I cant get the results that i want

[Chromosty]

Hey guys. I own a podhd500 for like 10 months. I mostly bought it to record some demos via usb. But i think its awful device for that. Before that i was using spider iv 15 watt with entry level maudio interface. Actually it was working better than pod.

 

Yesterday i downloaded bias fx demo. Then i tried it and i was amazed. Cause it was so good(Btw i connected my guitar to pod, then select an empty tone. Then open the bias)

 

Somehow pod tones (especially distortion tones) loses their resolution. Dont get me wrong, i read every topic, watched every video to fix that problem but i couldnt find anything.

 

I'm gonna give some examples(sometimes tones stops to work with bias because its demo)

 

Ajfa tone test with pod: https://soundcloud.com/hromosty/ajfa-pod

Ajfa tone test with bias: https://soundcloud.com/hromosty/ajfa-bias

 

I dont know what exactly, but something is wrong with pod distortion tones.

 

Metallica clean tone test with pod: https://soundcloud.com/hromosty/home-pod

Metallica clean tone test with bias: https://soundcloud.com/hromosty/home-bias

 

I really like pod hd Metallica clean tone but if i have to choose between bias and pod, i would go with bias. I dont wanna act like douchbage. I wanna solve this problem and i need you guys help.

[Ed_Saxman]

¿?

 

To me, the POD tones are much better in both examples.

 

That BIAS examples sound horrible to me, shrill, disgraceful, harsh...

 

Personally, I can't stand any of the actual software modellers, except S-Gear Scuffman Amps. Try the 15 days demo and wait for the release of Helix Native plug-in before purchase anything.

 

 

 

Somehow pod tones (especially distortion tones) loses their resolution. Dont get me wrong, i read every topic, watched every video to fix that problem but i couldnt find anything.

 

I'm curious about this. What do you mean "loses resolution"?

 

I remember have read something about the POD "losing resolution" when you reach certain percentage of DSP usage.

[Ed_Saxman]

Here is the post I was refering to: http://line6.com/support/topic/1563-hd500-vs-hd500x-comparison-video/?do=findComment&comment=75559

 

 

The PODs are using 32 bit/40 bit floating point processors,so that's the reason for the sound difference!

 

When you use the CPU with floating point function,there is a limit,when you reach some point(for example 80% CPU usage) the CPU starts to "round" the values and the sound becomes "weaker"or let say not what it's meant to be.

 

 

The user was talking about the HD500 DSP Vs. the HD500X.

 

On the other hand, I have read some users complaining in the opposite way, claiming the HD500X sounded somewhat worse, so take all this with a grain of salt.

 

I personally can't hear any kind of sound degradation by adding or removing some FX blocks.

[Ed_Saxman]

With great respect for the opinions of others I would say that for me this is pure fantasy, or placebo effect

 

And I'm agree with you. ;)

[pianoguyy]

I am not going to listen to your examples. Because no one here can do what you need to do, only you can do what you need to do. The same as no one here can do what I need my unit to do except me. That's just the way it is. 

 

 

I will, however, provide you with this ---- 

 

 

Go listen to: 

Nashville 

The Music of Nashville 

Original Soundtrack

Season X, Volume X ----- Choose any volume from season 2, 3, and 4.

 

You can also listen to the Christmas album and the live albums (which were live events, not pre-recorded television editing tricks, but there was post editing/overdubbing done). But the character anthologies span all seasons, not just those 3.   

 

 

I won't tell you what songs to listen to. That is the point of the listening exercise. 

But, I can guarantee that many of the electric guitar parts are recorded with the HD500. Sometimes the songs contain a mix, where one guitar has an amp and another the Pod, other times it is all amps or all Pods. Even a couple where the Pod was played through an amp. 

 

If you can tell which ones are a modeler (specifically the awful Pod, and not some other modeler), and which ones are the "real deal"... 

Then we know that your ears are better than ours. If you can't tell which is which, then you know that the awful pod is due to your inability to operate it.

 

 

Knowing that it can be done really is the first step. If you can tell the difference in those examples, then it simply can't be done. 

