Got My 500x Today, Need Some Help

[ChaserHUN]

Okay my HD 500X arrived today.

Tried it through a Valvekings poweramp section. I don't know why but I have a nasty high ice picky fizzy sound to it, which the valveking doesn't have at all when playing it by itself, I set the output to combo poweramp, the stack pwoeramp seems more fizzier, 

 

Also didn't seem to get a really good recording tone out of it on the computer

 

I hear people getting these awesome tones, but even if I download their patches doesn't sound that good.

[ChaserHUN]

Someone please?

[edstar1960]

Someone please?

 

It is not a simple answer.  There are just too many variables that could be causing the problem and one of those could be a faulty HD500X.   There is no quick way to get the sounds that we hear demo'd by the experts in the videos and recorded by experts.  The unit has to be customised to our own set up and to our own style of playing to get the best out of it.  Unfortunately, that means reading the ADVANCED GUIDE manual for HD500x, reading through the forums to understand the routing options and the input and output options - all of these need to be understood to identify what may be going wrong in your particular instance.

 

I suggest taking a few simple steps first just to get a feel for it and try to identify what sounds best through your kit.

 

Try this:

 

1) Start with a NEW blank patch

2) In System Options:  Set INPUT 1 to GUITAR (I am assuming you are using a normal electric guitar and not a variax or JTV). set INPUT 2 to VARIAX.  (You can try setting input 2 to SAME later once you have experimented with everything else to hear the difference it makes - it effectively adds a 6db boost to the input signal).

3) Set output mode to suit what your kit:  Head + Cab then try STACK POWERAMP first, but if using a combo then try using COMBO POWERAMP.  You can also try the front options because they allow you to tweak the EQ.  Or try the STUDIO/DIRECT option if none of the others sound good to your ears.

4) Choose an AMP model for your patch.  If you are running into a power amp section of your own amp then choose a PRE model to try first - they should sound better.  If you don't like it - then try the FULL model which will include the power stage modelling but may provide a better sound for your setup.

5) Set the CAB to NO CAB !!  If you are using your own cab then don't confuse issues by using the supplied CAB + MIC modelling on the HD500X - try this only after you have got used to the your own CAB and then experiment with these options to see if you prefer any.

6) Select a suitable REVERB FX at the end of the chain - you may want to lower the default mix level to ensure it is not over powering.

7) Review the MIXER block settings.   The default is normally 0db for both L and R, and PANs set 100% L and R.  That should be fine for a standard mono sound.

8) Take the output from either L or R jack to get the "summed to mono" total signal from the HD500x and feed that into your power amp section.

9) Check that the switch on the front of the HD500x next to the EXP pedal is set to LINE and not AMP.  If you think you are feeding too hot a signal in with LINE then you can switch it to AMP, but start off with LINE.

10) Adjust the MASTER volume on the HD500x accordingly - the recommendation is to use it at full - but sometimes a lower level sounds better.

11)  Try the simple patch setup in the different output modes to see what sounds best to you.  Stick with the one that sounds best and tweak the patch further by adjusting the amp model controls.

12) Once you are almost at the sound you want, you may want to consider tweaking the AMP DEEP EDITING PARAMETERS to tweak the sound some more - these are found on the AMP screens - and its MASTER VOL, SAG, BIAS and BIAS X that will yield interesting results for tweaking the sound.

13) If it is still not to your liking then look at introducing an EQ block at the end of the fx chain to fine tune things - remove any nasty sounds and boost or enhance the desired sound

14) Once amp is about right - then look at introducing other fx - but get the amp sound right first.

 

NB:  You may find that you don't like using the power amp stage of your amp - s you can try using the HD500x in front of the amp like a standard fx pedal - or you can try the 4 cable method - or you can look at using an FRFR amp for use with the HD500x - there are lots of possibilities!  But see if you can get what you like out of your current set up first.

