What Sounds Best Live With A Pod Hd 500x?

[Max_denys]

I recently purchased the HD POD 500x for the sole purpose of using it as a pedal board playing live with a band.

Ive been enjoying using the edit software and getting different sounds, but my main concern is what is best for a live sound.

 

I have an epiphone les paul custom pro and NO AMP. I have a 15 watt line 6 amp which is useless for anything past my bedroom.

Unfortunately, I dont have money to purchase an amp atm.

 

In the fortunate even that I do, I would like to know what sounds best.

(I know the POD can be plugged in to a PA system. )

 

I recently took it to the studio where I practice which has Marshall Amps and heads, and I got a lot of screeching feedback when plugged in there,

I tried standing far away but still couldnt really control my settings how I liked. 

 

I put the studio amp settings all mid level and in clean, as to not interrupt the amps and sounds of the POD. 

 

Is that how it going to sound live? Should I use the PA system?

What sounds best to play with the POD and my guitar?

Sorry for the newbie questions, I never thought past a guitar until now that i'm looking to play shows.

[joel_brown]

There's a lot of ways to configure it, emphasis on "LOT".  I would suggest to just try the Studio Direct Out into the Effect Return of the Marshall and see how that goes.  That should give you a nice tone and something that should resemble playing through a P.A. system.  There's something called the 4 Cable Method (4CM).  But if you don't own an amp yet then that may be premature.  I would suggest reading up on the 4CM and try that before making your final decision.  There's plenty of threads explaining it.

[silverhead]

I use a PA system. I connect my Variax to the Pod HD500 via VDI (no need for 1/4" output from the Variax) and the HD500 analog outputs direct to mixer/PA in Studio/Direct mode. With this scenario I can get good electric and acoustic guitar sounds from the Variax through the Pod. For electric guitar I use the full amps (including cab/mic models) and for acoustic guitar I use no amp.

 

When using a real amp, you would typically use the preamp models for electric guitar, but the real amp colours the acoustic guitar sound too much and you really can't avoid it. Ever plugged an acoustic guitar into an electric guitar amp? That's what you get.

 

So if you use the Variax acoustic models I would definitely go with the PA solution. If you don't, then a real amp can be a good choice. Lots of users do that and get great results. Just make sure your Pod presets don't use the cab/mic modeling - otherwise your real amp will provide a duplicate effect and the sound can get very poor.

[Max_denys]

There's a lot of ways to configure it, emphasis on "LOT".  I would suggest to just try the Studio Direct Out into the Effect Return of the Marshall and see how that goes.  That should give you a nice tone and something that should resemble playing through a P.A. system.  There's something called the 4 Cable Method (4CM).  But if you don't own an amp yet then that may be premature.  I would suggest reading up on the 4CM and try that before making your final decision.  There's plenty of threads explaining it.

 

When you say studio direct out into the effect return, I am completely lost.

Again I apologize, I am barely learning to crawl with this new world.

 

The amps at the studio have the huge bottom which I assume is called the Cab? and the head which controls the sound correct?

So are you saying I can plug the POD into the CAB alone? and avoid the head?

[Max_denys]

I use a PA system. I connect my Variax to the Pod HD500 via VDI (no need for 1/4" output from the Variax) and the HD500 analog outputs direct to mixer/PA in Studio/Direct mode. With this scenario I can get good electric and acoustic guitar sounds from the Variax through the Pod. For electric guitar I use the full amps (including cab/mic models) and for acoustic guitar I use no amp.

 

When using a real amp, you would typically use the preamp models for electric guitar, but the real amp colours the acoustic guitar sound too much and you really can't avoid it. Ever plugged an acoustic guitar into an electric guitar amp? That's what you get.

 

So if you use the Variax acoustic models I would definitely go with the PA solution. If you don't, then a real amp can be a good choice. Lots of users do that and get great results. Just make sure your Pod presets don't use the cab/mic modeling - otherwise your real amp will provide a duplicate effect and the sound can get very poor.

Again, I apologize for my ignorance, but I just realized theres more to this editing software with your post.

That cab/mic modeling I just noticed is in the amps tab correct? I have only been choosing amps and not even considered the cab part.

are you saying to leave that space empty if Im plugging the POD directly to an amp?

[silverhead]

If plugging directly into an amp you will probably get best results by choosing the PRE (not FULL) amp model in the amp selection menu. If you look closely at the amp selections you will see that for each amp there is a PRE and a FULL option. The difference is that the PRE amp models do not include the power amp section nor the cab/mic models. The FULL amp models include these elements. This design is specifically to differentiate between output modes: Studio/Direct output mode (used with the FULL amp models) for output to mixer/PA/DAW, or Live output mode (used with the PRE amp models) for output to a real guitar amp (ideally the power section of the real amp, bypassing the preamp of the real guitar amp).

 

Having said that. there is no 'right' configuration. Experiment with the different setup/output mode options and see what works best for you.

[redlight7777]

Exactly what silver head said. In your pod edit screen you will see Full right above the amp model dialer section. Click it once and it will go to preamp mode. I had a crash course learning this 2 nights before my last gig. You will need to adjust gain settings and volume settings. Once you spend some time with it you will be happy... but it does take time.

[Stratman82]

I read this thread with interest and started a reply based on my experience as a podHD500x and DT25 owner.

 

However, I've decided to start it all as a fresh thread as its kind of a new question. Still very relevant to this thread though as its to do with playing live via a DT25 amp (one of the many options).

 

If you guys are interested its here: http://line6.com/support/topic/3229-podhd500x-via-my-dt25-vs-pa-lt2-vs-alternative-tube-amp/?p=21128

[davidsubba1]

hi guys I am not able to set a tone which can sustain. how do I set a good tone for that? please suggest as I am an infant with Pod HD 500X

[vincentcaddell]

Just dial up the gain on your preamp models. You can also use a compressor or boost before the amp in your effects chain and tweak it to give you more sustain. Just so as you know on the ealier points the guys were making, the FX loop can send time related effects (delay, chorus and reverb) after you preamp overdrive, so you do not destort your delays but delay your distortion  ;)  Just think of it as a ring road around a major city so you're putting it around the back and not through your amps overdrive channel. I'm still ironing out the creases. I found the XT live was great with my blackstar series one. input and send of pod went into send and return of amp and then i plugged the guitar into the front of the amp for clear 'no noise tones'. Anyone any ideas for the HD500? Without using 4 cables. seems a bit much!

[AlexKenivel]

I set to studio/direct, into a power amp (or FX return of an amp head) and out through a guitar cab, or just into PA speakers. Both work and sound great to me.