edstar1960

As I understand it.... If you use the VDI cable to connect a Variax to a POD, then the Variax sends the digital models as is, but it has to digitise the signal from mags and send to the POD to process and finally the POD converts it's digital signal to analog for output to an amp or headphones or mixer or whatever. If you use the 1/4 inch cable, and use the battery to power the modelling side, then the mags are just sent as is to the 1/4 inch as in a traditional electric guitar and the models are converted from digital to analog onboard the variax and then sent to the 1/4 inch. So the Variax has A/D converter for the mags for use with VDI and a D/A converter for the models for use with 1/4 inch. The POD has an A/D converter for GUITAR/AUX/MIC inputs and a D/A converter for it's output.

Thanks for the clarification. The Line 6 description is pretty vague. At the end of the day, it's what you hear with your ears as the end product of your patch - so whatever parameters and values work for you. Logically it doesn't make any sense but if the end sound is good and achieves the results you want then all is good! Just another example of how we must experiment with everything and not just take things at face value with the HD.

It does sound like you have a faulty USB device, in which case your store or Line 6 should be able to provide you with a working replacement.

Yes it's a cab parameter and it affects the frequency response of the modelled cab. So if a typical guitar speaker low end is 80hz, and a standard tuned guitar low end is 82hz, you only want to cut frequencies below that level. I would think that setting it at 170hz is rolling off anything below that which is the low octave on a standard tuned guitar. Unless the LOW CUT DEP cab parameter does something completely different, but my understanding was it does behave like an EQ high pass filter for the simulated speaker response.

Do you have the new style USB dongle black opaque plastic as indicated in this thread http://line6.com/support/topic/5155-i-think-i-have-a-problem-with-my-variax-usb-interface/ Or the original clear plastic USB dongle with separate leads? It should not make a difference, but it may be significant.

I hear you. Many have encountered issues with the latest flash update and nobody has been able to explain why it is so flakey. Unfortunately, the reality is that the only solution currently available is to keep trying until it works. There are some things that can be done to maximise your chances of success, but unfortunately there is no guarantee. I have personally hit that midi error and had to re install the flash level several times before it worked. If you want to try again while waiting for Line6 support, then just make sure that the USB dongle is connected directly to a USB port on the back of the PC. Make sure your battery is fully charged and that the volume control on the JTV is at maximum. It may help to ensure nothing else is running on the PC while the flash is installing. Once you get the flash successfully re installed, you can then choose to roll back if necessary, but you won't have that option until you get the successful install. Good luck.

Thanks for the extra info. I have previously done some google research on frequencies and found this info: Typical guitar speaker frequencies are 80hz to 5000hz Guitar strings in standard tuning range from low E at 82hz to 24th fret on high E at 1319hz Assuming this is correct, 170hz is close to the 2nd fretted note on the D or 4th string, which is the first E octave in standard tuning. So you are probably cutting out too much of the natural guitar bottom end. I would think it's better to go to about 70hz on low cut, certainly no higher than 80hz which should match typical guitar speaker response. Hope that helps.

I bought the first generation Variax v700 many years back, and they were not shipped with a USB dongle or workbench back then, I had to buy Workbench separately for about £80. I received a CD with the software and the USB dongle which came with a USB cable and the Variax ethercon cable. When I bought my JTV59 when they were first launched they were shipped with the USB dongle and cables and you could download workbench for free. Both of mine look like the one in the musicians friend link posted above. I have never seen a USB dongle that looks like the one pictured with a permanently attached USB cable and opaque black plastic, so perhaps it is a very recent introduction? I don't know. Wen did two_faces receive his JTV?

As silverhead explained in your other thread, this is a user forum, so there is no point getting angry or making threats here. However, we do understand your frustration and are sympathetic to your situation, and there are plenty of people on here that will help you trouble shoot your problems. You need to address the issue in your other thread first, regarding the flash install corrupting your JTV. Once you get that fixed it will resolve the Workbench problem. You can ask Line6 support to help or contact Sweetwater and ask them to help, they may decide to ship you a replacement guitar as its so new. Either way, I am sure they will help you resolve your problem. Good luck, hope you get it resolved.

Did you perform the update using your USB dongle that came with the JTV? I found I had very similar error when using USB dongle but if I connected via Hd500 using the short cable that usually connects the jtv to USB dongle, and I connected Hd509 via its usb cble to my PC to a usb on the back of the PC, then it worked without any problem. If you do not have an Hd500, then you have no choice but to try to flash again using the supplied dongle, but make sure it is connected directly to a USB on back of PC. If you don't want to be bothered with that, then if the JTV is within warranty then return it your dealer to fix or replace.

