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Pod Hd500x... The Worst Pedalboard Into The Amp?!?!?


nico74
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  • 4 months later...

Stumbled across this post as I have been looking at upgrading from my HD300 to a HD500X.

 

I also like the DT25 combo amps.

 

I don't need a lot of features. Good OD/Distortion, some chorus, delay, singing leads, patch convenience.

 

I've gotten an OD tone I "like" out of the HD300 using a Brit Plexi J-45 preamp model and a bit of Tube Driver for the OD pedal but it is still lacking something...clarity or edge, or balls . Just not quite there...

 

Worth upgrading to the 500x or should I keep my HD300 and put the money toward a DT25 and use them together?

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Stumbled across this post as I have been looking at upgrading from my HD300 to a HD500X.

 

I also like the DT25 combo amps.

 

I don't need a lot of features. Good OD/Distortion, some chorus, delay, singing leads, patch convenience.

 

I've gotten an OD tone I "like" out of the HD300 using a Brit Plexi J-45 preamp model and a bit of Tube Driver for the OD pedal but it is still lacking something...clarity or edge, or balls . Just not quite there...

 

Worth upgrading to the 500x or should I keep my HD300 and put the money toward a DT25 and use them together?

 

The 300 and 500 are the same unit. One just has 'more'. 

So, instead of 100 sounds, you get 200. Stuff like that. More EQ. More parameters. Just more. 

So, if you don't like what you hear out of your 300, you may not like what you get out of a 500 - or the 'more' may give you the tweak ability that you need. 

 

 

Personally, L6, particularly the Pod HD type units, is all about modeling. If you are using an amp then I don't know why you would want one. You pay for modeling tech and aren't using it. You can save yourself a ton of money by buying a dedicated fx unit instead of a modeling unit. 

 

 

Buy the 500 and run straight to the pa. That is when you can really see what these units are all about. Even if you aren't overdosing on fx and are just keeping it simple (like *this* patch), you understand why these units are the leaders in Modeling tech. ~~Which also makes them one of the reasons why Peavey is on the verge of bankruptcy. No need to buy amps anymore.  

 

I bought a modeler, and I will never lug an amp anywhere again. 

FYI, even in my arena/stadium days. I was always responsible for my rig. Roadies and techs may have handled the bulk of it, or the stuff that was bought solely for a big tour. But when it came to my personal gear, I am too OCD to let anyone else deal with it other than me and my personal tech - whom I consider an extension of me, rather than one of the hired help like the rest of them. 

 

Now it is just me, a couple guitars, my pod, and a utility bag. 

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The 300 and 500 are the same unit. One just has 'more'. 

So, instead of 100 sounds, you get 200. Stuff like that. More EQ. More parameters. Just more. 

So, if you don't like what you hear out of your 300, you may not like what you get out of a 500 - or the 'more' may give you the tweak ability that you need. 

 

 

Personally, L6, particularly the Pod HD type units, is all about modeling. If you are using an amp then I don't know why you would want one. You pay for modeling tech and aren't using it. You can save yourself a ton of money by buying a dedicated fx unit instead of a modeling unit. 

 

 

Buy the 500 and run straight to the pa. That is when you can really see what these units are all about. Even if you aren't overdosing on fx and are just keeping it simple (like *this* patch), you understand why these units are the leaders in Modeling tech. ~~Which also makes them one of the reasons why Peavey is on the verge of bankruptcy. No need to buy amps anymore.  

 

I bought a modeler, and I will never lug an amp anywhere again. 

FYI, even in my arena/stadium days. I was always responsible for my rig. Roadies and techs may have handled the bulk of it, or the stuff that was bought solely for a big tour. But when it came to my personal gear, I am too OCD to let anyone else deal with it other than me and my personal tech - whom I consider an extension of me, rather than one of the hired help like the rest of them. 

 

Now it is just me, a couple guitars, my pod, and a utility bag. 

Thanks for the response. I've never been able to get a good tone going direct to the PA out it. Always mushy sounding and overly compressed with no "cut". Mind you I have not had the opportunity to mess around with it that much as I do not own the PA I typically have to play through. Thanks for the patch link. If you have any others you can recommend that would work on the HD300 feel free to link them. I will give them a try. I find the custom tone site somewhat hard to plow through to find something good.

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...

