# Line 6 HD 500X anyone using this?



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

As a long time Vox Tonelab user I'm quite comfortable going ampless for shows.

As my Tonelab is a bit dated I'm considering moving to a Line 6 HD500 X which is their latest and greatest modeler.

It seems powerful.

Anyone tried this unit? Any comments or observations?


http://line6.com/podhd/


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Also, and I'm trying to google this, is it possible to use a James Tyler Variax with a wireless or do you have to use the special cord?


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2014)

Milkman said:


> Also, and I'm trying to google this, is it possible to use a James Tyler Variax with a wireless or do you have to use the special cord?


If you want to link presets on the HD500 with presets on the Variax you have to use the special cable.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Thanks.

So if I understand correctly, some functionality would be lost but the sounds are still there.

I don't have the Variax but I might consider one.

You can't go by YouTube clips but the sounds I'm hearing so far are amazing.

I'll have one to try out next week.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Nobody?

Ok, I'll be the guinea pig.


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

I have a Variax/HD500. Sounds are there. Great combo that covers pretty much everything.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2014)

Milkman said:


> So if I understand correctly, some functionality would be lost but the sounds are still there.


Yea. It outputs the modeled sounds on both the digital out and the analog out.

The advantage to the digital out is you drop one stage of A/D/D/A conversions when communicating with the Variax, and you can have the models on the guitar change when you change patches on the HD 500 with your feet.

Even if you don't use the modeled sounds, the guitars are really nice. L&M currently has the USA-made Tyler Variaxs on blowout. Under $2k for a USA-made Tyler is a helluva deal really.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

iaresee said:


> Yea. It outputs the modeled sounds on both the digital out and the analog out.
> 
> The advantage to the digital out is you drop one stage of A/D/D/A conversions when communicating with the Variax, and you can have the models on the guitar change when you change patches on the HD 500 with your feet.
> 
> Even if you don't use the modeled sounds, the guitars are really nice. L&M currently has the USA-made Tyler Variaxs on blowout. Under $2k for a USA-made Tyler is a helluva deal really.



Thanks for that. I think being wireless is more important overall for my shows than the added functionality of the cable.

That _would _be handy though.

There's actually a Tyler Variax I can get used for a very reasonable price. That may happen down the road, but I think the Pod is goingto keep me busy for awhile.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Ok, I picked up a new HD500X just now. Of course, I'll have to stare at it at work this afternoon but look forward to a test flight this evening.

I hope there's something good on TV for the missus.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Ok I'll be diving into the presets for a week or so. First impression is that the sounds are stunning but ridiculously bathed in effects.

They have everything and they intend to use it all, LOL.

That's easily remedied and as I recall, the patches in my ToneLabs were similarly over produced.

There's just one thing so far. I actually had to go on the net to find this out. I couldn't believe it.

No power switch? Seriously?

LMAO. Talk about feeling like an idiot. It powered right up(of course) and as I wasn't planning on getting into it I looked for the on / off button. I mean, I really searched, read the manual....no mention of it.

Weird.


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2014)

I don't think I've ever picked up a set of factory presets and not been all "WAAAAAY too much effects" about them. Even the Axe-Fx factory patches are nuts.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Ok, I'll be the guinea pig. (sig) You can have my flu shot. /QUOTE]
> 
> These don't really go together very well. I wish you good health.
> 
> ...


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Yeah it's kind of funny on reflection.

I remember trying a Digitech when I was shopping for what would eventually be a ToneLab and wow. I hit one chord and I think it's still reverberating somewhere.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Well as I move through the presets and s crape away the massive effects, I'm getting down to some very tasty and useful patches. The amps are very responsive.

I tried the 1 X 12 Tweed Deluxe and it compares very well to the actual one I built last year.

There's definitely a learning curve, but I'll get this thing dialed in.

The sounds are as good as anything I've used (including my conventional amps and pedals).


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Milkman said:


> There's just one thing so far. I actually had to go on the net to find this out. I couldn't believe it.
> 
> No power switch? Seriously?
> 
> ...


My Digitech unit is the same. I just put an in-line switch in the cord.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Steadfastly said:


> My Digitech unit is the same. I just put an in-line switch in the cord.



Well, I've got mine plugged into a nice Furman surge protected power bar with a switch. It just struck me as very strange.

