blekenbleu

This sounds to me like a MIDI connection problem, which are lines 3,6,7,8 on the Cat6, according to e.g. https://line6.com/supportarchive/thread/3362 That USB dongle communicates with Variax basically using MIDI protocol. Since Cat6 and dongle work elsewhere, continuity between those lines and that PCB are suspect.

That would be a Variax 700: no mag pickups, so pre-JTV 3+3 tuners, so not 300/600 no pick guard, so not 500 trem, so 700 http://www.guitarsolos.tv/partner-line-6-guitars.html?&L=1

Users of other Line 6 legacy products (e.g. Variax 300-700) encounter similar issues. 32-bit software and Java 6 are no longer supported by macOS. The workaround for me amounts to installing Sierra (NOT High Sierra) on another drive or partition and booting that for legacy Line 6 sessions, as described here: https://line6.com/support/topic/46770-pod-hd300-edit-on-osx-mojave/?do=findComment&comment=297626 I know not whether this will work for Macs released after Sierra..

I doubt that you will receive positive responses * Line 6 macOS software of that vintage was 32-bit and depended on Java 6, neither of which are supported by Mojave. Consider partitioning your boot drive and installing Sierra (NOT High Sierra). Sierra can still be obtained: https://www.macobserver.com/cool-stuff-found/macos-sierra-installer-download/ A macOS 10.12 installation requires about 16GB, and I would allocate at least 40GB.. I always run a Time Machine backup to a separate external drive before attempting these exercises, then unmount, power down, disconnect and put away that Time Machine drive before proceeding. 1) Use Disk Utility to create a second partition on the internal drive https://support.apple.com/kb/PH22240?locale=en_US To minimize confusion, give the new partition an unambiguous name and significantly different (smaller) size than the current macOS Mojave volume. FWIW, macOS Disk Utility `Erase` is what other operating systems call `format`.. While in Disk Utility, be sure to click the sidebar icon, and Show All Devices (instead of Only Volumes) to verify that the new partition is NOT in an APFS Container. MacOS 10.12 Sierra cannot be installed on APFS, but its installer will not report failure (unknown internal error) until AFTER wasting a half hour or more installing 94-96%. Click on the container for the new partition, select Erase and confirm that some "Mac OS Extended" option is checked. If not, then check one and Erase again. 2) Instructions for creating Bootable USB thumb drive for installing Sierra are here: https://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-bootable-usb-drive-for-macos-sierra--cms-28223 Plugin the "Install macOS Sierra" USB flash drive Be sure it mounts correctly 3) Reboot, pressing [Option] key select the "Install Sierra" USB drive 4) To avoid wasting time on a doomed installation, first select the Disk Utility option and erase again. If erase fails, then installation was doomed; - reboot to the current OS and go back to step 1) else quit disk utility and select install 5) Installation takes absurdly longer than advertised and has failed twice for me when a Mac slept before completion, so wiggle the mouse every few minutes to keep it awake.

I agree and hope that XPS includes >>some<< short-circuit protection, but had also (wrongly) originally supposed that simultaneous phone jack and VDI connections would be OK... Being naturally pessimistic, I speculate that some damage attributed to simultaneous VDI + phone cable connections may have been provoked by unfortunate XPS power sequencing, with or without batteries. Note this sequence of connections published in the Variax 600 manual: "Powering your Variax with the XPS Footswitch is easy. Use the included TRS cable (meaning “tipring-sleeve” or also simply known as a “stereo” cable) to connect the Variax to the INPUT jack of the XPS Footswitch. Connect the PX-2 power supply to the XPS Footswitch POWER jack, and use a standard mono guitar cable to connect the XPS Footswitch’s 1/4" OUTPUT to your amp or effects."

OK, that explains a lot of older Line 6 Community Support entries compromised by missing diagrams and images.. Meanwhile, diagrams of TRS phone plugs engaging jacks seem to be too risque for the non-dark Internet, much less with to-scale cross-section diagrams.. but here: Sadly, the sleeve in simplified diagram to right of the pictured jack is not to scale, since an actual jack sleeve's depth is over half the nominal 26 mm from jack entrance to tip contact point, while plug tip-to-sleeve distance is about 12 mm, pretty much guaranteeing: * plug tip-to-ring shorts whenever TRS plugs pass thru jack sleeves * plug ring in contact with jack sleeve when plug tip engages jack ring contact. The TRS jack pictured here lacks those jack ring (and tip?) switch[es] actuated by plug deflections which happen e.g. in Variax.. Combinations of undesirable (e.g. reverse-polarity power) interactions as those switch contacts activate (and bounce) during powered plug insertions and retractions lead me to suppose that worse can happen than I previously wrote, when plugging TRS with powered XPS.

