HD500 sound

[stevevnicks]

I just bought second hand Vox AC30CC2 amp, which sound grate, how ever if I use my HD500 either in the effects loop of the amp or straight to the guitar input my HD500 make this amp sound terrible ? I am not sure how to describe it but its not a good sound ?

 

is it just that the vox amp is not suited to the HD500 ?

 

I ask  because it sounds fine in my hughes & kettner tube20, orange CR35RT, my Peavey VK50 and MY Peavey VK MKII 100 Watt head. 

 

maybe the vox AC30 is not suited to effects ?

[porcytree]

hey there mate.

 

it could well be that your Vox just won't play nicely with the HD.

 

I had a Laney VC30 amp ( which was quite "voxy" in tone) which just didn't like any multi fx unit either in the loop, into the input or just plugged straight into the fx return - no matter what it just didn't make for a very happy match up.( tried it with a Boss GT 10 , Line 6 Floor Pod Plus , an HD 400 and my band mates Boss ME 70 )

 

Went out and got myself a Blackstar HT 40 and that just loved multi fx.

 

I no longer play in a band so have sold my valve amps and just use "modelling" amps with built in fx for noodling / home recording.

[pianoguyy]

First, if you are using an amp, you need to turn off the amp models on the pod. A Marshall will never sound like a Fender. I know some people disagree with me and will use models through amps, but ultimately a Marshall will never produce a Fender sound. 

 

But, probably more important is: 

You need to make sure you have your settings set properly, and you will need to tweak your patches. 

For example: is it set for direct/studio or set for combo. It makes a difference. 

You patches need tweaked for that setting, and retweaked for your new sound source. 

 

Think about it. How long have you spend on your pod, getting it to sound just how you like it. 

And then you go and change the sound source. It isn't going to sound the same. But you can make adjustments just like you did when you first got the unit. 

[stevevnicks]

im not sure if its to do with the AC30CC2 uses an Valve rectifier, where as my other valve amps have a chip rectifier, although I doubt a valve rectifier could cause this ?

 

its probs the Amp is not really suited to some effects, I will have to spend more time playing with the settings, as for the amp modelling I would just use them to change tone or as an add tone type of effect 

 

I deffo agree that the HD500 sounds its best when pair with a good/high quality analogue Amp, sounds good when paired with my Orange Crush 35RT Amp and that's a fairly cheap good quality analogue Amp ... well apart from the Cab is Made from Chipboard lol :/ guess the Price reflects the Build

 

But Deffo not the sound Quality of that amp.

[ppiluk]

When i first brought my JTV69-S home from the music store, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get a good sound out of my VOX VT120+ amp. Its been my experience not all modeling units work well with everything.

[stevevnicks]

like I said I have found the Pod HD500 sounds its best to me, when paired with an analogue Amp with No amp effects or modelling pre built in them

 

about 1 1/2 years ago I had the vox vt40+ it was ok, although the built in effects are no where as good as the HD500.

 

I don't think those type of amps are a good choice for a Pod HD500.

 

the Vox AC30 to be honest sounds best with out any effects connected to it.

 

I guess running the Pod HD500 directly through a mixer and PA would sound pretty damn good.

[ppiluk]

The VOX AC30 is on my list! Its a great sounding amp to be sure!

[gunpointmetal]

Are you building your patches for that amp? Or are you plugging existing patches in and hoping it sounds the same. Every device has different components and a different signal path, so what works on amp A might not work on amp B even if they're both "clean" tube amps. 

 

Is a Marshall going to sound like a Fender? No. But you can still use a Fender pre-amp model into the effects return of a Marshall stack to get clean tones the Marshall couldn't get. There's a lot of power inside the HD500 that, when harnessed, can get you pretty solid tones out of just about any amplification device.

[cruisinon2]

"the edge" would definitely agree with the above statement :D

Lol...take away that guy's fx, and there would be no U2.

[stevevnicks]

 I will spend a day tweaking stupid things i have just remembered, like setting the out put of the HD500 from studio to Amp.

 

it just sounded muddy or very dark with any distortion effect .. as if someone has put a bed quilt over the amp ? kind of muffled sounding.

 

to be fair when i got the AC30 i was more into the sound of the amp so when i connected the HD500 and it sound like it did, i tried adjusting a few things but i just wanted to play the amp rather than spending to much time tweaking.

