I am using a POD HD 500X and a DT50 Head. I had tried the POD alone, but was dissatisfied with the "modeled" amp tones (I've always used a Mesa Boogie Rectifier, and am partial to a real "tube" tone. That's why I purchased the DT. I plugged directly into the DT, and using topology 4, was able to get an awesome heavy tone. Chunky. Tight. Very little noise. Awesome. So I set up the POD HD500X using the L6 link. Starting with a new (empty) patch, I tried to recreate that same sound I got by plugging directly into the DT. It seems that my choices are:
1) to use the Angel F-Ball model (using channel A), or
2) to use no amp model, which sends it to channel B.
BOTH are unsatisfactory. (1) Using the model, it doesn't have the same warmth and clarity as if I'd plugged directly into the tube amp. And its VERY noisy!! (2) Using channel B, I need to turn up the output of the HD 500 all the way to get the same gain as if I'd plugged straight into the head. Or turn up the mixer in the HD signal chain all the way. This method is also very noisy. And in this way, I'd be limited to just one tone...whatever I have channel B set to. And woud also have no way to boost for leads.
To make sure it wasn't my imagination, I have tested both ways, back and forth. I plugged into the DT directly - sounds amazing, crunchy, and no noise. I plug into the POD HD500X connected to the DT via L6 - noisy and mediocre tone.
I bought the two so I could have a nice tube sound, but also be able to change between tolologies/gain amounts/effects configurations all in one click of the pedal. What do I need to do differently to get the same great tube sound I get from plugging directly into the DT, only using the POD, using the POD to change topologies, effects, etc?
Thanks,
Tim
