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Are You Happy With Your Pod Hd?


357mag
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I'm currently using a POD X3 Pro which I feel works very well for me. I did try an HD Pro for awhile and to tell you the truth I was kinda disappointed. It appeared the equalizers did nothing to alter the sound. When I invoke the equalizers on my X3 Pro I hear a noticeable difference. I heard practically no difference when I added equalization to my guitar tone when using the HD Pro. Have you guys gotten the equalizers to work?

 

Other things were a letdown as well (like the Greenbacks and I think some of the mics).

 

I do recall some people saying that the HD Pro requires more tweaking to dial in a good tone but they felt that the tone of the HD is better than that of the X3.

 

There are a few HD Pros going for cheap and I'm wondering if I should pick one up and give it another try. 

 

I usually use the Marshall JCM800 amp since I'm into hard rock and metal. I do like the Soldano and the Engl too.

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I also use Marshall amps, a pair of JCM900s that I spread apart for live stereo effect.  I also play hard rock metal.

 

For me the PODHD was a struggle for several months.  The Line6 EQ sucks so bad I went out and bought a used dual band EQ, that helped a bunch.  There was more than a few times I thought I had wasted my money and was going to get rid of the PODHD.  In the end the light bulb finally turned on and I got it working the way I wanted.

 

That's the bad part.  The good part is, once I got it kind'a figured out I can't go back to other products that don't have the flexibilty of putting anything anywhere in the signal chain.  Also the tone is definetley HD but it's hard to tell until you get it sounding the way you want.

 

If you decide to give it another try (I think you should) then here's a couple things that will hopefully help.

 

I had posted my tone on another thread to help someone else in a similar situation.  Here's the links again.  I plug my guitar into the PODHD and PODHD into the Effect Returns of my amps.  I don't use the 4 Cable Method.

 

Download these two tones and see if it helps point you in the right direction.

 

http://www.childreno...AngelHvyPre.hbe

http://www.childreno...olOvrDrvPre.hbe

 

Also check out the meambobo website. Line6 should be paying this guy for all the great info he has on there.  Or atleast give him free gear.

http://foobazaar.com/podhd/

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Make no mistake, the podHD is a phenomenal unit. In contrast to some on this forum, I've actually found it quite easy to dial in great tones with my HD500x (and before that HD300). I tend to base a lot of my cleaner/ bluesy overdrive patches on the Fender Deluxe Nrm amp. For crunch with humbuckers I like the JTM45 or JCM800 model.

 

I have to say that I've found the EQ quite responsive and useful. However I do find that with most of my patches I need a distortion pedal model at the front of the chain for the best possible tone (JCM800 Slash tone is the only exception). Usually a Screamer with the Fender Deluxe and a Tube Drive with the JTM45.

 

It's worth asking these sorts of questions however you'll inevitably get heavily biased answers on this forum....people who own an item of equipment and spend time on the manufacturers community forums will generally be heavily biased in favour of the unit they've spent their cash and time on.

 

For example, reading this forum you might think that the DT25 amp is the holy grail of guitar amplifiers, second to none in tone and all round usability. That is just ridiculous and most definately not the case. I'm selling mine for various reasons and would really only recommend the amp to a gigging musician in a covers band who needs to approximate other artists tones in patch form at a pinch. As a home based hobbyist I find the DT25 to be fairly sterile and lacking in "fun" factor. Touch responsiveness is poor compared to tube amps with all tube pre-amp sections and none of the tones will truely ever match the amps the DT25 is trying to emulate. We only live once- if its just a hobby/ for fun then why not own (for example) a real Fender Deluxe at some point in your life and build a stable of more enjoyable amps from classic manufacturers whose amps professional musicians actually use. Off topic a bit but my 3c.

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No. Not happy. Tweaked it to the death for a year and a half. Some good tones, but man, the thing is digital. You can never get close to a real tube amp sound, or even analog pedals. Sold it. Now I have a few good stompboxes and an EVH 5150 III 50 watts with two 2x12 cabs. And man, THAT'S tone.