 

now the awe and excitement  has worn in getting a hold of this amp, I will spend time tweaking and report back ... ahh i just remembered i think its band practice this afternoon bugger that means we will be taking the amp to the barn to test it,

 

if it is practice this afternoon and drummer dave brings his portable studio i will record and upload a sample, problem is they wont want to spend time messing around with effects to get the sound right, they will just say don't worry about it and use a crappy Marshall Valve state 100watt combo (it sounds ok but... well not grate quality when turned up, just sounds like a cheap amp straining) my peavey VK 50 112 blows the Marshall valvestate out of the water in sound quality and loudness .. come to think about it so does my H&K tube20 and my orange CR35RT ...

[wilson69978]

Are you building your patches for that amp? Or are you plugging existing patches in and hoping it sounds the same. Every device has different components and a different signal path, so what works on amp A might not work on amp B even if they're both "clean" tube amps. 

 

Is a Marshall going to sound like a Fender? No. But you can still use a Fender pre-amp model into the effects return of a Marshall stack to get clean tones the Marshall couldn't get. There's a lot of power inside the HD500 that, when harnessed, can get you pretty solid tones out of just about any amplification device.

Hi gunpoint metal, I believe you hit the nail on the head.

 

It seems the hd 500 x is a tweaker's dream, or nightmare, depending wether you enjoy infinite tweaking or not.

 

I too believe you can make this unit sound good with almost anything but it will require patience, research, study, and time.

 

If people are expecting great sounds on any gear out of the box they will be disappointed .

 

I know this is totally obvious, but people need to read the manual, and if they don't understand it they need to read it again, and again.

 

I must have read that damn manual ten times or more. lol.

 

But now I get it, sortta , kinda!

[stevevnicks]

after testing but not getting much time to tweak the HD500 everyone agreed that the AC30 sound best with no effects the Amp by its self sound amazing by far the best sounding amp I own and 30w !! that has to be the loudest 30watts we have ever heard lol ? I do mean it is really loud ..

 

I think it could be to do with the model of Vox AC30 I have, the version I have is the AC30CC2 (custom classic), I have read that some of them don't take effects very good although I can get something changed in the amp to sort out the issue. so I think its more to do with the amp, I will take it to an Amp tech and see what needs to be change on the effects loop cuircut of the AC30.

[stevevnicks]

hmmm after messing around with the global graphic EQ and using the studio EQ this seems to be sounding a lot better, I think it was down to my lack of time spending with the settings, but I reckon I have sussed it now.

 

what i will do is setup a bunch of patches for each amp I own.

 

im just trying to get the best I can out of echo and chorus effect

 

if anyone knows any good settings/advice or better still has a patch  ;) for chorus and echo effects please point it my way :)

[ppiluk]

hmmm after messing around with the global graphic EQ and using the studio EQ this seems to be sounding a lot better, I think it was down to my lack of time spending with the settings, but I reckon I have sussed it now.

 

what i will do is setup a bunch of patches for each amp I own.

 

im just trying to get the best I can out of echo and chorus effect

 

if anyone knows any good settings/advice or better still has a patch  ;) for chorus and echo effects please point it my way :)

 

You could setup set lists for each amp you own. It will simplify changing patches when you switch amps.

[stevevnicks]

yea that's what I meant :)

 

the funny thing is the Amp my mate normally use sounds really Cra! when they turn it up but the old boi has been using for so long he's used to that crap sound and like it lol

 

he was the only one who said "nah theres something about the other amp that he thinks sounds better"

 

I not could help but say well I think its time you got your ears tested lol ...

 

I think the main problem is with the Vox AC30 you can hear every mistake he makes if not hit cleanly, where as the Marshall Valvestate 100w covers up the mistakes because its flat out trying to keep up with drummer dave and not coping that grate making strange noises that he has become accustom to , but how do you say something like that, to someone who's a far better guitar play than myself heeh ..

 

ya see whats really happening is the other band members have become board with playing the same old stuff with the same sound apart from one of them ..

 

so what I kind of did with the blessing of the other band members,  to start with was bring effects, and now a different amps to get a different sound so they hopefully play something different. hence why I now own 5 different amps lol (ffs I could of bought an AXE FX 2 by now with the money I have spent lol)

 

the only problem I am having is the old boi keeps trying to get the quality stuff to sound the same as the cra! quality amp lol ... I feel like banging my head against the wall sometimes heeh