 

Personally, L6, particularly the Pod HD type units, is all about modeling. If you are using an amp then I don't know why you would want one. You pay for modeling tech and aren't using it. You can save yourself a ton of money by buying a dedicated fx unit instead of a modeling unit. 

 

...

 

I use my HD500X as a MIDI controller for a H&K GM36 - and for input effects like TS, wah, volume pedal, EQ (mid-boost per meambobo), compressor, etc.  And if my H&K dies at a gig (I have an inherent distrust in tube amps), I can use the HD as a backup straight into the PA.  So I have an amp, a 1x12 cab, and one box on the floor.  And I can get many really good tones.  And have redundancy fail-over.  That's why...

-Bob

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  • 2 months later...

I realize this is an old topic and the op has probably long since been signed by a major label so he can get his gear for free.

 

I only used effects (no preamp, amp, or cabinet.) I put the mixer/looper at the end of the fx blocks.

 

On Page 4 of the settings where you select that you are going into the front of an amp, There is also a setting for HIs and  LOWs. For some reason the default is -50. I dialed mine up to FLAT. It still sound more dull than direct, but it sounded much better.

 

Of course make all of the other changes to.

input 1 guitar, 2 (some different),

Impedence = Auto.

1/4 output switch= Amp

Guitar pad or normal.

 

I'd like to hear why Line-6 would roll off the frequencies so dramatically for a front of AMP setting.

 

 

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I have one pod HD500x and I have one BIG Headache!

 

First of all, I read and read and read and read again.

I have one ENGL Blackmore signature head.

 

Using 4 cable Method = Hum noise.

 

GUITAR -> POD-> |POD FX SEND-> ENGL INPUT -> |  ENGL FX SEND -> POD FX RETURN | POD 1/4" LEFT OUTPUT -> ENGL FX RETURN

 

Using 3 cables = no noise.

 

 

GUITAR -> ENGL INPUT -> | ENGL FX SEND -> POD FX RETURN | POD 1/4" LEFT OUTPUT -> ENGL FX RETURN

_________________________________________________________

 

SO, NOISE COMES FROM POD FX SEND.

 

To have same signal strenght (as the guitar pluged direct to amp) I have to mute channel B in Mixer and Center Channel A with more 5db.

___________________________

I use noise gates, hard gates, but nothing stop hum noise comes out from fx send.
 

I dont use any amp simulation, no cab, and I try with new blank pacth only with noise gate in front of chain, mixer +5db, FXloop, nothing more.

 

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I have one pod HD500x and I have one BIG Headache!

 

First of all, I read and read and read and read again.

 

I have one ENGL Blackmore signature head.

 

Using 4 cable Method = Hum noise.

 

GUITAR -> POD-> |POD FX SEND-> ENGL INPUT -> | ENGL FX SEND -> POD FX RETURN | POD 1/4" LEFT OUTPUT -> ENGL FX RETURN

 

Using 3 cables = no noise.

 

 

GUITAR -> ENGL INPUT -> | ENGL FX SEND -> POD FX RETURN | POD 1/4" LEFT OUTPUT -> ENGL FX RETURN

_________________________________________________________

 

SO, NOISE COMES FROM POD FX SEND.

 

To have same signal strenght (as the guitar pluged direct to amp) I have to mute channel B in Mixer and Center Channel A with more 5db.

 

___________________________

 

I use noise gates, hard gates, but nothing stop hum noise comes out from fx send.

 

I dont use any amp simulation, no cab, and I try with new blank pacth only with noise gate in front of chain, mixer +5db, FXloop, nothing more.

 

 

The FX loop is noisy...not much can be done about it. It's a common gripe,but unfortunately its just the nature of the beast.

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I have one pod HD500x and I have one BIG Headache!

 

Try this patch which gives 4CM with no FX Loop.

 

Guitar > POD Guitar in > POD Left 1/4 out > Amp in > Amp FX Send > POD AUX in > POD Right 1/4 out > Amp FX Return

 

Keep the volume down to make sure you have no feedback and use the mixer to set levels before adding FX.

 

http://line6.com/customtone/tone/1186833/

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Radatats

Try this patch which gives 4CM with no FX Loop.
 
 
 
Guitar > POD Guitar in > POD Left 1/4 out > Amp in > Amp FX Send > POD AUX in > POD Right 1/4 out > Amp FX Return
 
 
 
Keep the volume down to make sure you have no feedback and use the mixer to set levels before adding FX.
 