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No. Not happy. Tweaked it to the death for a year and a half. Some good tones, but man, the thing is digital. You can never get close to a real tube amp sound, or even analog pedals. Sold it. Now I have a few good stompboxes and an EVH 5150 III 50 watts with two 2x12 cabs. And man, THAT'S tone.

 

The problem with amps is that they're not necessarily made to sound good at whisper bedroom levels. They're designed for the stage and live sound reproduction. This is where the POD wins. I can come extremely close to a true amp sound. Sure the POD sounds a little sterile since it's not a real amp, but I personally feel that is a minor deal compared to the overall nice Marshall or Soldano tone I can get.

 

If I lived in this building myself where I could crank an amp then maybe I would, but I don't think you can beat the POD for applications where you want not to be overheard.

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The problem with amps is that they're not necessarily made to sound good at whisper bedroom levels. They're designed for the stage and live sound reproduction. This is where the POD wins. I can come extremely close to a true amp sound. Sure the POD sounds a little sterile since it's not a real amp, but I personally feel that is a minor deal compared to the overall nice Marshall or Soldano tone I can get.

 

If I lived in this building myself where I could crank an amp then maybe I would, but I don't think you can beat the POD for applications where you want not to be overheard.

I don´t think so... Unlike in the 70´s, most modern amps sound good at bedroom levels. I mean, you don´t have to crank them to get the best of them. Most all-valve amps nowadays, get their gain from the PREAMP stage, not from the POWER AMP stage.

 

I also play mostly at bedroom levels nowadays, so I know what you´re talking about. After years of tone-search, I can tell you that you can´t have 10-20 amps in one. Modellers like the POD try to emulate the character of famous amps, and sincerelly, that´s quite not a laudable objective... at least to me. I think you have to find your personal sound. Maybe a couple or 3 or 4 different kinds of sounds, but I don´t see the point of having emulated several amps, and many stomboxes, just to have an infinite variation of tones. Perhaps I´m old-school, but I think it this way. It´s not for nothing that most professional musicians use some stompoxes, maybe a couple of effects racks, and the amps of their choice. They don´t use PODs. Most of them.

 

I think you can get some good tones with the POD, but at the end of the day, they sound artificial. Perhaps if you never owned analog stompboxes and all-valve amps you aren´t able to compare, so you keep what you have and you are happy with it. What I observed, in my experience with digital modellers, POD HD 500 included, is that you can dial good finished tones, specially if you don´t use an amp and have FRFRs, for example. With finished tones I mean tones that sound as a finished track. But if you´re talking about wooly-raw-coming from a guitar amplifier-tones, that´s where modellers fail.

 

Anyway, that´s just my 2 cents.

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Actually more and more professionals are using modelers, however most of them are using AXE but in the past for example Megadeth used Line6 or Digitech for their live performances.  I've done old school for years and what I don't like is noise.  For the almost imperceptible differance in tone, I'd rather have the lower noise plus stereo sound - that's why I have two Marshall JCMs on stage spread apart.  However the method I prefer is using the PODHD into the Effect Return of my tube amps.  I don't like the sound of the PODHD into a solid state amp at all and would agree it sounds too digital.  That's where Impulse Responses (IRs) would really help.

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Actually more and more professionals are using modelers, however most of them are using AXE but in the past for example Megadeth used Line6 or Digitech for their live performances.  I've done old school for years and what I don't like is noise.  For the almost imperceptible differance in tone, I'd rather have the lower noise plus stereo sound

 

With respect, I think Megadeth went back to Marshall for good reasons.

 

The tone differences may be "almost imperceptible" with very high gain stuff at high volume. However, I'm a podHD fan myself but theres no way cleaner tones are imperceptible. Real tube tones are generally more organic and touch sensitive. The podHD offers fantastic versatility and useability in a home/studio setting but its difficult to deny that there are compromises.

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IF I am happy? 

