silverhead

No, the digital cable that came with your Variax is not used for recording, and does not connect to your computer. The cables you describe that came with the Variax are used with the hardware interface that alsdo came with them to connect your Variax to your computer to use Workbench and to update the firmware of your Variax. You connect the RJ45 cable to your Variax and to the hardware interface. You then connect the USB cable to your computer and to the hardware interface. Workbench should now recognize your JTV (as long as it has a well charged battery and a 1/4" guitar cable connected to activate the 'on' switch of the Variax). Workbench is not a recording program (DAW). You need to have an audio recording program installed on your computer (DigitalSound mentioned some; do some googling on the term DAW to learn more). You will also need an audio interface (a separate piece of hardware) between your Variax and your computer to communicate the Variax guitar audio output to the DAW.

The guitars are upside down so that the positions of the pickup switches in the top row of the diagram correspond visually to the guitar's orientation. In other words, the leftmost pickup position as you are looking at (and holding) the guitar corresponds to the neck pickup.

Got it now. Looks great - thanks.

Oh, I like them together too. In fact I have almost never used a Variax without a Pod. But if I didn't like digital amp/FX modelers I would still like and use the Variax.

That would be great, David --- except I can't see the poster. Did the attachment process somehow get messed up?

Can you confirm that you have successfully downloaded firmware v2.0 to your JTV? If so, did you use the Variax USB/Workbench interface or did you use a Pod with VDI connection? That info may help in debugging your issue.

Well, the acoustics have changed over time. Perhaps swing-girl was updating from an earlier firmware version. But even so, you're right. Different people hear different things, some of which may be related to other equipment or venue changes - and some of which may just be changes in perception. (What IS reality?? :P )

... and, of course, obtain the proprietary protocol specification in order to convert the data stream........... Sounds pretty straightforward to me :lol:

I'm sure you could get good results with the Roland - it can give a very clean tone and would not interfere too much with the tone produced by the HD500. You would need to experiment with the HD500 amp selection and output settings. Try the HD500 using preamps in Live output mode, or with full amps in Studio mode. You will soon decide which you prefer. Another option would be to consider a keyboard amp or a studio monitor (or two for stereo!) rather than a guitar amp. Keyboard amps and studio monitors are designed to provide a very clean tone - meaning it would not colour the tone produced by the HD500 so much. In that case I would definitely stick with the HD500 Full amps and Studio output mode.

I would think there are actually lots out there. Anyone who prefers the sound and simplicity of analog pedals would still get a lot of value from a Variax - meaning they only have to carry one guitar instead of several.

What guitar are you using? Unless it is a Variax guitar connected to your Pod HD via the VDI connection, then your selection of Variax for any Input is effectively a null signal. In that case, the reason for the difference between the 'Guitar+Variax' and 'Variax' inputs is that in the first case your guitar is being used in both inputs and in the latter case only Input 1 is receiving your guitar signal.In both cases I believe you have the signal going through both paths (amps). The difference is that in one case your guitar is doubled and in the other it is not.

It sounds like your Variax battery may have died during the update. Before proceeding, recharge your battery. Then run Line 6 Monkey again. Select the Flash Memory (firmware) and then hit the Roll Back button (I think that's what it's called) to install an earlier version. Then repeat the update.

Because it is a proprietary Line 6 protocol and they have not made it available to DAW manufacturers. Nor have they manufactured the necessary audio interface to connect the L6 Link output from the M20d to a PC/DAW input. Line 6 and DAW manufacturers use industry standard software protocols and interface hardware like ASIO and USB. You can, however, import all your *.wav files on the SD card into your DAW. These will be the raw (unprocessed) data files from your M20d recording.

I would uninstall and reinstall the driver. Make sure your Pod xt is disconnected when you install the driver.

The new models should work with any device that has the VDI interface. The Variax is powered by the VDI connection and produces the guitar model sounds that it sends to the device via VDI. From there, the device (XT Live, X3 Live, Pod HDxxx) processes the incoming guitar signal as usual.

The judgements of 'better' or 'worse' are very personal opinions, and everyone will have their own. Personally, I think all models are much improved and more realistic. Let's remember to qualify our statements when we say 'this is better' or 'that is worse'.

