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Hd500x - Output To Mixer And Amp


onetruevibe
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Hello all, 

 

I can't find it today, but I saw somewhere on here instructions for sending two outputs from the HD500X - one direct to the mixing console and another to my amp.

 

IIRC: XLR Left Output to the mixing console and the 1/4" Left output to my amp. Does that sound correct?  What output setting do you recommend I use?

 

Thanks for helping out a noob.

 

 

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Send BOTH XLR outs to the mixing board because they do not sum.  Each sends only its own side of the signal. 

 

Send the left 1/4 out to your amp because it DOES sum; both left and right signals will then go to your amp.

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Thanks for the quick response, radatats.  I was wondering about that - I know that some of the effects are in stereo and I would want to be sure what was coming out of the mains matched what was happening on stage.  So, I guess I'll be taking up two channels on the mixing console going forward.   :)  Unless I do a submix.

 

What output setting should I use?  Should I use the Studio/Direct as recommended for mixing consoles, or what is recommended for my amp?

 

Thanks again guys!!

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Thanks jandrio.  I'll give the noise gate a shot.  It's good to see I have options.

 

I have to ask, though - is what I'm trying to do uncommon?    Certainly, I want my guitar in the stage monitor mix, but since I am often positioned beside the drummer, I like to have a little extra stage volume for myself.  It seems like I am having to dial-in a workaround for what I would think is a pretty common set up.  I don't know.  Maybe not.  Maybe I'm missing something.

 

I wonder if I can make use of the PHONES output?  Or - maybe I can use the 1/4" L output and send it to my amp, and then use the line-level output from my amp to send to the signal to the mixing console?

 

Thanks again everyone! 

 

EDIT TO ADD:  Here's a link to the archived thread a referred to in my original post, where a Line 6 Customer Support dude (Line6David) recommended sending the unbalanced L/mono to the amp and the balanced L XLR to the mixing console: http://line6.com/supportarchivenew/thread/77161

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I'm a bit neurotic, so bear with me.  I'm also not an expert on the HD500X.  I'm new to this awesomely sophisticated and amazingly powerful FX processor.  These are just my observations as I try to acquaint myself with the HD and try to work it into my situation.  Maybe someone out there will find this helpful - or even better - correct my thinking if I have any of this wrong.

 

Anyway - here goes:

 

Situation: I would like to be able to send outputs from the HD to both the mixing console (direct) and to my amp on stage (to control my own stage volume).  Without in-ear monitors, I have no way to control my stage volume in the stage monitors - which this is important.
 
The Issue: There is only one "summed" stereo output off of the HD - the 1/4" Left Mono.  All of the other outputs (1/4" R mono and the L and R XLRs) represent only their respective sides of stereo.  That said, if I use the 1/4" L Mono out to run direct to the mixing console, a "summed" stereo signal will come out of the Mains and the audience will rejoice!  However, I now have only the 1/4" R mono or the L and R XLRs to send to my stage monitor - which means I will only be hearing the L or R side of whatever I am playing.  If I switch up these scenario, then the audience will only hear one side of the stereo signal - and cease rejoicing.
 
Implications: Whenever using stereo FX (e.g. stereo delay, phaser, etc.), someone is only going to hear half of the signal. I imagine this might be problematic when using a stereo phaser set up for L/R - when the signal pans to the unrepresented side of stereo, I imagine that the audience would hear.....nada.  Right?
 
Possible Workarounds:
 
1. Send 1/4" L mono to mixing console and rely on the stage monitors - and risk blasting the vocalists when trying to hear myself over the drummer.
2. Send XLR L mono to the mixing console and deprive the audience of the R side of the stereo signal - and send the 1/4" L mono to my amp.
3. Send both XLRs to the mixing console and take up two channels on the board - and send the 1/4" L mono to my amp.
4. Send the 1/4" L mono to my amp, and mic the amp.
5. Refrain from using stereo FX?
 
Another interesting issue this presents is - what output setting should you use in the HD Utilities?  Studio/Direct makes sense if you are sending directly to the mixing console via XLR or 1/4" L mono - but if you are also sending to your amp...Studio/Direct is not necessarily the best output setting for that component.

