Original Pro VS Pro HD X Metal Tones

[SpyderPrime]

Hey all! 

I hate to say this: But I just can't find the tone I'm going for. I've spent days pouring over forums, tutorials, videos and anything I can think of that'll help… And I can't find anything. So, as a last resort, I'm posting here.

I purchased the bundle pack for all the new tones. Specifically I was waiting for the Insane amp to come out to match my original Pod Pro that I've had for the last 15 years.

I'm A/B'ing Pod Pro vs Pod Pro HD X, I'm in the edit programs on my computer for both, all drivers updated to current, matched every setting, experimented across the board with different settings... 
No matter what I do, I can NOT get the Insane setting on the Pod HD X to sound anything like the Insane setting on my Pro.

I'm using the same power amp, same cabinet, an A/B box for both, a Y splitter coming out of the same guitar to go into both amps… So I know it's not a difference in gear.  
The original Pod is throwing out the magic Insane sound that I LOVE!! But I can't get the Pod HD X Insane to sound like that no matter what I try!
What's more frustrating is that, buried deep under the surface, I can hear the tone I want but I can't bring out the characteristics that I like. It's like the EQ's aren't quite working. 

That said, has anyone else noticed that on all the new high gain amps, putting EQ's in the pre amp position have almost no effect no matter how you spin the dials? And placing them post amp just destroys the tone. I tried finding a similar tone with multiple amps using multiple EQ's. All to the same effect of "can't quite get it". 

I don't suppose there's a way to directly transfer the tone from Pro to Pro HD X? Everything I read says "no" so I'm not expecting a miracle there but it's worth a shot.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! ^__^

-SZP-

[phil_m]

The amp models ported over from the XT/X3 series are the same, but the cab models in the HD Pro X are the HD models even if they have the same name as the XT models. I would try using Cab DEP controls before messing with the EQ at all. Try turning down the Resonance parameter to zero to start with.

[SpyderPrime]

Tried it. And every other parameter you can think of on every other cabinet, preamp, EQ, pedal and in every pre and post position you can think of. Nothin close yet. I'm still hoping I'm just missing something... But I've been pretty obsessed over this as, if I can't find my tone or close to it, then I just wasted a lot of money on the gear and the packs. But I hope that's not the case cause I love Line 6 and there's quite a few aspects that I like on the HD X.

 

What's odd is that on the original Pod Pro, I'm not even using a cabinet setting, and just using the general EQ. And there's lots of gain, warmth and depth. The EQ on the HD X doesn't respond in close to the same way. And putting any EQ in the preamp position has almost no effect on the tone. Even when I back down the gain on the amp. That includes the EQ's on pedals if I try to put those in front.

 

I'll keep trying and hoping that there's either a patch coming or someone has an answer.

 

Thank you for responding. /:)

[Akeron]

You can try to match EQ the cab in the Pod Pro and based on that sound try to recreate that on the HD doing lots of recordings...

[joel_brown]

1) Lower Input Z

2) Res to 0

3) ER to 0

4) Low Freq Cut

5) Input 1 and 2 different (not same)

6) Change mics and cabs

7) Try Pre versions

 

Hey I went through the same thing and came close to giving up and selling the PODHD.  I'm real glad I didn't...

[taylorbeats]

Spydie,

 

Download a frequency response app on your smart phone or iPad/laptop, play your usual stuff on the Pro, take a screen shot from that application and then do the same when playing the new model.  I personally use Spectrum from Black Cat Systems, you can zero in on any particular band say from 2000-3000 hertz to really hone in on certain parts of the tone. 

[SpyderPrime]

Joel: I've extensively done number 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 of your suggestions. I hadn't thought of 1 and 5. I shall try those tonight after work. Thank you! ^__^

 

Taylorbeats: Also a great suggestion! I will look into that. I have iPhone 6+ and the mic is pretty decent. That might at least help me zero in the frequency response I need. Worst case scenario, and I was hoping to avoid this for the sake of keeping things simple, I'll throw an outboard EQ into the FX Loop and see what I can come up with.

Also thank you! ^__^

 

-SZP-

[SpyderPrime]

Whoops!! Totally didn't see Akeron's or Hurghanico's responses the first time I saw this on my phone. Apologies. /:)

 

Akeron: I've tried multiple cab settings, and tried with the cab off. No cab is what I have the original set to and the natural tone from my cab and power amp sound great! What's frustrating is that the new Insane amp on the HD X doesn't respond in any way that's similar the the old amp. Lows, mids, and highs seem to affect completely different parameters. I had hoped it would be a clone of the original when I purchased it, tone attributes matching at least, as that was all I needed without having to do much differently. I'm going to try Taylorbeats suggestion with the spectrum analysis on the EQ and see what I can come up with.

Thank you for the reply. /:)

 

Hurghanico: I've tried similar to what you're suggesting in both the pre and post amp positions. Pre amp (placing EQ's or Pedals and using those EQ's) has almost zero effect and just placing an EQ in post immediately deadens the tone. What I think I'm needing is a responsive graphic EQ that starts at zero effect on the tone and then I can add or take away as needed from there. That's where I'm thinking I might be able to get by with an outboard EQ run through the effects loop and then I'll experiment with pre and post settings.

Thank you for the suggestion!! /:)

 

-SZP-

[duncann]

What I think I'm needing is a responsive graphic EQ that starts at zero effect on the tone and then I can add or take away as needed from there.

 

I think the closest you'd come to that would be the studio EQ. Try that one, or a multiple of them. To my ears, this one has the least, or zero, amount of effect for just existing in the signal chain.

[SpyderPrime]

Duncann: Tried multiple in the chain in both pre then post positions. Then I tried multiple EQ's in pre AND post positions together. Same issues persist: Pre has almost zero effect on any parameters no matter how I spin the dials and placing it in post immediately deadens the sound.

Got a few ideas I'm going to try from suggestions here and I hope to report back with good news.

Thanks for the response! /:)

 

-SZP-

[SpyderPrime]

Just got back from a trip. Megacon was pretty awesome. /:)

 

To update: Ended up using an outboard EQ, ran that through the FX loop, and placed that post amp in the signal chain. Probably went through a few hundred frequency settings while using the spectral analyzer. All said and done, the feel/response is a hair different (and I mean a HAIR), the sound is pretty much dead on now. So I should be able to work with it. Also, building a cover for this EQ so no one touches it again... Ever. /;)

 

Thanks all for the helpful suggestions!! I really appreciate it! ^__^