When an XPS is powered, it supplies power on its TRS ring connection, relative to shield. Then, for a TRS cable already plugged into a Variax: * if/when the other end of that TRS cable gets plugged into the XPS, that plug tip first encounters XPS shield, then ring, sending power to the Variax audio out, returning thru the ring connection, which at that instant could be connected to XPS ground. * If/when a cable already plugged to a Les Paul or other guitar with passive pickups gets plugged to a powered XPS, the plug tip sends XPS power to the volume control when it encounters the XPS ring contact. - if that guitar volume control is full counter-clockwise, XPS power may get shorted. - if that volume control is full clockwise, XPS power may go to pickups. Else, for a TRS cable already plugged into a powered XPS * if/when the other end of that TRS cable gets plugged into a Variax, - its plug tip first encounters Variax shield, then an instant when tip and ring both contact Variax shield sending XPS power back thru cable tip to DI circuitry in the XPS. I don't know whether some impulse also feeds through to amplifier/Pod connect to XPS. - next, when that TRS plug tip initially contacts the ring in my Variax 300 connector, it measures continuity to shield, effectively shorting the XPS power supply. Diagrams might show this more clearly, but I do not know how to embed them here.

Using a TRS cable for connecting a Les Paul or any other guitar with passive pickups directly to an amp (or Pod or Helix) simply leaves the ring (R) connection unused. A Les Paul should not be damaged, since its jack only connects to tip and shield, but a powered XPS could be damaged if a Les Paul or other guitar jack shorts ring to shield (some do). Of course, the XPS could be removed or should at very least NOT powered when a non-Variax guitar is connected. Power to the XPS should ALWAYS be off when making or breaking connections to a Variax.

Since Windows 10 reports >>something<< connected, the USB cable is probably OK. Not recognizing the device typically means the driver is missing; download it from Windows HD500X driver Version 4.2.7.6 Released 8/21/15

Seemingly.. Starting from https://line6.com/software/index.html Set: Variax 300/600 | - All Software - | Mac OS X Click: [GO] Scroll down to and click [GET DOWNLOAD] for: Variax Workbench Version 1.75 Released 7/26/12

VDI is basically power + AES/EBU + MIDI: VDI interface diagram; It sounds like you only need wireless MIDI: Yamaha MD-BT01 Wireless AES/EBU has also been done, but connecting a battery-powered DAC to JTV DVI for wireless analog guitar sound may be more expedient.

While VAX700 was correct about DC polarity being critical, he was incorrect about HD500, which (2.5mm) center pin requires negative 9VDC..

This $17 power supply is advertised at Amazon for HD500 etc https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0154WFJDG

Neither the HD500 nor HD500X does MIDI over USB; you will need another box or dongle for that. Are you familiar with this: https://line6.com/support/topic/4588-hd500-midi/

If reports such as this are true: Apple abandoning Intel processors in Macs ... then we will all be keeping old software around; based on previous experience when Apple migrated from PowerPC processors: fat/universal binaries ... Apple will release a few versions of macOS that support both 64-bit Intel and ARM processors, but Intel-based Macs will be more negatively impacted. Apple's recent drop of support for 32-bit software can bee seen as an initial step in this evolution.

Although less nice than Helix, an HD500 works well and sounds great (IMO) with a JTV and can be had for around US $200 used from eBay.