 

I'm thinking Line 6 must have had the following setups in mind:

 

1. Send both XLRs (or 1/4" L mono) to the mixing console and rely on the monitor mix for stage volume.  Having an Aviom unit or similar would make this a perfect set up.

2. Send the 1/4" L mono to the guitar amp, and mic the amp - send that to the mixing console.

 

So tell me - am I understanding all of this correctly?  Someone chime in, because if I have this wrong, I don't want to spread misinformation.

 

Thanks!

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Ahhhh! (face palm)!  This would allow me to use workaround #3 - send XLRs to mixing console (using up just one channel) and the 1/4" L mono to my amp for stage volume!  I'll order one of these and try it over the weekend!  

 

Outstanding is still the question of what output setting to use on the HD.  Studio/Direct works for the send to the mixing console, but probably isn't optimal for the send to the amp.  

 

I still think I'm trying to make this thing do something it wasn't designed to do.   :huh:

 

Once I get the Y adapter, I'll play around with the output settings to see if I can make something work.

 

Thanks again guys for taking the time to respond.

 

Brian

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Instead of using y-splitter cable, consider placing a noise gate as your last FX to sum up to mono.
Then you could send only one XLR to PA.

There are articles out there recommending not to use y-cables, claiming that "a wye-connector used to mix two signals into one is being abused and may even damage the equipment involved".

Check out this one:

http://www.rane.com/note109.html

op download the pdf:
http://www.rane.com/pdf/ranenotes/Why_Not_Wye.pdf

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No need for the spliter.  Just make sure your signal at the end is mono and both XLR outputs will be identical.

 

Thanks Charlie!  Sorry for the noobie follow up question - can you give me an example of how I can make sure the signal is mono at the end of the chain?  Is there a specific FX that I can use to accomplish this?  jandrio recommended a noise gate at the end of the chain.  Are there other ways?

 

Thanks!

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Outstanding is still the question of what output setting to use on the HD.  Studio/Direct works for the send to the mixing console, but probably isn't optimal for the send to the amp.  

 

 

I do it the "wrong" way and leave everything on studio/direct...cab emulations and all, sometimes into the front of a head and cab, sometimes into a separate Carvin tube poweramp and cab. Why? I like the way it sounds, and I find it easier to tweek...and that's really all that matters. I've talked to a few others on here who run similar setups (into cambo amps, etc...but all running studio/direct). All boils down to what you like...I find that using just the preamp out has all the aural appeal of a bandsaw...particularly with high gain patches, but that's just me. Your mileage may vary...but there's no "right" or "wrong". There are other threads around where this is discussed...just not sure which ones, lol.

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Thanks Charlie!  Sorry for the noobie follow up question - can you give me an example of how I can make sure the signal is mono at the end of the chain?  Is there a specific FX that I can use to accomplish this?  jandrio recommended a noise gate at the end of the chain.  Are there other ways?

 

Thanks!

you can put any mono FX block as the last block in your chain to ensure you have identical signals on left and right XLR and 1/4 outs.  See the link below for the full list of stereo and mono effects in the 500. 

 

There are a lot of good articles in the knowledge base.  Don't just rely on the forums for answers.

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/stereomono-fx-list-for-pod-hd-r567

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The noise gate is the less DSP consuming FX, with no tone coloring.

I believe it is the optimum choice for summing up to mono.

 

Not to be contradictory, but I gave this approach a shot and found the exact opposite to be true.   I added a noise gate to the end of the line on several of the presets in the pre-loaded set lists and experienced dramatic changes in the tone.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong.   :unsure:

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also remember that to have a good direct tone you need cab and mic modeling, but most people find that that doesn't provide a very good tone through a guitar amp. Thats why its so confusing as to why we don't have dual output options for the XLR and 1/4" i.e. one (XLR) gets cab/mic modeling all the time while one (1/4") goes "amp"....

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Are you setting noise to gate to the "off" settings (Decay 100%, Threshold 0%)? That should be pretty transparent. Studio EQ should be pretty good too.

 

If I was running your setup I'd leave it in studio direct. I won't sound quite as good on stage but you should be able to get a workable tone while the FOH (and your audience) will get the best sound.

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Not to be contradictory, but I gave this approach a shot and found the exact opposite to be true.   I added a noise gate to the end of the line on several of the presets in the pre-loaded set lists and experienced dramatic changes in the tone.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong.   :unsure:

 

Decay 100%, Threshold 0%, as per  dbagchee's post.

