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Using the DT50 Sounds with POD HD500x


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Hey guys,

Basically, I picked up a DT50 head, and I have a POD HD500X connected with the Line 6 Link.  I really love the natural tone coming out of the IV channel (modern high gain, pentode, class A/B), and I really dig the clean as well (the I channel).  Is there any way to utilize these natural presets with the POD, and have the POD change between say channel A and channel B that I have dialed in through the amp?

 

I've read that the DT50 uses the same kind of modelling as the HD500x, but I havent been able to find the same preamp/cab matchup using the pod that gives me the same sound as just using the settings straight from the DT50 without any modification by the POD.

 

Have you guys had any experience with this? Is there a certain pre-amp and cab setting that the modern high gain (IV) voicing uses thats inside the POD HD500x?

 

Also, I've read that all the effects dialed in through the chain of the pod come through the front of the amp, if no modelling has been selected on the POD?  Is it possible to use the DT50s distortion in place of the amp on the POD, and still put effects pre and post?

Thanks!!

 

I really dig the sound coming out of this, and I hope that I can dial it in, because I'd really like to keep it, but it just seems to be so difficult to find a video or forum/literature outlining this exact thing.  All the videos just demo the DT50 and show how much of a beast it is.

 

Thanks again!

 

-Jason

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  • 3 months later...

I have to admit Jason, I would consider myself pretty tech savvy with regard to Line 6 products but I'm in the same boat as you. I can't figure out Exactly what's what as far as what part is POD HD500x and what part is DT-50! I actually just bought TWO DT50 heads so I could keep my whole setup Stereo / have two amp chains on at the same time. Also, I found the pair at a Guitar Center in Minneapolis for $599 each brand new...too hard to pass up :-)

    So, the two heads connected with 1 L6 link XLR cable and controlled via MIDI and NO POD HD: the DT50's sound great. All the amp models are there for either Channel A or B.

    Then, guitar into the HD500x and connected to the 2 DT50's via L6 link Cable and it's not the same sound. It's the sound of the Modeled POD HD amps into the DT50's. AND - I CANNOT get POST EFFECTS. Regardless of where I place the effects, they are ALL PRE. And I've tried all different L6 link settings for Ch A/B, AMP 1, AMP A, LEFT, MIDI CH 3 / 4, etc.  I'm wondering if 4 cable method is the only way to separate Pre and Post.

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I use MIDI In cable from the Pod to the DT to switch channels or just assign a footswitch to the amp model I want to use. Doing it this way I can either go into the pod with my guitar and use the footpedal for wah or volume but most of the time I just plug the guitar into the front of the DT and just use the pod as a midi switch. You can also use the 4 cable method so you can use the FX loop to put effects into the power amp of the amp. There are so many ways to do it, it blows my mind but I'm finally getting it and I only have one DT50HD, lol. Don't give up you'll figure it out and probably like the options.

 

Look up the manuals for the DT MIDI Implementation guide and try to learn the MIDI side of it. You can still use the L6 Link and assign a footswitch to change the Amps channels. Also, I think if your using the L6 Link and disable the amp in path A the DT channel will change to B.

 

Anyways, so much to say (see), so much to do, you'll never know if you don't go.........and try stuff ~ Smash Mouth Rock Star lyrics.

 

VIdeo in this post from harwood rocks on 4 cable and Midi will help > http://line6.com/support/topic/12666-4-cable-method-does-it-really-work/?do=findComment&comment=103521

Edited by Brazzy
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  • 2 weeks later...

I have tried all of the above with similar results. I bought the DT50 212 after playing with it for an hour at GC with no effects. Felt this amp could be my next step up (with proper effects unit) from my Vetta II combo (long-time user, bought Vetta new). Especially liked the DT50 tube-like feeling, sound, and particularly headroom.. a weakness I felt of the Vetta II combo.  I purchased DT50, brought it home and connected my G-Force in the mono effects loop. A bit noisy a first, but kept working with it until I was liking what I heard. I had resorted to G-Force post effects in the Vetta using SPDIF a couple of years ago, Vetta provided the pre effect (mainly compression), again a step up I felt. In using the G-Force with the DT50 I still had two issues - 1) no pre-preamp effects, and 2) no immediate solution to handle channel switching.  I watched some Line 6 "dream rig" videos and decided to try the HD500X. 

...