 

Useful links:

 

1) HD500x ADVANCED GUIDE (from L6 MANUALS DOWNLOADS) : here is the link: http://line6.com/support/manuals/podhd500x

2) meabobbos guide: http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/

3) perapera's routing thread: http://line6.com/support/topic/2033-pod-hd-500-500x-new-routing-schematics/?hl=routing

4) hurghanicos discussion on not using default INPUT settings (avoid INPUT 2 set to SAME): http://line6.com/support/topic/4927-how-has-greatly-improved-my-use-of-the-hd500/

 

Finally - if you need further help and assistance - just open up a thread and ask - there are plenty of really nice helpful people on this forum who are happy to share their advice and expertise.

 

Good luck in finding your tone and getting the most out of your HD500x!

[Jerkon]

I suggest  you connect the Pod output in the return jack of the valveking and check it out the sound.

[cruisinon2]

You're gonna find that many of the custom tone patches will be unusable, ditto for the factory presets...why? Beacause they were created by someone with a different guitar, amp, and fingers.  Just because it sounded exactly like "Comfortably Numb" to the dude who created it, doesn't mean it's gonna sound like that in your hands.

 

Then theres the issue of output selections...studio/direct, combo/front, stack/front, etc. Everything colors the sound one way or the other. The "correct" way based on your individual setup might sound like crap to you.  You have to experiment...no way around it. I do everything the "wrong" way...studio/direct out all the time, cab emulations and all, even if I'm running through an actual cabinet...to me, the preamp only outs have all the appeal of a rusty chainsaw...but with the cab sims in place, I can get endless tones I like. It's all about what sounds good to you.

 

[joel_brown]

edstar1960 gave an exceptional list of things to do. 

 

However, my first thing to try would be set your output to Studio/Direct and start there.

[Sirmount]

Excellent advice so far, I did a lot of head scratching myself as I just bought my 500x last week.  I have a prs se 30 amp and I'm using the 4CM(4 cable method) via effects loop on the back of my amp.  The first day was a waste, said screw it and tried again the next evening after work and it all came together.  As edstar1960 says "read the advanced guide manual" keep re-reading and be patient.  When it comes to the wah, be sure and change your Exp settings from 1 to 2 so you can use your volume pedal as wah wah, if you don't change the Exp from 1 to 2 your volume pedal will only be for volume.  The expression setting comes assigned to position 1 and you have to manually change it to position 2, at least I had too.

 

The 500x is reall easy to use once you get past the initial mental barriers, I still have a lot to figure out and learn.

[pratikb]

You may want to check the below link and comments by Joel_Brown. He is using a Marshall

 

http://line6.com/support/topic/5532-best-patches/

 

Pratik

[ChaserHUN]

Been playing aound, seems the best is combo power amp, and the cab sims has to be turned ON, the fizzyness is mostly gone. This is when I run it through valvekings poweramp.

 

For recording, I will upload a bit I just recorded

Also in the earphones it sounds crappy, if the headphones are connected to the POD, I've read that it needs at least 150ohm? Mine is 32....

[cruisinon2]

Been playing aound, seems the best is combo power amp, and the cab sims has to be turned ON, the fizzyness is mostly gone. This is when I run it through valvekings poweramp.

 

For recording, I will upload a bit I just recorded

Also in the earphones it sounds crappy, if the headphones are connected to the POD, I've read that it needs at least 150ohm? Mine is 32....

 

Same thing applies here...dunno about the impedance issue, but every pair of cans you plug in are gonna sound different too. Best to get a pair of decent studio headphones with the flatest frequency response you can find for the money you're willing to spend. Otherwise, if you spend much time tweeking through the headphones, and then plug into your amp, you're gonna have the same problems all over again. You might need 2 sets of patches, depending on how you're listening...

[ChaserHUN]

http://data.hu/get/7384594/podtest.wav

 

Recorded this, Bomber Uber with XXL-V30 cab sm57 off axis, sounds duller and darker than on the VK/Cab

Also on the VK it doesn't seem to be so thick like when recording

 

Another question: How can I assign a full patch to one foot switch, lets say I want my rythm to FS1 and clean to FS2?

Doesn't seem to figure tis one out

[cruisinon2]

http://data.hu/get/7384594/podtest.wav

 

Recorded this, Bomber Uber with XXL-V30 cab sm57 off axis, sounds duller and darker than on the VK/Cab

Also on the VK it doesn't seem to be so thick like when recording

 

Another question: How can I assign a full patch to one foot switch, lets say I want my rythm to FS1 and clean to FS2?

