Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Jump to content

Line 6 - Yamaha press releases from NAMM


toasterdude
 Share

Recommended Posts

A long awaited feature for sure. I think many just use an MXR 10 band or similar externally.

 

Difference here is it will keep your stereo paths where the MXR is mono right? I've been using the Zoom MS70 CDR with its 7 band stereo graphic EQ in the FX loop for this but it will be nice to see how this works instead.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So they really didn't fix much of anything...  Global eq wow...  Same crappy cab sims with no hope of a proper fix. Same eq's with %  and they should have had a normal channel AC30 from the get go.. I'm not dumping anymore money into this...  I've been really dissappointed with my HD500, I tried hard for a few years to get it sounding good...  Spent countless hours deep editing...  I recently bought an 11R and had great tone in 5min...

  • Downvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No new effects in 2.6. Any press release that mentioned effects is sadly a misprint. Sorry, guys.

 

Any plans to add support for the HD500X series on the iOS/Android platform?   This seems to be very popular on ideascale.  Any chance of adding a USB BT dongle to communicate with the iOS/Android platform?   I just returned an AMPLIFI FX100 and bought a HD500X and now you guys announce the Firehawk FX.   Great stuff but it seems to me the HD500X is a USB-BT dongle away from being a step up from the Firehawk FX.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use a Sniper Boss GE7 as my room correction, and a Source Programmable EQ to level out my Whammy settings, all in the fx loop before any stereo processing.

 

Thanks for sharing, as I can never know enough about this stuff. :)

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

pretty sure that there is zero chance of this happening on the pod HD's....

perhaps the firehawk fits your needs.

 

Any plans to add support for the HD500X series on the iOS/Android platform?   This seems to be very popular on ideascale.  Any chance of adding a USB BT dongle to communicate with the iOS/Android platform?   I just returned an AMPLIFI FX100 and bought a HD500X and now you guys announce the Firehawk FX.   Great stuff but it seems to me the HD500X is a USB-BT dongle away from being a step up from the Firehawk FX.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pretty sure that there is zero chance of this happening on the pod HD's....

perhaps the firehawk fits your needs.

 Well since I stated that the HD500X could be a step up that would imply the Firehawk FX doesn't quite cut it.  ;)  There is zero reason why they couldn't add support for a wireless add-on (heck, even WiFi if not BT).   I like the HD500X and the form factor - I just hate the stupid USB cable and connecting a computer.  Their silencing is deafening though....I'm guessing you're right and they will hold off on that for the HD-whatever#.  Sucks to be me because I just paid $500 for the HD500X. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Well since I stated that the HD500X could be a step up that would imply the Firehawk FX doesn't quite cut it.  ;)  There is zero reason why they couldn't add support for a wireless add-on (heck, even WiFi if not BT).   I like the HD500X and the form factor - I just hate the stupid USB cable and connecting a computer.  Their silencing is deafening though....I'm guessing you're right and they will hold off on that for the HD-whatever#.  Sucks to be me because I just paid $500 for the HD500X. 

 

I would assume that adding BT or WiFi to the 500X would require some pretty extensive altering of the hardware. I fairly certain there's no way they could get ot to work by just plugging some of module into one of the existing communication ports.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would assume that adding BT or WiFi to the 500X would require some pretty extensive altering of the hardware. I fairly certain there's no way they could get ot to work by just plugging some of module into one of the existing communication ports.

Nah, I don't believe that.  The hardware is there - its no different than plugging a BT adapter into a USB port on a PC.  They would need the low level drivers though and add features in the software to detect the presence of the BT module vs. a regular USB connection.  Room for the drivers might be an issue but even that is a very small footprint.  Then they'd have to mod the iOS app to support the HD500X...and that could take some work but it could be done.  I'm guessing the iOS side of the equation might be heavier lifting.  Either way, some comment from Line6 on the viability of this would be nice.  If I thought is was feasible and that they plan to add such a module then my decision to keep the HD500X is easy.  Personally, I'd pay $250 for such a module and iOS support.  They could package it with the HD500X and new amp models as well and sell it for $800 retail and still be competitive with Fractals up coming floor model. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it has been clearly stated many times b4 that bluetooth has tech probs regarding ios/android support bcause HD500 preset has a lot of parameters 'n switching presets would b extremely sluggish via the iOS/Android app 'n syncing a hundred HD500

 

 

 

Digital_Igloo, on 05 Dec 2014 - 9:58 PM, said:snapback.png

...

