More distortion problems with HD 500 & DT50

[Paulzx]

Hello...hoping for some insight with this...

 

I have a pod hd500 with L6 link to a DT50, but I've struggled to get decent saturated distortion tones.

Having now realised that using the pre amp versions of the modelled amps in fact doesn't work so well, I've reverted back to the standard amps, even though the pre amps were designed I think to be used with the DT amps, they simply don't give enough punch.

 

One thing that is bugging me a bit is that for some reason, the A string on my guitar really booms through the hd500/DT50 combo, it's quite obnoxious in a very bassy, boomy type way, it doesn't happen on any other string, just the A string?

 

This happens on all my guitars, but not on any other amp, just HD500/DT50 so it must be something to do with the processing through that.

 

You can't really just roll the bass off the amp model (treadplate), as the tone just loses it's punch. Is there any way to EQ it out? But it's tricky because it's just the A string I want to stop the booming sound.

 

Antone come across this before, or know some really good EQ tips without totally killing the tone?

 

Thanks

[psarkissian]

Are you using the 110-Ohm Line 6 Link cable, or regular 50-Ohm mic cable?

What is printed on the cable insulation?

[Paulzx]

Thanks for the reply, the cable I'm using is a van damme 268-610-000 smart control DMX512 GRADE 1 pair lighting control cable.

 

If that means anything to anyone?

[bjnette]

It is probably your room.

If it is not acoustically treated with bass traps it will resonate any frequency in sympathy inherent in the room ans some notes will be more and some way less from phasing or partial cancellations.

Meanwhile move the amp in the room to a location like where the other amp isnt doing it as placement can 

make the effect worse or less

If on the other hand it is a problem in all rooms then above advices. 

[J_V_RO]

It is probably your room.

If it is not acoustically treated with bass traps it will resonate any frequency in sympathy inherent in the room ans some notes will be more and some way less from phasing or partial cancellations.

Meanwhile move the amp in the room to a location like where the other amp isnt doing it as placement can 

make the effect worse or less

If on the other hand it is a problem in all rooms then above advices. 

 

Totally agree. In my case, it is incredible how my sound feels better and natural when playing at home... live...I always have to use the GLOBAL EQ (thank God it exists). The LOW CUT is something that has saved me a lot of troubles when playing live. I use an SM57 mic in front of my AMP to send my guitar signal.

 

Try to use the LOW CUT at 80-100hz to filter that bassy sound. Probably you will need a little more. 

[psarkissian]

"van damme 268-610-000 smart control DMX512 GRADE"--- according to the spec sheet,

it should be okay, it's 110-Ohm as it should be.

 

bjnette,... yes, the room will be a consideration. 

[Paulzx]

Thanks Chaps,

 

The low cut - is that the setting on the cab sim you mean or is there a low cut elsewhere? I already did some low cut on the cab sim.

The room is pretty small by the way, although I have a vetta 2 combo on the opposite side of the room and don't get that issue at all.

 

Weirdly, my little roland street cube amp produces a way better distortion tone than anything I can achieve with the DT50, so I can

only assume the DT50 combo is a little too big, maybe I need a smaller amp to get a really full on overdriven distortion tone.

 

The weird sound from the A string is yet another strange thing from this set up, I'll try moving the amp and see how that works out.

[J_V_RO]

Thanks Chaps,

 

The low cut - is that the setting on the cab sim you mean or is there a low cut elsewhere?

Yes, but it's also on the GLOBAL EQ Setting, check this: http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/pod/pod-hd500-hd500x/using-global-eq-r731 

(The link is not working....) copy/paste:

 

Global EQ is used for compensating for the wide disparity in acoustic environments on tour or when traveling from studio to studio, and is applied to all setlists and presets. Global EQ features three fully parametric bands plus variable low and high cut filters. This feature is not available in the HD editor programs used via computer.

