, extremely easy to use, and sounds great. Load the default settings.... then concentrate on just two others. There are no "suggested settings" with this compressor... other than the defaults which are setup really well. Peak Reducation: Lower this to decrease compression, raise it to increase compression. The default setting is a great starting point, so just decrease/increase a little if needed. HINT: Once it starts compressing the volume will get quieter as you raise this... if you want a gentle compression start with a low setting and raise until you notice the first "drop" of volume, then back it back off a hair. Level: If you increase the "peak reduction" for heavy compression it will get quieter and you will need to increase the output level to compensate. With a gentle compression you should not need to change this at all. The Peak Reduction is similar to the threshold on other compressors, but it also scales the ratio at the same time. With all compressors... the input gain produces the exact same results as lowering the threshold (or raising the peak reduction on the LA2A). The more input you send a compressor, the more it compresses. Not knowing the input level you feed the compressor makes it impossible to recommend specific settings. Read my "hint" in the Peak Reduction for the closest thing I can give to a recommended setting. You are right... a peak reduction meter on the Helix would go a long way to assisting with this... I would just say "have the signal attenuate a couple DB's at most".

Yeah... that's the basics of it.

The LA Studio Comp is the perfect compression block for vocals... just don't over compress.

When you turn the loop off you are bypassing your amps pre-amp... make sure your amp is not the cause of the noise, and/or check to make sure your loop settings are appropriate (instrument/line). That said.... you may have ended up with an earlier release of HX Effects... some units have a known issue with the effects loop. Open a support ticket with Line 6, and if they will look into it and sort it out for you. I had an HX that sounded like a waterfall when I turned the loop on... Line 6 support took really good care of me. There is a sticky at the top of these forums that alludes to this... but they don't tell you exactly what the "audio artifact" is. I will tell you it is "noisy effects loops". https://line6.com/support/topic/32964-hx-effects-audio-artifacts/

I use my expression pedal to control all delay levels (actually, it's the delay mix). Snapshots never need to control whether or not a delay is on/off or the level of the delay. You could do that for any effect of your choice to relieve the pressure a little.

You are on to something there. Distortion naturally compresses... so when you engage that, you might want to try disengaging the compressor. That can be done via snapshot, or even by applying both to the same footswitch so you toggle between them.

Congrats... hope you enjoy it. I just want to add one more thing regarding blocks... it may trip you up when you first look at it if you don't understand how they are broken down. 32 blocks total.... 16 on Path 1, 16 on Path 2 (each path has it's own processor) 8 each on Path 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B By default, path 1A and 1B are parallel to each other (as are Path 2A and 2B) but it is possible to create a serial chain by adjusting the "split" and "merge" blocks.... effectually putting all 16 blocks in a row. If you do that on both Paths and chain the two paths, you get a MEGA 32 block serial path.

The Helix is not responsible for creating feedback, the way it is used is. If you over process a microphone, it will feedback. Start with good positioning of the mic to monitor. Make sure they are never looking at each other. Watch the gain staging to make sure distortion is not being introduced someone along the way As you turn up, bad frequencies will introduce themselves. Learn to recognize them and notch them out. Always CUT bad frequencies, do not boost anything with the EQ. Compressor.... try a 4:1 ratio, and attenuate the peaks by just a couple of db. It is gentle, but it makes a big difference. This will NOT add feedback unless you turn it up too loud. reverb and delay are like adding "spice" to food while cooking. A little goes a long, long way. If the reverb is delay is "taking off", the tail of the effect is turned up way too far. IMO... You are much better off learning how to control feedback on your own. Having a machine baby you through it just masks the problems that shouldn't be there to begin with. I assume you mean 2B for vocals... Since you running 3 paths, make sure they are isolated and not interfering with each other. If they bleed into each path (routing) it will cause problems.

Yes it is... Globally. I own a 300 and it does... so why wouldn't the 700. Oddly though.. they bury this global option under the EDIT menu when editing a specific model. (not very intuitive) This is a screen shot I just took from my editor.... clicking "string volume setup" opens the "string volume" dialog image (taken from the web) I posted earlier.