  • An HD500 preset has a lot of parameters. Switching presets would be extremely sluggish via the iOS/Android app, and syncing a hundred HD500
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nah, I don't believe that.  The hardware is there - its no different than plugging a BT adapter into a USB port on a PC.  They would need the low level drivers though and add features in the software to detect the presence of the BT module vs. a regular USB connection.  Room for the drivers might be an issue but even that is a very small footprint.  Then they'd have to mod the iOS app to support the HD500X...and that could take some work but it could be done.  I'm guessing the iOS side of the equation might be heavier lifting.  Either way, some comment from Line6 on the viability of this would be nice.  If I thought is was feasible and that they plan to add such a module then my decision to keep the HD500X is easy.  Personally, I'd pay $250 for such a module and iOS support.  They could package it with the HD500X and new amp models as well and sell it for $800 retail and still be competitive with Fractals up coming floor model. 

 

Well, you don't have to believe me, but I'm pretty sure what I wrote is true, The 500X doesn't have the capability to be a USB host device. It can't power another device via it's USB port. People have asked about doing similar things, like connecting USB thumbdrives, over the years, and that's the reason that won't work. The 500X doesn't have the capability to boot another device like. I don't think it's something that could be changed in a firmware update, either.

 

Also, what Jandrio said is correct. There isn't enough bandwidth on the BT protocol for all the information in a 500X preset to be sent in a timely manner.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bluetooth is sooo 2007. Its very slow. 

That's why I have always asked for wired support. It shouldn't be that hard to make a 'mini-edit' instead of a full fledged edit program that is compatible with cell phones and tablets. In case you need to access it when away from home. 

 

But what everyone said is true. 

In the 500/500x devices, you cannot do thumbdrives or other power-dependent devices. Nor can you do bluetooth or wifi. The hardware is not there.  

 

I do believe, though, that they could design a firmware update that allows certain transmitters to be plugged in to the USB. But it would have to be limited to a few transmitters because driver support for every device out there would not leave any room for effect processing. 

But why would you want a wireless transmitter? It just seems silly. When you are at home, you are three feet away and you are stationary. Cord it up. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

it has been clearly stated many times b4 that bluetooth has tech probs regarding ios/android support bcause HD500 preset has a lot of parameters 'n switching presets would b extremely sluggish via the iOS/Android app 'n syncing a hundred HD500

Thanks.  I just started reading the forum and didn't know that.   That said, they could use a USB-WiFi dongle.   Certainly enough bandwidth using WiFi.   Point taken though - I need to settle or wait for a new HD model.  

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bluetooth is sooo 2007. Its very slow. 

That's why I have always asked for wired support. It shouldn't be that hard to make a 'mini-edit' instead of a full fledged edit program that is compatible with cell phones and tablets. In case you need to access it when away from home. 

 

But what everyone said is true. 

In the 500/500x devices, you cannot do thumbdrives or other power-dependent devices. Nor can you do bluetooth or wifi. The hardware is not there.  

 

I do believe, though, that they could design a firmware update that allows certain transmitters to be plugged in to the USB. But it would have to be limited to a few transmitters because driver support for every device out there would not leave any room for effect processing. 

But why would you want a wireless transmitter? It just seems silly. When you are at home, you are three feet away and you are stationary. Cord it up. 

 All good points.  They could use an external power source.  They won't do it so it is what it is.  I don't like hauling my laptop downstairs to connect it up with USB.  I'd much rather use an iPad and be wireless.  But whatever...I'm done beating this dead horse.  My wishful thinking ends here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think "they won't". 

I just think that it is too cost inhibited to produce their own wireless transmitter for the express purpose of hooking up outdated products for the 75 people that would want one, when the next generation could just as easily have it built in.

 

So, yes, give up on wireless connectivity. You don't want it due to speed limitations, and you aren't going to get it anyhow. 

But, now that they are working with Apple and Google devices for some products, I am still holding on for an android app equivalent of "EDIT" for my Pod HD500. 