All indications were I would have channel switching and front end effects, then inset out to the DT50 preamp on to GForce...maybe even back to HD500X for some final EQ before heading back to DT50 power section. I really had no need for other amp models, very happy with the (4) I could access on the DT50. I envisioned being able to tweak and store presets using each of those 4 models, have compression and screamer on front end, then route to DT50 for preamp - then out to G-Force Chorus, Delay and Reverb, and on to poweramp....seemed a given.  I worked the HD500X for several days with and w/o the editor software. Turns out if you want to use the DT50 preamp only - you must select "no model" inside the HD500X, then nothing else in the HD500X is available to use with the DT50...that is literally nothing, and using the Line 6 "Link" cable degraded the audio and amp tone to the point it was unusable.  I could get some fairly decent clean sounds using HD500X blackface models and Line 6 link, though nothing approached plugging into the front of the amp.  None of the HD500X dirtly tones came close to II and IV tones with my guitar cable straight into the front of the amp.  All-in-all HD500X was a total disappointment. 

 

Years back I owned a Triaxis, Simul 2:90 and used an MPX-G2 for effects.  Awesome effects with an insert loop that allowed you to put the Triaxis in the middle with effects before and after it.....so I just bought a used G2 and R1 foot controller to try with the DT50 - again appeared this would do exactly what I needed (including relay output from R1 to switch DT 50 amp channels........it worked flawlessly.  It actually makes the DT50 sound 1000% better, just as it did the Triaxis and Simul 2:90. I would highly recommend this solution to any DT25 or DT50 owner who experienced similar, and is thinking about giving up on the amp. Line 6 designers - you should do the same and try to emulate this solution (1990s Lexicon 24bit  technology) in your next revision of HD500X firmware. Then you literally would have a "Dream Rig". Two DT50 112s or 212s with the MPX-G2 all in stereo would be truly "Heavenly Rig".  Using a Tom Anderson Drop Top with HB in the rear.  So I now plan to sell my GForce and Vetta II and should come very close to paying for the DT50 212, MPX-G2 & MPX-R1! Last problem is DT50 212 doesn't fit in the Vetta II combo road case.......minor detail.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey guys,

Basically, I picked up a DT50 head, and I have a POD HD500X connected with the Line 6 Link.  I really love the natural tone coming out of the IV channel (modern high gain, pentode, class A/B), and I really dig the clean as well (the I channel).  Is there any way to utilize these natural presets with the POD, and have the POD change between say channel A and channel B that I have dialed in through the amp?

 

I've read that the DT50 uses the same kind of modelling as the HD500x, but I havent been able to find the same preamp/cab matchup using the pod that gives me the same sound as just using the settings straight from the DT50 without any modification by the POD.

 

Have you guys had any experience with this? Is there a certain pre-amp and cab setting that the modern high gain (IV) voicing uses thats inside the POD HD500x?

 

Also, I've read that all the effects dialed in through the chain of the pod come through the front of the amp, if no modelling has been selected on the POD?  Is it possible to use the DT50s distortion in place of the amp on the POD, and still put effects pre and post?

Thanks!!

 

I really dig the sound coming out of this, and I hope that I can dial it in, because I'd really like to keep it, but it just seems to be so difficult to find a video or forum/literature outlining this exact thing.  All the videos just demo the DT50 and show how much of a beast it is.

 

Thanks again!

 

-Jason

Well after reading the posts here, I thought I'd weigh in and offer my knowledge from using every piece of L6 hear other than FX pedals from 2003 thru 2012.

 

I will say that I first of all hope anyone using any POD unit connected to any DT amp is using a digital 3-pin cable, not a typical mic cable. The mic cable is for analog signals, and because all the Line 6 gear is digital two way communication...it needs to be a digital cable connection or eventually you will cause unwanted failure with the POD or the DT. I brought this up back when the POD pedals and DT Amps first came onto the market. It's honestly common sense any lighting tech can tell you why all lighting gear uses only digital 3-pin XLR type cables for all connections.

 

Yes, any POD patch whether single or dual amp will only come out through channel A and override all knob settings except the Reverb & Master Volume for that channel. Channel B, if used wisely, can actually give you a three amp patch by setting any free toggle (1 - 8) as a bypass (or single or dual amp off) by making certain that when in the Variax editing software, or on the unit directly, the master volume on each channel is set to produce any patch or channels direct amp sound to some more than zero. For example...

 

In building a triple amp patch for making songs that require many changes, I start with a modeled amp ( I prefer "pre" just because it saves on CPU usage.) I've read many who say that in pre mode the cabinet and mic choices/settings don't work. Ah, but oh yes they do just as if you chose a cab and a mic as well as the distance from the mic from the cab. Try it and learn for yourself. And if any wish to challenge my statement, I can make a video and let everyone hear that all can choices and mic choices and even the cab resonance, thump, & decay plus ER level, Low Cut Q, & mic type.

 

Moving on...in my triple amp example, my first signal chain will have a clean rhythm sound with a simple delay and analog chorus for just a bit of "width" to the sound. Then I make my second signal chain with a gritty medium gain type of typical 1970s Marshall sound with a noise gate, simple digital delay with a bit more feedback and higher mix parameters. Then for the DT channel B amp sound, I choose Mode IV which is the highest modern gain, depending on what I need for the song I'm doing. I more often choose Class A so the drive happens sooner at lower volumes and sweet as hell for soloing and set each knob from gain thru to master volume to get the basic tone I want.

