General Question Hd500 + D525

[Purrchi]

Hey guys. 

 

I first bought a dt25 combo and really love it. Seriously. It's the best thing i've heard or played however you try to do or set the knobs or settings. 

Because of the amp and all youtube videos explaining the hd500 together with the dt25 i also got gas to get the hd500 because of what is saw and heard. 

I decided to get the hd500 and all i got from these weeks i had it was this.. : "Meeh...." 

I cant really get any good tones at all. All tones and amps sounds too fake, fizzy and really just Meh. 

I know that its just me. I do. But i would like to learn my this pedal. 

Where do i start and how do i keep going, basicaly... ?

 

One second question. How is it possible to use my hd500 to control my amp itself, ? Just like i dont have the hd500 connected at all, if you can understand what i mean? Also, how do i change to topology and other settings from my hd500?

 

I hope you can help me guys.. 

 

Cheers. 

[Tboneous]

Use the Hd edit software when tweaking your patches. It's much easier to use than the windows on the pod. You will be able to switch and save topologies through the software as well.

 

There's lots to play with between the pod and the DT. What output are you using? Have you played with the DEP? Are you able to adjust your patches at gig volume? Are you using pre or full models?

 

It took me a while to dial all this stuff in. Throw in the Variax and theres even more to tweak. But it is worth it! Start with a goal first. "I want a clean full bodied Bassman tone" for example. Then play with your gear until you get what you are looking for. I usually start with 2 reverbs at the end of my signal chain. A "Room" and a "Spring" then I pick my amp. I have one patch that is a preamp and the another is the full model. Get those up and running before you start adding other fx. Also I find that centering the mixer helps. The pod pans let and right by default.

 

Another tip. Dial in channel "B" so that is sounds rockin. Then build a patch in the pod. Assign the amp model to a foot switch so you can toggle it on/off. Dial in your tone on the Pod. Then you can A/B the Pod tone that will be on channel "A" with the rockin tone you dialed in on channel "B".

 

This is a good way to dial in your levels as well

 

Start small, stick with it cause it is worth it!

 

Hope this helps!

[Purrchi]

Use the Hd edit software when tweaking your patches. It's much easier to use than the windows on the pod. You will be able to switch and save topologies through the software as well.

 

There's lots to play with between the pod and the DT. What output are you using? Have you played with the DEP? Are you able to adjust your patches at gig volume? Are you using pre or full models?

 

It took me a while to dial all this stuff in. Throw in the Variax and theres even more to tweak. But it is worth it! Start with a goal first. "I want a clean full bodied Bassman tone" for example. Then play with your gear until you get what you are looking for. I usually start with 2 reverbs at the end of my signal chain. A "Room" and a "Spring" then I pick my amp. I have one patch that is a preamp and the another is the full model. Get those up and running before you start adding other fx. Also I find that centering the mixer helps. The pod pans let and right by default.

 

Another tip. Dial in channel "B" so that is sounds rockin. Then build a patch in the pod. Assign the amp model to a foot switch so you can toggle it on/off. Dial in your tone on the Pod. Then you can A/B the Pod tone that will be on channel "A" with the rockin tone you dialed in on channel "B".

 

This is a good way to dial in your levels as well

 

Start small, stick with it cause it is worth it!

 

Hope this helps!

 

I took some time yeseterday, started with the first amp modell, i think it's a Bassman... Maybe it's the way to go, i'll try to get around it a few more minutes today. 

But i need to ask some questions, to straighten out some things... 

 

Have you played with the DEP? Are you able to adjust your patches at gig volume? Are you using pre or full models?"

I am using combo poiwer amp right now. But what are DEP? And what do you mean by adjust my patches at gig volume? (not that i gig that often anymore..... At all..)

What are pre model and fulll model..?

 

"Another tip. Dial in channel "B" so that is sounds rockin. Then build a patch in the pod. Assign the amp model to a foot switch so you can toggle it on/off. Dial in your tone on the Pod. Then you can A/B the Pod tone that will be on channel "A" with the rockin tone you dialed in on channel "B".

 

How do i do that? Thanks !!

 

Cheers 

[Tboneous]

I took some time yeseterday, started with the first amp modell, i think it's a Bassman... Maybe it's the way to go, i'll try to get around it a few more minutes today. 

But i need to ask some questions, to straighten out some things... 

 

Have you played with the DEP? Are you able to adjust your patches at gig volume? Are you using pre or full models?"

I am using combo poiwer amp right now. But what are DEP? And what do you mean by adjust my patches at gig volume? (not that i gig that often anymore..... At all..)