The Studio EQ is NOT a mono FX, it is a "True Stereo".

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects/pod/stereomono-fx-list-for-pod-hd-r567

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Decay 100%, Threshold 0% - that's where I was going wrong.   Thanks, guys, for being so patient.

 

I'm using Studio/Direct now with the noise gate at the end of the chain on my FX.  

 

XLR L Direct and 1/4" L to my Yamaha MSR100 stage monitor. 

 

I think I'm good to go.  You guys rock!

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Interesting stuff - I have the dreamrig so my amp is being serviced by Link 6.  Should I use the XLRs to go to the mixing board?  Since the output of the HD 500 is changing given the patch - Electric Guitar vs Accoustic patch, will that be an issue for the mixer?

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  • 9 months later...

Hi there,

 

Sorry to bring up an old post again but having just purchased one of these units I wanted to get the basics right. I'm looking at using the unit live going directly into a mixer to be run through the PA.

 

As I understand I should use the Balanced XLR outputs on the back of the unit to go into the desk. The desk Im using is a Yamaha MG166CX. Avoiding the wye splitter, there is only one XLR input per channel. Do I either run the XLR L out into a balanced input on the desk, and run the XLR R into another balanced channel on the desk, creating 2 channels on the desk overall, or do I just run the XLR L out into a balanced XLR input on the desk, and just add a noise gate onto every patch I use with the Decay 100% and Threshold 0%. By doing that will it create a stereo signal even though I'm only using one XLR output?

 

Regards

Paul

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Hi Paul, 

 

I think you have it right.  So, if you want your stereo FX to come through the mains, you'll want a separate channel on the desk for L and R - and even pan each channel to the desired side.  So:

 

XLR Left out into channel 1.  Pan channel 1 left.

XLR Right out into channel 2.  Pan channel 2 right.

 

If you're not concerned about stereo, throw a noise gate at the end of your FX chains and send XLR left out to the desk.

 

Others will chime in if I'm off track.

 

Brian

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This all seems to be overcomplicating it to me, but maybe I'm missing something.  I just use a 1/4" out (left) into a DI box, which has an XLR to the sound board.  Then I use a wedge as my on stage monitor and just tell the sound guy what I need in that monitor.  I don't really use stereo effects, so maybe that's why I don't seem to have an issue. 

 

Am I missing something?

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  • 3 months later...

Hi everyone,

I've read through this chain here and am a bit confused on the connections here...  This chain has been helpful though to understand the outputs from the POD HD500x.  Just so everyone is aware; I am simply looking at purchasing the HD500x and was just wondering how to connect the pedal to a sound board.

 

From what I can understand after reading through this, there are two options...

  1. Use the 1/4" L Unbalanced output to send to the board because this output mixes both left and right channels.
  2. Use a Noise Gate to use the XLR outputs to connect to the board.

The part where I am confused is with #2...  How does this connection actually work?  Are both L and R XLR outputs connecting to a noise gate and the noise gate has an XLR out that goes to the sound board?  From reading the latest post it sounds like the L XLR out goes to the board and the noise gate is connecting to the R output?

 

Also; could you give me an example of a noise gate that you all use?

 

Forgive me if I'm asking some rather dumb questions.

 

Thanks,

Spgrooms

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I think your biggest hurdle here is the output mode.

 

You can only use one output mode at a time. Set it for Studio/Direct and it will use all the power amp, speaker, and mic emulation and should sound pretty good into the P.A. , However it will most likely not sound so good into a regular guitar amp. Set it for Combo/Stack and it will disable power amp, speaker and mic emulations and will not sound good direct to P.A. but should sound good into a guitar amp.

 

-Max

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Spgrooms - 

 

The back of the HD has 2 XLR and 2 1/4" outputs. You could use any one of those to connect directly to the soundboard. The most simple set up would be:

 

1. Plug your guitar into the HD

2. Plug the HD into an electrical outlet.

3. Use the XLR (left) output on the HD and plug it directly into the input channel on your sound board.  

 

You're ready to go!

 

Sending both the L and R outputs to separate channels of the sound board is only needed if you are using stereo FX and what that to translate to the mains. I wouldn't worry about that at this point.