Apple has dropped Java 6 support, and I suppose that Line 6 has no plan to update legacy Variax support beyond Java 6. For a Mac with available drive space, create a bootable Sierra partition for Variax Workbench. Apple support: use Disk Utility to create a partition Download Sierra installation app using Safari That Sierra installation app will not run directly in newer macOS versions.. Create a bootable USB thumb drive for Sierra installation FWIW, 3 of 3 Silicon Power USB flash drives failed for me; a LEXAR worked fine.. I renamed the Sierra Installation app, removing blanks to ease Terminal work, then 1) in Terminal: $ cd /Applications/Sierra10126.app/Contents/Resources/ $ sudo ./createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/VariaxSierra --applicationpath /Applications/Sierra10126.app/ Enter password when prompted. IMO, updating an old laptop to use SSD is most reasonable, with at least enough capacity wanted to keep usage below 50%, reducing SSD wear. Keep in mind that, even if you are not directly creating or changing many files, macOS and browsers are logging and caching. Since Sierra consumes over 15GB, its partition should be over 30GB. 2) Use Disk Utility to create a second partition on the internal drive. To avoid confusion during subsequent installation, be sure to give that second partition an unambiguous name (I chose Variax) with significantly different (smaller) size than the current macOS volume. FWIW, macOS Disk Utility `Erase` is what other operating systems call `format`.. While in Disk Utility, be sure to click the sidebar icon (upper left), and Show All Devices (instead of Only Volumes) to verify that the new volume is NOT in an APFS Container. MacOS 10.12 Sierra CANNOT be installed on APFS, but its installer will NOT report failure (unknown internal error) until AFTER wasting a half hour or more installing over 90%. Click on the container for the new volume, select Erase and confirm that some "Mac OS Extended" option is checked. If not, then check an option that is and Erase again. 3) Verify the "Install macOS Sierra" USB flash drive; It should mount with contents visible in Finder when plugged in. 4) Reboot and press [Option] key for boot menu; select the "Install Sierra" USB drive. 5) To avoid wasting time on a doomed installation, select the Disk Utility option and erase again. If erase fails, then installation was doomed; - reboot to the current OS and go back to step 1) else quit Disk Utility and select install. 6) Sierra installation takes absurdly longer than advertised and has failed twice for me when a Mac slept before completion; wiggle the mouse every few minutes to keep the Mac awake. 7) I intend to boot Sierra ONLY for Line 6; disabling Network to avoid malware. Keep in mind that the newer macOS volume is accessible from Sierra, and apps in Applications on that volume will generally run on Sierra. Of course, Sierra requires its own Java 6 and Line 6 driver..

Driving two Hot Rod deluxe (or any other two amp) channels works from HD500 L/MONO & R/MONO outputs set to AMP (rather than LINE). If the HD500 pedal is not otherwise occupied, it can be configured so that one channel is mute at one pedal limit while the other channel mute at the other pedal limit. Otherwise, make a dual amp patch with one amp panned hard left and the other right, set one on and the other off, and select an FS switch for on/off of both

A Windows PC would have notified that it was trying to find a driver when an HD500 is first plugged in, and Device Manager should show something. If not, hardware is suspect. Quite a few USB hubs have LEDs that illuminate when a device is plugged. FWIW, I have never had issues with HD500 in USB 3.0 ports. I got the impression that Microsoft made changes impacting Windows 10 driver support last year, but I have only used Windows 8.1 and Macs for Line 6..

Hi Blgband - I pondered reverting my JTV to 1.71, but have been pretty happy with 2.10.. Other than volume imbalances among strings, I seem to be less critical of guitar tones than others but more critical of sound sculpturing by effects, amplifiers, cabinets and speakers. HD500 model tweaking can be frustrating, but I never mastered "real" equipment, either. Searching eBay [v] Sold listings for "Line 6 HD500" confirms that patient bidding should still net a good one for less than US $200.

Welcome, fafricano - You did not mention what version of macOS. For High Sierra (10.13) and newer, Apple is very shirty about signed drivers, which Line 6 are not. Before directly installing the driver, open System Preferences>Security and watch for a red alert that you will need to accept for driver installation to proceed.

James Tyler Variax Flash Memory Version 1.82 Released 5/16/12 "If you play your JTV with a POD(r)HD500 or POD(r) HD Pro multi-effect processor, the v1.8 update also includes enhanced functionality to make your JTV/POD HD experience even more intuitive and powerful." JTV worked with HD500 before "enhanced functionality". Indeed, this 2011 review exercised a JTV-59 via VDI to an HD500. In the 2012 HD500 Advanced Guide: "With a James Tyler® Variax® (JTV), the “Variax” Input Source receives the Model or Magnetic signal, depending on the JTV’s Model switch settings. * The “Variax Mag” Input Source receives only the JTV’s Magnetic Pickup signal." Newer JTV flash outputs Variax models via "mag" input.. Latest HD500 firmware still works with non-HD legacy Variax, so I would expect an HD500 to still work with pre-v.18 JTV flash..

