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Hd 500 400 300 Discontinued Production?


malexand20
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Thats ok, "it's evolution baby"

 

I was hopping there would be a couple more updates in the currente HD500, mainly the possibility to set diferent output mode for the left and right outs. I really need that and it's hard for me to buy another unit, possibly more expenssive, when i bought mine less than a year ago.

 

Line 6 please don't drop us yet, :/

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Musician's Friend appears to have a placeholder page up already:

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/line-6-pod-hd500x-guitar-multi-effects-processor

 

We'll see what the final specs and features are, but I'm convinced that a HD500X is coming soon. Yes, the photo is definitely a rendering of the product - but that is very common when a product is still in the manufacturing process. I've noticed some manufacturers never replace their renderings:

 

http://tascam.com/content/images/universal/product_detail/773/medium/im2x_image.jpg

http://www.behringer.com/assets/UT100_P0117_Right_View.jpg

 

Time will tell!

why is it that when i search for 500x at the site, the page you have linked doesn't come up

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Could be that the page is not being indexed in the search database intentionally based on site settings or MF is playing a cruel practical joke and rolling over in their chairs pointing and laughing.

i don't quite get the first part...and i'm no stranger to the second part :o

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Well I just "hacked" the URL since they just have the product name is the URL and it happened to work. Changing the URL to another letter (like HD500Z) returns an error page.

 

Pages can usually be hidden from the search in various ways, which makes sense for this since it's not out yet and the page would be pretty much useless at this point.

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I have to say... if "double the DSP" is the only change here, this is not a new Pod HD. This is just a reissue of the same machine with one very obvious change that at the end of the day would only affect a small minority of users for a small minority of the time. Don't get too excited.

 

Also, since this is the only change, they really should offer a cheap upgrade path for existing owners. I wouldn't pay more than $40 for it (including installation). They should just partner up with Guitar Center or something and have them upgrade everyone's Pod HDs.

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I have to say... if "double the DSP" is the only change here, this is not a new Pod HD. This is just a reissue of the same machine with one very obvious change that at the end of the day would only affect a small minority of users for a small minority of the time. Don't get too excited.

 

Also, since this is the only change, they really should offer a cheap upgrade path for existing owners. I wouldn't pay more than $40 for it (including installation). They should just partner up with Guitar Center or something and have them upgrade everyone's Pod HDs.

 

Guitar Center dweebs upgrading DSP chips...Now that is funny! :P

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Based on what people said earlier in this thread I don't think Line 6 will let owners upgrade their own units. Guitar Center is everywhere, they sell Line 6 products, and they have techs. Makes sense to me. Not that it actually will happen, just saying I wouldn't be surprised.

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I'd be more comfortable sending it away to get worked on than taking it to guitar center. Maybe instead of an upgrade in hardware they're gonna give all the old HD owners HD versions of the X-series amps! ....I know, wishful thinking...not gonna happen. My guess is, we'll all have to either pay up or stay where we are.

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Eh, whatever. My local guitar center is pretty good. They replaced Daddy's Junky Music which was a local (New England) chain with great reputation, except apparently the company was deep in the red and was forced to fold. I'm pretty sure GC got at least some of their people employed.

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At the end of the day, Line 6 is a business. I can see no incentive for them to provide an upgrade. Technically, it would be a pain, and people here are saying they'd only pay $40 for it. I don't know much about these DSPs, but if they're not pin-for-pin identical, you'd need a new motherboard, not just the DSP. Plus possibly ancilliary components. Plus a new case cover or stencil to make it match the HD500X (since it's upgraded), plus new leds and corresponding layout for the switches. Well over $40 without labour, and without their profit margin.

 

I think they should just do what they're going to do, and release the HD500X and those who want it, buy it and sell your HD500 on the second-hand market. Everybody wins.

 

My 2c.

 

David.

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My money is we don't have any type of upgrade option other than sell what we have and buy the new one.  If a miracle happens and we can do an easy hardware upgrade I'd be thrilled and would pay as much as $100 for it.  But I think ozbadman hit the nail on the head with his post.

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I wouldnt expect any Expert or Line 6 to say anything to any one "on the up and up" here on the last planet in the rim....

 

This kinda "news" will be announced at a bigger avenue than this place.  And L6 has to pay da bills...