 

The noise gate we were discussing is a digital FX that comes with the HD.  It's internal and can be used at the end of your FX chain to mono stereo FX.  Again, I wouldn't spend much time on that at this point.  You can grow into these more sophisticated configurations.

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I think your biggest hurdle here is the output mode.

 

You can only use one output mode at a time. Set it for Studio/Direct and it will use all the power amp, speaker, and mic emulation and should sound pretty good into the P.A. , However it will most likely not sound so good into a regular guitar amp. Set it for Combo/Stack and it will disable power amp, speaker and mic emulations and will not sound good direct to P.A. but should sound good into a guitar amp.

 

-Max

 

The settings on the board is certainly one part of it, yes, however I am mainly curious what the people in this post concluded after their discussion, specifically 'onetruevibe' as he essentially has the same question as me, and they came to a good conclusion, I just don't fully understand their conclusion from the discussion.  Obviously; it all comes down to the sound that you like, but it would certainly have a nice place to start!

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Spgrooms - 

 

The back of the HD has 2 XLR and 2 1/4" outputs. You could use any one of those to connect directly to the soundboard. The most simple set up would be:

 

1. Plug your guitar into the HD

2. Plug the HD into an electrical outlet.

3. Use the XLR (left) output on the HD and plug it directly into the input channel on your sound board.  

 

You're ready to go!

 

Sending both the L and R outputs to separate channels of the sound board is only needed if you are using stereo FX and what that to translate to the mains. I wouldn't worry about that at this point.

 

The noise gate we were discussing is a digital FX that comes with the HD.  It's internal and can be used at the end of your FX chain to mono stereo FX.  Again, I wouldn't spend much time on that at this point.  You can grow into these more sophisticated configurations.

 

Haha; after reading this I realized that the board has it's own internal noise gate that you can add... that makes way too much sense :)  If I only connect the L channel of the XLR to the board it will only receive the Left portion of the stereo output; assuming I have the settings on the board set appropriately.  The noise gate would be placed at the end of the chain to achieve a mono stereo output, correct?

 

Depending on the board and speaker system in use at the stage; that will really dictate whether you should provide a mono or stereo output; i.e. do they have separate left and right speakers or are they using a mono system.

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Haha; after reading this I realized that the board has it's own internal noise gate that you can add... that makes way too much sense :)  If I only connect the L channel of the XLR to the board it will only receive the Left portion of the stereo output; assuming I have the settings on the board set appropriately.  The noise gate would be placed at the end of the chain to achieve a mono stereo output, correct?

 

Depending on the board and speaker system in use at the stage; that will really dictate whether you should provide a mono or stereo output; i.e. do they have separate left and right speakers or are they using a mono system.

 

Yes.  The L - XLR would only be the left side of any stereo FX you have applied to a patch. A noise gate at the end would mix the stereo FX into one "mono" signal.

 

I believe the 1/4" L mono does this be default (i.e. without the noise gate).

 

Correct about the speakers.  I think most house speakers would be split left and right.  So if it's important to your sound (e..g. a panning phaser effect), you would want a separate channel on the board - one split L and one split R.

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if you put the mixer after the last stereo effect and pan everything to one side it will save 1 effects slot.

 

there are more outputs on the pod: spdif and headphones obviously, but also the fx loop.

while many including myself feel it may introduce additional latency and noise, you cant beat the versatility. its like a y-adapter anywhere in the chain. in fact the latency and noise should probably be about the same as that of the main outs (not using and not counting the fx loop return a/d-ing which is not used in this scenario). unless they used a cheaper solution for the fx loop.

fx loop mix needs to be set to zero, send to 0,0 (100%). fx loop send doesnt seem to be mono though  (fx loop return L can be used as mono).

fx loop can be put into a dual path. then with mix set to 100 or 1 path muted in the mixer you can get 2 really independent stereo signals out.

and it doesnt care about combo or studio settings.

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  • 4 months later...