Other than that I'm getting used to the functions.

Like I said, once you strip away the kid in a candy store effects the sounds are amazing.


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## itf? (May 27, 2009)

I have an HD500 that is my backup rig on larger shows and my full rig for smaller shows. You're absolutely right, once you strip the patches down to the effects you actually need they sound great. The amp sims are a huge step up from previous pods. The only one that gave me considerable trouble was the AC30, but after discovering and tweaking some of the deep editing features in the software editor it came to life as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

Oddly enough the AC30 is the one amp sim on the Pod HD I had the most difficulty dialing in also. As my main amp is a Vox I was pretty frustrated to the point I actually put a Tech 21 Liverpool in the Pods loop to use as my main amp sim.
The secret to the Pods AC30 sim for me was running the master open full and using the channel volume to the desired volume. Made huge difference, and made the AC30 sim shine. Don't know why this only applies to the AC30 sim.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

My taste in amps seems to be Fender for cleans and Marshall for dirt.

I find (not surprisingly) that I tend to play with two or three amp sims and that's about it. I really have no use for the treadplate amp sims or the other high gain amps so far at least.

I modified one patch based on a Marshall Plexi and added a stereo analog flange. I swear, when I plug a Strat into that with headphones I instantly feel flash back effects to an acid trip sometime in the 70s.

It really does sound good to my ears.


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

Just saw there's a new firmware update coming for the Pod HD series, although you have to purchase the amp model upgrades. Seems like there are some very cool offerings, including a Global EQ. Expected release is set for March I believe.
_

POD HD 2.6

*Global EQ*—Three fully parametric bands plus low and high cut filters, available from an additional Setup menu page; we had to do quite a bit of clever optimization to fit Global EQ, and you might see a tiny bit of extra DSP for other blocks (a few percent perhaps)
*Metal Pack ($49)*—Peavey 5150 (block logo), Bogner Shiva, Remastered JCM800 (model 2204), plus favorite POD Farm models Insane, Big Bottom, Varaic'ed Plexi, Purge, Aggro, Smash, and Octone
*Vintage Pack ($49)*—Roland JC-120, Fender Champ (Tweed), Orange OR-80, VOX AC30 Fawn Normal, VOX AC30 Fawn Bright, JC-120 cab, Fender Champ cab, plus POD Farm Acoustic model
*Bass Pack ($29)*—Ampeg SVT Normal, Ampeg SVT Bright, Gallien-Kruger 800RB, SVT 8x10 cab, SVT 410 HLF cab
*Fully Loaded ($99)*—All three packs
_


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Voxguy76 said:


> Just saw there's a new firmware update coming for the Pod HD series, although you have to purchase the amp model upgrades. Seems like there are some very cool offerings, including a Global EQ. Expected release is set for March I believe.
> _
> 
> POD HD 2.6
> ...


Thanks for the heads up. I'm still scratching the surface of this device. I only need about five or six good sounds. This seems to have more than that.


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

Me too, but the global EQ seems like a useful feature


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I'll pop for it, and maybe by the time it's available I'll have use for it.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Milkman said:


> Thanks for the heads up. I'm still scratching the surface of this device. I only need about five or six good sounds. This seems to have more than that.


I don't gig like you do but playing through my RP255, I do the same. The odd time, I'll run through all the resets just for fun but I always stay with the same ones.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I set mine up in banks suitable for the guitar I'm using. I give the Strat patches a little more on the master and eq them a bit differently, but not as much as I would have thought.

Then with each patch you have stomp box switches. So yeah maybe twelve or fifteen patches would do me for most shows.

I keep a wah and volume pedal programmed into most patches.

That includes a few song specific patches with unique delay settings or other effects.

In my opinion it's better for the listener if we refrain from going too crazy changing amps for every song just because we can.


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## -=Sc0rch=- (Mar 28, 2010)

I tried the HD500 before settling on a Zoom G5. I liked the tones of the line 6, but damn there was so many parameters to play with, like too much for what I needed. I wanted something I could quickly make a change on without flipping thru pages to find it. I couldn't get that with the Line 6. I liked the amp models on the HD a bit more than the Zoom's too, but what I use the Zoom for (effects only for an efx loop mos tof the time), the Zoom won overall.


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