silverhead

No - the piezos apply when the Variax is in Model mode, and then it is using one of its internal models. I'm not sure what you mean by 'raw piezo sound'. The piezos don't produce sound. Unless there's a guitar being modeled by the Variax, isn't that analogous to asking whether a 'real' guitar can be connected to your Aura Spectrum without the guitar producing its mag-pickup generated sound? The piezos transmit waveforms from the string vibrations to the internal DSP processor. Are you asking that the guitar (any guitar - whether real or modeled Variax) be able to somehow output the raw string vibration wave-forms without having processed it, either by DSP modeling or by its onboard pickups? And if it could, does you Aura Spectrum handle that sort of 6-channel input (one channel per string)?

I would still contact Line 6 support - open a support ticket to deal with them directly. They may be able to diagnose the problem and give you a no-cost fix. The expired warranty would only become a cost to you if the device needs servicing.

Yes - you can do all that. The only limitation with connecting the HD500 via L6 LINK is that the Master Volume knob on the HD500 is bypassed when using L6 LINK. So the only volume control you have for the HD500 is the L2t volume knob. But of course that affects the level of all your other connected devices as well, so it is sometimes difficult to get a good balance for all devices. I generally connect my HD500 analog outputs to my L3t rear panel line inputs. That way the HD500 volume can be controlled directly. That would mean there's no place to connect your keys. Experiment with both methods and decide what works best for you.

Here's a dual-path patch I created for acoustic guitar and vocals. It uses both the Guitar and Mic inputs on the HD500. As with everything on Customtone, use it as a starting point for tweaking to your own taste. http://line6.com/customtone/tone/215659

I plug my acoustic 6-string (Martin D-28) into the Guitar input on my HD500 without problems. One possibility I can think of is an onboard preamp on your Takamine. If there is one on the Takamine (there is not one on my Martin) try turning the Vol down. Perhaps the input of the HD500 is being overdriven?

After reflashing firmware you need to reset the global parameters and recalibrate the pedal. Q: How do I reset the global settings of my POD HD Device? A: Press and hold the Left Arrow button on the 4 Way Nav as you power on the POD. This reset resets the global settings back to factory defaults and also renames the Set Lists to factory as well. NOTE: This DOES NOT reset the presets. That requires re-installing the flash memory using Line 6 Monkey. (Same as Factory Reset above.) http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/pod-hd/pod-hd500xhd500-pedal-calibration-r161

The HD500x operates in two footswitch 'modes'. See Page 1 of the Setup menu to assign the mode. You can't mix the modes; it is a global setting. In ABCD mode the bottom row of footswitchs changes patches/presets within the current bank of presets (e.g. 1A through 1D). In FS5-8 mode the bottom row of footswitches turns on/off the FX in the current preset that are assigned to FS5 through FS8. So you cannot assign a preset to any one of the eight footswitches; only to the bottom four. And if you are in ABCD mode then you can't use FX5 through FX8 to turn FX on/off.

In Pod Farm, have you selected the Mic as the Input Source? Are your headphones/speakers connected to the UX2 outputs?

Is your UX2 connected to your computer? Are you running Pod Farm or some other sound-generating program that interfaces with the UX2?

Seems like your firmware may have been corrupted somehow .I would do what it is asking - reinstall the firmware. A quick search of the knowledge base here should get you detailed procedures if you are not familiar with this.

Better for whom? - for the sound guy? definitely better to KISS - for you and your band? depends on how 'close' you want your sound to be to the original for rehearsals and onstage monitoring - for the audience? depends on how good (although troublesome) a job the sound guy is doing. If he's keeping up with the switching OK then the audience is probably also hearing a sound that is 'close' to the original, and very recognizable. If you're getting lost in the mix regularly then the audience experience is poorer than it would be with the KISS approach. ... so who do you want to make things 'better' for?

