ennisthemenace Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Had the HD500X for a few months, and still end up using the XT LIVE because it just sounds better. I researched the 500x for 6 months before I bought it, watched YouTube videos constantly so I could program it out of the box, have used amp simulators for 25 years and enjoy tweaking, but nothing I do makes the 500x sound good through my live PA. I`ve read many posts, tried various outputs, changed the guitar input structure, tweaked patches, started patches from scratch, built patches from watching videos, and none of them sound ANY thing as good as the video. I have hope because I built ONE early on that sounds good: a clean 80s sounding chorused/compressed tone. But I can`t get a clean Dire Straits tone that sustains (using every clean amp and most of the speakers and a blue compressor up front and a tube compressor in back.) And I can`t find anything that sounds bright and midrangey like the Plexi in the XT. Nothing I do or tweak gets me in the realm of the XTLive, and sadly it`s broken (plays fine, can`t edit anymore). I know I`m doing SOMETHING wrong, but after 2 months I`m pretty frustrated. AND 500 bucks poorer.m Yes, I`ve tried different guitars and different cables. HELP! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel_brown Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Is Input 1 set to guitar and Input 2 set to something else - like Variax ? This is step 1 that screwed up a lot of people. If they're both set to guitar or same then the input signal can easily get too hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_Brown Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 And make sure the switch on the front is set to line and not amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel_brown Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Oh and make sure the output is set to Studio Direct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Saxman Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Try this too: Insert a "MID Focus EQ" on the first block after the amp. Settings: HP Freq: 14 (Q 50%) LP Freq: 55 (Q 50%) Gain: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertleevoyles Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Make sure you are not using just the amp pre’s like I did as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoguyy Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Make sure you are not using just the amp pre’s like I did as well. Not exactly correct. The rule is - use an amp if you are using a PA. Use the pre amp if you are using an amp. But the rule that trumps that rule is - do what you need to do to make it sound good. If you can make a pa sound good while using a preamp, do it. Many people use preamps going direct because it works for them. But the rules (which are more like suggestions for starting points) are there because of the millions of people that came before you and tried various things and came to a consensus of what does and does not work. But, remember, prior to Jimi Hendrix, feedback was a bad thing. He shoved the rulebook out the window and made feedback his lollipop. That doesn't mean we tell every newbie that feedback is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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