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Someone you know?

Not sure what you are saying? Your total volume is based on a combination of the Channel Volume (which is part of any preset you are using) and the Master Volume. If the Channel Volume is set very high, then at a certain point the Master Volume no longer increases the volume when you turn it up - you have reached the maximum volume output of the amp.

What are you using for your interface (what is your guitar plugged into)?

A 'loop' is just a recorded track. Pod Farm is FX/emulation software. You can use PodFarm with any DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) - recording software, so record as many tracks as you want, etc. If you mean use it 'live' like a looper, you could run your audio output from your Podfarm-equipped computer to an external looper pedal, then to your amp or powered speakers.

I'm just finishing up production work on my 2nd CD - all electric guitar parts (and some bass parts) on it are done either with my Spider IV 75 or PodFarm. Mastered versions of the songs are not posted yet, but you can sample the demo songs on my reverbnation site: http://www.reverbnation.com/mikebirchmusic

How did you end up with the original version of a Shortboard - buy it used from a private seller? Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware).

You may need to re-install Spider Edit. Can you move downloaded patches INTO the amp?

The 'volume drop' issue can indeed happen from a moving channel knob (from vibration) when the knob is turned lower than what the patch preset is set at, but I don't think this is the problem in this case.

You can download the Spider Edit manual at the following page (it's at the bottom in PDF format). http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-1812

I would suspect a faulty component (like a power capacitor) or solder joint - once it heats up, the fault happens.

Many possibilities, most would be defective connections or components. With an amp of that low cost, they are designed to be 'throw aways' (costs more to fix than they are worth).

And do not plug a CAT5 cable directly from your amp to your computer's ethernet port, only use a CAT 5 cable from the amp to the FBV, then USB from the FBV to your computer. Spider Edit is the software you download from Line 6 to do the patch editing and managing.

http://line6.com/customtone/ is the place to share your tones and download patches from others. Not sure there is any place to discuss wants/needs, though.

Again, it will depend on the amp settings, but go ahead and try them, it won't hurt anything!

You only have 64 user patch location (16 banks of 4). The presets that are in those patches when you get the amp are contained in the artist/song patches, so you can always access them again. Use Spider Edit to store custom patches and downladed patches in your computer.

Dynamic mics need preamps, using the Line Ins on the UX2 will not give you clean sound for recording. I'd recommend springing for a new audio interface with at least 6 mic preamps if you plan on recording drums on a regular basis. Mixing drum mics down to a stereo (left-right) signal is a chancy way to get drums recorded, unless you have a great room and know exactly how to pan/eq/set up everything going in.

Which Spider do you have? If it is a Spider IV, you may need to reflash the memory (on both the FBV - if it is a Mk II and the amp). If it is an older generation, you may need to bring it to an authorized service center for evaluation.

I have read that some users notice the delay (milliseconds) when switching patches, but I never did. I guess it would be most noticable when playing a held note and switching.

As you have found out, there are no inherent issues in using stmpboxes with Spider IV amps! However, certain effects (internal or external) don't work well together, such as WAH and distortion.

One mistake many people make when first staring out doing computer recording is recording too hot. Your peak meters should be reading -18dB to -12dB when tracking. Sounds like you just need to reduce the volume of your guitar playback tracks.

You should be able to save to any of the 4 patches in each of the 16 user locations, but I've never used Spider Edit for this, only for downloading patches- which lets you put them in any location. Maybe you need to save it to your computer first (I know you can save all User Patches to your computer via Spider Edit).

Sorry if you misunderstood me. 2 cabinets @ 75 watts each = 150 watts will be louder than 1 cabinet @ 75 watts 2 cabinets @ 75 watts each with both @ 8 ohms will push more air than 1 stereo cabinet with both sides @ 75 watts each @ 8 ohms and may SEEM to be louder because the sound is being pushed over a great area. 2 cabinets @ 75 watts each @ 16 ohms each may or may not push more air than 1 stereo cabinet with both sides @ 75 watts each @ 8 ohms. It all has to do with speaker efficiency. If they are the same exact speakers in each cabinet, then speaker efficiency does not enter the equation.

You are using an XLR-XLR cable, correct? I am not familiar with garageband, but in most DAWs you have to select the correct inputs from your interface - make sure you have the mic inputs selected and routed correctly (i.e. mic 1 > track 1, etc.) You mention feedback - you should have any monitor speakers you are using turned off when using a microphone (use headphones to listen to prerecorded tracks and to monitor what you are recording).

Of course it will be louder running two mono cabinets off both sides of the amp than one mono cabinet off one side of the amp.

Note that your tone (especially EQ and distortion) can change based on overall volume that the amp is set at. I'm not sure about using Spider Edit to access the artist tones and then load them into the User locations, but I assume you can do this by calling up the artist patch on the amp first, adjusting the sound with Spider Edit, then saving it to a user location.