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Good Sound?


ricktar50
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I've spent hours trying to get good tones out of the HD 500...I also have the DT 50...Is there a secret I don't know about...I've been a giging and touring musician for 40 some years...It shouldn't be this hard...I've heard put eq's here and there, turn this up and that down...I've tried the L6 link, plugged in the front of amp...Nothing seems to work...I'm using a Les Paul with Zak Wylde pickups, a Strat with Lace Sensor pickups, and an ES-339...I've put the inputs to guitar and variax, centered both outputs...Somebody please give me a solution

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Hours is a good start, but it took me a few weeks of messing around to get familiar enough with this thing to get sounds I wanted.

 

Could be many things. Are you using pre-amps only, or the full models? What output setting are you on (studio/direct, combo/front, stack/front)? Do you have the cab sims on or off? All of these things will drastically affect your tone.

 

I don't have A DT series amp, but I believe that the intended set-up is a pre-amp only model with cab sims on. The output setting will then depend on exactly how you've set your signal chain...straight into the front of the amp, or into the fx return, or the 4 cable method which is detailed in a bunch of threads on the forum.

 

All of those options can be mixed and matched too...no hard and fast rules. You need to experiment a little...actually a lot, before you will be comfortable with it. Took me weeks. The 500 is a complicated beast...modelers take a little getting used to.

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I've been using modeling boards for years so they are not new to me ...I've tried full amps, pre amps..I've tried all the output settings...If I'm using the L6 Link, what output setting should I use?..I've downloaded many files...They sound great on my computer but they don't translate to a usable live sound

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you have no choice on output setting with L6 link, it configures automatically and can't be changed.  Did you even try those patches?  They are all specifically for the HD/DT and are very usable.  

 

What sort of live sound are you looking for anyways?  What's your style?

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Unfortunately there is no secret.  The HD500 is not an out of the box solution.  It is incredibly flexible but as a result very complicated and unless you are extremely lucky you won't get a good sound by just plugging it straight in.

 

You need to really understand it to get the most out of it.

 

Start with reading the ADVANCED GUIDE:  http://line6.com/support/manuals/podhd500

Then read the thread about routing options to understand exactly how the signal path works and how it affects your guitar tone: http://line6.com/support/topic/2033-pod-hd-500-500x-new-routing-schematics/?hl=routing

Then read meambobbo's guide: http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/

 

To point you in the right direction for the HD500 to DT50, the I recommend you start by using the Line6 Link connection method and try the factory supplied DT patches to see if you can get close to what you like and if you can then tweak a little from there.

 

If none are to your taste, then simply start from scratch on your HD500.  Firstly set all your amp channel control knobs to zero on your DT50 - just have the master gain engaged - that way you can ensure you don't get the DT50 knobs overriding what you set up in the patch.    Then pick a PRE version of the type of amp that you want to use in your HD500 patch.  Then add a simple reverb after that amp.  Start with that and tweak the amp control knobs on the HD500 to see if you can get near to a sound you like.  I also suggest set your HD500 inputs to INPUT 1: GUITAR and INPUT 2: VARIAX.   With your guitar collection, that input setting will start you off on the right foot - the default settings for INPUTs will cause too hot a signal to be going into the HD's signal chain at the start.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Good luck!

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Yes they are from Joost...Like i said they sound good on the computer...I've been with The Human Beingz, The Ohio Players, right now I'm in a smooth jazz band...Also getting ready for a reunion show with a band that does alot of Floyd,  Skynard, Collective Soul, Inxs..As you can see I need alot of different tones...I used to have a Boss GT8 and it did the job but it was stolen...I guess I"ll keep trying

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Do you like the sounds straight into the DT50? If so, then you have a fighting chance of getting a good sound incorporating the HD500. If not, then I suspect you'll struggle. If you do like it, then work on recreating the basic DT50 sounds via the HD500. That gives a good starting point as well as being a good exercise in itself. Finally bring in the effects on your favourite models. Remember that each amp has massive potential for poor sounds and only a couple of sweet spots - just like real life. Effects are the same and some only sound good with certain amps. Good luck!

