Line 6 POD HD Thread

[triface]

After about 2-3 months of deliberation (mostly trying to decide between the floorboard and rack version), I have decided that I'll buy the HD500X. Just a couple of questions before I do that. I'm buying it 3 days from now (there's a sale going on now) and I just remembered there's a whole board of geniuses that have more experience with the Pod than I do, so going through the whole thread is quite a stretch.

1) I recently came upon threads commenting about the fizz of the series. What is the situation now? Has it been fixed? Or was the problem too minimal to even notice in most cases anyway in the first place?

2) How will firmware updates work? Would the X versions also have the updates that are given to the non-X versions?

3) The Pod, my guitars and a $60 Sound Drive practice amp will be all I have in my rig. I intend to bypass the amp totally and go through speakers, headphones and do recording direct into my computer. Maybe have the Pod go through the amp just to see what it would sound like and (likely) recoil in disgust. I understand the floorboard version has lesser IOs as compared to the Pro version, but I'll still be able to do direct recording via USB, as well as recording both a wet and dry input via dual signal chains, right?

4) Having mentioned recording, how does the Pro's dry out factor into reamping without a separate interface? I've been researching and it seems there's really no way to do that, but it would blow to get the floorboard then find out the dry out makes it possible to reamp with just the unit alone.

5) How close are the X versions to being replaced by a successor? I know the X series were released last year, but I'm not familiar with how Line 6 does things. I'm not concerned with getting the best things as they are released. I'm just concerned about the firmware updates.

6) How is the durability like? Being a stompbox with so many buttons seems like there's a lot of opportunities for rusting and wear and tear to happen. I had a Barber Dirty Bomb pedal and I could just feel the button starting to wear out.

7) I have an 8-string, and I know that the Pod can function as a bass processor as well. It probably wouldn't sound like a good bass tone, but is there any way I can get a usable bass tone with some extreme EQing?

 

[Alice AKW]

Hey Triface.

1: The fizz can be tamed quite a lot using post EQ's, any remaining fizz can be akin to the hiss you'd get from recording any other amp with a microphone.

2: The POD X's came stock with the latest updates to the standard series at the time they were released already loaded onto the units. Considering updates are few and far between nowadays, just use Line 6 Monkey to make sure everything's up to date and you'll be good.

3: Yes! If you want to record a DI signal as well as your wet signal, simply make one signal chain of the POD your amp sound, and route the other one completely dry. Each side of the POD is processed as its own stereo signal chain, so a little clever routing in your DAW can get you both tracks recorded easily.

4: To my knowledge, the dry out is just that: a dry output. The POD has never made claims to be a reamp box, but the HD Pro was marketed as more a studio piece of gear as it makes recording DI's a LOT easier.

5: Honestly I'm not sure. As said, the firmware updates are very few and far between. I kinda feel your pain as I got a standard HD500 right before the HD500X's were released, and kicking myself for it because that extra DSP could have made for some nice experimentation with dual amps.

6: I've been using my old HD500 for 2 years now of being on the floor and transported and stomped on and all of its switches still work fine

7: Poooooossibly. You won't be getting any stellar midrangey defined bass tones out of it, but if you're just looking for that really low sub sound, you could be able to get away with it, though I do not recommend it at all.

Hope that helped!

 

[triface]

Hey Triface.

1: The fizz can be tamed quite a lot using post EQ's, any remaining fizz can be akin to the hiss you'd get from recording any other amp with a microphone.

2: The POD X's came stock with the latest updates to the standard series at the time they were released already loaded onto the units. Considering updates are few and far between nowadays, just use Line 6 Monkey to make sure everything's up to date and you'll be good.

3: Yes! If you want to record a DI signal as well as your wet signal, simply make one signal chain of the POD your amp sound, and route the other one completely dry. Each side of the POD is processed as its own stereo signal chain, so a little clever routing in your DAW can get you both tracks recorded easily.

4: To my knowledge, the dry out is just that: a dry output. The POD has never made claims to be a reamp box, but the HD Pro was marketed as more a studio piece of gear as it makes recording DI's a LOT easier.

5: Honestly I'm not sure. As said, the firmware updates are very few and far between. I kinda feel your pain as I got a standard HD500 right before the HD500X's were released, and kicking myself for it because that extra DSP could have made for some nice experimentation with dual amps.

6: I've been using my old HD500 for 2 years now of being on the floor and transported and stomped on and all of its switches still work fine

7: Poooooossibly. You won't be getting any stellar midrangey defined bass tones out of it, but if you're just looking for that really low sub sound, you could be able to get away with it, though I do not recommend it at all.

Hope that helped!

Hey, thanks!

Really appreciate that! Helped answer a lot of my questions.

Just want to clarify something. What's the difference between recording DI into the HD500 and the Pro? It seems like it would be an identical process to me. Am I missing something?