Are you using the Download tab at the top of this page? That should work, and lead you to the correct url/page. If not, try clearing your cache, deleting your history, .....

I am not sitting at my M20d right now to verify, and the documentation seems to be silent on this, but it may be possible. You would use the Unlinked mode to activate this if it's available. If you have defined your monitors as a stereo pair the panning feature may be available separately from the main mix, along with the monitor level, in Monitor Tweak mode.

I find it more reliable to use the JTV USB interface (rather than the Pod VDI connection) when using Workbench.

You need to play surprisingly loud. How loud? Until you can't hear it any longer. .... or, use headphones.

Yes - HD500 Output should be Studio/Direct. This is appropriate for the Full amp models, including mic and cab selections. This is best for your FOH feeds as well as your L2m. I know the default behaviour when connecting HD500 and L2m via L6 Link is as you describe: HD500 to Combo and L2m to Electric Guitar. However, I feel there must be some way to override these defaults - but I don't know what it is. Perhaps you simply have to change them manually after connecting. It's a global setting on each device, meaning you only have to do it once (not per preset) per session after connecting. I will consult the manuals when I have some time. Meanwhile, I suggest you look into it too.

I think the L2m would be a great choice. Have you considered the following setup: - HD500 L and R XLR outputs go straight to FOH - HD500 L6 Link to L2m. Set L2m to PA/Reference mode (you're right - you don't want Eectric Guitar mode for exactly the reason you mention). The L6 Link connection can be louder than the analog outputs from the HD500; you will likely need to keep the L2m volume at a relatively low setting. That would allow you full stereo signal to FOH that can be controlled independently by the FOH sound guy, and the option to add a 2nd L2m in future if you want an additional, or stereo, stage monitor. The L6 Link connections will handle the L/R monitor assignment(s) automatically.

I'm not sure if this is what you are asking, but the procedure for storing models in the Custom banks is provided on page 13 of the JTV Pilot's Guide, as follows: Let’s say you found a sound that you know you’ll be coming back to again and again. Here’s what you do: 1. Be sure your sound is exactly as you want it. This is going to store the guitar model and tone knob settings. 2. Press and hold the Guitar Model Selector knob for 2.5 seconds or until the LEDs begins to blink to enter customization mode. 3. Now turn the Guitar Model Selector to CUSTOM 1 or CUSTOM 2. It’s your choice. The Alternate Tuning LED is no longer lit. 4. Move the Pickup Selector Switch to the desired position you want to store it. JTV-59 Users: Push Alternate Tuning Knob then move Pickup Selector Switch to access positions 2 or 4. 5. To save an alternate tuning to this position, select the desired tuning on your Alternate Tuning knob. Skip this step if you do not want an alternate tuning. 6. Press and hold the Guitar Model Selector knob for 2.5 seconds. Presto!, you just saved your first guitar model to a custom bank! Don’t forget to set your Alternate Tuning knob to MODEL if you want to recall the tunings exactly the way you’ve saved them.

Please realize that we know nothing about you - you'd be surprised at how many times the 'so-obvious-it's-insulting' suggestions are actually helpful to true novices. I'm sure brue58ski is only trying to help. Here's another obvious suggestion (good troubleshooting always eliminates the obvious first): it could be a faulty VDI cable. To test, try a standard RJ45/Ethernet cable. Be very careful connecting it - since its ends are unshielded a careless connection could damage the jack on the XT Live or the JTV. If that, too, is too obvious then please tell us exactly what you have done so far to troubleshoot the problem. For instance - why do you believe matching resistance is a solution?

In the Controllers section of HD400 Edit you will be able to define the Min/Max controller (e.g. EXP2) for the Wah FX. Also set the Toe Switch as the Wah On/Off controller and SAVE the preset with the Wah FX status and the pedal selector set to either Wah Off and EXP1 (if you want the Wah FX OFF when you recall the preset) or to Wah On and EXP2 (if you want the Wah FX ON when you recall the preset). In either case, when the preset is active you will toggle the Wah FX On/Off by depressing the pedal Toe Switch.