pfsmith0

How are you listening to the POD before opening the DAW? How are you listening to this after opening the DAW? Which DAW are you using?? What kind of audio interface are you using?

A broken USB port is a common problem on these. All it takes is a slight mis-alignment when plugging/unplugging the cable and SNAP, there you go. If you're handy with a soldering iron you can replace it. Pretty much ANY substitute that fits will be better than the original. I wouldn't blame that on previous abuse. A suggestion, try downloading someone else's preset and try that. If you're a newbie it's very easy to miss something.

Hurghanico is correct. The HD500 can't do this on its own.

Actually, Jam Origins makes a GREAT software-based guitar audio - to - MIDI converter. It pretty much works out of the box, but there are tweak options that lets you fine-tune its performance. It's really quite an amazing piece of software. I wouldn't call audio - to -MIDI conversion an immature technology anymore. Their software works very, very well.

Another way is to use the HD500 CD input. Plug your analog sound source in there and it'll come out along with your normal HD500 guitar sound. You'll need the proper cable to connect your PC sound card output into it.

An alternative to using the FX LOOP for 2 guitars into 2 amps is to configure the signal chain for 2 distinct signal paths. Input 1 goes to path A. Input 2 goes to path B. Put whatever FX blocks you want in either path. At the very end, pan path A fully L and path B fully right. Now you have each guitar on it's own output half of the stereo output. It's basically 2 mono signals. This is a much more straightforward way to do it IMHO. The main thing you lose is the tuner for Guitar 2. It's only available to Input 1.

After you edited your tones with the PC, did you SAVE the patches back to the HD500 before you exited? Otherwise, the HD500 will just use whatever patch was there before.

Wait, are you running an HD500 w/amp modeling into another guitar amp? Yes, that will sound bad. You need to turn off the HD500 amp modeling. Check out page 2-8 of the Advanced Guide. You want to select the output mode to be Stack Front since you have a separate eternal cab.

Mute the computer monitors and see if the feedback goes away.

You'll want to set Input 1 to guitar and rout it only to signal path A. Set Input 2 to mic and rout it only to signal path B. Then use the mixer to send signal path A 100% left and signal path B to 100% right. Do not use any FX after the mixer cuz some of those will muck with the stereo separation. You now should have a single stereo output to your PC containing the guitar on 1 side and the mic on the other.

Go here to see all my measurements and click on the link that says "Gains". From there you'll see that Line provides 6dB more signal than Amp. That's all it does. Depending on what you're plugging into, you may need to set the switch one way or the other - or maybe not at all. If the sound guy needs more signal, switch to Line. If the amp seems way too over-driven, switch to Amp.

It sounds like the iLoud monitors from IK Multimedia may be perfect for you at home. They are basically really, really good computer monitors with very flat response. One thing my do with my acoustic instruments is play them really loudly thru the HD500 - loud enough that I get feedback. I hold the instrument up close to the speakers and thump the instrument. A dominant frequency should be heard. If not, turn it up more. I then use the Studio EQ FX (it has the best dynamic range, low distortion, transparent sound) to notch out that frequency. Then I turn it up again to get the next feedback frequency, instantiate another Studio EQ, and notch out that frequency. I do this 3 - 4 times. Nothing else is in the signal path. Just a bunch of Studio EQs. This way you get a nice balanced tone with no honking frequencies. But you'll need some nice balanced, flat monitors (like the iLouds, but there are others) for this to work well. You don;t want speaker resonances to muck with your cello resonances. The suggestion to set Input 2 to Variax is excellent. Also, you may need to adjust the input impedance. Depending on the transducer being used, you may need to max it out. An impedance too low will give you a nasally sound.

So, you're saying you can create and patch with an amp model and get sound. Them when you delete the amp model you get no sound?

I've had the HD500 for about 10 yrs and had to replace the USB port. Everything else is fine.

And notice that using Codamedia's technique you don't need the AB switch anymore.

Kroa, you're a EE? You'd enjoy this thread:

Yes, I remember the first few times it was quite a sung fit. It's much easier now, 4 yrs later.

I just updated the OP with new links to ALL my measurements, not just the EQ FX. Enjoy!

I suppose that's possible. Howling is usually a feedback problem, so I'd ficus on that (although it is a simple experiment to switch those GND switches. Another idea, use headphones instead of the Yamaha speakers. Does it howl with that? It maybe feeding back from external speakers to microphonic pickups on your guitar.

Agreed, use the foot pedal to smoothly morph from one to the other.

Could you be using SPDIF somewhere in your system? Master volume doesn't control that. I don't think it controls the CD/MP3 input either, in case you're using that.

Yes, the biggest oversight in the HD500 design was no signal level meter. The signal can get clipped after any of the FX blocks if you're not careful. But unless you're doing something extreme, and I doubt you are with an acoustic guitar, then you're probably fine. I measured the clip levels of the HD500's various IO ports and reported my results here. For example, for Guitar Pad = Normal, the input ADC will clip at 8.3Vpp, which is HUGE. You're active preamp output is probably closer to 1Vpp. Also, note that the gain from Guitar (Normal) to 1/4" out (amp) is -4.9dB. That is, a blank patch lowers your signal by 4.9dB! However, switching the pad to "Line" adds 6.1dB of gain and will largely restore your signal gain back to it's normal level (actually giving you -4.9dB + 6.1dB = 1.2dB of signal gain). All my data was taken with Master Volume = max. Reducing that will result in lowering your signal level (obviously). I have also measured the gain thru a variety of FX and listed the results here. This way you can account for those gains/losses as well. Finally, since you're using the Vintage Pre you may be interested in this thread, where I measured the frequency response of a variety of EQs. The Vintage EQ and gain & output level controls so you probably have to adjust both to get net gain = 0dB. In that set of data I used an input level of -20dBFS (to make sure I didn't clip anything) so for 0dB gain look for a -20dBFS output level. It looks like Gain = 50% and Output = 72% will do it. Oh, one more thing - once you start adding compressors and EQ then the concept of "what's louder" gets really fuzzy. Frequency response effects and changes in dynamics can make something SOUND louder even tho it may measure lower. So, use my measurements only as guidelines and places to start from.

You can see from here that the XLR outputs are about 9.5dB lower than the 1/4" outputs.

Simple answer. The preamp models can be treated as just another tone pallet from which to choose. You can see how different they can be from their full model equivalents here and here.

The Class A-15 Full is the flattest amp the HD500 has. I measured them and summarized the stock amp frequency response plots here and the add-on amp frequency response plots here. Install the Full Class A-15, reduce the drive level so you get negligible distortion, and just use the amp EQ as you desire.