 
 

 

 

I try patch but I can use it, always have lo output or feedback. Try down chanel A and UP chanel B. But doesnt work good

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I do not use the HD500x out live I spent a month of Sundays trying to get a good live sound out of it I still use  the HD at home or for studio and for that I think it is great I don't use the dt25 or the jtv59 either which I will sell. I have gone back to basics for live sound which is a good valve amp in my case a Victory vc30 and a few good guitars in my case Gibby Les Paul and PRS guitars not necessary the most expensive models. I have bought reasonably cheap pedals and made up my own pedal board in the send return are TC electronics mini Hof , mini flashback and a Mooer Trelicoptor trem in the front end a spark drive mini TS and Tone city Bad horse (klon clone) might be joined later by a Mooer audio Rumble for a bit of Dumble sound which is something several of us had asked for in ideas but was never implemented in the HD either as an amp sim or pedal. A few months ago I was over in Austria and just took the vc30 and the hof for ease of travel and relied on the OD channel on the amp for od and just turned the volume down on the guitar for clean it worked great just like it did many years ago and sometimes I think we make things too complicated for ourselves 

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  • 1 year later...
  • 9 months later...

I just ran into the same issue. I’m running a Fender Super Twin, and a PodHD500X... I’m now seeing my pod will be used as an effects processor, and I will find a different path for distortion. I’m going WAY back... Korg Toneworks G1... in 1999, I ran the same combo: G1, emg81 bridge pickup, SuperTwin l w/Celestion G12L-35 in a 4X12 cab... adding in the PodHD500X with the same setup, and a Variax JTV-89, will make this unit a recording god.

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Agreed with a lot of the comments...you're preamping a preamp, Need to find a slave in setting so it bypasses the preamp and only utilizes the power amp. Probably been said 100 times up ^^^ there, but wasn't reading every post! lol Hope you get it figured out! It's frustrating as hell when it all goes haywire! I have the Spider IV HD150 which I LOVE and recently picked up the POD HD Pro X and was almost to the point of taking the POD back cause I couldn't figure out a knob turn which made my pedal work! lol

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  • 5 months later...
On 8/27/2014 at 6:48 AM, nico74 said:

Dear dead_zee ,

 

there is no way to obtain something Cool playing the pod into the amp.

However the pod sounds very good directly to the mixer.

 

I opened This topic some month ago'. Then after trying all solutions,i sent the pod hd500 back to the vendor and i received my money back.

 

For me this topic is closed.

So even though this thread is very old, I bought the 500x yesterday and wanted to give my opinion:
Out of the box, it didn't sound great. I had a similar problem with the distortion sounding too compressed, and sounding nothing like distortion said. However, after spending about three hours making my own tone, I was surprised by how good the Screamer distortion can sound through my Roland Blues Cube amp. It gives me (nearly) the EXACT lead tone I want. 
I later, rather than plugging into the amp input, plugged into the effects return and set the output on the pod as Combo PWR Amp, and my problem was pretty much completely fixed. When it was set as direct studio, it sounded pretty awful through my amp.

It really comes down to the amp imo, some amps work perfectly with it, others don't. As said, the output settings play a huge factor in it as well.
My patch isn't setup exactly how I want it to be yet, but WOW the HD500x helped me get close within the span of a day.

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On 7/6/2018 at 4:16 PM, Andoryu77 said:

... rather than plugging into the amp input, plugged into the effects return and set the output on the pod as Combo PWR Amp, and my problem was pretty much completely fixed. When it was set as direct studio, it sounded pretty awful through my amp.

 

If you are using amp models on the POD... then there are two approaches. One is to do what you are doing which turns of the cab/mic sim and turns on "live cabs". The other is to leave it in Studio Direct mode and turn off the cab/mic sim in the amp model and just let your speaker do the work of a speaker without any cab modeling at all. 

 

IMO, I prefer the latter approach because I don't like the "live cab" simulation. I set my HD500 in Studio Direct mode and leave it. When I go into the front end of an amp I turn off all amp modeling and just use the HD for effects. If I go into the power amp input of an amp/cab I turn on the amp model but disengage the cab/mic sim. If I go direct to console I use the entire amp model. 

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