cocoa7

Thank you for the suggestion. I stumbled on the compressor option, too, and I'll go back to see if I can bridge the gap that way.

I am looking for suggestions/solutions for how users are getting the levels between Acoustic and Electric Models (or just the Variax Mags) evened out when using the Variax with the HD500. Generally, when creating sounds using the Mags or one of the JTV's electric models, I am building presets with one or two amps in the signal chain. By contrast, if I just want a straight, dry sound for one of the JTV's acoustic (or resonator) models, I create the sounds without activating an amp model. I assume this is the appropriate thing to do because the HD500's amp models are designed for electric guitars. The problem, however, is that the levels vary widely depending on the presence or absence of a pre-amp gain stage in the mix. So, presets using Mags (or one of the electric guitar models) are much louder than those using acoustic guitar or resonator models. I can go in and reduce the output of each preset that uses an amp, and I wonder if that's the proper solution. Or are other experienced users activating one of the amp models along with acoustic/resonator models? If so, which amp model(s) do users find most beneficial; i.e., which amp model(s) add(s) the least amount of distortion to the acoustic signal? Thank you for your responses!

Yes, very frustrating. Since a few of the posts suggest that the difference is minimal, and since my ears hear a significant difference, I wonder if something else isn't amiss for those of us who are experiencing this problem. As for cord length, I'm using a 12-foot Monster cable...not likely to be the source of my problem. What I hear is a significant increase in the brittleness/harshness of the sound when 'Mags' are selected using the VDI cable. Until I figure out a better way, I suppose I'll keep both the 1/4-inch and the VDI cables connected the the HD500, then take the time to plug/unplug the appropriate one at any given time. This, however, removes possibility of switching from 'Mags' to 'Variax' via presets in the middle of a song. Is it possible there's some other component within the two units (HD500 and JTV) that needs to be tweeked?

Hi, I am experiencing the same issue...selecting 'Mags' with the VDI cable doesn't result in a tone that's identical to the 1/4 signal. So, I have one question: Is it possible when using 'Mags' with the VDI cable to duplicate the tonal characteristics of the JTV 1/4 signal? If not, I don't need to keep trying, but I can be frustrated. Thanks!

Thank you for your response! I had not thought to look in the HD500 Advanced guide, but I certainly didn't see anything in the JTV pilot's guide. :-)

I am new to the Variax, but experienced with the HD500, through which I send my guitar signal to the sound board. I like using my JTV-59 with the P90s, and the most practical immediate use of the guitar's modeling technology is to call up the acoustic/banjo/resonator models for specific songs or sections of a song. I assume that to alternate between the magnetic pickups and the other modeled instruments, I should connect BOTH the analog 1/4 cable, AND the Variax Digital cable. Is that correct? Then I need to select the appropriate 'Input' (Guitar or Variax) within the HD500 patch. Thank you for any responses!