seldon1

Sounds to me like the pilot guide is recommending exactly what the sweetwater articles suggest. It's not necessary these days because of the higher quality capacitors but use standby for 5 minutes or less when first warming up the amp and not for anything else. That's pretty much what I've done my whole life. I knew that the standby wasn't for beer breaks and I also knew leaving the amp on and on standby for long periods will burn out tubes. The pilot guide says it's not necessary to go to standby when powering down the amp and I never do this because of the pop you get, especially with older fender models. I just turn it off and then reset the amp to standby for the next warm up.

Very informative however, thank you for this post. We all need to know the correct, even though not entirely needed, use of the standby switch.  

If you are fronting your DT25 with the HD500 then the patch of the HD500 will select/edit the amp models. However what works best is to select/edit preamps in the HD500 (HD500X) connected via Line 6 Link. This will actually change the physical configuration of the preamp stage of the DT25. This is not modeling but preamp configuration. You are changing what type of amp you have.

The only other option I am aware of (besides the promise that the Helix will do this for DT's soon) is to physically turn the knobs and switches on the amp :)

I don't know about turning on the amp with the valves out. I personally would not do that.

New, correctly biased valves (tubes) is always a good idea in my opinion. I would start with that. Have a professional install a manufacturers recommended matched pair and a new pre-amp valve as well.

I wonder if the main problem is the voltage coming out of the wall. I don't know how stable that is. I personally never plug my DT's into the wall. I have a power conditioner that not only mitigates spikes but is also a voltage regulator to guard against sags or fluctuations in voltage.

I would strongly recommend a voltage regulator.

Best of luck. 

No hidden battery. Take it to a certified Line 6 repair shop.

Man this topic come up a LOT.

I have the hd500x. I L6link into my DT 25 or DT 50 depending on the size of the venue. I don’t know anything about the hd400 but the key to fronting the DT amps with the HD floor unit is pre-apm settings and No Cab Sim.

Full amp models no good.

Using a HD 500x pre-amp I can get the same sond as the stand alone amp.

Love this setup. There is a learning curve ( I’m still tweaking patches to songs I’ve been playing through that set up for years)

Use only pre-amps

and NO CAB SIM

give yourself time to learn how to dial it in to your perfection

This comes up again and again. I use the POD HD 500X with the L6 link into either my DT25 or my DT50 depending on the size of the venue.

I play a large variety of styles/ genres and need the flexibility of this set up. I have used this set up for 4 years with fantastic results. Here is what I do/ do not do.

1. I only use ONLY pre-amp models with no cab simulated and I usually prefer sm57 off axis.

2. I keep the master on the DT at 60% or above to work the tubes. My volume I adjust with either the channel of the individual patch(this keeps all patches at relatively the same volume) or the master on the POD HD 500x.(This regulates overall volume).

3. L6 link out of the POD 500X into the L6 link in on the DT.

I get great amp sounds on all 4 voicings although I will admit I'm more of a Fender and Marshall man than Mesa Boogie Rectifier.

Actually it's a great question. I have been using this set up for between 100-120 shows a year for 3 years now and I love it! It's very interesting to me though that nothing sounds as good to me as going from guitar straight into the amp. However, I use the hd500x pre-amps with no cab simulation plus a handful of effects and it sounds awesome. Not as awesome as straight into the amp, but very close. I have to cover 50+ different artists from different eras and this combination is my ticket. The hd500x with a line 6 link can change the voicings on the dt25. That, in my opinion, is the whole point. I have a patch for every song, and I just go through the set list. From marshall jt45 to fender twin reverb to vox ect. All with the tap of my foot.

With that being said, you can disable the amp (set to none) feature in the signal chain of the hd500x and just use effects. Probably best to not use the line 6 link but use 1/4" out into the amp, or maybe even effects loop send return.

Everybody has their own individual way of making it work.

Best of luck

Thank you ADBrown

If someone could enlighten me I would truly be grateful.

1. Do the 3rd party IRs for the Powercab plus affect the sound coming out of the speaker or just the cab sim output?

2. Are the 6 speaker models considered IRs or would they be affecting the output of the speaker plus any 3rd party IR?

Thank you in advance for your replies

Sound like a pre-amp tube to me, but no guarantee.

I would change and bias all power tubes and replace pre-amp tubes.

If this does not remedy the situation take it to an authorized line 6 repair shop.

Best of luck.

Not to be rude, and I realize spending additional money sucks, but unless you have the proper diagnostic tools and the proper repair training take this amp to an authorized line 6 repair shop.

The functionality, versatility and awesome sound of these amps is in part due to their complexity of inter working components. If changing the tubes (make sure they are matched and learn how to bias them) or replacing the fuse does not solve the problem take it to a professional.

Just my personal standard operating procedure.

They are awesome amps and well worth getting in tip top operating condition.

I would take it in to an authorized Line 6 repair shop immediately. This does not sound like something I would try to fix myself.

Best of luck

I'm not sure that's possible with 1 amp. The HD500X controls all of the parameters of the DT50 but the A/B channel is disabled. (if I'm wrong someone please correct me). With 2 amps you could assign seperate output to each amp, amp A and amp B, then assign a footswitch on the HD500X to toogle between the 2.

As for replicating sound, get the sound on the amp without the HD500X and then replicate the settings, gain, bass, mids ect, including voicing A or A/B type and transitor type. Then using a pre-amp setting with no cab simulation replicate these settings on the HD500X. That is the best starting place for replicating the "sound/tone" of the amp.

