pfsmith0

You can either add it before the HD500 (Guitar -> pedal -> HD500 -> external mixing board) or you can use the FX send/return int he HD500 (Guitar -> HD500 Guitar Input -> FX send -> external pedal -> FX return -> HD500 -> external mixing board). The advantage of the latter is that you can put other FX or amp sims before/after the external pedal, giving you much more flexibility. The disadvantage of the latter is the FX send/return takes up one of the 8 FX blocks the HD500 has. I suppose you could also put the external pedal AFTER the HD500 as well. Any of these will work and give you different sounds/options. You won't break anything.

The biggest degradation in the signal path are the data converters so the fewer conversion stages you go thru the better. So that would mean SPDIF would be best, USB next (if you can tolerate the latency), then analog XLR, then analog 1/4".

Yes, that's what I do. Leave it on for the day.

What kills electronics is heat and transients. Each time you turn something on, the inrush current "fatigues" the electronics. Heat eventually kills it. So, if you have good ventilation then leaving it on for a day or two at a time shouldn't be a problem.

For example, you probably have the HD500 setup for Studio/Direct to get the amp/cab sims for the FRFR PA system via XLR. This same signal, via 1/4", would be going to your guitar amp, which does not require nor need the amp/cab sims but is getting them none the less. It may sound pretty muddy and strange out of the guitar amp but fine out of the PA.

OK, thanks for running the tests.

They offer a different tone pallet from which to choose from and enriches the whole HD500 experience. That's why I got the HD500 to start with - variety of tones to choose from.

Hi Ed, what you look for are changes to the shape of the white noise frequency content. Try studio direct first and adjust Low Cut first as that's the most drastic effect. Do you see a difference? If so then move on to Res Level and then Thump, as they have less and less effect. Then do the same for different for the other output modes and see if those changes still happen. If not, then the white noise source is not sufficiently stable (after all, it's noise and changes over time) or not precise enough and you'll have to move to sinewave sweeps (which is what I did). An alternative is to use a lot of averaging with white noise. That tends to settle things down and may allow you to see more detail, but it takes more time. Let us know what you find out!

I only measured Studio Direct because 1) I wanted access to the cabs and mics, and 2) that's how I use it.

You can also disconnect the HD500 from the laptop (so there's no USB audio), hook up the 1/8" phone cable from the laptop headphone output to the HD500 MP3 input and adjust the MP3 playback level via the speaker volume controls on the laptop. Guitar volume is set by the HD500 per the response above.

Yep, exactly what Ed says. With RES=0, whether or not you can HEAR the small changes as you adjust Thump is another question. I could certainly measure it. Yes, I did not measure Decay. I'm still trying to figure out how to best measure that. The waterfall videos are certainly interesting but I (personally) did not find them insightful. But I think an Impulse Response, which they mention in the video, is probably the right way to go.

I believe you can use the mixer to pan everything hard left (or right) and everything will then come out of the Left (or Right) XLR, as long as the mixer is the last thing in the chain. Or put a mono FX as the last item in the chain. That should send everything out both channels as well, but this takes an extra FX block unless you use one there anyway.

I believe one item is incorrect above. The tuner is tied to Input 1, not Guitar Input.

Not sure I'd call it a bug. Changing amp topology is changing the internal circuitry - the way the tubes/transistors are connected together and biased. I'd be surprised if there WASN'T a pop. That being said, a mute would sound better than a pop. They probably could have implemented a short mute.

No wait, you're right. 4CM uses the amp's FX loop, not the HD500's. My mistake.

But he IS using the FX Loop with his 4CM setup. But I agree with your first option. Assign two independent signal paths, one for the Marshall 4CM and the other for his acoustic. That should work beautifully.

Question #3) Google "HD500 case" and you'll find all sorts of cases/bags suitable for the HD500 and cables.

It's OK to use the "pre" models anytime you want. They just give you another tone pallet to choose from.

+1 This sounds right to me.

No, this is not a guitar problem. It sounds like processing artifacts to me. I have no idea why everyone doesn't get this. Perhaps their subsequent processing masks it? I do know pitch shifting is very finicky and you have to learn how to play it. It's like a whole new instrument you have to get used to and learn it's nuances.

It sounds like motorboating, which can be caused by a bad tube(s) or power supply cap in the amp. As to why the HD500 makes the amp do this the only thing I can think of is the output impedance of the HD500 (which is there regardless if the HD500 is on or off) is way different than a guitar. Maybe way different than pedals, too, although I can't find any specs on this. It may be interacting with the first stage of the amp in a way that makes this happen. Plugging the HD500 into another amp is a great test. But I bet it's an issue with the amp, not the HD500.

Not exactly. Out of phase means the signals have a phase delay between them of 180 degrees at all frequencies. A phase delay FX adds a variable phase delay that changes with frequency. Some frequencies will be 180 degrees apart and some won't. The effect will be different.

Perhaps misconception was a poor choice of words. When we read those old threads there is a lot of guessing, second guessing, assumptions being made, etc. No one seemed to know what any of those controls really did. That's what caused me to go off and take measurements - to see exactly what was going on and the interactions between the controls.

I seriously doubt the USB chip is bad. All it takers is a slight misalignment to break that center plastic piece. It is quite possible to replace the USB connector. I've done it myself, but I have quite a bit of experience. The hardest part was searching the floor for the springs that go BOING when you open the case.

There's alot of misconception about Cab DEP parameters so I measured what they do and reported it here.