 

[Alice AKW]

It's virtually identical. All your DI is is an unprocessed guitar signal. The Pro just has a dedicated out for it, but the HD500 requires you to split the signal path.

 

[triface]

It's virtually identical. All your DI is is an unprocessed guitar signal. The Pro just has a dedicated out for it, but the HD500 requires you to split the signal path.

Oh, I see.

I'm unlikely to go beyond having more than a USB into my computer in the short term, so I guess the dry out wouldn't really make much of a difference to me. Good to know the HD500 is equally capable though.

 

[Alice AKW]

It is indeed. ^^

 

[that short guy]

Ok so my computer/POD (not sure which is the problem just yet) is being a little stupid. I have it connect to my computer through the USB port and it will let me send my guitar tone into the DAW/computer but none of the audio on the computer is coming back through the POD's headphones. It'd been working great for 2 years at this point and just all of a sudden stopped today. first it was just audio in my DAW but random things such as itunes would still come through the head phones. but now no sound other than the guitar patches can be heard through the POD. it's like my computer is refusing to recognize it as a sound card because the computer will keep playing the audio.

so TL;DR I can send audio into my computer/DAW but nothing will come back so I can record through the headphone jack.

Any idea what I can do to try an remedy this? I've already reinstalled all the drivers, and line 6 software as well as a hard factory reset.

thanks in advance

 

[SnoozyWyrm]

Hey guys! I am thinking about buying some analog pedals to compliment my hd500x (kinda ironic since I sold a big board to fund the pod). I was thinking about an OD at the front and a compressor in the loop. Any suggestions or other obvious pedals that I might like using with the pod?

Merry Christmass!

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Ok so my computer/POD (not sure which is the problem just yet) is being a little stupid. I have it connect to my computer through the USB port and it will let me send my guitar tone into the DAW/computer but none of the audio on the computer is coming back through the POD's headphones. It'd been working great for 2 years at this point and just all of a sudden stopped today. first it was just audio in my DAW but random things such as itunes would still come through the head phones. but now no sound other than the guitar patches can be heard through the POD. it's like my computer is refusing to recognize it as a sound card because the computer will keep playing the audio.

so TL;DR I can send audio into my computer/DAW but nothing will come back so I can record through the headphone jack.

Any idea what I can do to try an remedy this? I've already reinstalled all the drivers, and line 6 software as well as a hard factory reset.

thanks in advance

You might wanna check when you have it plugged in... is it the default device and has a green check mark next to it for playback? That'd be my best guess. Without talking to you facebook or something and making you screenshot some shit can I actually definitively say what the issue may be.

 

[ayaotd]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get an After The Burial style tone like in this video?

I'm using an RGA8 with D'Activators. I have had some success making patches for my seven but just can't get anything decent on my eight :S

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get an After The Burial style tone like in this video?

I'm using an RGA8 with D'Activators. I have had some success making patches for my seven but just can't get anything decent on my eight :S

Might want to use a mid focus eq before the amp, the low rolloff or whatever it's called in the DEPs, and possibly even another EQ post amp to really roll off the low end. Boosting in the 1.1k to 1.5k region could help as well. Also if you're using the XXL cab [I believe that's the one that's super bassy], you're starting off on the wrong foot. Couple that with possibly using a bass-leaning mic choice, and you're pretty much setting yourself up for muddy low end.

Oh and if you're raising the master volume past 50%, the EQ of the amp [bass/mid/treble] will have much more effect, so if you have the bass over 50% on the amp, it's gonna be a muddier low end.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I'm probably going to be messing around with cab IRs today with the Pod HD500 cabs turned off. Should be a pretty big difference. That said, I'm not against the Pod cabs, but rather just interested in setting up a couple cabless tones and seeing what I get. Will probably compare cabless pod models vs amp vst plugins like Pepe, Nick Crow and Ignite [Ignite has really cool and original full amp VSTs].

Off topic but anyone ever tried Vadim Taranov's amp VSTs? He has a Mark III, Krankenstein, the obligatory 5150, etc.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I'm probably going to be messing around with cab IRs today with the Pod HD500 cabs turned off. Should be a pretty big difference. That said, I'm not against the Pod cabs, but rather just interested in setting up a couple cabless tones and seeing what I get. Will probably compare cabless pod models vs amp vst plugins like Pepe, Nick Crow and Ignite [Ignite has really cool and original full amp VSTs].

Off topic but anyone ever tried Vadim Taranov's amp VSTs? He has a Mark III, Krankenstein, the obligatory 5150, etc.

 

[ChickenNoodleSoup]

Also if you're using the XXL cab [I believe that's the one that's super bassy], you're starting off on the wrong foot.

This isn't necessarily true. Yes, the XXL is a rather boomy cab, and the bass can be overbearing if not dialed in right, but I find that it also has a "roaring"-like characteristic that you can't really achieve with any of the other cab models. However, you need to EQ the shit out of it.