Ok, let's resurrect this thread. I'm about to receive a pod hd500x tomorrow and I play live twice a week. I had a pod hd500 a long time ago and feel the urge to dive in deeper this time running direct and using my in ear monitors. My question is based on so many threads I've read with tech jargon that sound like Mr Spock trying to make biscuits, but never making it clear. I've read some saying run both close direct to snake as signal is stereo, and not summed which 1/4 left does. Or add noise gate at end of signal to sum stereo. Also I read that Stereo fx are the only reason to run stereo? I love the sound of dual amps, and my question is simple I hope. In order to run dual amps that sound great direct, do I need to pan one amp left and the other amp hard right in the signal chain, and balance them on the channel sliders on the board in sound booth? Or do I just a balance them in the signal to middle on both amps, and run both xlrs out?

 

I know I can always run a 1/4 in left out for a summed mono signal, but I truly want to try the stereo thing. Do all my fx have to be stereo if I am running stereo? Pan left? right? Downsides?

 

Thanks for any help crew. Cheers.

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I run dual amps frequently.

 

In the mixer, I pan both path A and B to Center, mixing both amp sounds together on both sides. This gives me either L or R XLR to run to whatever I want. I could just use one side if I wanted to and still hear both blended amps. Downside to this, is that your stereo effects are mono-ized, which I don't care about (guess that doesn't really help you now does it?)

 

I think if you want dual amps and stereo effects, you're going to have to keep the amp sounds separate or maybe just not blended altogether. I don't use stereo effects so maybe someone else can chime in about that.

 

For those folks who have had the question about running direct to PA as well as a guitar speaker, you would have to have a dual amp patch (in studio/direct) panned hard left and right and disable path B's cab emulation (and thus the mic emulation), sending the Left signal (path a) to the mixer and the Right (B ) to Guitar Speaker (and if you want to get extra dirty, depending on if you're running through a separate power amp and cab you could choose an amp's PRE equivalent).

 

I personally like the sound of studio direct coming though a speaker cab so I don't bother with all that!

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 I've read with tech jargon that sound like Mr Spock trying to make biscuits, but never making it clear.

 

I am going to give one of those "says a lot, but says nothing" answers... 

 

I always, and suggest others always, run two channels to the pa. On the board, one channel is left and one channel is right. 

It is then up to me and my programming to use or not to use the left/right separation if I want it. 

For some songs I do, for some songs I don't. But because I am already plugged in to the board with L/R, it works when it needs to work. 

 

 

Of course, the majority of locals don't have space on the board for two channels, nor should they be running in stereo. 

 

 

**Dual amps don't have to run left/right. Sometimes the mixing of the two together is what makes them sound great. 

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I am going to give one of those "says a lot, but says nothing" answers... 

 

I always, and suggest others always, run two channels to the pa. On the board, one channel is left and one channel is right. 

It is then up to me and my programming to use or not to use the left/right separation if I want it. 

For some songs I do, for some songs I don't. But because I am already plugged in to the board with L/R, it works when it needs to work. 

 

 

Of course, the majority of locals don't have space on the board for two channels, nor should they be running in stereo. 

 

 

**Dual amps don't have to run left/right. Sometimes the mixing of the two together is what makes them sound great.

 

This is great to hear. My question then would be, when you are running them both, do I need to pan hard left or right on anything? I'm new to the stereo idea, but I definitely want to make use of all possible features, or at least test them. Thanks.

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I'm the OP for this thread. After over a year and a half since starting thus..here's what I do. It's not as complex as we try to make it.

 

90% of the time, I send XLR L out to a direct box running to a single channel at the mixing consolue. I use the 1/4" L mono out to run to my extra powered stage monitor.

 

For that 1% of the time when I have a stereo effect (usually phaser) that needs to pan L and R through the mains, I send L and R XLR to independent channels on the mixer - one panned left and the other right. Still..1/4" L to my monitor.

 

If neither of these set ups meet your needs, you've out grown these forums and congrats!!!

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I'm the OP for this thread. After over a year and a half since starting thus..here's what I do. It's not as complex as we try to make it.

90% of the time, I send XLR L out to a direct box running to a single channel at the mixing consolue. I use the 1/4" L mono out to run to my extra powered stage monitor.

For that 1% of the time when I have a stereo effect (usually phaser) that needs to pan L and R through the mains, I send L and R XLR to independent channels on the mixer - one panned left and the other right. Still..1/4" L to my monitor.

If neither of these set ups meet your needs, you've out grown these forums and congrats!!!

That's great. Last question? Why run to a direct box? doesn't the pod connect direct to snake no problem?

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