SiCantwell

If you don't use your FX loop, run a cable from the Out to the In, then assign the FX loop to a FS. You can raise the dB on the FX return to get a clean boost. Or use the Studio EQ, or the Midrange EQ, with the gain set at your desired level.

This is an interesting thread. I have my HD500X organized like my old Korg AX300G from 1999: Bank 1, my basic sounds. I'm here most of the night. A. Clean, no amp, just a little delay. I try to match the volumes of all my patches to this one. B. Clean but louder and brighter. C. Gibtone crunch, a nice bluesy tone I use a lot. D. Distorted. I just loaded a Van Halen tone I adapted from CustomTones here. Bank 2, features various effects. A. Rotary drum. B. Bias tremolo, with the expression pedal determining the depth of the trem. C. Phaser. D. Univibe. (I never had one of these, and I like it a lot. Then I have a bunch of sounds, almost all homemade, for various songs or sounds. I play a couple of songs that have distinct sections and I create two adjoining patches for those, but mostly I play a single patch per song. As for effects, I follow a standard pattern: 1. A clean boost or distortion for leads. 2. A mod effect, often a chorus (I like Dimension set on switch 1). 3. The delay, or sometimes a second mod. 4. Switches on whatever is on the Expression pedal, usually a wah. I never use the second expression pedal setting because I'm not smart enough to remember what it would be, and I control volume in other ways instead of a volume pedal. I loves me some Pod!!!

You can get a clean boost by using the Studio EQ, and also by connecting your FX send and return with a short cable and boosting the decibels of the return.

Thanks!

What settings do y'all use for Noise Gate? it seems like 50 and 50 seem to dampen my tone and attack when I'm in my living room. I'm not sure I even need it when I'm playing out because when the drummer starts up, nobody hears my amp hum. I understand what Threshold probably does, but what does Decay do? Do I even need it?

Distortions mean your tone spreads across more frequencies, I believe, and some of them can get masked by a bass guitar or bass drum, cymbals, snares, etc. That's one reason it sounds different in a band setting than at home. Cutting back on the drive or distortion can focus your guitar tone and help you cut through when playing with a loud band. I love loud!

I wish I was that smart. Meambobbo's EQ chart is very useful: http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/ampTone#preEQ I usually just turn up the mid on my amp sims, so it might be, on a 1-10 scale (it goes to 11!): Bass: 6, Mid: 7; Treble: 5, and roll back the Presence pretty low. That's just personal preference and varies from tone to tone. I used to go after a more scooped tone, Bass: 7, Mid: 4, Treble: 8. But I was playing a different guitar, no Pod, and less often with a band.

The pitch glide Exp. Pedal parameters are expressed in percentages instead of intervals, which I find very confusing. 50% is the current frequency or note. I'm not sure what 0 and 100 are, but they're either one octave or 2 octaves down or up. It took me trial and error to set the pitch glide to dive down a fifth (7 half-steps) for one patch.

Before you buy a lot more pedals, see how you like the effects models in the HD500. The Pod's Tube Screamer is a popular choice for boost or distortion. You might be able to save some money and setup time.

I want a spare, after leaving mine at home the other night and having to drive home to get it before I could practice. They're $40 at Sweetwater! http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PODHDPwr/ Tha's a lot for a poor boy like me! I know it's been discussed on this forum before, but there are several warnings at this old thread about using 2A universal supplies instead of the 2.5A that the Pod requires. http://line6.com/support/thread/51303" So, does anyone have any ideas for a cheaper spare power supply than $40?

All of the above suggestions sound good. I've wrestled with similar concerns with my HD500, which I got about four months ago. Some tips I've learned: Back off on the drive and distortions, so your sound will come through when playing with the band. Boost your midranges. Learn how to tweak your sounds on the fly instead of having to do everything in front of the computer, so you can make changes during a show and see how they sound. I made a little cheat sheet that I keep in my phone on how to adjust presets. I refer to that a lot since I can never remember how to move effects in the chain or how to get into deep edit mode. You're on the right track just working on a limited number of sounds. Once you find some basic sounds that work, you can try creating new presets that add this effect or that and testing them during gigs. You might set up an MP3 recorder out in the house to see how it sounds when you're up on stage. Good luck. The HD500/500X takes a lot of work, but it's worth it!

Agreed. I find them weak, no matter where I put them in my chain.

Look for it here, download the tone, then rename the file extension to .5xe. http://line6.com/customtone/browse/podhd500/

I haven't tried it, but you might have to rename the file extension to .5xe. Patches from the 500 work fine on the 500X if they're renamed.

It would be a nice upgrade if you could use a 500/500X to turn a guitar into a MIDI controller. I have some great iPad synth apps that would be fun to play with my guitar, but I don't want to spring for a MIDI pickup.

I've got the 500X, but I haven't had time for programming patches since I got it. But IMO, this is an easy upgrade for 500 users to skip. Unless you're bumping up against the DSP limit often or love glitzy footswitches, there's nothing revolutionary here to entice musicians already satisfied with their 500s. Although I do think the light on the power cord is a little greener than the original. :-)

I installed the driver and the 500X edit software before the 500X arrived, meaning I never connected the USB. When the unit came, I connected it and it worked fine. Incidentally, I renamed the file extensions on my saved setlists while I was waiting for it to arrive, and the X loaded them without a hitch. I now have all my old patches on the new unit.

If you take Line6 at their word that they won't release upgrades incompatible with the 500, then the X is good news because it means they're extending the life of the HD500/500X line. It's better than having them come out with an HD1000 and abandoning the 500 line altogether. Take it from me: Apple left my original iPad high and dry with their latest IOS, which I can't use.

Very nice video, and you left it to the viewer to decide whether it's worth it to upgrade. My 500X is coming Tuesday and I'm excited about it. I think the buttons are at least as much of an improvement as the DSP. Great tones, BTW. You have some nice ambient sounds there.

Could you put the HD500 before the amp instead of in the loop? i.e.: Guitar -- HD500 -- Amp.

Are any of these 500X claims actually new to the X? Is there something new about "dual signal paths" and "multiple routing options"? Is "dynamic DSP" different from the DSP we already have in the 500, or is there just a bit more of it? Quoting from sonicscoop.com news item: Unparalleled flexibility to craft your tones: Dual signal paths Multiple routing options Dynamic DSP with more power for amps and effects Stereo FX loop can be inserted anywhere in the signal chain

Glad you were able to fix it!

I wondered what that Allen wrench was for! Thanks for the video, looking forward to the DSP comparison.

Oops, covered in a.separate thread. You just rename the patches. Sorry!

Will 500X users be able to import their saved presets from the 500?