 

After all We are just lower class users of an old and near extinct product line now...  ;)

 

Not feeling the love yet? Not so you say...? Secrets and NDA's silence the know it alls?

 

Is it meaningless to even ask because the answer is No - even if it is Yes?

 

Can anyone say "Vetta"....  :P

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I wouldnt expect any Expert or Line 6 to say anything to any one "on the up and up" here on the last planet in the rim....

 

This "news" will be announced at a bigger avenue than this place. After all We are just lower class users of an old and near extinct product line now...  ;)

What you say is true. The expert users and Line 6 employees post on the gear page in similar in thread about the HD500x, and other line 6 products for that matter, but I never see them post here. Maybe their marketing tells them that we,(line 6 forum users) are in the bag. Little they know that people who post here are no different. I recently just bought an Eleven Rack brand new for $325 final cost after selling Pro tools that I don't use.  From my experience the modeling is much better in the Eleven to the point where EeLeven is superior to the HD PRO at double the price in sound quality and effects!

 

I still keep my HD500 for variety and the many effects, but for recording, it will always be the Eleven Rack. I'm hoping they will update the modeling or refine it at some point, but believe you and me, the way the amps react and sound in the Eleven Rack, clearly shows that there is so much more modeled and included in the behavior of the amp when pushed or at low volume when using the Eleven Rack.

 

When I heard about double the processing but same modeling, I thought , even if I get the HD500X, it will still be only a glorified controller to the Eleven Rack.

 

Even Ampltube is as good quality as the HD series as of today. One more upgrade to the modeling and it will surpass the HD and wait until Revalver comes out soon. the competition will really heat up.

I really wish line 6 a lot of luck, but I have my doubts that the life cycle of the HD modeling will be as long as the XT and X3 series. Digitech is also working on something!

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My opinion is the reason why people buy the POD HD, Eleven, Axe-Fx II for recording scenarios is to relieve pressure on the PC running the DAW.   Digitech, Roland, Boss, Fender and Peavey have hardware modeling however I'm not interested in playing music of the past decades so those are out.  Fact is even with power PC builds, stacking effects with multiple tracks eventually creates CPU problems or latency issues that we don't want especially if you start adding in synthesizer forget about keeping optimized without jumping through hoops which just kills my creativity.  It doesn't matter how good of a software VST modeler a company makes, I wont use it primarily because of those reasons.

 

So unless Ampltube or Revalver come out with a decent hardware modeler or average PC's get twice as powerful in a hurry, its not going to overtake these current products.    Now the real competition would be the company that creates the hardware modeler that can match these others out of the box and allow you to install any VST you want continuing in additional to keep that separation from the PC.  Now there is the Receptor which accomplishes this feat somewhat, however its $2000 not including the cost of your VST's to load into it.   That puts it out of the mainstream price range.   So we end up back to the Eleven Rack and POD HD as the only products within the mainstream budget.   

 

Of course this is my opinion and maybe I'm in the minority.

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Whatever Line 6 decides to do, for the love of GOD please make it act and adjust like a real amp does signal chain wise with the editor, with inputs that are really inputs (not half'ed or split or mangled or doubled or stereo butchered ) and outputs that are really outputs  that feed the PA with a cab and a stage amp without one from the same patch ( while not dependent on analog only inputs to outputs when you freekin design a digital guitar to work with the thing )... Add NOTHING in the signal chain that we can't remove or replace on a whim.  That means cabs, mics, mixers and the rest. With the ability to send these same output signals to multiple outputs (stage AND PA) from the same patch , adding what we need or removing what we dont need per output port ...., You want a stereo signal path, fine..., but don't rob, steal or remove anything signal level wise from the right side to achieve correctness on the left,  and vice versa. You want  mono to stereo after the compressor? Fine just draw the lines and the software is smart enough to figure out the impedance path correctly without the need of having to have a engineering degree in electronic design structure of audio routings, all the while allowing the tuner to tune 2 guitars both analog and or digital, attached at the inputs at the same time...  ;)

 

I dont want to work around it, or relearn it's fabulous difference from the norm, or re-engineer it or rethink it, or achieve greatness in figuring out new ways to use it. I want it to be a toneful beast that acts like a freekin amp does so I can make music with it. 

