jalam71

rootmusic, thanks for that idea.  I was thinking or doing something similar by modding the original power supply, but before I cut into it I wanted to see if i can find a compatible power supply and just buy a new unit online.  I found several that have the correct negative tip 9v 3A power but none so far have a three prong grounded power cord.  Still looking. 

For now I may just make me one of the aformentioned ground cords.  Thanks.

OK, did some more testing.  Its certainly a grounding issue with the POD.  If I'm plugged into the wall with the provided power transformer, then play using the headphones directly though the unit without an amp connected, it hums like a church choir.  But when I play normally through the amp, all is well. I then had the unit sitting on top of my amp after I had shut the amp power off but still had the cable connecting pod to amp plugged in.  Issue found! When monitoring through the headphones, the cable connecting the amp to pod was now allowing the signal to go to ground by going through the amp system and into the house power outlet - as it should.  I could touch the guitar cable into any of the pod's 1/4" jacks on the back and hear the buzz disappear when i did.  So technically nothing is wrong with the unit internally.

... but things could be better.

Suggestion for Line 6:  Improve the POD power supply adapter.  Sometimes late at night its nice to use headphones to practice and not wake the neighbors.  All that is needed to solve the humm/ground problem when using the POD as a stand alone unit is for line 6 to change the power supply transformer cord into one that has the three prong type plug so that the unit can get a true ground through the power outlet. 

Hasn't anyone had this issue before?  seems odd no one else has mentioned this.  Maybe something is wrong with my unit after all.

For now I'm going to get a negative tip 9V-3A power adapter off ebay that has the ground circuit.  That should fix the hum when going ampless with cans.

Hi all, just got my HD500 unit.  Its was used.  Works great but when playing directly through the unit using headphones I can hear a relatively loud hum that is constant.  When I touch my effects buttons it goes away and is crystal clear. When I touch the looper or up down buttons on the left it goes away by about half. Of course its more pronounced on tones having heavy distortion effects. Seems to be a ground problem.  I've checked and its not the cord, nor my guitar.  Its definately the POD.  Hum if affected only when i touch the pod.  Question is how can I fix this without having to run a ground wire to my toe?  Thanks.