Doesn't seem to figure tis one out

 

When you save the patch, it allows you to select the "destination" switches A,B,C,D in each bank, corrrespondiong to the lower row of footswitches on the board. If you want to use the upper row of footswitches to toggle to an entire patch instead of using them to toggle various fx, I believe you need to change it in the menu settings. Press and hold the VIEW button, and you'll have access to 10 pages of other settings...it's in there somewhere. Not sure which page.

[ChaserHUN]

Can you assign to all footswitches? I tried to assign to rythm to FS-8 clean to FS-7 and put everything on these on switches, but they just acted as on-off switches, couldn't switch between the patches

[edstar1960]

Can you assign to all footswitches? I tried to assign to rythm to FS-8 clean to FS-7 and put everything on these on switches, but they just acted as on-off switches, couldn't switch between the patches

 

Yes - in the System setup menu you can choose the mode - either use it as ABCD or Fs1-8 (pedalboard mode).  When ABCD, the bottom 4 switches change patches and the top 4 can toggle fx on/off.  When F1-8 then all 8 switches toggle fx on/off in the current patch, and when in that mode the patch is changed by using the BANK up/down switches to the left.

[ChaserHUN]

So you can't assign individual patches to choose them for all 8 just for 4 th ABCD-s? This sucks a bit :(

 

Also I found somewhere on the forum that the POD HD500x needs 150-600 ohm headphones, it's "funny", I have to spend more on headphones than on the HD?

[radatats]

while they recommend high impedance headphones I am quite happy with my Shure 440's, about $100 everywhere and they are low impedance.  Just watch your volume levels with the POD master when using.

[cruisinon2]

So you can't assign individual patches to choose them for all 8 just for 4 th ABCD-s? This sucks a bit :(

 

Also I found somewhere on the forum that the POD HD500x needs 150-600 ohm headphones, it's "funny", I have to spend more on headphones than on the HD?

I never bothered to look into headphone "requirements" as such, but I'm using a $50 pair of Sennheisers, as my AKGs recently died. They work fine. Plugged in my crappy cellphone earbuds with an adapter just for laughs, and they worked too...sounded like boiled sh*t, but it works. You can buy a $500 pair if you want, but it isnt necessary.

[ColonelForbin]

If you want it to sound good, and record properly, you need to be in Studio/Direct mode on the HD500x, -AND-, you will want to run the output from the HD500x to the FX RETURN on the amplifier.

 

This will bypass all the tone stacks on the amp. This allows you to cleanly amplify the tones you are creating with your POD, including the CAB modelling and the MIC modelling.

 

In essence, you are using the power amp ONLY on your amplifier, and controlling the tones with the POD. If you are less concerned with also getting a good recording, when connected in this manner to the FX RETURN of your amp, try changing the HD500x setting to COMBO/POWERAMP.

 

This will remove the mic modelling,which means the recording will not sound right, however your amp will now take on the tone and characteristics of the amp model being created by the HD500x.

[ChaserHUN]

I've been paying around a bit more, seems if I use only the pre-amps into the VK than the sound is more balanced and I don't have to use cab sims. But the bomber uber still sounds fizzy, all the other amps sound good, is this faulty, or just the bomber uber is like this? On headphones doesn't seem to be that much fizzier than on a real cab.

 

Dou you have the same with the bomber uber?

[LutherDeLorme]

Hey Hun, have you tried the noise gate? It is a great noise gate.

 

I also have bought the Pod HD500X a few days ago and love it!!!

 

Noise gate: you can find it here : choose first effect type "Dynamics", and then first model, which is the noise gate.

[ChaserHUN]

I know how to use a noise gate, but the bomber uber sounds pretty thin and fizzy, the other amp models sound awesome, tired it today through a PA System, it was pretty awesome :P

 

I'm not really satisfied with the sound trough headphones

[bvaladez74]

Don't use the bomber amp then.  Try the Engl amp.  To me on the 500X for high gain, this sounds the most authentic to a big sounding high gain head.  I use it with the gain at about 60% and a tube screamer or tube drive in front of it.