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A further thought.  A lot of people get a better sound by turning the master volume high on the amp and low on the HD500.  It seems to wake the tubes up a bit.  Then I'd suggest trying the three Soldano (PRE) channels that are modelled.  They are all very usable with minimal tweaking and offer a massive palette of sounds between them.  Once you get swinging with them, then work outwards to other models you like and downwards into the effects.

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A further thought.  A lot of people get a better sound by turning the master volume high on the amp and low on the HD500.  It seems to wake the tubes up a bit.  Then I'd suggest trying the three Soldano (PRE) channels that are modelled.  They are all very usable with minimal tweaking and offer a massive palette of sounds between them.  Once you get swinging with them, then work outwards to other models you like and downwards into the effects.

 

+1...love the Soldano models. Been using them more than anything else...for varying degrees of dirt anyway.

 

I like the Hiway 100 for cleans, especially with the JTV Strat models.

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I have been struggling to get my DT-25 HD500X combination sound satisfactory to my taste for a long time. Especially the high gain tones just didn't come out well at the rehearsals at high volume.


At home they sounded great. They even sounded good without the band at high volume.


As soon as I played with the band it just didn't cut through and sounded like mud or just plain screetching noise.


A few months ago I made a breakthrough with the help of some double cab patches I downloaded a long time ago.


Now the high gain tones are fantastic IMO! 


 


 post-90313-0-40144300-1394275784_thumb.p


 


post-90313-0-90612100-1394275807_thumb.p


 


 


Now I make all my DT patches in a similar way. Just remember, you have to have some mono effect in front of the signal split turned on. This could also be a noise gate for instance (I use the Vintage Pre for my clean tone).


What makes this really great is that you can blend the sounds of different amps/mics/cabs.


 


For recording I make similar patches with full amps. Using this setup also seems to solve the phasing problem for me.


 


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Almost any tone that sounds good in headphones or at volumes that are "home friendly" are not going to sound good at gig volume.

Rule number two for any modeler after "This is not a plug and play solution." should be "Tweak at your expected performance volume with the equipment you will be using in the situation."

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I have been struggling to get my DT-25 HD500X combination sound satisfactory to my taste for a long time. Especially the high gain tones just didn't come out well at the rehearsals at high volume.

At home they sounded great. They even sounded good without the band at high volume.

As soon as I played with the band it just didn't cut through and sounded like mud or just plain screetching noise.

A few months ago I made a breakthrough with the help of some double cab patches I downloaded a long time ago.

Now the high gain tones are fantastic IMO! 

 

 post-90313-0-40144300-1394275784_thumb.p

 

post-90313-0-90612100-1394275807_thumb.p

 

 

Now I make all my DT patches in a similar way. Just remember, you have to have some mono effect in front of the signal split turned on. This could also be a noise gate for instance (I use the Vintage Pre for my clean tone).

What makes this really great is that you can blend the sounds of different amps/mics/cabs.

 

For recording I make similar patches with full amps. Using this setup also seems to solve the phasing problem for me.

 

 

How are you setting up your footswitches? Do you have them set to control more than the four FS?>

Also, what's the scoop on that FX loop near the end of the signal chain - outboard FX boxes?

 

Looks good! I've done some programming patches to set up FS toggles between two FX, like fuzz pi off / boost comp on, etc.

Wasn't sure if that was what you had going though

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How are you setting up your footswitches? Do you have them set to control more than the four FS?>

Also, what's the scoop on that FX loop near the end of the signal chain - outboard FX boxes?

 

Looks good! I've done some programming patches to set up FS toggles between two FX, like fuzz pi off / boost comp on, etc.

Wasn't sure if that was what you had going though

I have the Line6 Drive on permanently with Drive on or near zero. This is to have a mono effect in that position at all times. You can use any mono effect. A noise gate will do without coloring the sound. I use the Line6 drive because I like how it colors the tone (sort of like an EQ). Of course you could also toggle the effects, like you suggested.

Any way, that leaves 4 effects for the 4 footswitches in my case.

The effects loop is indeed for external effects. I have a Zoom G5 in there for delays, Exciter, EQ and boost (tube).

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