cbrown1334

I'm curious about the dynamic range too. DI said it had variable input impedance also. Is that assignable per patch or input or global? I was also wondering if the s/pdif in/out can be used as a digital loop? Thanks!

Thanks Arne, I didn't mean that nearly as sarcastic as it sounded. Now that I'm officially part of the cargo cult (the Apple one), I guess I'm struggling with my comedic chops. I'm just a little off... Anyway, thanks for the follow up! I got to use Sonic Port VX with the iPhone on a road trip (while the wife was driving). It was pretty cool. I noticed the single coils pick up a lot weird noises in a driving vehicle (blinkers are loud) I got a lot of weird looks from passing drivers too. You know, late 40's dork rocking out with headphones and guitar in the back of a Civic. At least I embarrassed my teenage daughter. So, mission accomplished. The single tasking thing with iOS is driving me a bit crazy. Looking forward to new updates from Line 6, though. Thanks again!

Ok, so no responses... I did get the iPhone 6 and am now officially an iIdiot. It is iOS 8.1.3 and seems to work fine with the Sonic Port VX and Mobile Pod. I'm going to try not to upgrade to 8.2 as there are some reports of problems with that on this very forum. I've noticed a few other audio related company's products having problems with 8.2 on the iPhone 6. I did upgrade our iPad Mini to 8.2 and it works fine with the Sonic Port VX. I know I'm talking to myself here, but maybe someone will find this useful... Chris

I'm getting a new phone today. I already have the Sonic Port VX and use it with an iPad Mini. I'd like it to work with whatever phone I get. Support for the iPhone 6 seems vague. I know it's not on the compatability list for the Sonic Port VX. But several users here seem to have it working. I haven't seen anything official, though... So, differences in the phones aside, if I want to use my Sonic Port VX with it, am I getting the iPhone 6 or the iPhone 5S? Thanks! Chris

Make sure you're following the thread on TGP. DI is keeping both updated - but it seems like he's ahead over there at the moment. I think page 21 has more details about the model packs: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1528346&page=21 Chris

Amazon also has it for $358.72 with free shipping...

I'm assuming that the A910 version is the entry-level product. Looks like if you want the "Pro" version you have to step up to the A970: http://www.dx.com/p/line5-a970-portable-headphone-stereo-audio-amplifier-champagne-gold-271633#.U_5mEMWwISE I'm confused about the pricing structure, though. They're both $29.95. Won't the Pro version cannibalize sales of the entry level version? Also, the Pro version say "Speaker System" on the box. Is this replacing the Stage Source product? You better not forget those of us who bought the old system. I've got a hundred more sarcastic comments built up over the years of lurking on this forum and seeing the same cycles repeat and repeat and repeat. But, I just feel dirty after looking at those knock-off websites. I think I better stop...

So, looks like Sweetwater is out of the $199 beans anyway. Thanks for the confirmation on the MIDI stuff, Joel! Chris

Crap! I searched the old forum archive (via Google) and it seems the bean didn't get the MIDI control updates that the other HD's got. Can anybody confirm that? I looked through the updates but I don't see anything listed. So no MIDI control down the USB cable to the bean? Something is going back and forth for the editor to work. I suppose a USB sniffer (and a bunch of time) could probably figure it out. May not be worth the effort. Chris

I'm thinking about getting the Pod HD (bean) and the FBV EXPRESS MkII. I don't really need the full HD500/X floorboard. So, can an FBV EXPRESS MkII control a Pod HD (bean) and another MIDI device over USB via a computer? Long version: I want to have a Behringer DEQ2496 (a fancy programmable digital EQ) connected to the Pod HD via S/PDIF (via Coax/RCA to optical converter or RCA to AES/BEU adapter) and change with the patch changes on the Pod HD. It could help with dialing in some patches. Now, I know the Pod HD (bean) doesn't have MIDI connectors. The FBV EXPRESS MkII manual says that it will send MIDI via USB and (at least with the X3) could be connected through a computer and send MIDI changes between the Pod and the floorboard (over USB). Can it also send changes to the DEQ2496 (via MIDI adapter connected to the computer)? It sounds like you can't connect the floorboard to the Pod via Cat5 and use USB on the floorboard at the same time, so USB all around would be required. The Pod HD isn't sending MIDI over USB, right? So the floorboard (and computer) has to be in the mix to change both devices. Short version: So all 3 devices would be connected through a computer. Hit a pad on the floorboard and have the bean change patch and the DEQ2496 change to the appropriate EQ patch. Anybody tried anything like that? I've done a little MIDI software dev stuff - so if the devices are sending/receiving anything across MIDI (via USB) - I can probably sync them up. It would be nice if it just worked, though. I played with DEQ2496 on an X3 Live years ago and it worked well and helped dial in the sound a bunch. Of course, you didn't need the computer in between. I'd guess it would work with the HD500/X easily, too. Searching on the FBV EXPRESS MkII (on this forum) doesn't instill a lot of confidence that it works well with the Pod HD (bean), though. I'd just like some patch switching, control the looper, and have the expression pedal. Any thoughts? Chris

I posted this in a similar thread over on the IdeaScale website: Not to be a downer, but you might want to Google "surface mount technology". The Sharc processor in the HD 500 is a 208 pin LQFP surface mount chip. These are almost impossible to replace by hand. To mount them, during manufacture, a solder paste is printed to the circuit board pads, then the chip (and everything else) is glued to the board. The whole thing is then run through an oven (or hot gas convection, etc). Everything is soldered on at once. It is great for fast, highly automated robotic production. It sucks for changing out a component. Note that this particular chip has 208 leads all .5mm apart (see here: http://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/packages/PKG_PDF/LQFP_ED(SW)/SW_208_1.pdf). Even with a brand new chip and new main board very very few people could solder this by hand. Just look at all the YouTube videos of guys that wrecked their iPhone trying to change out the battery (with 4 leads a couple of millimeters apart). It's not impossible to do by hand - but I don't think you could find someone to do it for less money than the whole HD 500X costs. Generally, with surface mount chips, you only get one chance to solder something on. If you have to remove the old chip it is very likely to destroy the pads on the main board. I think that is why the main board is replaced for most problems with a POD. In my experience, the repair centers won't even try to replace a component. Try finding someone to replace a soldered on CPU in a modern laptop. Same problem. I hope I'm wrong, though, and Line 6 figures out a way to do it... This thread has migrated a bit - but thought it might be useful to add to this discussion. Chris