I am confused by your post. What is a Variax cct? How can you switch anything on if you are not using a battery with the JTV59? Surely, no battery means you can only use the JTV59 as a standard guitar with mag pick ups, and you cannot switch on any of the Variax circuitry. Please can you clarify? Thanks.

Do you get the same problem if you only use the XLR outputs? It's worth testing because if it does not occur with the XLRs then at least you know the problem is with the 1/4 inch outs. If it occurs with the XLRs then it's an internal issue and you would need to contact Line6 support and perhaps have the unit sent in for repair - or maybe get a replacement.

Not dumb at all, if you have not been reading hurghanico's threads then you would not know what I was referring to. If you are interested in the complete background check out this thread: http://line6.com/support/topic/4927-how-has-greatly-improved-my-use-of-the-hd500/ But the quick answer to your question is, "using only one input" refers to setting INPUT 1 to GUITAR (or VARIAX if that is what you use) and INPUT 2 to the opposite (ie: VARIAX if input 1 is guitar and GUITAR if input 1 is Variax). This is different from the default setting which will have INPUT 1 set to GUITAR + VARIAX + AUX and INPUT 2 set to SAME. Or having INPUT 1 set to any value and INPUT 2 set to SAME, which means whatever input signal you use will also be sent down the INPUT 2 path, "Using only one input" means you ensure the HD500 only uses just INPUT 1 by setting INPUT 2 to something other than SAME. hurghanico has posted some fantastic sample recordings on soundcloud using this technique and has pretty much nailed every tone he attempted to copy. The point is the lower input signal seems to render a better response from the modelling fx and amps. In the same way, it seemed to me that the lower string volume also rendered a better response in the JTV models, because it was not over driving them with too loud a signal. Your experience may be different but it's worth trying out to see what you think. Hope that helps.

Sorry silverhead - I have to disagree with that statement. There are some real issues with v2.0 that are preventing some from enjoying the upgrade as intended. True, some people simply don't like the sound of the new models, or are upset that their favourite model has been replaced or does not sound the same as before and that causes them issues with their setup which they may have been using for years so they decide to stay on a previous version, but some of us have real issues that have been introduced by the upgrade. Some of those issues can be worked around but some cannot. For me, it's matter of being forced back to 1.9 to avoid a problem introduced by 2.0, it's not my personal taste as I have not really had the chance to work with the new sounds to make a fair comparison or judgement. It is simply a problem that has caused me to move back and I hope that Line 6 get round to fixing it soon. I am certainly not alone in experiencing real problems with the v2.0 upgrade, but I accept that many more users, probably the majority, have had a trouble free experience as reported in the forum. I just wish I was one of the lucky ones! :) PS: Just seen this post from a new user who had an unknown issue on v2.0 but rolling back to v1.9 fixed it for him: http://line6.com/support/topic/5093-jtv-all-modeled-guitars-have-a-banjo-ish-flange/

The XLR's keep the L and R separate, and the 1/4 inch outs should do that too, if both are in use, however, if only one is used then it will sum both L+R to mono and feed it to the used output. It could be that mechanism that is broken and it is not recognising you are using both outputs. So, if you try using the XLRs and get the same result, then that will mean it's a problem with what fx blocks you are using in your paths. In which case, please provide specific detail on exactly how your patch is created.

The popping goes away completely on JTV fw 1.9, so you can bypass it.

I guess that is no surprise considering they have just been taken over by Yamaha - I guess all priorities are being re-evaluated as they get assimilated. I hope it doesn't add too much of a delay to getting these items fixed.

