radatats

Well the PODHD-500 is just a hardware solution with upgradeable software. The hardware is mostly OK except for some connector concerns and the 500X is even better. The software however, is the area that needs the most attention. I don't think it is the actual coding so much as the poor editing interface/GUI for your desktop. That is my biggest complaint with this gear and if they would do a major revision of that piece I think a lot of users would be very happy and some of these issues would go away. There should be some way of monitoring the gain structure to identify clipping as it is introduced to the signal path. Unlike analog gear, you can't just crank every module and expect the final output to be OK... Once clipping is introduced, even at an early stage, it is replicated and amplified at every subsequent step. Simply turning down the final output level will not eliminate it. There are so many ways you can increase the signal along the way it is not surprising that it is hard to get a great final product. The fact that we so often do get a great tone is testament to the quality of the software in the first place. I made a lot of suggestions about this on the product improvement suggestions link... Here's a thought... How about a built in brick wall limiter for every stage? Shouldn't need to use DSP for that and it could be turned on or off globally with a single switch/button on the hardware or in the software. That would allow you to drive every stage as much as you want and virtually eliminate any chance of introducing clipping... You listening Line 6?

Personally, I am happy with the amps and effects in the current firmware/hardware. I will be happy with what ever they can improve along the way. What I REALLY want is a complete rework of the Edit software. I would much prefer to see an Amplitube style GUI and there are fare better visual interfaces available to represent signal flow, wave form and especially EQ. How about when I move an effect in the chain, it moves in the stack below accordingly. I hate when the first effect in the chain is listed in the middle of the stack somewhere. I would like to see a clipping indicator for each stage in the signal flow. There is no way to analyse your signal strength at various points along the path and there are so many opportunities to introduce clipping in your signal. Turning down the master won't eliminate clipping introduced earlier in the chain... Cabibnet and mic placement could be greatly improved with a better GUI too I think Line 6 would take a great product to new heights with this relatively easy upgrade and make life a lot easier for a lot of us users... IMHO...

DT Edit is amazingly simple and effective to use. Like the others have said, when you change voicings, you still have the same knob settings so beware! It is not like changing a patch with the POD HD where knob settings and all other parameters change too...

I've been having similar issues and was getting pretty discouraged overall with my gear. I tried all the various input settings and adjustments with no luck at all. The other day I was playing around with the OUTPUT settings and changed to STUDIO DIRECT. Bingo... clipping gone, tone clear, recording levels usable, headphone tone sharp and clear, nice distortion... I am using the XLR outs to Steinberg UR-22 into Studio One... so far seems like the solution for me... Shure SRH440 cans... - VERY IMPORTANT - The VOLUME knob (Ch. Vol on the amp block in HD Edit) is a tone-independent volume control that affects the output level of the amp block. The Master DEP (down by the Hum and Bias controls) is what should be used to get a "pushed" power section, not this control. I recommend keeping this knob at conservative levels (~50% or less), otherwise you can get unwanted clipping - either of sensitive downstream effects like many of the EQ's or of the Pod's internal digital resolution. This is from MeAmBobbo's excellent PodHD Guide: http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/. If you haven't read it yet, you should. It will save you a lot of trouble and heartache...