HD500X and volume level problems with 4CM

[elegault2]

After a week of studying everything about the POD that I can find (including MeAndBobbo's guide), I'm still a little confused with volume levels and how to do an initial volume leveling.

 

I'm using the 4CM with a JVM 210H and am mostly using patches without amp modeling.  The patches I'm building all seem to output at a lower volume than the amp can put out.  I basically want to make sure I can get full volume from the amp head's two Master volume controls whenever I'm using any of my patches.  Right now I'm using Master 1 for clean at ~60% and Master 2 for overdrive at ~40%.  Master on the POD is set to Maximum.

 

I had read that it's best to set the level to -8db (http://jvmforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=53222) for Channel A in the Mixer, and add a Studio EQ with Gain set to +12db.  But I've also read about increasing the Return (or is it Send? I'm not connected at the moment and forget) on the FX Loop itself.  Increasing the output on the FX Loop seems to work best, but I'm not sure if it is the best approach.  It seems there are three options (FX Loop, channel and EQ) and I'm not sure if one or all should be used and how they should be dialed.

 

My main goal for this weekend's gig is to get this setup perfected:

 

Patch 1A: Maiden Rhythm [amp master vol 2 with overdrive]

Patch 1B: Maiden Solo [amp master vol 2 with overdrive] (I would like this to be slightly louder)

Patch 1C: "Modern" Maiden Rhythm (Somewhere in Time/Seventh Son) [amp master vol 2 with overdrive]

Patch 1D: Clean [amp master vol 1, clean channel]

 

Here are the tones that I've built - feedback is welcome!

 

Maiden Rhythm: http://line6.com/customtone/tone/818496/

Maiden Solo: http://line6.com/customtone/tone/818498/

 

At the risk of asking multiple questions in the same post, here's two quick ones:

1. Is there no way to include a single effect in the signal flow that can toggle the expression pedal between a volume pedal or wah using the toe switch? Having both pedals in a patch that needs several other effects quickly hits the 8 effect limit with an FX Loop in use (plus the standard Hard Gate and EQ)
2. I can't get a Flanger effect to get any kind of swooshing, ala the intro to Number of the Beast (see my Maiden Rhythm tone above). What am I missing here??

[bjnette]

I can contribute to some of your question.

I seem to remember personally using a AB switch box to level match a "new tone"  (No amp or FX yet) to the HD out of the loop. And set the level by the master output.

 

Insert patch and use the HDs FX send and return ABing each time till you get unity.If you still need more volume the EQ inserted is a good idea but usually attenuation is needed.

 

The other way is by using a meter to measure the voltage.

 

Lack of bottom end is indicative of a phase shift which may occur as the HD's Send is a stereo TRS and complaints around the forums the HD being a tone suck are because of this. Using a normal TS jack summing to mono  causes a phase shift depending on what gets put in the chain in the HD. Remember the HD are a dual stereo input.

 

Ideally run a cable single TRS jack into a two TS jacks and run two amps.(Also known as an insert cable to patch into a console channel. at an insert point.)

 

If you got one amp and no meter try using the insert cable and leave one TS free (insulate with tape and compare with a TR to TS cable and use your ears listen for any loss. Do it for every FX you insert in the HD.

 

You can also get a Sound level meter as an app on your iphone and measure the sound when connected via the HD FX loop and then direct into amp with nothing in amp  FX loop.

Level match channel to channel on the amp

 

Measure using each amp channel using send return level and level match patch to patch via HDs mixer after the amp block (insert am and switch off.)

 

It is okay to just use your ears.

[elegault2]

Thanks for the deep advice!  I will see what I can do.  So far increasing the db on the return of the for FX Loop seems to give me the level boosts I need.