[Chromosty]

different brand modelers will never sound identical for sure..

 

apart from that, I would say that your POD Ajfa demo tone is quite harsh and abrasive sounding, but that's not due to the device but simply on the settings..

there are countless demos with excellent tones achieved with the POD, thus we know that if the tone is bad is not the device but user bad settings..

 

given for granted that you are using the Studio/Direct output mode and the cab is active in your patch (otherwise the direct recording tone would be bad whatever you do), you should carefully set the amp controls (drive, treble presence, mids, bass) to find a good balance which depends a lot on the signal of your particular guitar, and not least choose the mic that gives the result more close to the tone you have in mind..

 

even if doesn't make a so big difference (but still does some) when using high gain amps (compared to the big effect on mid gain and clean amps), you might try using the single input approach (ie in your patches set input 2 to an unused physical input, thus avoiding the unfortunate default doubling of the input signal) to get a more balanced response from the models..

 

if and only if after doing all the above things you still get too much harsh tone you may add a mid focus eq just after the amp model, and change some of its default settings to: HP FREQ = 0, LP FREQ = 70 - 65 range, GAIN = 0, this settings basically cut only the very high end (if necessary)..

 

regarding your second example (metallica) surely I prefer the POD one, the second one reminds me some almost toys multi-fx of the past..

 

IMO you should tune better your guitar when recording, bad tuned guitars never sound good to me

 

 

Here is the post I was refering to: http://line6.com/support/topic/1563-hd500-vs-hd500x-comparison-video/?do=findComment&comment=75559

 

 

 

The user was talking about the HD500 DSP Vs. the HD500X.

 

On the other hand, I have read some users complaining in the opposite way, claiming the HD500X sounded somewhat worse, so take all this with a grain of salt.

 

I personally can't hear any kind of sound degradation by adding or removing some FX blocks.

 

 

Thanks for your replys. The thing is when i connect my 2+1 speakers to pod, it sounds really full and wide. But when i'm using daw to speakers, its not good as direct connection to speakers. Thats what i wanted to tell by saying losing resolution.

 

And yea my guitar's intonation is really bad atm. Couldnt have time to fix.

 

@hurghanico

 

You said problem is with my settings. I downloaded this tone. Can you share any good patch? Or the problem is devices general settings?

[Ed_Saxman]

Thanks for your replys. The thing is when i connect my 2+1 speakers to pod, it sounds really full and wide. But when i'm using daw to speakers, its not good as direct connection to speakers. Thats what i wanted to tell by saying losing resolution.

 

Then you probably need a good audio interface.

 

The Roland Quad Capture can be a great choice for you, since it have S/PDIF, plus an additional pair of combo inputs.

 

 

I'm using the Octa-Capture, btw. Never tried to use the POD as audio interface. Not once.

 

The Roland interfaces have far lower latency and probably better converters. When you're using S/PDIF, the interface will not colour your sound in any way.

[Chromosty]

Then you probably need a good audio interface.

 

The Roland Quad Capture can be a great choice for you, since it have S/PDIF, plus an additional pair of combo inputs.

 

 

I'm using the Octa-Capture, btw. Never tried to use the POD as audio interface. Not once.

 

The Roland interfaces have far lower latency and probably better converters. When you're using S/PDIF, the interface will not colour your sound in any way.

 

So i need to give another 300 bucks. 

[pianoguyy]

being that the Pod uses Left and Right, not 2+1

[bjnette]

To me apart from the volume differences the HD sounds better but what perhaps makes Bias sound good to you is the washed FX. Amplitude 4 Free I dug out has a similar affect.

The wetness sounds a little more lush in some of the FX than the HD when over done it still slightly playable like Your examples. I forgot how good the tuner is compared to the HD's.

But if you print the Amp and cab tone to track.

Then compare to the HD amp only. The HD is still better. If you use the HD as the guitar input device then you are also feeding Bias with a better impedience than straight thru your audio interface and that will help make Bias sound it's best.

Where things might improve are the internal oversampling of the software used on a state of the art computer.

Another reason to hang for the Native version of Helix.