Using Variax live with HD500, but with 1/4' jacks for sound.

[DoeZer999]

Hi

I'm new to this forum,  and new to Variax + HD500 aswell.

Was hoping people could help me out here - please .

 

I want to use Variax + HD500 for live use.

so ,  with the Acoustic Variax, DI'ed into the PA,

and with the mag pickups running thru the HD500 and also DI'ed into a different channel of the PA,

but if the pickups dont sound good enough DI'ed i will send the elec sounds to an amp.

 

I hear the VDI cable is great for changing data on the Variax,

but that the soudns through that cable sound alot worse.  Ive heard the difference and to me,  yes i can hear it

and i cant live with that difference...

 

so i want to use the 1/4" jack for the sounds.

So here is (finally!!) the question : 

 

Can i use the VDI cable to power the Variax and to transfer data.  But the 1/4' jack for SOUND.

So for example if i go to preset 1 on the HD500,  can it send a message to Variax to switch to acoustic guitar.

Then that preset 1 routes the sound to say output 1 of the HD500, which is then routed to a channel on the PA which i have reserved for acoustic.

Then I go to preset 2 on the HD500 and it automatically tells the Variax to switch to the mag pickups, and preset 2 is set to route to output 2 of the HD500, which is routed to a different channel on the PA (or to a guitar amp if needs be) 

Then for different electric sounds i just copy present 2 across and change my effects or whatever...

 

And for bonus points!!  if i wanted the acoustic and electric output signals to be stereo!!  is that possible..

were talking 4 outputs then,  or at least 2 x stereo.

 

Remember for sound transfer i am talking always with jack cable.  im notinterested in running sound thru the VDI,

only data to tell the Variax what to do.

 

Sorry ,  so long winded and probably confusing. really hoping someone can help me out here.

 

thanks

D

[silverhead]

Line 6 recommends that you do not use the VDI and 1/4" outputs simultaneously. Apparently that can potentially overload some internal circuitry.

[DoeZer999]

Line 6 recommends that you do not use the VDI and 1/4" outputs simultaneously. Apparently that can potentially overload some internal circuitry.

 

 

ok thanks for that.  ok theres an additional prob i never even thought of !!

 

but if its just a mono 1/4' jack,  not a stereo one so theres no power going to it or anything like that.

its just literally taking the normal mag pickup sound from the JTV out to the normal 1/4' port on the HD500

[silverhead]

I can't explain the technical considerations. I just know that Line 6 has repeatedly stated here that you should not do it. On the other hand I know that some people have done it for some time, at least before Line 6 warned against it. Whether or not anyone continues to do it without issues I do not know. At the very least I think it's inviting problems.

[cruisinon2]

ok thanks for that. ok theres an additional prob i never even thought of !!

 

but if its just a mono 1/4' jack, not a stereo one so theres no power going to it or anything like that.

its just literally taking the normal mag pickup sound from the JTV out to the normal 1/4' port on the HD500

Doesn't matter...sooner or later someone "official" will chime in and warn you never to use both outputs simultaneously. Now it's entirely possible that you could do it for years on end without damaging anything. Its also possible that they're right and doing so will curve your spine and make the Allies lose the war...nobody knows for sure, but the official advice has always been "don't do that". Proceed at your own risk...

[DoeZer999]

ok thanks.  Major major bummer then!!!

 

because it means if I want to avail of the program switching capabilities that the HD500/Variax combo brings, 

then i have to settle for the inferior sound quality of the guitar through the VDI cable rathern than 1/4'.

 

Which im not willing to do,  so i may aswell just get a Variax A/B box and stick with my Vox Tonelab FX unit

:(:( :(

D

[cruisinon2]

ok thanks. Major major bummer then!!!

 

because it means if I want to avail of the program switching capabilities that the HD500/Variax combo brings,

then i have to settle for the inferior sound quality of the patches.

 

Or you just have to spend more time tweaking the patches to your liking with the VDI connection... often the difference you're hearing is the result of the capacitance of your 1/4" cable. When using the VDI there are a number of options to choose from to mimic cables with varying amounts of resistance, and this can be set one a per patch basis. You might try fooling around with those settings a bit before abandoning the VDI connection.

 

EDIT: strike all of that. The input z parameter only affects the 1/4 input, not the VDI, so it won't help you. My bad...

[DoeZer999]

ok.  might work.

 

to be honest i dont hold much hope for that.  usually when trying to tweak on something like that it can go a bit pear shaped to be honest,

 

you end up tweaking and tweaking and then wondering are they different or are you just going crazy,.

or were they different at all to begin with.. your ears just get tired and you dont know what youve got in the end..

 

d

[cruisinon2]

ok. might work.

 

to be honest i dont hold much hope for that. usually when trying to tweak on something like that it can go a bit pear shaped to be honest,

 

you end up tweaking and tweaking and then wondering are they different or are you just going crazy,.

or were they different at all to begin with.. your ears just get tired and you dont know what youve got in the end..

 

d

Forget what I said about the Input Z parameter... it only affects the 1/4" input. I had forgotten that...Haven't been using the Variax as much lately. But you can still fiddle around with the VDI patches and try and dial in what you're looking for. Cable capacitance affects high-end frequency roll-off. You can experiment with EQ and mimic what you're hearing with the 1/4", but yes...it can get to be a pain in the arse.