GazzaBloom

Thanks for your reply, I want to forget using the internal pre-amps but just can't get the same tones from the POD. The Blackface Twin Pre model has too much low end and not enough mids and sounds nothing like the pre-amp topology 1 in the DT25. In fact I can't get particularly close to any of the 4 DT25 preamps. I keep reading people say they are exactly the same, well that's not my experience. The DT25 sounds great with the inbuilt preamps and just doesn't sound as good when driven with the PODHD via L6 link.

My Missus would kill me if I had that in the house. I had to have something half way presentable to put the, and I quote, 'ugly back box that is too loud' on!

Where does the DT25 site in the PODHD500X signal chain when connected over L6 Link? With the amp sims activated on the POD what is happening when you add effects before the amp and after? Also, what about when the amps are 'off' and channel B is activated using the DT25 pre-amps, what's going on with 'pre' and 'post' the amp block? I'm really confused by the POD500X's routings!

OK I have to say I am struggling to get my head around this. My needs are simple: 1 x Guitar in - a few mono effects in 'pre' (drives, wah) - single amp - a few stereo effects in 'post' (reverb/delay) - output to Sudio/Direct via S/PDIF or output to DT25 What is the best input settings, mixer pans etc for this simple setup? Gazza

I wish HDEdit would display the tuner when it's activated on a PODHD like Gearbox used to. I play in front of the computer with PODHD500X on the floor behind me so it would be good to get that back. Are there any other software Mac tuner apps that anyone knows of that I could run in parallel with HDEdit? Gazza

Just curious if anyone has A/B'd the DT25 combo with the head/cab? Is thee a difference in sound between these? Does the head through the DT25 112 cab sound the same as the combo? When connected to PODHD500 the output would be Combo Pwr for the combo and Stack Pwr for the separates so I would have thought the tone would be different? Gazza

I have been tweaking more and have found that it is possible to dial in the same tone when using the PODHD500X as the default topologies loaded in the DT25. It take a lot of tweaking and switching between the 2 to get it there. What I have found is that you will not get the same sound by setting the controls the same in the PODHD500 as on the DT25 (without POD connected) they have to be set quite differently including the gain, volume & mixer. I sort of expected that you would but it does;t appear to be the case. I am a lot happier with the sounds from the PODHD500X acting as the pre-amp to the DT25 now, I just forget about the internal pre-amps and drive from the POD now. What I have found is that the PODHD500X reverbs sound a lot better when a POD amp is switched on compared to when the amp is turned off and the DT25 switches to it's own internal pre-amps.

I use a Gibosn SG Std throughout a Saffire Pro14 Firewire interface monitored with a pair of Event TR8 reference monitors. I find you have to tweak the drive & master a bit to get the right level of distortion and I usually start with a bit less that I like (i currently have drive on 37% and master at about 1 o clock, tone settings are Bass 40% Mids 96%, Treble/Presence around 38/40%. I then add a Boost Comp at the front on some fairly mild settings to smooth the tone out and then one of the EQs, the EQ I use will depend on the patch and tone I'm looking for and is mainly used to dial out some bottom end and boost some high mids. I play along to a track with a tone I'm aiming for to get the mids in the right range by tweaking the EQ. I don't find the EQ's particularly intuitive to use and would prefer a graphic display or curve to play with or a range of sliders across the frequencies. When played alone without a track behind it some of my settings can sound a bit mid rangy and thin at the bottom end but in a track it sounds fine. Settings vary from guitar to guitar and when played through the DT25 these settings go out the window and it's a whole different set up. Same with headphones. I agree that when I first went to the PODHD after a PODX3 I went straight to the JCM800 and though it sounded awful and far too bassy with a horrible distortion characteristic but plenty of tweaking with EQs & mild compression has got me to a point where I'm happy with it. I did start putting a tube screamer in front but currently find the boost comp less domineering over the tone. One other thing. I am constantly tweaking my tones. Set it right one one day and the I find fresh ears the next day leads to further tweaking. Gazza

I use the JCM800 and it's my core dirty amp tone. It does need and EQ in front to get it into AC/DC, The Cult, Guns 'n' Roses zones but that's all.

I switched Topology 4 to Class A Pentode for the first time earlier on my DT25 112 and it sounds fantastic. I keep the gain down a bit and that allow the master to be cranked up for the volumes I can get away with and it really does sound good. This amp....seriously has some tone. It reminds me of a Mesa Boogie F30 I owned some years ago, that. was a great amp I wish I'd never sold but this DT25 is more flexible and with the POD500X connected really is a force of nature. Gazza

"Help me Obi-Wan, you're my last hope" "These are not the droids you're looking for...."

If I have to cave in and get a standalone drive lined an OKKO Diablo or equivalent it will detract from the value I place on the POD in my rig.

