After discovering the POD HD500 4 cable connection hookup to my Mesa Boogie Mark V amp, I finally found the perfect live situation. I dont like plugging the HD500 directly into the PA because I would need another monitor for to hear/feel the guitar.
The 4 cable method sounds fantastic with the Combo Pwr input selected for the hookup. This method gives me total flexibility with my amp's peramp control as well.
I recommend this from another's posting in line6 blog for showing the hookup. Once you understand the hookup and its control, patching tweeks are easy and sound great!
The benefits of physically wiring your HD500 into your amp using the 4 cable method are:
You can use the sounds of just your amp
You can combine the pre-amp of your amp with the effects and power amp of your amp You can use the HD500 amp modelling and FX and completely ignore your amp's pre-amp
With regard to the HD500 output settings, you would set the AMP/LINE switch to the left of the expression pedal to LINE and you would choose from:
Combo Front
Combo Pwr Amp
Stack Front
Stack Pwr Amp
Dependent on the type of amp you have.
Wire your guitar, the HD500 and amp together as follows:
Guitar > HD500 Input > HD500 FX Send (using a mono cable) > Amp front input. Amp FX Send > HD500 L/Mono Return. HD500 Left Out > Amp FX Return
To hear just the sounds of your amp:
To just hear the sounds of your amp you would need a NULL preset to be set up in your HD500 - meaning no FX or Amp modelling. The POD will just route your amp's preamp signal through to the power amp stage. There may be some slight coloration doing this as you will be passing the signal through the HD500's circuitry.
How? Set up a blank preset which has NO effects EXCEPT the FX Loop set to 100% output and 100% mix - you may need to adjust these levels to achieve similar levels to your amp with nothing plugged in. Make sure the FX Loop is turned ON on the HD500. Also ensure there are no amp models loaded. IF your amp's FX loop is switchable, you may be able to bypass the bulk of the HD500's circuitry by simply bypassing the HD500 in the amp's loop (but your guitar will still go via the input of the HD500 before it gets to the front input on the guitar amp)
To use the HD500's FX with your amp's pre-amp and power amp:
How? Set up an HD500 preset with NO amp or cab models loaded. For an example put a Wah at the start of the chain followed by any distortion FX you want say Screamer. Follow this with the FX Loop effect so it's placed BEFORE the mixer block. After the mixer block place modulation, delay and reverb for example. Make sure the FX Loop is ON and the Mix level is set to 100%
To use the HD500's full modelling feature set and your amp's Power Amp only:
How? Set up the HD500 as you would normally with Wah and Distortion type FX before the amp block/mixer block. Add in an amp model of your choice. Add in Modulation, Delay and Reverb or whatever after the Mixer block, But DON'T include the FX Loop effect anywhere in this signal chain.
Note: The FX Loop isn't traditionally what I would term an 'effect' but for the purposes of this it behaves like an effect and falls within the FX group in the HD500, so that';s why I have referred to it as an 'effect'.
Nick
Message was edited by: nickmattocks