 

Let's put it this way: I go anywhere to play and people ask: "don't you want an amp?" ...I say..."no...just plug XLR direct to it and flat EQ..."

 

they look at me kinda funny and think I am probably insane. but then, I start playing the thing and it sounds great out of the box....by the end of the set the sound guys come and THANK ME for making their jobs easier while still sounding great...

 

 

SO...am I happy? 

make your own conclusions about that ;) 

SPOILER: YES OH GOD YES I AM HAPPY

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The 900s dirt/grit does well provided they are biased correctly and the pre amp tubes are changed to something more suited to taste.  I didn't like the stock Russian 12ax7s too much.  I also prefer Mullard or Ruby EL34s for the power amp section.  JJs didn't do it for me at all.  I've been very happy with the JCM's sound and have used them that way for years.  What I prefer now is the stereo effect I get live from the PODHD, plus with high gain it's damn hard to tell the diiferance.

 

Clean tones I completely agree with you.  I think the PODHD lacks in that area, but the high gain stuff I'm very happy with.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The secret to great PODHD tone is in the Amp/Cab parameters and selection of mics. If you leave them as there are they do suck. Bias has a big impact on how each amp works. For a fender tone set it on 100% a Marshall tone set it on 0%. I also always use 1. pedal a noise gate at 40=50% Threshold and 0% decay. 2.pedal tube compr 10-25% Threshold 12-20% level 

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The secret to great PODHD tone is in the Amp/Cab parameters and selection of mics. If you leave them as there are they do suck. Bias has a big impact on how each amp works. For a fender tone set it on 100% a Marshall tone set it on 0%. I also always use 1. pedal a noise gate at 40=50% Threshold and 0% decay. 2.pedal tube compr 10-25% Threshold 12-20% level 

Also SAG on 0% is instant transparency. On 100% gives it ...well...SAG, or what I call flex.

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Is it me or what because I hear a lot of compression on a clean patch when I creat one...and I am not even using a compressor..any ideas? This seems to be on all settings especially when I set it to combo front...

Use a tube comp and the front of your patches. Set it to 10-25% Threshold 12-20% level. Also Try this without any distortion pedal. Drive the tube comp to get the extra boost out of the amp's natural distortion. I always use a noise gate in front of the tube comp as well. Is says tube "comp" but it will not sound like a compressor.

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I think you have to find your personal sound. Maybe a couple or 3 or 4 different kinds of sounds, but I don´t see the point of having emulated several amps, and many stomboxes, just to have an infinite variation of tones. Perhaps I´m old-school, but I think it this way. It´s not for nothing that most professional musicians use some stompoxes, maybe a couple of effects racks, and the amps of their choice. They don´t use PODs. Most of them.

 

I think you can get some good tones with the POD, but at the end of the day, they sound artificial. Perhaps if you never owned analog stompboxes and all-valve amps you aren´t able to compare, so you keep what you have and you are happy with it. What I observed, in my experience with digital modellers, POD HD 500 included, is that you can dial good finished tones, specially if you don´t use an amp and have FRFRs, for example. With finished tones I mean tones that sound as a finished track. But if you´re talking about wooly-raw-coming from a guitar amplifier-tones, that´s where modellers fail.

 

Anyway, that´s just my 2 cents.

 

Where I think many people go wrong is they are expecting it to feel and sound like an amp in a room.  That is not what the HD500 does.  As you said it does finished tones.  That's why you have a mic selection.  The HD is like having a completely isolated amp miced up in another room and listening to it through some studio monitors. 

