zaboomafoo

Interesting ... have to check this. Don't remember if tuner is not working consistently on some patches or it comes on and off randomly. I think guitar in is on input 1 in all patches, but you never know. Thanks.

Tuner on my HD500 doesn't seem to work properly. I noticed this after the updaste to the latest firmware, not sure if it is related. The issue is that after engaging the tuner sometimes it does not seem to "hear" the guitar input. It shows the tuner screen on the display but no indication of the note. Usually after switching between few paches and coming back to the tuner it starts working. It happens with few different guitars. Any ideas? Should I do factory reset or something? zbf

I understand that concept, Boss GT8 (and probably the newer ones) had that same approach. It is a nice feature. Encoders instead of analog pots would be even better but that would make POD more expensive and probably more fail prone (and obviously not possible to upgrade with a firmware update :) ). What they need for this is a nice IOS or (god forbid) Android remote controller where this would not be a problem :). zbf.

#1 is not possible to change since pod has analog pots, not rotary encoders for the amp controls. #2 is possible. don't have pod here, you can check the manual. It is in there. #3 could be some issue with your computer #4 you seem to be mixing impedance with level. InputZ has nothing to do with the input level. You can control input level somwhat with the PAD switch on the POD. I agree that there should be a variable input level control (global or per patch). PAD switch is not good enough in some cases. zbf

I wouldn't say that linux is based od minix. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MINIX#MINIX_and_Linux Anyway, this is not the place to go into that type of discussion :) . I can only say that linux works well on a desktop or laptop (fedora, ubuntu, ,,,). It provides very much all the software and features a regular user would need (office, internet, etc). It is great for developers. It also works well for recording (Ardour), although not all hardware is supported (mainly because some manufacturers ignore it). There is also good support for graphical design / 3D modeling (blender). I am using linux as my main platform for more than 10 years now. Using windows in VM as described above only to do thing like update firmware on my hd500, which I will probablty not need to do any more based on what is happening with hd line :). zbf

Y cable is meant for splitting one signal into two, not the other way around (merging two into one). Although technically you can merge signals that way, it can cause issues which are beyond my understanding of electronics :) - loading, impedance, etc - google for it for more info. To merge two different signals (L+R) you need some kind of mixer. A simple passive mixer can be probably built inside XLR connector, to make this safe (again google for it). I started a similar thread while back, on getting mono out of XLR. One simple way is to add FX loop in the last FX slot. Then use a short mono (TS) 1/4 patch cable from FX loop's out into FX loop left in. That will get L+R summed into mono and both XLR outs will be mono. Sure, you will use one extra FX slot, and you will also add one more D/A A/D conversion in the path, but it will work. Other method is to add one of the mono FX in the last slot, something that will not colour the tone too much (compressor, or noise gate) which will make signal path mono inside POD. Again this take one extra FX slot. zbf

For this reason i gave up using talkbox effect on hd500. I am getting usefull results with narrow Q filter and control the frequency with exp pedal. It is kind of custom wah but sounds ok for what I need it for. zbf

It seems that Line6Tony accidentially gave away some info in his announcement posting: ... Subject: POD HD500X - forum copy (FCS/go public = 7/10) ... We are only on " need to know basis" :)

I don't think that is possible. According to the new hd500x manual, page 2-7: "Note that this Mode setting affects the signal fed to several POD HD500X outputs: Balanced, Unbalanced & Phones outputs as well as USB Record Send & L6 LINK audio outputs" Still the same as current hd500.

If you are asking about balanced XLR outs - there is no mono out on them, they are always stereo (left and right).

This was asked many times on the old forum, try to search through the archives. Basically there are few points to keep in mind: 1) Set levels for your patches using the same (or close to same) setup as you will on the gig - same amp, input configuration, etc 2) Play at the same level as what you expect to play on the gig. If you set patch levels at the low levels, they will not sound the same when turned up. 3) Try to do the above in the band setup, when everybody is playing. again when you with the band some frequencies could be drowned by other instruments. 4) at the end you will find that what sounds good on its own does not sound good or loud enough in the band setup. Mid range boost often helps to stick on top and often it doesn't sound good when you play on your own. 5) As you noted, clean sounds most of the time appear louder than distorted. There is more and it is very hard to balance patches properly, but you can get close enough - probably after the gig :) . zbf

I know I can center everything in the mixer. However if there are any effects in the chain after the mixer they might turn signal back into stereo. Ping-pong was an extreme example (never used it really), however even some reverbs or modulation FX at the end of chain might again create stereo image. Summing both L-R together is safe way to get compete signal. 1/4 outs are implemented that way, XLRs unfortunately are not. Adding shorted out FX loop at the end of chain would force everything back to mono. My signal path is fairly simple. I am rarely using dual amps, and if I use them they are centered inthe mixer. FX I mostly use are reverbs at the end of the chain, maybe some simple tape echo or delay in front of the reverb if song needs it (I play covers). zbf

I am running my HD500 direct into PA by taking one of the 1/4 outputs through a DI. I also take paralel out from the DI into an amp for the stage monitoring only. This all works fine (even though I am using the cheapest behringer DI for this). I would like to eliminate DI to simplify the setup and use XLR outs for directo to PA. Now the question - what is the simplest way to get mono out on XLR? I know some of the options: add a mono effect in the last FX slot, add FX loop in the last FX slot. Any other ideas? I was thinking to try with FX loop in the last slot and then simply short the FX loop out back into FX return using a short mono cable. Would that work? I guess I would have to play with the FX loop's levels to set the unity gain. Thanks, zbf