Are we talking about individual preset string levels... or global string level? The opening post is not clear on that. Workbench (original) allows you to adjust the individual string levels at a global level. If a piezo becomes weak, or you just want to tweak the balance of the instrument to your liking then you can do that. BUT - You cannot adjust the string level from preset to preset.

IMO... yes it does qualify. Steve Stevens is using an HX Effects (not a full Helix) and is using it for delays and reverbs. It's an effects unit, why wouldn't that qualify? Another example of creative use could be Cory Churko (Shania Twain/Kelly Clarkson) who uses a full Helix for all effects and routing, but uses a Kemper for amp modelling. John McFee (Doobie Brothers) uses a Helix exactly as many users here might. Routing/processing of all his instruments (variax, electrics, acoustics, dobro, banjo, pedal steel, etc...) complete with amp modeling on the electrics. 100% agree with you on this. I think people just like to justify their decision to buy a particular product then want to see their "hero" to use it as well. It's just human nature.

I am seeing the Helix/Fractal/Kemper on stages everywhere these days.... more so on the concert stages than in the weekend bars.

Do you know what each of these does? If not, you are just twisting knobs and hoping for the best. Drive = input gain. Turning this up will generally make an amp dirtier but keep in mind, some amps may never get dirty when you turn this up, some many never get completely clean when you turn this down... that's how the amps work in real life as well. Volume = channel volume. Once you get a tone you like on the amp model, use this control to balance it with the other presets. Master = HD Pro Master Volume. This controls the overall output of the entire unit. This is NOT part of individual presets. Normally you would run this fairly high... but it is meant to run in conjunction with your monitor device. EG: when running headphones, this is your headphone volume control. When running into a mixer with XLR, you normally want this full.

In means it is on... and as stated above, it is attenuating your input gain by 6db. Disengaging that may help a little... but there are still a few other things to consider. Not discussed yet... but please make sure your guitar volume is FULL, at least for testing purposes. Not all amps are the same in regards to volume. Just like the real world, some amps are louder, and some are quieter.... Do not expect them all to be the same. Use the CHANNEL VOLUME (labelled volume on the HD Pro) to LOWER the high output amps or RAISE low output amps. You should be able to balance all of the volumes of amps using that one control. Keep in mind... if you run a loud amp with a high channel volume, you will NEVER get the quiet amp loud enough. You need to balance patch to patch. On the HD Pro... there is a MIXER block that is always there. You can use that to further raise or lower volumes if you need to. Read up on the mixer block and use it to your advantage, it's a great resource on the HD series. This is all part of gain staging and preset balancing. Players naturally do this with pedals, but it often gets neglected with modelers and multi effects. If "gain staging" or "unity gain" are new terms for you... or if you are not familiar with them, you should take the time to understand them both.

"guitar pad" = "input pad". On the front of the POD pro... I think it is right beside the 1/4" guitar input on the front and is labeled "pad". If you get better results then something "may be wrong" with the guitar input of the device. It's just part of troubleshooting.

This is user error, or a faulty unit. If it were designed this way, nobody would have gotten any use out of it. Did you buy this Pod Pro NEW or is it used? How long have you had it? Did it just start doing this out of nowhere? Did it ever work? How to you monitor the POD? IE: What do you hook it up to in order to hear it? It's not necessary... some people prefer to do that as part of their tone.... and to push the amps harder, but you do not NEED to do that to get enough volume/gain from the amps. If you cannot get unity gain out of your POD with any amp model, something is wrong with your POD. From everything you say I am thinking it's an "input" problem, but that is just an assumption. Try a different guitar cable or at least verify the one you are using gets a strong enough signal straight into an amp. Make sure the guitar pad is not turned on Here is a test you can try to see if the guitar input is actually getting the proper signal insert the LOOP at the beginning of the chain Set the loop to "Stomp Level" Plug your guitar into the RETURN and turn the loop on. Is that any better than the guitar input? Have you done a factory restore... or at least a "global settings" restore. Pod HD/HD500/HD500x/HD Pro/HD ProX Global Settings Reset: Hold down the left arrow on the navigation button while powering the unit. Factory Reset: You must reinstall the firmware, when Monkey prompts you if you want to keep your existing presets, hit no. Video Tutorial