 

In regard to not seeing "the point of having emulated several amps, and many stomboxes, just to have an infinite variation of tones" you don't have to.  But having a variety of tones is exactly the point.  What's so hard to understand about that?  You're happy with one tone fine, but a lot of other people like to have a variety of sounds (Even SRV used around 5 amps in the studio at a certain point.) and I can't afford to, nor have the room for a bunch of amps.  I also like to emulate the guitar sound from different songs.  And since I'm mostly recording anyway, the HD is perfect for what I want to do.  I mostly go direct otherwise and the sound guys love me because they have a finished sound coming to them (at mic level) so a lot of they're work is done for them.  Having a real tube amp blazing away with you is great.  But it's mostly for the player.  I've found the people listening pretty much can't tell the difference and more to the point don't care. They just want to hear good music.  And whether it's through a boutique amp with custom made stomp boxes or an HD direct through the PA, if the music is good, they're happy with either.

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I was pretty stoked to see that Steve Howe from Yes uses a POD HD500 and DT-50 live and in the studio.  Somehow I don't think he is getting fizz on his tones...  Just shows that it is definitely possible and it is a professional piece of gear.

 

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Rig_Rundown_Yes_Steve_Howe_And_Chris_Squire

 

Edit: I really, really, really wish he posted his patches too!  :lol:

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The more I read, the more convinced I am that I must be an alien...
The day they arrived I unboxed my HD500 and my JTV89, plugged, tuned, installed the drivers, the editor...
and simply started to create beautiful, detailed and lively tones... single path, dual path, clean, crunch, hi gain, fx-heavy, basic go-to patches... everything!!
Three or four hours later I had HD versions of all my main XT tones, and they were all better than the originals (except for those depending on the autowha)
because the ingredients were so much better.
At first I thought I would miss the variety of amps, and I found that having less but much better amp models to choose from was actually liberating, and it speeded 

things up. Whenever I think I miss one of the older models, I plug into the XTL and... well, I end up wishing they would make an HD version of that model, because
XT models sound so poor in comparison with the HD stuff. I do miss the bass amps though
Anyway, I've always been happy with the sounds I got out of every Line6 product I've owned, so, all I just said doesn't mean older products are crap or that I hate

how they now sound to me, I'm just saying that technology does evolve, and getting a good tone with the HD is faster and easier, and the resulting tone is better...
For me

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I took a break from the HD Pro for a while, in favour of soft amps such as Guitar Rig 5 and POD Farm. The other day, after the best part of 4 months, I plugged the HD back in and I was met with a mixed reaction. The sound and feel IS good. Especially now I have a real amp (the Laney IRT Studio) to compare it to. But I was also disappointed that nothing has changed since the last time I used it (and even *then* there was a distinct lack of progress with updates).

 

I feel that I have an amazing piece of gear that's reached the end of its development far too early. EQ in hz, split output modes for 1/4" and XLR, phase/delay controls on cabs for dual tone, link amp settings for dual tone, all neat little features that would be icing on an otherwise delicious cake, but that I will probably never see. It'd be nice if L6 could at least be a bit more up front about their intentions. The silence is not good.

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they just released 2 new "X" models...

despite the silence, i think this is a clear indication that the Pod HD's are still considered an active product.

 

I took a break from the HD Pro for a while, in favour of soft amps such as Guitar Rig 5 and POD Farm. The other day, after the best part of 4 months, I plugged the HD back in and I was met with a mixed reaction. The sound and feel IS good. Especially now I have a real amp (the Laney IRT Studio) to compare it to. But I was also disappointed that nothing has changed since the last time I used it (and even *then* there was a distinct lack of progress with updates).

 

I feel that I have an amazing piece of gear that's reached the end of its development far too early. EQ in hz, split output modes for 1/4" and XLR, phase/delay controls on cabs for dual tone, link amp settings for dual tone, all neat little features that would be icing on an otherwise delicious cake, but that I will probably never see. It'd be nice if L6 could at least be a bit more up front about their intentions. The silence is not good.

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Zap - call me cynical but, I'm not convinced. Of all the issues the HD has, I don't really think DSP is the biggest. At least not for those who just need good solid, core tones. If they had've addressed any of the issues that I mentioned, I might believe that they're still actively developing the HD and really listening to customer feedback. As it is, I suspect they ran out of the old batch of processors or switched to a newer/faster model and decided to make a "new" product out of it to prevent confusion arising when new HD owners are able to run patches that old owners are not.. Perhaps I'm being impatient! I can't remember how long the X3 took to mature.