Once they make it for one, adaptation for others is easy. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

I have read through this thread (mostly :P) and have a little summary to add for you line6 peeps..

 

1: fix the EQ % thing, its just plain weird all eq should be the universally accepted standard of dbs and hz

 

2: Give us models of:

 

console eq  (neve, ssl, trident, amek heck even mackie whatever take your pick) guys, they got it right the first time, don't try to re-invent the wheel.. you don't get points for original EQ design since 1977

graphic eq ala boss ge7 (yes I know it has one, but where is the other half of the frequency spectrum? 2.2khz is only half way, give me the other 5 bands please I feel like someone sliced my eq pedal in half and ran off down the street with the treble frequencies), or if it must be 5 band then split it evenly. guitar needs at least 10k as the upper frequency band, same goes for the parametric.. if I bought a hardware eq that stopped at 2khz, I would return it for a refund and assume whoever market it are partially deaf or only ever eq whale song)

 

Line6 say they listen to their customers.. I dare you, no I double dare you mother***ers to find me 1 single pod hd owner who doesn't think your eq % thing is the worst idea since Greedo shooting first..

 

 

a compressor with adsr ! even $30 pedal comps have an attack control, its embarrassing really please add it

 

Everything else is nice to have, IMO those things are a huge gap in your product's basic capabilities

 

 

now for the nice to have, you can charge me for these:

 

EH electric mistress flanger model.. how the hell am I meant to get my Gilmour on without that?! should be illegal not to include on every modeller.. sure you can argue one man's pudding is another man's punishment but I will go out on a limb here:

204 million pink Floyd albums have been sold. there are a lot of people out there who like the sound of the electric mistress.. you could say it's a pretty safe bet..ohh yeah and there is the Police..  I think they sold a couple of albums too

 

 

boss ds-1.. cos 1 billion people use them and the RAT sucks balls, but also because Satriani and Vai both use it and 90% of your customers will like one or the other...

 

tape saturation sim, because its a HUGE part of every vintage recording of a guitar you ever heard.

 

ohh and how about the ability to add a second speaker/mic combination without having to also add a second amp model? or even just hybrid mic combinations.. (57+87 for example) its just IRs anyway, mix 2 together!

 

go speak to the Yamaha boys about some spx effects.. I'm sure they wont mind giving you the algorithms.. reverbs especially go talk to them, no really do it.. you can check with them about the eq thing too.. but umm.. they will laugh at you be warned

 

 

Presets.. I mean really.. hire a studio engineer for the love of all that's holy, we are not that expensive. you could have presets that sound like multi-platinum recordings, but instead they sound like the 12yr old kid playing in a store on a Saturday morning.. don't kid yourselves, your product is a block of gold wrapped in a brown paper bag, wrapped in a sock.. like my school report always used to say:

 

"Full of potential but must try harder..."

 

 

meh

 

 

Thanks,

 

Stu

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

I have read through this thread (mostly :P) and have a little summary to add for you line6 peeps..

 

1: fix the EQ % thing, its just plain weird all eq should be the universally accepted standard of dbs and hz

Thanks,

Stu

moo.png

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to see Edit compatible with Windows 8.1RT devices....a lot of them have a full-size USB port, the only real issue being the drivers used on the ARM processors. But, now a lot of the Windows tablets are running full 8.1.....I want RT because I have an RT device.......

 

Actually, all I want is this new firmware, the model pack bundle, and I will be pretty happy with my $500 ($600 w/the model packs) device that gets me compliments on tone every show we play. Oh yeah, and a time machine to go back to the pre-HD programming stage and cack-slap whoever put the EQs in percents. Big ol' mushroom print on the forehead for that guy.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stu,

 

Great post. All ideas/perspectives I agree with and presented with some righteous rage, ranting and humour all rolled into one.

 

Nice one!

 

David.

 

ps: I know Digital Igloo has commented before on how the EQ values in Hz/dB are hard and would require architectural changes, but my view is just store a lookup table before the final display. No comms changes. A perfect Engineering solution? No. A perfect business solution? Yes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't help feeling that the word hard is a relative term for a company that can design and build the pod hd..