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I'm still tempted to call BS on this.

 

Perhaps there is something new coming at NAMM, but all the specs bandied about in various forums suggest that the only noticeable difference for the 500X would be the DSP chip and some pretty lights.

 

Seems a bit of a crappy upgrade to me. Cheap to do, but not sure many customers will be convinced by it.

 

Personally, I've been umming and ahhing about swapping my 500 for a Pro, but I can't really justify the cost. If, however, they made a ProX with the extra DSP, a more customisable signal path (1 amp with 2 cabs would be a start) and proper EQ, without significantly increasing the cost, then I'd be tempted (despite the fact that a new 500X would decrease the resale value of my 500).

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So my backorder of the POD HD PRO was just pushed out another month making this a total of 2 months backordered.   

 

It was,

Order Now! Expected to ship 07-09-2013

Now its,

Order Now! Expected to ship 08-07-2013

 

It is very upsetting that GC and MF wont get this in for so long.   They give the nice 15% discounts so not looking to pay full price in a few other places who do have it in stock.    I am hoping this is because a new version is coming soon because if its not I wont be happy to have waited this long.   I guess we shall see.  Eleven Rack is starting to look good now.

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So my backorder of the POD HD PRO was just pushed out another month making this a total of 2 months backordered.   

 

It was,

Order Now! Expected to ship 07-09-2013

Now its,

Order Now! Expected to ship 08-07-2013

 

It is very upsetting that GC and MF wont get this in for so long.   They give the nice 15% discounts so not looking to pay full price in a few other places who do have it in stock.    I am hoping this is because a new version is coming soon because if its not I wont be happy to have waited this long.   I guess we shall see.  Eleven Rack is starting to look good now.

You should call them and ask why it is backordered. They might give you some juicy info.

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Interestingly, Line6 is not listed as an exhibitor at Nashville NAMM this summer. They could certainly make announcements at that time - I would expect them to announce at another time when it wasn't so "noisy". Or maybe its a  good time to announce because all the press has their ears open for announcements.

 

Either way, I will stick w/ my HD500 - I can't justify an upgrade at a net cost of $200-300, assuming a resale of my existing pedal. I could see my way to supplementing my equipment collection with an Eleven Rack - that's an attractive package with a Protools 11 upgrade...

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I was on the verge of buying an HD500 a couple of weeks ago, in the end I didn't go ahead with it as they had no more stock in the shop and I didn't want an ex-display model.

 

Reading these posts I think it was a lucky break as I'd be more than miffed to shell out a lot of cash, only to find my new pride and joy outdated a couple of weeks later.

 

I guess business is business but I think it is a bit off of Line 6 to cynically sell of their existing stock of 'old' product at full price to unsuspecting customers, who are buying what they think is the best option for them in good faith. Couldn't they be open about the new POD, and sell the old one at a reduced price......

 

The more I think about it, the less I think I will eventually buy a POD, as this leaves a bit of a bad taste in the mouth.

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  Eleven Rack is starting to look good now.

It doesn't only look good in Orange, it sounds and feels very damn good. I haven't played an AXE FX , but many say that the   

Eleven Amp models sound and react as good if not better. The only Draw backs are: No dual path, limited number of effects ( but  superior quality in the small variety, cliff chase the maker of the AXE FX himself posted on the gear page how much he liked the reverb and the amps in the Eleven Rack, if that doesn't tell you something I don't know what will.

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the eleven rack is the best modeler in the multiverse. nothing can beat it. not even the real gear. it turns you into a guitar god. 

If line 6 acquired the ELeven Rack that's how they would market it and they would do a hell of a lot better job marketing it than Avid will ever do with the eleven rack. Line 6 is a guitar company, Avid is a software company, they have no clue how the guitar amp/modeling work. What they want is  to get guitar players to buy into pro-tools so they can sell them more plugins and software, much cheaper overhead. If you factor the price of pro-tools, Avid is practically giving the Eleven hardware for Free. So non guitar players who are buying the bundle think they're getting a deal by selling the Eleven Hardware on Ebay and keeping pro tools. Little they know after buying Pro tools and after getting the free plugins, they will likely spend double that in a few years buying additional plugins etc. I wish line 6 would buy the ELeven from Avid..