 

My real worry is that *if* they do release another firmware update before they roll out an HD1000 or an HD2...it'll be for the X only.

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This won't happen... that and you basically nailed it with the upgraded processor but basically the same device statement...

there's no reason to exclude the older models since they are virtually the same.

 

 

My real worry is that *if* they do release another firmware update before they roll out an HD1000 or an HD2...it'll be for the X only.

 

 

I also agree that DSP isn't the issue in itself...

meaning i can do enough effects etc with the non x version...

where the upgraded DSP is needed in my opinion is the extras....

meaning seperate xlr-1/4" feed... multiple usb streams... global eq... .those types of things that the x3 could do.. (it had dual DSP's)

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Well, Chimp, L6 has officially stated that there will be updates, and they will affect pre-X models.
Will they release any update? As of now we only have their word. It's up to us if we decide to trust it.
It wouldn't be the first time they promise something that they never deliver (some old Vetta issues come to mind)
but the number of fulfilled promises/user-demands is bigger

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they just released 2 new "X" models...

despite the silence, i think this is a clear indication that the Pod HD's are still considered an active product.

 

I thought the reason they released the X models was because the chip they were using was discontinued and the chip they replaced it with had a bit more memory so instead of letting it go to waste, decided to use it and create a new model (with other improvements like the footswitches).  Not because it was a major upgrade decision.  I do believe they will be doing more with the HD but I just don't consider the X release proof of it.  It was more a matter of taking advantage of something they had no choice in.  I know they still need to (and are working on) Workbench/HD compatibility (which I am desperately waiting for).  At the very least there will be at least one more upgrade for that.  Hopefully it will include other improvements (the EQ is a big one to me, easily fixed).  So unless they completely give up and move on, which they have done, there is still more to come!!

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The more I read, the more convinced I am that I must be an alien...

The day they arrived I unboxed my HD500 and my JTV89, plugged, tuned, installed the drivers, the editor...

and simply started to create beautiful, detailed and lively tones... single path, dual path, clean, crunch, hi gain, fx-heavy, basic go-to patches... everything!!

Three or four hours later I had HD versions of all my main XT tones, and they were all better than the originals (except for those depending on the autowha)

because the ingredients were so much better.

At first I thought I would miss the variety of amps, and I found that having less but much better amp models to choose from was actually liberating, and it speeded 

things up. Whenever I think I miss one of the older models, I plug into the XTL and... well, I end up wishing they would make an HD version of that model, because

XT models sound so poor in comparison with the HD stuff. I do miss the bass amps though

Anyway, I've always been happy with the sounds I got out of every Line6 product I've owned, so, all I just said doesn't mean older products are crap or that I hate

how they now sound to me, I'm just saying that technology does evolve, and getting a good tone with the HD is faster and easier, and the resulting tone is better...

For me

 

An alien you are not.  I am very satisfied with my HD.  Sure there are improvements I'd like to see but I'm very pleased with it.  The patches take more work, thought and tweaking to get great than the X3 but I think that's because the sound is more raw and authentic and there are just so many more options it's easy to get lost in the routing forest.  As far as authenticity, there is a youtube video comparing a bunch of tube amps cranked to 10.  I compared the one Fender amp (I think they are all Fenders but there is only one the HD Models) in it the HD models using the same settings as him and the same guitar as he does.  Les Paul (JTV Variax), amp cranked to ten and he even uses an off axis SM57, etc., amp only, no effects.  This is going Studio direct into my computer.  So I am able to play along with the youtube through my computer for a great comparison.  I am amazed at how close they are.  So don't worry about the "it ain't an amp" tube criers. This proved to me at least one amp sim is fantastic.  Here's the youtube link if you want to check it out for yourself...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0NQf0CyiQI

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Happy? Yes, but the HD500 is not the "be all, to end all"....