 

they could have presented the eq values in binary.. or hex? or even in apples, bananas and kiwi fruits.

 

but it doesn't change the simple fact, that frequencies are measured in Hz, and gain is measured in Decibels.

 

If you bought a car that had it's speed measured in %, would you buy that argument?

 

no me either..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know Digital Igloo has commented before on how the EQ values in Hz/dB are hard and would require architectural changes, but my view is just store a lookup table before the final display.

 

I'm not going down this rabbit hole (not an engineer), but really... If it was as simple as a lookup table, don't you think we would've done dB and Hz/kHz in the first place?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

not buying any of it sorry.. SOME of your eq models are in Hz. fix the ones that are not, then we will move along.

 

Seriously, listen to your customers..

 

is the global eq in %?

 

and please tell me its not cos you are worried people's patches may sound different.. I can speak for all of us when I say..

 

do it we don't care! as soon as I have an idea of what frequency I am adjusting they will all sound better anyway!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey guys, this link to a fantastic post by pfsmith0 should be pinned to the front of the forum and mandatory reading for all POD HD users.  He went to great lengths to do all the work for us in translating the POD EQ's to Hz for our use.  Read his post and download the PDF's.  Time to let this one go since it is clear they are not going to fix it for this series...

 

http://line6.com/support/topic/335-frequency-response-graphs-for-hd500-eqs/

 

MeAmBobbo's great guide uses the data and images too...

 

http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/eq

 

This video by Matt Mayfield too...

 

 

Can one of the Experts/moderators get this pinned for us?

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I truly pity you if you needed me to clarify that representing eq frequencies in % was a bad idea.. I suppose we can leave it to other manufacturers to make professional tools and line6 can be resigned to the `toy` status their `experts` seem to think is acceptable.

  • Upvote 1
  • Downvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I truly pity you if you needed me to clarify that representing eq frequencies in % was a bad idea.. I suppose we can leave it to other manufacturers to make professional tools and line6 can be resigned to the `toy` status their `experts` seem to think is acceptable.

 

nobody is disputing that, including the experts.  Just that its been beaten to death and the one factory rep that posts here has said they blew it.  Unfortunately it can't be fixed in this series without effing up a lot of other things.  He pretty much assured us it won't happen in future series.

 

Just curious, you are a very knowledgeable guy, posted a ton of good stuff over at TGP...  How come you don't contribute to this board?  I'm certain you have a lot to offer...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not going down this rabbit hole (not an engineer), but really... If it was as simple as a lookup table, don't you think we would've done dB and Hz/kHz in the first place?

 

Maybe. Maybe not. I've seen some pretty strange stuff in my days. Sometimes Engineers (BTW, I'm an Engineer) have a purity about what they're building and can't stand the thought of not doing it "right", forgetting the business imperative. And sometimes, they get so focussed on trying to solve the problem as they see it that they completely overlook the simple solutions.

 

In any case, I'm very happy with my HD500, but I confess I use an external EQ since % means nothing to me.

 

And I congratulate you DI for your active involvement on these forums and most specifically, not being afraid to write like a human being rather than a corporate drone. The world is slowly being turned beige by corporations afraid of their employees expressing opinions and I'm encouraged that Line 6 seems to recognise that companies are better when their people are allowed to be people, and are not afraid they will go off-script (or even better, are not even given a script). Nice one, and thank you.

 

Now, to not continue down the rabbit hole, when's my new Variax Acoustic available for purchase?

 

:)

 

Cheers,

 

David.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just going to drop this here, since I've already mentioned it before.  I don't understand the rationale behind the way all the EQ was set up from the get go.  But I also don't feel that adjusting EQ by ear is an unreasonable prospect.  You can mix by numbers all you want, but ultimately it has to sound right.  And you can do that with the Pod.  Well, you have to.  But calling for so many dB boost/cut at such and such a frequency is great when you're talking to your FOH guy, and maybe not so crucial when you are tweaking patches using your ears.  It's a bit idiotic to have percentage instead of using the industry standard terminology, but I'm not gonna get all butthurt by it.  At the end of the day, my Pod still sounds great, and does its job more cleanly and efficiently than anything else in its price range.  Yay, new firmware!  Model packs, woo hoo!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