I don't know for certain, but I would assume the Variax Bass would interact with the Helix the same as the 1st Generation Variax guitars (500, 300, 600, 700). The communication is 1 way (Helix to Variax), not two way like it used to be. Using a VDI cable... you can expect the following. The helix will power the Variax You will get sound from the Variax The Variax will work exactly as it always has in regards to being a guitar. The volume, tones, selector "on the guitar" work as they always have. The Helix can change patches on the Variax but you must dial in the Variax Model on the Helix per preset/snapshot (on the older PODS you could dial in a preset on the Variax and the POD would read that information and save it to a patch. The Helix DOES NOT pickup on those changes gracefully with an older Variax so you MUST dial in the model on the Helix itself) If the Variax Bass is like the Variax Guitar.... the Helix can only see the "FACTORY" guitars, not guitars that were modified through workbench. On the guitar we have 2 "custom banks of 5" that the Helix can see for custom settings... but it cannot see anything we changed over the factory setting location. The bass appears to work a little differently (red/green for each selection) so I don't know how that will work. *** Important *** You cannot connect to Workbench on a computer through the Helix. You would need a Variax interface, or an older POD for that task. That's my experience with a 1st gen Variax and a Helix. IMO it is very workable once you learn how to work around the quirks. But again, I am just "assuming" the bass will interact like the 1st gen Variax, I do not know for certain. Good luck...

Kick their a** with tone and versatility. Until you do that they will not be convinced, and even when you do they will likely move the goal posts. I regularly do a gig at a local musicians hangout. I go direct with my Helix LT and I run a Peavey Bandit (power amp in) loaded with a COAX full range speaker for myself. Everybody loves my tone and asks about it. When I show my rig I don't know what offends them more... the Helix modelling going direct (that they hear) or the solid state peavey that I listen to :) YES - it is that stupid!

Different lingo, but that was the second option I provided :) It's not the route I would go, but if it's easier for you and you are confident it would work, then go for it!

This is something completely different from your title of "PD HD500X EDIT".... You cannot update the HD500 through EDIT.... As stated above.... download the updated firmware and run it with the HD connected to the computer.

@amsd The people here likely don't have that product, or know what it is... that's why you are not getting any replies. This is the forum you should be in ... https://line6.com/support/forum/30-pod-farm-pod-studio-toneport/ As for datasheets, I highly doubt it. I think Line 6 keeps those pretty tight.

I will second everything Kilrahi says above... IMO.... this is how I would set it up. Insert a RETURN block at the end of the HX Effects chain. Plug the ZOOM into that return block Now... leave the MIX at 50 in the return block, and use the return level to control the amount of drums you want to hear. The guitar never see's the Zoom... the drums come through without any effects from the HX. I have owned almost every L6 POD variant since 1999, and I also own a ZOOM G3 (original model) and a Zoom B2... I am familiar with both product lines. In all regards, the Line 6 products are a large step forward. The Zoom products are incredible value... they sound really good, can do gigs, etc... but they are not to the same level as the Line 6 products. It's like comparing a compact car (Civic, Corolla, Elantra, etc...) to a luxury vehicle. The compact works fine and seems quite nice but they are not in the same league as an Audi or Mercedes.

You should have the loop set to instrument level so it feeds your amp correctly. If it not hitting the amp the same as going direct that means you have a problem with your gain staging prior to the loop. There is an effect (or two) that is always on, and turned down too low. If you don't want to mess around with the gain staging issue then there is still an easy fix. The SEND and RETURN in a loop have separate levels. Simply turn up the SEND so it hits your amp to the same level going direct does. That would be a "one setting fix" for the gain staging problem. IMO... I wouldn't use line level here, but if you like the sound of the AMP this way and just want to tame the return level why not turn down the return level in the loop? Taking it back to somewhere between -6 and -12 should solve the issue.

When you engage the tuner check the lower left of the screen to make sure it is set to the correct input... EG: If you accidentally changed that from MULTI to RETURN 1 it would appear to be unresponsive.

You would be surprised at how many users are not aware of third party company's like ownhammer, or 3sigma ... they don't go looking for those things. Being able to buy directly from the company that makes your product and knowing you get support from them adds a level of comfort to many users. I'm more in your camp... this isn't for me. But it doesn't effect me so who am I to put it down for those that prefer it :)