 

I've been using my HD500 as a front-end to a small AD30VT for the last three years, (modded with an effects loop to use the power section) and it's been good, and consistent.

 

I decided to upgrade to an amp with at least a 12" speaker - I wanted a "bigger" sound. I was thinking of getting a DT-25 but, you know what?

 

IT ISN'T A REAL AMP!

 

I said it. Can of worms opened. Sorry.

 

It's true - any amp with Line6 labelled on it is NOT going to get anywhere near its value come resale time. Don't get me wrong, even my old Flextone I sounds decent enough, clean and driven. But, they just do not command the value of Fender, Marshall, or almost any other "real" amp brand.

 

I ended up getting a Vox AC30CC2. Why? Because it's an amp. Pure and simple. A true-blue, analog, through and through tube amp. It will never need a firmware upgrade. It will never need to be controlled with anything else but its owner. And, it too can change its output parameters. If it breaks, it can be easily repaired. Capacitors, resistors, transformer - still available. Can anyone find an upgrade eeprom for the original Pod? 

 

Yeah, yeah, not nearly as flexible as a DT amp. Sure. I don't mean to debate "real" vs. Line 6 amps. But, it was a deciding factor for me.

 

Rant about Line6 amps aside, I used the HD500 essentially as a front-end to the Vox as well - the same as you would with a DT-25 amp. But unfortunately, the Vox has no built in ability to change channels, so that portion of the Vox, its preamp, went unused - and what a shame. And, the HD500 (without much fuss) can't switch between two paths out of the effects loop.

 

Oddly enough, a real sleeper of an amp came my way: a Peavey Bravo!  2 EL84, 25watt little dynamo! For really cheap.

 

However, the original cabinet, being WAY too stout, covered in armadillo tolex and I swear, 3/4" MDF just didn't allow its tone to bloom in a pleasant way. 

 

So, you know what I did with that old Flextone I that nobody would buy, even for $100 WITH the floorboard? I pulled the Flextone amp out, and retrotfitted the Peavey in it. And it sounds glorious even with the original Eminance speakers!

 

And the Bravo, has a sweet "almost Marshall" drive channel. It feels really good to play this bastard of an amp. But, I'd need a separate footswitch for switching the Bravo channels as the HD500 doesn't do this (like many Boss units do).

 

So, after setting up a 4CM with the HD500 and the Bravo, I found a cheap Boss GT-8. This unit does switch channels per patch, and it's a lot easier to setup and balance levels using the 4CM.

 

I will say that the Boss' overall sonic character is no match for the HD500. Especially, the amps. Hands down, the HD500 SMOKES anything with Boss on its name plate. The sonic sheen and dynamics are SO much better than the Boss.

 

Problem is, the Boss unit is just far easier to integrate into a live setup.

 

I'm not only happy with the HD500 - I love it. But sadly for me, it just isn't as flexible as I need for live use.

 

Don't PM me...I'm not selling the HD500! It will make a good backup for the 5 year older Boss unit!

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Happy? Yes, but the HD500 is not the "be all, to end all"....

 

 

Absolutely.  The HD500 is just one more tool in us guitarist's arsenal.  You can use it or not, as much or as little as you want.  I use it alot.  Others will use it a little.  Others not at all.  It isn't like playing a real amp next to you and a real amp isn't as sonically flexible and as easy to tote around.  Especially if you like a wide palette of sounds.  Neither is better than the other really, they are just different tools for a bunch of different jobs.  You can use either one for whatever job you have depending on your particular needs and desires.  Each has their positives and negatives.  They are not the same.  One thing I know from experience, whether it's a well mic'ed amp coming out of the PA or a well programmed HD (or even a, dare I say it, XT) which, as we know, both attempt to simulate a well mic'ed amp, almost all of the listening audience can't tell the difference and doesn't really care. And generally the ones that do are anal guitar players.  No offense, I include myself in this category a bit.

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I love my HD 500. I don't play metal and I never use the high gain amps, so my opinion may not be useful in that regard.

