Using POD HD500x with an amplifier and Variax Line 6 standard guitar.

[kakarontzas]

Newbie questions!

I was using POD HD500x with Variax Line 6 standard guitar for recording with my laptop. This guitar is a modelling guitar, for example I can select Telecaster models or Stratocaster models. However, in POD HD500x most of the presets also have a modelling guitar selected.

So question no. 1: Should I have the knob of the guitar to the specific model in the selected preset, or should I have the knob on the guitar deactivated when I have selected a preset (i.e. does the guitar modeling also happens in the POD and would work with any electric guitar)?

Question no. 2: How should I connect the POD HD500x to an amplifier for live situations if only want to hear the exact same sound that I hear in my PC (i.e. I’m not interested in any amplifier effects)? I connected unbalanced out (L) to the line in of the amplifier. Is this the correct way?

Thanks

George

[silverhead]

Q1: No - the guitar modelling does not happen in the POD and will not work with any electric guitar. The modelling happens in the Variax - it's just the model selection that is stored in the POD preset and activated in the Variax when the preset is selected. When the Variax Model is stored in the HD500X preset you do not need to worry about the physical knob/setting on the Variax guitar. The stored preset model is activated on the guitar regardless of its physical model selector setting.

 

Q2: For best results if you don't want to use any capabilities of your amp you should not use an amp at all. Use  an FRFR speaker/monitor instead. If you must use your amp you should consider using what's called the 4-Cable Method (4CM). There's lots of info about that here if you search for it.

[kakarontzas]

Hi and thanks for answering.

I will look for info about the 4CM.

Regarding Q1, if I understood correctly, when using the presets of POD I should have the Variax knob deactivated since the model selection happens internally with a command received by the POD. I guess this should work only when using the Variax cable. Right?

Thansk again

George

 

[silverhead]

re: Q1 - yes this will only work with the VDI cable. I would leave the modelling activated on the Variax guitar but it doesn't matter where the knob is positioned. You're right - the modeling selection is made via command from the POD.

[pianoguyy]

I do not use an amp or a Variax, so I have no actual knowledge.... 

 

Isn't there an "override" as to if the Variax uses the preset setting or the guitar setting? 

 

As to the amp, if all he needs is a way to hear himself, doesn't 4cm seem like overkill? Why not just plug the pod's output into to amp's input. 

Two things about that - 

1. Stereo/sum-to-mono. If you are using the 1/4" instead of the XLR, you need to be mindful of the signal you are getting. It's covered in the owner's manual(s). 

2. It would probably be best to plug into the amp's fx loop input (if available), not the regular guitar input

[silverhead]

Yes there's a sort of override. In System Settings Page 7 - the Variax Options - there's a setting for Variax Control. You can select Preset or Global, with the Global setting being the override.

 

And yes, 4CM may be overkill but it is the most flexible arrangement - and unless one knows about it he/she may not know that they would actually prefer the flexibility of using either a POD amp model or the real amp at any given time. And yes, FX Return input would be better than the regular input.

[kakarontzas]

OK guys. Thanks for the info. Yesterday I connected PODs output to line in of the amp and I didn't like the sound. I'll try FX return input next time and the 4CM to see what works for me.

Best

G.