If the v2.0 firmware is working fine for you then there is no reason to roll back. If you have never had experience with the pre-v2.0 releases then there is no comparison issue for you, so again, no reason to roll back, unless you are inquisitive and want to see for yourself what the pre-HD models sounded like, but be aware that the reflash process does not always go smoothly so if you try it ensure you do everything as recommended to minimise any risk of the operation fialing and having to be repeated numerous times. If the v2.0 firmware has introduced a condition that you can't live with then you may want to roll back to a version without that condition. eg: for me it has introduced a loud popping noise when connected via VDI to HD500 and changing between patches that also force a model change on the JTV, this is not good for live use when changing patches mid song, so that has caused me to roll back to v1.9 For others, it has been the fact that you can no longer connect your JTV to workbench whilst connected to the HD500, you have to use the JTV USB dongle to connect to Workbench HD - that was loss of functionality which they considered important. If you were accustomed to the model sounds from the earlier fw releases and had your live set tuned to those models, then the v2.0 models will cause you a problem because you will have to tweak everything to get back to something you like, and it may not be possible to reproduce exactly what you had because the actual model list has changed, some models have been replaced by other guitars with v2.0, plus well liked models like the Lester, Strat, Tele and Semi have been re-modelled possibly with different guitars and some now sound very different to the pre-v2.0 versions, so some people may try to tweak things to be more to their taste and may fail to get there, others may not want to be bothered, so to their ears the change has been "bad" and has not been an improvement as advertised and as expected by the HD association. Some people had favourite models that were lost in the upgrade, so they had to choose whether to move on without those models or roll back to keep them. For some, the new HD models were worth the sacrifice, but for others they were not. Some people loved the new sounds immediately, others had to tweak them to get what they wanted, and others were met with what they thought sounded like "bad" and inferior model sounds, so moved straight back. I think if the HD model set was a straight replacement for the pre-existing model set, just moving to better quality more realistic models of exactly the same guitars, then less people would have had issues. But the change was a combination of improved models possibly using different guitars, and completely new models nobody had before and losing some of the previous models. Plus the actual installation of the fw is not always trouble free, even when following recommended instructions, so that puts people off immediately. Furthermore, there are known bugs that have still not been addressed. Personally, I would like to move forward and stay on the latest and "greatest", but I have experienced the comparison "shock" in that the v2.0 HD models did not immediately live up to my expectations from hearing all the demo videos and in comparison to what I was accustomed to from my v1.71 model set, plus the confusion that the model list was not identical (not that I lost any favourite models, and not saying that some of the new models are not great additions to the selection, just that I had not realised it would be different), and I am frustrated by the inability to use Workbench HD when connected via my HD500, but the deal breaker was the fact that it introduced a loud popping sound when changing patches that forced model changes in the JTV from the HD500 when connected via VDI. I am now back on v1.9 and have an open ticket with Line 6 support for the problem. I am hoping they will address the issue, but given the fact that they have just been taken over by Yamaha, I am sure there are all sorts of things going off over there, and probably fixing bugs and releasing an update fw level is probably low on their list of priorities right now - which is a real shame. Having said all of that, which I believe is a summary of all the issues I have seen reported, I am optimistic that these issues will be addressed in the fullness of time, I just wish they could fix them now! :)

Unfortunately, the output mode is a global setting and cannot be set per patch. Usually when playing live you would be just connected to one output - but with acoustics and electrics on offer via the JTV more and more people want to be connected to both FRFR systems and guitar amps - so if you are connected to different types of output for use with different patches, then if you want a specific output mode to match then you have no choice but to manually change it. I would imagine though that most would settle on the output mode they use most and stick with that, and compromise on the patches for the other mode by tweaking them with EQ etc to get them to sound as good as they can. However, if you use L6 LINK in conjunction with the dream rig, the JTV, the DTxx, and the L2 or L3, then at the latest firmware levels, you can seamlessly swap from one to the other and have the correct mode automatically selected per patch. I can't confirm this as I don't own everything but that is what I have seen written down in threads in the forum.

Yes.

I believe Rewolf48 was just clarifying that you cannot feed both Path A and Path B with the fx loop return L and R.As Silverhead said, you can have separate signal processing if you use the input guitar and input aux jacks and set up your Input 1 to take just guitar and input 2 to take aux. The signal processing paths are complex to explain if you don't have a unit, but they are very flexible. You can do what you want, and there are plenty of people on this forum who can help you achieve it. Search this forum for HD500 Routing if you want more background info. There is a very detailed post by peraperas which describes the routing options and signal path in great detail. Here is the link: http://line6.com/support/topic/2033-pod-hd-500-500x-new-routing-schematics/?hl=%2Bhd500+%2Brouting

I agree, plus Microphone choice in cab settings makes a big difference too, so audition each one to see how it affects the tone. Use the EQ fx blocks to fine tune after all the above, and use which ever is needed in what ever position to best get the end result.

Are you just using the battery and connecting via 1/4 inch jack to a guitar amp? Do the mags sound fine but when you engage the modelling you get this odd noise on every model, regardless of pickup selector position? I assume also that the alt-tune knob is set to MODEL ? If the answers to these questions are all YES, then I think you have a faulty guitar and you should return it to your retailer and have them send you a replacement.

What have you got your HD500 inputs set to? Are you setting INPUT 1 to GUITAR and INPUT 2 to mic? (or the other way around if the mic path is on PATH A in the patch silverhead gave you) That will ensure that GUITAR goes to L and MIC goes to R (or vice versa). If you have INPUT 1 set to GUITAR + MIC and INPUT 2 to SAME - then you will get both MIC and GUITAR in both L+R channels.

Yep - my open A rings as well. So EQ at 125Hz - thanks for the pointer - I will try that out to see if it tames the resonance issues.