Hope this helps

I'm not 100% sure what you're trying to do. Are you 

1. Trying to run the hd500x direct so that it sounds like the DT25, or

2. Trying to run the hd500x linked into the DT25 with a patch that sounds like you are not using the hd500x at all but plugged straight into the amp?

Although extremely close, I do not think a modeled sound will ever be exactly the same as going directly into a tube amp.

If you want the pure sound of the amp, don't use the hd500x, get an a/b switch and the DT25 is a 2 channel tube amp.

Well I have the DT50 head, which I run through a 2x12 cab both celestion 30's for larger venues. Had it for 3 years and never a single issue and it is LOUD!

I even used it for rehearsals originally so it has quite a few hours of operation on it. I front my set up with the HD500X L6 link into my amp.

I cannot speak on the DT50 combo but I do own a DT25 combo with the 1x12 and I find that this amp also has a lot of headroom. I tend to use it more than my DT50 at this point.

I bought a cheap stand to angle the DT25 back onstage. It's perfect for smaller clubs and the larger ones just mic it and send me what I need through the wedge.

I use this amp an average of 3-4 times a week and the gigs are 3 to 4 hour shows. I have had to replace the power tubes twice in the past 2 years but considering the amount of use that is not bad. Trying to get into the habit of changing the tubes every 4 to 6 months and not waiting for them to blow or burn out.

Personally, if you think their is an issue with your transformer, I would do whatever I needed to, including shipping and waiting, to make sure my gear is 100% reliable.

My back up is always the HD500X direct into the PA if there is an issue onstage with my amp. It happens, but only twice in the past 3 years. I hate bringing back up amps as I have no roadies and truthfully the direct sound is pretty good (although I prefer a tube amp)

Hope this helps, good luck

Well I ise the HD500X to control the DT's settings and have plenty of room for effects. Using L6 link and pre amp settings with no cab simulation, the HD500X when going from patch to patch is doing exactly the same thing as changing voicings, gain, volume, ect. on the amp by hand.

Well that's the beauty of the hd500x-dt amp combo. The endless possibilities. My understanding however is that if you change the topology you have created a new pre-amp. The topologies are physical configurations of tube relays designed to emulate 4 different but well known tube amos. But dialing in what you want is what itbis all about.

But for example, a JTM-45 preamp with the topology changed to iv is no longer emulating the tube configuration of a JTM-45..

It is now a custum designed preamp made by you!

Hi Craig

Yes I believe amps 1-4 refer to actual additional physical amps you would connect via L6 link.

You should still be able to have an A/B amp patch but I never use this configuration so hopefully someone who does will answer your question.

You're welcome

I did want to say that nothing sounds as good to me as going directly into the amp.

However, I need and truly appreciate, the versatility I get from the HD500X running my DT 25. (or DT 50)

I cover a multitude of artists and can only truly do that quickly, easily and accurately with my line 6 setup.

Happy tweaking

I meant to so " make sure you are using pre amp settings and NOT amp modeling 😎

Hello,

Not sure what you mean exactly by "fizzy" but I'm sure it's non desirable. I use the hd500x into a DT 25 for a variety if guitar tones with excellent results. At 1st I used xlr cable but was afraid the impedance difference might cause harm so I now use a line 6 digital cable. The sound was fine with xlr however (I would use the shortest lenght possible). Make sure you are using pre amp settings on the hd500 and amp models is the 1st thing I'd recommend. Modeling on top of the amps natural break up would sound artificial and probably fizzy.

I aslo spent a lot of time dialing in the master levels on both my hd500x and the dt500x. They bith run around 50%. If the hd500's master is at 100% that might overdrive the dt25 and sound fizzy. Lastly the gain structure within each individual patch, dial down the gain and let the volume cause the overdrive usually produces a more natural overdriven " valvey" sound.

I hope this is helpful

I believe the XLR out from the DT25 is mic level; should require about the same gain as if you had put a mic in front of amp / cab.

 

Also quick note on the DT XLR out - the mic model is controlled by the internal / DT setting; nothing on the HD500 impacts that selection. You can toggle it to other mic models using MIDI and/or DtEdit.

Thank you. I did not realize the mic modeling could be toggled. However once I increased the master on the DT50 to about 60% and lowered the amount of signal I was sending from the HD500x (master at about 30%) the Md20 analyzed the input as only needing a slight gain increase. More what I would normally see with a mic input.

I will however explore changing the mic modeling with the DT edit.

It sounds great ( the band and I monitor in ear) it's not overdriven. Just seemed odd to me that the amp is loud, relatively, but the output on the cab sim is so low.

I have been experimenting with lowering the master on the hd500x and increasing the master on the DT50 to see if that increases the output on the cab sim.

I'll let you know. Thank you Palico for your response.

Hello,

So I pre my DT50 with the pod hd500x. the master on the pod hd500x is usually at about 75% and the master volume on my DT50 head is usually around 25%. I use the volume value of each individual pre amp patch to level outputs between patches.

I also use the cab sim out into my stagescape md20 mixer to put some guitar in the main mix and mostly for monitoring purposes. 

All of this works and sounds great however the stagescape need to boost the incoming signal from the DT50 by 21 - 25db!

This seems extreme to me. I have tried new xlr cables with no change.

Do I need to reverse the master ratios between the pod hd500x and DT50 or is the gain boost acceptable?

I am grateful for any input (no pun intended)