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Are you still using/keeping the HD and if not are you still going to post over here?

He's being sarcastic about my praise to the Eleven Rack. I'm the one who just bough an eleven Rack :) . I'm keeping the POD HD500 for effects and few good patches that I made with the main purpose  to use it as a controller to the eleven. In general the Eleven Rack Models sound and feel a lot better than the HD models that I hardly ever play the HD anymore. Extensive testing of similar models in both units made it very clear that the Eleven algorithms and modeling is much more detailed with more clarity and realistic amp feel and sound. :ph34r:

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@ DeanDinosaur Eleven rack is better that AXE FX??

 

Is it better than KPA?

 

If this is TRUE how come so many Pro guitarist nowadays uses AXE FX like Steve Vai, Petrucci and not use Eleven?

 

And many studios have bought Kemper where there is no mention at all about Eleven..

 

Even when most studios use Pro-Tools so Eleven would be fully integrated (hey Pro-Tools even have premade templates for Eleven) they still choose KPA or AXE FX over Eleven..

 

If Eleven is SO GOOD as you said top guitarist like Vai = who also used to market Pro-Tools & Petrucci,Satriani,Lynch and many more pro:s would have used it years ago as it has been around for a long time..

 

But still they dont use Eleven and i believe manu of those mention NEVER have used Eleven..

 

Now that is very strange indeed if Eleven is soo good.

 

I also have read on many many threads exactly the opposite that even POD HD is better and more realistic than Eleven.

 

Well In the ends it is all up to how your own ears hear it..

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@ DeanDinosaur Eleven rack is better that AXE FX??

 

Is it better than KPA?

 

 

I said I didn't play the AXE or Kemper and I doubt it's better, but from what I heard is that if your main interest is amps models then Eleven Model are as good and might be better than AXE one, not AXE II. AXE one didn't have input impedence or True Z as avid called it, but it was introduced in AXE II. So if you don't care about having so many effects, yes the Eleven is as good if not better than AXE I according to some who owned both. The reverb and EQ are similar quality to the reverbs and EQ on the AXe. As I said before I read a post on the Gear page where Cliff Chase the maker of the AXE commented on how much he likes the Eleven Reverb, so I presumed he's playing the Eleven.
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Whatever Line 6 decides to do, for the love of GOD please make it act and adjust like a real amp does

 

I dont want to work around it, or relearn it's fabulous difference from the norm, or re-engineer it or rethink it, or achieve greatness in figuring out new ways to use it. I want it to be a toneful beast that acts like a freekin amp does so I can make music with it. 

 

Amen, Brother.  I'm currently back to my Fender Mustang III modeling amp after months of trying to sort out a good classic rock / R&B tone on an HD500.  The Mustang is simple and clear to setup, but most importantly it sounds and behaves like a real amplifier.  I will continue to use the HD500 for patch-switching on a Variax (why a dedicated pedal is not available for that function is a question for the ages), but with little or no processing engaged.  It is a rather expensive preset-selector!

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Well its been real, its been fun as short lived as I was here.   I canceled my POD HD PRO that was on back order with Guitar Center for the last several weeks with a future date so far out that it just didn't sit well with me.  During this time and it was a lot of time, I watched lots of videos and read many reviews and the delay and lack of stock gave me time to reconsider my purchase in every respect.   I took the plunge, sold my first born and just now ordered an Axe FX II which I will have in hand later this week.   If Line 6 had kept the stock up or at least let us know about what and when we could expect the new release if that's even happening, I would have bought a new POD.   I'll guess Ill be hanging out at the Fractal forums very soon.  

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well, you know rush doesn't use amps. alex and geddy can't get there tone from chicken roasters and washing machines. i wonder what they use. 

 

:D

 

Alex uses a Mark V for cleans and a custom built Silver Jubilee clone for dirt these days.  Effects are all Axe-Fx II.  He runs the amps into a Palmer load box and speaker emulator.  In-ears for monitoring and no  stage volume.

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:D

 

Alex uses a Mark V for cleans and a custom built Silver Jubilee clone for dirt these days.  Effects are all Axe-Fx II.  He runs the amps into a Palmer load box and speaker emulator.  In-ears for monitoring and no  stage volume.

ahh, so they do use the real thing sort of

 

where you been?

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