What are pre model and fulll model..?

 

"Another tip. Dial in channel "B" so that is sounds rockin. Then build a patch in the pod. Assign the amp model to a foot switch so you can toggle it on/off. Dial in your tone on the Pod. Then you can A/B the Pod tone that will be on channel "A" with the rockin tone you dialed in on channel "B".

 

How do i do that? Thanks !!

 

Cheers 

DEP=Deep Editing Parameters. If you are using HD Edit go to the amp block. At the bottom of the Amp section you will see "Amp Parameters" and "Cab Parameters" there you can adjust power amp distortion, sag, bias, low cut etc. You can also select the mic that you are using. This is all just different filters and eq'ing that is designed to imitate or "model" the real deal. Play with that stuff in the amp section and see what you get.

 

If you don't gig, then don't worry about turning the amp up loud and adjusting your patches at a loud volume. A trap that a lot of people get themselves into, me included initially, is dialing in a fantastic tone in my bedroom at a low volume, then running to band rehearsal eager to show off my new stuff and having it sound like crap when I turn the amp up to play. So if you want your stuff sounding right when you play a gig or rehearse, you need to crank that puppy up and hear what it sounds like at volume.

 

Full models mimmic both the pre-amp section of an amplifier and the power amp section. Most people recommend that you use only the Pre models when hooked up to the DT because the DT has a great tube power amp section that you could drive to get a great tone. To me it's hit or miss. I use my ears to determine if a pre or full model sounds best. When you are selecting an amp to play with, you will see, for example, "Gibtone" scroll a little further and you will find "Gibtone pre". that is the case with all the amp selections. Play with those and notice what happens to the DEP when you select Pre vs. Full.

 

Someone more knowledgeable, please weigh in on the Full model vs. Pre Model!

 

When you are using an amp model in the Pod, the amp switches to channel "A" automatically. when you turn the amp model off it switches to channel "B". The easiest way for me to explain it to you is for you to do it on the POD itself.  Use the direction key to put the little arrow over the amp block in the signal chain. Press the enter button to turn the amp on and off. This will switch you from channel "A" to channel "B". Dial that "B" channel in and make it sound good and use it to compare the patch you are building in the Pod. If you really want to assign the amp block to a foot switch, go to the HD edit software -> Controllers-> Models->Footswitch assign and I think that's it.

 

Cheers

[saTa]

I'll dig this up again with a few more questions and hope that people weigh in.

 

Generally I'm very happy with the HD500 into the DT25... there are just a few moments where it leaves me puzzled as to what to do. I know, trust your ears, but it'd be good to have a go-to default, to know "this should usually be that" and then go from there.

 

These are a couple of those points that confuse me:

- In the mixer, do I pan channels A and B left/right as it is set per default? I don't see the point but I guess if it's the default then that's the default? Or do I mute channel B? Center them both? And...

- Do I put the mixer before or after the amp?

- Why, for the life of me, I can't turn off microphone modelling when going into an actual amp that is going to be mic'ed is beyond me. Am I missing something?

- Similarly... why the Cab parameters have an effect when cab modelling is turned off, I just can't comprehend.

- Sometimes I feel like I hear digital clipping. This is difficult to say for sure as it's obviously passed through a tube power amp stage and "rounded" but sometimes I feel like something, somewhere is going into the evil digital red. Since I can't say for sure what level is going through the L6 link, it's hard to judge for sure, though.

- Why are some pre-models (especially the SLO-100 clean) so damn quiet? I have the SLO-100 pre at 100% volume and have to dial back most other sounds to 20-30% to level match them.

- Which output mode do I use with the DT25... Combo power amp? Combo front? What's the difference anyways?

 

I really feel that two devices which are obviously made for each other should be easier and more obvious to combine. I'm no technological illiterate, neither with computers nor with guitars and amps. But this feels like a bit of a nerd-fest at times that I'm not properly dressed for. As good as these devices are, the documentation is sub-par at best.

[G_Vegas]

I'll add another similar question.   When using a downloaded preset or preset that came with the HD500x is making work better with a DT25 as simple as just changing the amps from full to PRE?  Or is there so much tweaking that you might as well start over?

[saTa]

G_Vegas... this is one of the more annoying aspects of using the HD500 with the DT25... because if you switch the sound from full model to pre, it'll reset all the amp parameters (drive, eq, volume etc.) rather than keeping them.

 

I keep two set lists, one with all my sounds for the DT25, one for using them with the HD500 DI into the console... it's a pain keeping both up to date.