A couple of possibilities: - you mention HD Edit; you probably mean (and are using) HD Pro Edit. If not, you should be. They are different programs. - you are using 'the built in output' of what? You need to have your speakers/monitors/headphones connected to the HD Pro output, not your Macbook output.

Are you by any chance trying to assign this preset to an input that uses one of the direct inputs 13 through 16? I was surprised recently to discover that the presets available are defined by the physical input. Inputs 13 through 16 are designed for direct inputs, and consequently (if I remember correctly) the presets displayed for selection in the Artists section exclude presets designed for mic inputs..... or something like that. I remember being confused and I never really took the time to figure it out. But when I switched focus to one of the physical inputs 1 through 12 the full list of presets was again visible. Again, this is just from memory - don't take it as fact but experiment a bit on the concept.

You are limited to patches/presets that are compatible with the Pod HD, Pod HD Pro, and Pod HD500 devices. Presets from previous product lines (like *.l6t), or the single-path Pod HD300/400 devices (e.g. *.h3e) are not compatible with the dual-path HD devices. The HD500 presets (*h5e) can be loaded directly into HD500x Edit by drag/dropping, or be renaming. The Pod HD and Pod HD Pro presets can be turned into *.h5e files using the tone converter utility generously developed and donated by one of the forum users. Thanks jzab. Here's the link to the utility: http://www.jzab.de/content/pod-hd

No. I would buy a used HD500 from a reputable source (cheaper than the 500x) unless the extra 20% DSP power is worth the extra $ to you. The tones from the HD500 are much better than the X3 for live playing.

What sort of trouble are you having? Please be specific.

Like actdmusic said - looks like a firmware reinstall is necessary. Make sure to back things up first so you will be able to restore your setups and presets later.

I'm not at my equipment today, but if I remember correctly there is a factory preset that comes with the HD500 that simulates a 12-string using a 6-string. I believe it's in the Bass-Aco-Voc setlist but can't be sure. What I am sure of is that, after listening to it, my reaction was - well, maybe useful in a pinch but not enough like a 12-string to fool anybody.

The setlists are installed with the firmware. You will need to update/reinstall the firmware to get them back. Before reinstalling, make sure you back up any presets/setlist you wish to restore later. During installation, when prompted, choose to replace your existing presets. After installation be sure to reset the global parameters and recalibrate the pedal.

That could help, but I think it depends on whether the issue is caused by your hand contacting the saddles, or the more vertical string vibrations as phil has suggested. I'm inclined to agree with phil that it's the string vibration itself causing the issue - not hand contact. Seems to me that finger picking near the bridge will cause the string to vibrate in a more up/down direction in the saddle rather than across as normal strumming does.

How it sounds (i.e. good or not) depends a lot on what you want to do with the hookup. Are you planning to process the sound from your keys, or do you just want to pass the Keyboard output through the HD Desktop, mixed with your guitar and/or vocals, to something like a mixer or PA?

Just one cautionary note: this setup might take some time to get used to. I wouldn't commit myself to using it in a live situation so quickly. I would plan to use my current setup until I had more time to familiarize myself with the new system and get some good gig-ready tones. That may not happen immediately.

Congratulations! You're going to love it. Just make sure you clear your calendar when it arrives - you won't be going anywhere for a day or two. :P

Yes - but you need to set up your preset carefully to keep the signal paths completely separate. Here's a preset I made some time ago that you can use as an example of how to set the signal paths: http://line6.com/customtone/tone/215659/ Adjust the two paths to your taste in terms of amp/FX processing.

First, you need to be using a dynamic mic. The HD500 does not provide the phantom power that a condenser microphone needs. On the Input Options page, you need to rotate the associated black knob beneath the display to change the parameter settings. Make sure the Inputs Setup is set to PRESET (knob/parameter #4). Then make sure one of the Input Sources (knobs 1 and 2) is set to MIC. Then adjust the Mic Trim knob beside the Mic XLR input until you can hear the microphone input. Then assign your desired amp/FX to the signal path(s).