Having curiosity, XPS-AB, JTV-89F, Variax 300, digital multimeter and a TRS cable with screw-off connector shield, I made under-load measurements with 123 VAC to PX-2G: + 6.94 V ring to shield with Variax 300, no AA cells + 6.96 V with JTV-89F on magnetics, with battery + 6.94 V on models, with battery + 6.98 V magnetics without battery + 6.97 V models without battery... ----=--- 123 VAC to PX-2G to XPS-MINI: 8.20-1 VDC out no load 8.17 VDC into Variax 300 with or without VDI-USB; 4.29VDC @ battery box ---=--- For no obvious reason, background hum (via HD500 and headphones) from JTV-89F magnetic pickups is louder without PX-2G power to XPS than with. Peeking inside the XPS-AB, I saw no audio isolation transformer. - XLR output balance, if any, is presumably electronic. As a DI, it may be vulnerable to ground loops. I read somewhere that an XPS-mini supplies somewhat more power to a Variax 300 than does the XPS-AB, but the XPS-AB works for me (for both audio out to HD500 and USB-VDI dongle to Variax Workbench). Since turning JTV-89F tone and volume generates audible artifacts while attached to USB-VDI, which are NOT hear from the Variax 300, HD500 VDI gets used for the JTV-89F. Variax 300 seemingly has more background hiss (unaffected by its controls) with XPS-MIN than XPS-AB. I had expected XPS-MINI voltage, less about 1/2 Volt for blocking diode, would be present at 6xAA box.. Unlike the XPS-AB, which power LED is red until Variax load is detected (then green), XPS-MINI LED does not illuminate without TRS plugged into it, then is red whether or not Variax is connected.

You could try the trick described here, using SDK Man to make a Java 6 JRE visible on Mojave: http://richsitblog.com/index.php/2018/10/01/use-java-6u65-apple-with-skdman-on-mojave-high-sierra-sierra-el-capitan/ It is probably no accident that the newest version available does not specify Mojave. POD HD500X Edit Version 2.26 Released 4/9/15 ... and may be no mere coincidence that Line 6 "dream rig" is replacing HD500X with Helix. Another trick: install latest Line 6 drivers directly, rather than using Monkey. Even on High Sierra, I never saw macOS security warnings that needed override when using Monkey. According to a Mar 5, 2019 Apple employee post: "It may or may not help but the latest - last version of Java 6 provided by Apple is available here - https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1572?locale=en_GB it does not mention any support for Mojave but I believe it will work. It is certain that it will not work for whatever version of macOS will come after Mojave and is due to be released this autumn." https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250209038 I don't have Mojave to verify the SDK Man trick; my MacBook is not Mojave-compatible, and Line 6 VariaxWorkbench quit working after Sierra - macOS 10.12. I am building an USB SSD bootable Sierra to use offline for Line 6 software, rather than continuing to struggle with Apple's relentless backward compatibility breakage. One might imagine that a company with Apple's resources could provide better support, but it appears their main concern for macOS upgrades is providing iOS developers with a platform relatively robust against malware.

It seems that running VariaxWorkbench on High Sierra is indeed doomed. VariaxWorkbench wants a 32-bit JRE and makes native calls. The Unhandled exception is between JRE 1.6 and High Sierra. This impacts other Java 6 apps as well. There are no 32-bit versions of JRE 1.7 or 1.8, even if VariaxWorkbench.app is hacked to use it (by replacing JavaApplicationStub), and 32-bit native calls are doomed. FWIW, the native call issue arose when directly invoking the jar file inside VariaxWorkbench.app: $ java -cp VariaxWorkbench.jar variaxworkbenchapp.L6VariaxWorkbenchApp Set temp dir: /var/folders/wf/8yvn96r13v3_2k8h9wv8fkm00000gn/T/Variax Workbench_temp java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: .. where "UnsatisfiedLinkError" occurs for native call failure. An old MacBook running Sierra seems an expedient workaround; it should be possible to boot an updated Mac from an external drive with Sierra and VariaxWorkbench.. As for Line 6, they should ideally be working on a replacement for Workbench HD that better supports both generations. This article describes how rewriting existing apps can be like trying to change a bicycle tire while writing it, but taking what is learned with current software and writing a better competitor can promote market share growth: Lessons from 6 software rewrite stories