 

I found it easy to dial in great sounds on my custom strat with EMGs, usually the Divided by 13, Deluxe or maybe the Hiwatt or a Marshall.

 

However, after a year or more, I'm still working on perfecting the sounds for my Ibanez AS 100 (like a 335) with EMG 89s (single and double coil). The funny thing is I got awesome sounds out of my Vox Tonelab with the Ibanez, but I have a really hard time duplicating them on the HD. The EQs don't make it easy, though they do work.

 

None the less, I love the Pod and think it is, as the Brits say, a brilliant piece of kit.

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  • 2 years later...

I tried to like the hd500x but ended up staying with my pod xt live. just more fun to play sounds as good and in some cases better,I dont go direct but into a clean ch of 2 amps and maybe this is why i prefer the xt live. it growls like tubes, presets decent,fun, hd500x all presets suck  and download patches are weak,better on xt live.editing, I wondered why I was emulating my xt live patches on the 500 for no better sound/ 

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No. Not happy. Tweaked it to the death for a year and a half. Some good tones, but man, the thing is digital. You can never get close to a real tube amp sound, or even analog pedals. Sold it. Now I have a few good stompboxes and an EVH 5150 III 50 watts with two 2x12 cabs. And man, THAT'S tone.

 

JTV69, POD HD500X, & two EV ELX112p's. My tone and flexibility would blow your mind, & your rig, and any rig I'VE ever owned, out of the water. True amp & cab simulation w/guitar modeling, as well as enough power from my FR/FR speakers to blow dry your hair. Did i mention stereo patches/effects ? I've owned practically every tube amp known to man built before 2010, and i have found my "dream rig". The other guitar player in my band uses a Peavey 50/50 amp with TWO EVH 5150 4x12's and he's insanely jealous.

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I tried to like the hd500x but ended up staying with my pod xt live. just more fun to play sounds as good and in some cases better,I dont go direct but into a clean ch of 2 amps and maybe this is why i prefer the xt live. it growls like tubes, presets decent,fun, hd500x all presets suck  and download patches are weak,better on xt live.editing, I wondered why I was emulating my xt live patches on the 500 for no better sound/ 

 

You gotta build your own patches from the ground up to appreciate.

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You gotta build your own patches from the ground up to appreciate.

yes, maybe your right...because i am getting nowhere with any presets or downloaded tones from custom tone surprisingly,not even the patches from that 'snoot' or whatever his name is  (you tube line 6 guy)downloaded tones from him and they were ok.the feel is better on pod hd 500x but while I find most presets and downloaded tones and patches I make on pod xt live fun lively and useful,I cant seem to recreate on 500?!I run into solid state power amp and then jensen speakers

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Generally speaking, because the POD HD has so much power and flexibility built into it, the users that take the time to understand it's intricacies seem to have the most success with it.  It is far more flexible than any modeler I've ever dealt with, but it does take some investment in time to master it.

 

Personally I'm glad I made the leap to change my entire rig and go to an FRFR style setup when I went to the POD HD.  There were still a few issues there I had to overcome, but I think it provides an environment that can fully exploit the all the capabilities of the unit.  At this point I'm getting true studio quality sound from my guitar rig in a live environment which I've never been able to achieve in any other type of rig.  And I get FAR more positive comments from both the band and the audience about my guitar tone than I've ever gotten before.  I may have been able to achieve the same thing with a hybrid style system of a POD HD and an amp.  I don't know because I never tried it that way.  But I know in this setup I can dial in whatever tone I'm looking for with extraordinary precision.  And I know that what I'm hearing on stage is exactly what the audience is hearing through the PA.

 

As far as downloaded presets, I've learned from past modelers that tends to be a waste of time.  Because there's such a wide variety in configuration of guitars and rigs, it's almost impossible to get what the original creator was getting without significantly modifying the patch.  It's much better and faster to just learn to create your own.  You'll also learn a lot more about how to tweak the POD HD that way as well.

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