In a way I'm glad it's not just me. It appears to be noticeable when I use the overdrives with the drive turned down low, it's like a faint fizzling than runs on after the notes. I noticed it through my DT25 first and thought it was the cabinet or something vibrating but it's there when playing the PODHD500X over SPDIF direct as well. It's not all of them I noticed it on a couple....just happens to be the ones I want to use. I like a light overdrive with just a hint of clipping so back the drive off, I can't live with this fizzling though and am quite disappointed with this. It goes away or blends in when the drive control is raised. Luckily the Screamer doesn't appear to exhibit this so far, I just need to work with some EQ to flatten out that mid hump and restore some of the lows that are taken out, somewhat like the real Tube Screamer. Perhaps this fizzle is modelled and is present on the original pedals, I wouldn't know though. So, far I'm finding some of the effects a little underwhelming, especially when played through the DT25. The reverbs sound poor through the amp. They sound really good in stereo through monitors but quite weak through the amp. I've a long tweaking journey ahead to really get the POD to shine for me. Luckily the DT25 sounds so good on it's own I don't need to use too much from the POD so far to get good tones. I'll search around and see if I can find the previous discussion on the drives issue. Gazza

Only had my 500x a few weeks and just playing around with the overdrives today and noticed a weird aftertone, faint distortion after the note dies when played. It's hard to describe, has anyone else noticed this? It sounds bad. Gazza

Tom, I can confirm that I cannot get audio over S/PDIF when the DT25 is powered on. Also, my audio interface (Focusrite Saffire Pro14) does not auto switch to S/PDIF sync, but I get audio with the POD with Internal or S/PDIF sync when the DT25 is OFF, as soon as I turn the DT25 on the audio drops off over S/PDIF so it appears that it's one or the other, not both at the same time. Gazza

Jeez, I was joking! You guys!

I asked the same question....look to the top of this discussion page....see pinned post with links to Midi editors that will send data messages to make the changes. You will also need thew Midi implementation guide from the L6 manuals page for the DT25. Gazza

How are you guys configuring the mixer when connecting your POD HD to your single DT amps? What's the best setting to match the default DT amp models already loaded in the amp? Do you hard Pan left and right as default or centre the pan controls? Gazza

With a rig like you already have I would suggest stick with it....it's a quality line up you have.

I have the DT25 112 and have been using the combo pwr amp setting, in fact the PODHD500X switches to this automatically when I connect by L6 Link, however, I find this to be quite bass heavy and have to dial a fair bit of lows out or it gets real boomy. Effective EQ using the DT tone controls and also the POD EQs can even the tone out. One thing to be aware of is that the right tone settings really depend on the volume of the amp and size of room you're in. Tone settings for club gig volume will sound very bass heavy and thick when played at home volume, and so, tone settings that sound right at home will be treble heavy and thin when cranked. I learned this a long while ago when I first started playing live, my carefully honed bedroom tone that have taken months to fine tune went out the window at the first real stage volume gig! Gazza

Do you know the life span of an LED? :P Power on...power off...power on...power off....how long will it last?

Tom, I'm not sure on this one. Playing both together isn't something I need. Have you switched your audio interface to sync over s/pdif? Problem I see is that even if you manage to get audio to pass through the s/pdif at the same time as connected to the DT25 then it may not be in studio/direct mode.... I'll have a play on my setup when I get chance. Gazza

I know the DT25 comes stock with 4 modelled pre-amps and I love the the 'clean' Fender Topology I. With the HD500X connected on either the Twin or Deluxe 'pre' only amp it does not sound as good as when the amps are switched off in the Pod and just the DT25 is providing pre-amp and power amp. I would have thought that I would be able to dial in the same tone from the Pod with one of the 'Fender' pre amps but I can't. It sounds kind of dull and lacking dynamics for some reason. (POD is set to combo pwr amp output) Does anyone know what the DT25 stock Topology 1 pre-amp is in the POD? Anyones find the DT sound better without the POD amps? Am I missing something or not dialling something correctly? What are the recommended 'mixer' settings when using one DT25, default is hard pan L & R at 0db Gazza

**UPDATE** I arranged for a local pine furniture shop to make me up a small cabinet for my DT25 & PODHD500X...see pic linked below. This is neat, the POD HD pulls out for access and slides away underneath for protection when not in use. Notice the 2 cables down the side of the room, that's a long USB and S/PDIF cable for connection to my Mac & Audio interface for 'desktop' direct playing & recording. Love it! https://app.box.com/s/j8e9g71ing9aysg9npde Gazza

**UPDATE** I now have my PODHD500X connected by S/PDIF to my Mac's firewire audio interface (Focusrite Saffire pro 14) and to my DT25 via L6 Link at the same time. I set the output mode to "studio/direct' and I just power on the POD500HDX to play through my Studio monitors in direct mode for recording, quiet play etc. The clever thing is, when I switch on the DT25, the audio output mode changes to 'Combo Pwr Amp' automatically for some 'amp in the room' power! Thing is, when I power off the DT25 the output mode switches back to 'studio/direct' automatically: this is exactly what I wanted it to do....now that's clever! I'm happy. Gazza