look guys don`t get me wrong, I love the HD series and I have found it capable of some really great results. For me it is 90% of the perfect product and i don't really think there has ever been a better time for guitar players to be able to get such great results for such a reasonable price. I fully support the strategy of charging for more models and features and generally think that line6 are ahead of the rest of the industry by a fair way. BUT.. they have reached that plateau by doing things differently to the big corporates, by actually listening to the people who use the stuff they sell, and that strategy in my opinion is what makes them capable of creating the most useful and effective tools for musicians and making their customers feel like they are part of the product. But I am British, so I am afraid sarcasm and some good old fashioned moaning are part of the deal...

 

The HD series represents for me the first and only product of it's type which allows a knowledgeable studio engineer to fully create the signal flow of a recorded guitar amp. That may sound silly in the context of other products that are around like the Kemper ore Axefx but it's true.. almost

 

Sure, for a lot of guitar players its all about the pedals and the amp (can I A/B this with my, or someone else's real gear and it will sound the same). But really it's more complicated than that in the context of a classic recording and the components of a guitar tone contained within it. The bottom line is this:

 

A 100% accurate representation of a Marshall plexi miced with an sm57 is, in my opinion, practically useless to anyone. That is, its useless without access to the other tools we audio engineers would apply to that signal to make it fit into a recording. Basically, it sounds like a**. In fact its probably the reason why a ton of outboard gear was invented to wrangle it back to a sound that is actually pleasing to the ear... but i digress

 

So what I see Line6 are doing fills me with excitement! they are modelling the other parts of the studio recording process to allow those of us who understand that world to begin, for the first time, to build a complete signal chain inside the Pod and produce a sound which is actually representative of what you would hear coming out of your speakers when you put your favorite album on and marvel at the sonic amazingness contained within it..the vintage pre model for example.. who is that for? for me that's who, the studio engineer. Soooo you can imagine my confusion at the EQ models, probably the single most important tool at my disposal to create pleasing results, the sonic `chisel` with which I will create my sculpture of awe inspiring tone, and it's all wrong.. mind-bogglingly so. Same goes for the compressors, the second most important tool to a recording and mix engineer.. no ADSR controls! sure to a lot of people that sounds insignificant, but in terms of the potential of the product its a massive handicap. Think of it like a very realistic looking plastic fruit. It looks about right, until you take a bite.. same kind of deal.

 

Its pure frustration at the potential available here, so do not mistake it for bashing. My real concern is that it may be an accidental move by Line6 to provide these tools because they are `connected` to the guitar world, without considering the actual implementation of them in a real recording and therefore doing nothing but frustrate and confuse the very people those tools are aimed at.

 

If the problems are fixed, the potential of the HD is way beyond that of a simple recreation of a guitar amp sound. It will allow, for the very first time, to approach the recreation of RECORDINGS of a guitar amp. It's so very close and i'm not sure they even realize it..

 

How many times have you read on a forum discussing classic guitar sounds (on recordings) and some bright spark will make the point that the sound on the album they are hearing is 1/2 the guitar gear and the other 1/2 is the studio gear and engineer? Its so very true, and sometimes, not to blow my own trumpet, more than half due to the audio engineer.

 

i hope that explains my perspective on this, and why for me it is not a `wait for the next product in 5 years` situation.

 

and to answer the question of why i don't contribute here:

 

Isn't that what i just did? :)

  • Upvote 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

look guys don`t get me wrong,

 

Good Post, I understand you wholeheartedly.

 

A 100% accurate representation of a Marshall plexi miced with an sm57 is, in my opinion, practically useless to anyone. That is, its useless without access to the other tools we audio engineers would apply to that signal to make it fit into a recording. Basically, it sounds like a**. In fact its probably the reason why a ton of outboard gear was invented to wrangle it back to a sound that is actually pleasing to the ear... but i digress

 

I can also understand this.

 

If the problems are fixed, the potential of the HD is way beyond that of a simple recreation of a guitar amp sound. It will allow, for the very first time, to approach the recreation of RECORDINGS of a guitar amp. It's so very close and i'm not sure they even realize it..

 

If they fix all those all those details those pods will look like large gold nuggets. lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...