Connecting the POD HD 500X

[Sleveran]

Hello everyone , 

So up until now I was using my pod through my Combo's current preamp , which means i used the MONO output from the POD to the input of the combo amp without bypassing the preamp section.

Now I've decided that i'd like to bypass my combo's preamp , and for that I learned that you need to use something called the 4 cable method , though I did try some trick since i don't have 4 cables at my reach right now , by taking the guitar , putting it into the GUITAR IN on my Pod and plugging the MONO output from my pod to my Combo's Effects Sent loop. as for now it looks like it's bypassing my combo's preamp but at the same time , unlike before there's a very annoying static noise , quite bassy , it's mostly noticible when i don't play. when i turn the volume on my amp or on my pod or on my guitar all the way down the noise doesn't go away , is that because I didn't close the effects loop with the return and left it open so theres something hanging and causing some grounding issues or something which brings this annoying noise?

So I guess at the bottom line my question is , would using the 4 cable method solve my problem with this irritating noise or what i did with only two cables without closing the effects loop isn't the cause of that noise?

 

Thank you very much in advance!

[cclement]

First... do you have the Pod's mono out going into your amp's effect SEND or your amp's or effect RETURN? I can't tell from your post... but it should be into your amps effect RETURN.

 

So to the rest...

 

Having it set up as Guitar>Pod>Mono Out>Amp effect RETURN does indeed bypass the amps pre-amp. The 4 Cable Method (4CM) let's you use different combinations of your amps pre-amp, your Pod's amp sims, and FX either in-front of your amp's pre-amp (or after) or bypass your pre-amp altogether.

 

However, it does take a bit more time to setup. Here is a pretty good dive into how it all works:

 

http://guitargearfinder.com/guides/use-four-cable-method/

 

There is also a tone of into here on the forum... just do a search for it.

[pianoguyy]

You only need to use 4cm if you are using things both before and after. 

 

Plugging the Pod into the the FX Loop is fine. Although, you should be plugging into the in/receive, not into the out/send. 

[Sleveran]

First of all thank you both a lot for your help , and i came to notice that the reason that very loud noise was happening was because of the USB cable plugging from my pc to my pod .. for some reason once i connect it the noise occurs. so i'm gonna use an aux cable for that meanwhile instead of usb i assume. it should work just as fine to hear music through my amp

[pianoguyy]

You should also go onto your control panel and change your settings from Combo to Studio/Direct. 

[Sleveran]

Changing the settings from combo power amp to studi/direct doesn't help , It still makes the noise , i've realized the noise comes from my computer specifically since it doesn't occur if i plug my phone to the amp for instance. so i assume i should just give up on plugging the pod to my pc while playing.

[pfsmith0]

Right, I get the same thing. I wish they would have used an optical TOSlink instead of S/PDIF. That would have solved this problem. I just use the PC for setting up the patches and disconnect it while playing.

[cclement]

Changing the settings from combo power amp to studi/direct doesn't help , It still makes the noise...

 

Changing the Output mode changes how the sound is sent out.. it has nothing to do with the noise. Each setting changes the sound of the output to "optimize" it for the destination; Recording/FRFR setup, Guitar Amp input, or Amp Power amp (aka FX Return). You might try experimenting with this setting if you are running the output directly into your amps FX Return.. each setting will give you a different sound.

 

The manual say that the "Combo Power Amp & Stack Power Amp" setting is the best for the FX loop... but you might try other setting.... no wrong way of doing it.

[Imaginario77]

Hi. I'm using my Pod hd 500x though a trademark 60. I use the 4 cable method.

Guitar -> Pod guitar input - Pod send -> trademark input - trademark send-> Pod return - Pod out -> trademark return.

Everything sounds great... really good... except the distortion and amp models. they sound very poor, lack body and lots of mid frequencies. The rest is OK.

Anyone has experienced something of this kind? I rarely ever use them, and that's a shame.

What I usually end up doing is having a hot rod plexi from tech21 just before the input of the trademark.

Pod send-> plexi-> trademark input

Any suggestions?

Thank you so much.

 

P.S. - I noticed that noise too when USB cable is connected to PC...

[BillBee]

Well the TM60 is a modeler itself and you really can never turn off its cab modeling even when going straight into the fx loop. That said you can try a few things.

 

If you are not using the TM60s preamps you can go straight into the FX loop (though IIRC you might have to put a dummy jack in the input). See if that brings the HD's models to life.

 

You can also go into HD Edit and try changing the position of the FX loop and have the modeled amps come in after the signal goes through the TM60's pre amp.

 

Its a great sounding amp.