 

Then I go into the editing software or the units button controller menu, I set both amps to turn off.

 

Whatever FX AFTER the mixer can/will be sent to the B channel. Plus if any other FX you might want only for channel B will turn ON. All on ONE button. Any FX before the mixer gets shutoff with the amp shutting off. After the mixer they stay on in the signal chain. Now you can add as much as your CPU and slot usage allows for your dual amp patch, plus extra FX for only use when Channel B is on. All this happens with near zero lag time and if you switch to the B channel patch before the song begins it happens even quicker if it doesn't need to change topology or Class. Channel B will recall the LAST (and only the last for every patch without changing knob settings on channel B) SETTING OF EACH KNOB except Reverb and Master volume. And that's how you get three amps from a dual amp patch based on how Line 6 designed their gear.

 

I've tried to let everyone know what the dream rig is fully capable of being like a triple amp rig back in 2010, but it seemed no one thought much of my findings. And for all these years since, I've been getting my gear to do more than most every other Line 6 gear user/performer has. I don't have any of the newer "X" POD units and with all the CPU overload frustrations we were having with the original POD units, I found this was a terrific way to get more without doing anything more than understanding the gear inside and out, plus just how important using the very powerful Editing software can be and help build patches much quicker & easier. Now you can too if you give my suggestions a try.

 

And just to complete my own personal preference when using my DT amps. The POD unit automatically defaults to Combo Pwr Amp as its output. I have learned using that option can be a nightmare on stage and through a PA. The XLR outputs are always giving full modeling including Cabs/Mics and as I said even is "pre" mode. Using the default mode caused great sonic and even volume differences in the PA than what you are hearing on stage.

 

Even worse if you build a patch with headphones, then plug into a DT amp. When it switches to its default setting, your patch will not sound even close in tone to what you made with phones or through any line out amp/speaker system. I've found the best way to deal with this, is to create your patch using any way you wish from phones to line amps to the DT amp is to ALWAYS use the Studio/Direct output setting. This way what you hear on stage will match your PA sound no matter which output you choose to send from the POD unit XLR or from the speaker emulator DT amp XLR output.

 

Consistency is the benchmark of a more stress free musical life, happy players, PA engineers as well as happy listeners since all sounds from the stage through the PA match as well as possible. This contradicts many of the recommended statements in every full Users Guide, but I know this works and has been working well for me on and off stage for many years since I got all the gear, figured it out beyond what the manuals say, and I am sharing this learning experience with any who read this post and wish to give it a try presuming it passes the inspection a first post requires. No reason it shouldn't be accepted since all statements and remarks are true and 100% accurate based on years of my personal use and results.

 

If anyone wants further undocumented very amazing and useful things your dream rig of JTV/POD/DT complete or partial combination can really do when not confined to "thinking within the box". I'm not here to cause problems, but to help solve them and explain how much more this gear can do if you didn't already know.

 

Best of luck to all and I hope I've enlightened many who might just read this long manual length post on how to get the absolute most from your Line 6 gear.

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  • 1 year later...

L6_KnowIrAll,

 

Any chance we can connect privately.... I could really use your expertise with my L6 gear.  I have the DT50 112 and the HD500X.  I have both the HD500X edit software as well as the DT50 third party edit software.....   

 

I am trying to minimize equipment and maximize capabilities....  Preferably just a guitar and the HD500X either into the PA or my own full range speaker and then just need a method getting the sound into the monitors.

 

Otherwise, a method for obtaining the same sound i get direct into the Amp while using FX's from the HD500X.  

 

right now I run my guitar into a boss tuner, bad horsie 2 wah, EQ pedal and then into the front of the amp.  I use a simple foot switch to go between A clean and B dirty.

 

In the FX's loop is a Ibanez phaser / flanger and a DD& delay.   

 

I also do not understand the voicing thing on the DT50....  The thir party edit software seemed to have me thinking I can assign 4 different Pre amp Models to each voicing each with an A & B setting?

 

My friend states no its 2 AMp models with 4 voicings for either A & B.

 

I am now playing in an AC DC tribute band (Rhythm Gutiar) and we also do a variety of different covers (boys are back in Town, Rainbow in the dark, rock of ages, american band, american girl, Immigrant song, Heartbreaker, etc...) 

 

I also have an acoustic 12 string guitar which I will need to introduce into the mix.... not sure if I send that balanced out of the guitar to the PA or an A/B switch into the POD HD for some effects like chorus delay etc.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Not exactly sure how we can connect live if you have some time to help or a few patches you wouldnt mind sharing and I could try.

 

thanks,
Rob

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