To access Global EQ:

• Press and hold the VIEW button to open the Setup Menu.
• Using the four-way, cursor right until you see the Global EQ screen.
• Turn Knob 1 to select the desired EQ band (Low Cut, Low, Mid, High, High Cut) andturn Knobs 2, 3, and/or 4 to adjust the selected band.
• To bypass or enable Global EQ, press ENTER.

NOTE—Due to L6 LINK’s flexible routing, Global EQ is not available at this output. 

Edited October 17, 2016 by jvrock84

[Paulzx]

Thanks for this, I never knew about the global EQ mode, I assumed everything available on the pod itself was available on the HD500 edit software. This could really help.

[bjnette]

Those Roland Cubes do sound good; But limited in tones and FX choices.

I monitor thru the CD input of the 20watt one s.times for small gigs. The HD sounds great into it in Studio Direct! It reminds me of going into a keyboard amp.

 

Your DT is going to blow it out of the water but the set up is different.

Trying out the combo output is one area to test. The combo or stack outputs really need to be shelved high and low.

Go for a similar tone to studio Direct but the volume will be lower. That will suit the small space but it is always best to audition your tones in the environment they are intended. 

[Paulzx]

Yeah the Cube is just a little practice amp I have around the house, my main gear is the DT50/Pod hd500, it's just noticeable sometimes how a limited little amp can effortlessly produce great distortion, maybe being solid state it's easier, but it really gives you a thick distortion that you can hear on individual notes let alone chords.

 

I've realised two things this week. Firstly, it's a mistake to copy other people's patch set ups, unless they have identical gear. YouTube videos where some folks are getting great distortion tones and such like, are not translating for me because they are not using a DT50, and when you load in their patches it actually throws you further off track.

 

With my amp and pod setup, mids are everything. I've realised that where I've been using other people's patches, they have been dialling up the mids and that is making my tone very brittle and shrill, and thin sounding. I've dialled all the mids out completely on the amp setting and now I'm starting to get nice throaty chunky percussive distortion, which is what I wanted, just didn't realise DT50 does not like mids!

 

Still need to resolve the booming A string problem, but I'm optimistic again with my tones.

 

Then I saw a video on Spider V and now think I need one of those! Sigh.....

[bjnette]

LOL I used to live in a weather board house and the bass and heavy mids just go right thru the walls!

In the room it sounds great with some bass and broad band trapping.

 

Down size to an Apartment that is solid brick and I am having that prob you have on the low E, G and A notes.

 

These just jump out. The speaker is going into a feedback loop in resonance to the room nodes.

 

The answer is more bass traps.

 

For me and you.

 

Once the room response is tightened up all should be good but easier to control with narrow cuts.

 

Meantime, use the Global EQ to notch out that ringing frequency or it's harmonic.

 

A Standard A note is vibrating at 440hz. There are harmonics of this 880hz; 1760hz and so on.

 

This correlates to an EQ and why measurements should be in hz and not percentage Line 6!

 

Narrow, Q on the high mid and boost the gain to hear an exaggeration of the offending frequency.

 

Then low cut it enough to remove the offense.

 

If your room has no bass traps it might need narrow band cutting at the fundamental and all the harmonics.

 

Sometimes it is just one of the harmonics being a problem.

[Paulzx]

EQ is a black art in itself. Interesting to learn about but now you realise why sound engineers earn their money. I'll bet the majority of pod HD owners have no clue how the eq effects really work.

 

One other thing I have noticed is that if I roll off most of the bass on my tone then the horrible boomy A string effect vanishes. It's that old scenario where you sit there in a room and dial up a nice bass thick low mid crunch tone and you think yeah...this sounds heavy as he'll, but it only sounds any good when you play on your own.

 

If you play alongside a record your tone is now too muddy and doesn't cut through. If I then start removing bass and dare I say it, a bit of the gain, I get a nice audible cutting crunch. It just sounds better with other people playing than on it's own.

 

A case of re-learning some of the fundamentals I've forgotten over the years. To master the eq will improve that further no doubt