For that cab in particular, I always set my low-cut to at least 120Hz, and sometimes even raise it higher in the 140-160Hz range. I tend to never set the Bass on the amp any higher than 40%, and I boost the resonance level a bit (65% or so) to add some extra bite. Using the Classic Distortion in front of the amp can help tighten things up while adding some focus/bite by turning up the Drive slightly and increasing the Treble parameter. And like you said, you can always add a PEQ to boost the 1.1-1.5K if need be.

I always need to use a PEQ in the post-amp section in order to further de-flub the tone, cuz there always seems to be this super flubby dead spot in the 15-25% range. I'll suck that down pretty severely, and then run a Mid-Focus EQ last to act as a high-pass/low-pass filter.

I used to shy away from the XXL cab cuz of it's bassy nature, but I've been loving the heck out of it recently. And as you also alluded to, the mic choice is pretty crucial. The 57 on-axis is a little thin/fizzy, but I think it pairs nicely with the XXL, especially if you PEQ out the fizz.

With that said, the Uber cab may be the best out-of-box cab in the Pod, especially if you don't want to go to Tweak City. I've also been loving the Blackback lately as well.


As far as IRs go, I'd recommend checking out Fear Complex's orange IR, and I found a Zilla IR on the interwebz that's pretty rad. Idk if I prefer them to the sounds that I've been getting out of the Pod's stock cabs recently, but they're definitely a nice change of pace, and open up a new realm of options.

I haven't heard of those Vadim Taranov's VSTs, but I'll be sure to check them out now!

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

This isn't necessarily true. Yes, the XXL is a rather boomy cab, and the bass can be overbearing if not dialed in right, but I find that it also has a "roaring"-like characteristic that you can't really achieve with any of the other cab models. However, you need to EQ the shit out of it.

For that cab in particular, I always set my low-cut to at least 120Hz, and sometimes even raise it higher in the 140-160Hz range. I tend to never set the Bass on the amp any higher than 40%, and I boost the resonance level a bit (65% or so) to add some extra bite. Using the Classic Distortion in front of the amp can help tighten things up while adding some focus/bite by turning up the Drive slightly and increasing the Treble parameter. And like you said, you can always add a PEQ to boost the 1.1-1.5K if need be.

I always need to use a PEQ in the post-amp section in order to further de-flub the tone, cuz there always seems to be this super flubby dead spot in the 15-25% range. I'll suck that down pretty severely, and then run a Mid-Focus EQ last to act as a high-pass/low-pass filter.

I used to shy away from the XXL cab cuz of it's bassy nature, but I've been loving the heck out of it recently. And as you also alluded to, the mic choice is pretty crucial. The 57 on-axis is a little thin/fizzy, but I think it pairs nicely with the XXL, especially if you PEQ out the fizz.

With that said, the Uber cab may be the best out-of-box cab in the Pod, especially if you don't want to go to Tweak City. I've also been loving the Blackback lately as well.


As far as IRs go, I'd recommend checking out Fear Complex's orange IR, and I found a Zilla IR on the interwebz that's pretty rad. Idk if I prefer them to the sounds that I've been getting out of the Pod's stock cabs recently, but they're definitely a nice change of pace, and open up a new realm of options.

I haven't heard of those Vadim Taranov's VSTs, but I'll be sure to check them out now!

If he's already having issues getting a good tone, I wouldn't suggest he use a cab that puts him at a bigger disadvantage, but that's just personal opinion.

As for the Blackback, I like it, but Meambobbo seems to hate it for some reason. The Uber is a pretty nice cab, as is the Hiwatt 412.

And I have the FC IRs which are pretty nice. Can't remember who made it, but s-preshigh is pretty nice too. I just got the cab IRs so I'm not too sure who did what at the moment as I had a basic futzing around with the whole thing yesterday.

Vadim's VST amp sims are pretty interesting, but some of them could use more work in terms of being more advanced with options [like the LE456, Ignite sims, etc]. I'd check out the Mark III plugin and then if you like that, check out the Krankenstein and I think he also does a "Diezul" sim. He has a lot more than that from what I can gather, but those three are the ones I'd check out first.

Oh, and a "Randal Solar", which is a channel sim of Ola's Randall Satan. Even has the girth/bite gain knobs.

 

[Sean Richardson]

Has anyone used a rack preamp in POD HD's fx loop and actually gotten an improvement over the POD's preamp models? I'm using the preamp models now and i'm very satisifed, but can't help thinking that putting an Engl E530 or Mesa v-twin in the pod's loop could sound killer. I've tried an MP-1 and some rocktron stuff, both of which could not hang with the Pod's models so I sold them.

So, would love to hear from someone that found a preamp that sounds great in the POD HD's Fx loop. I can't stop obsessing over this possibility - perhaps it's the empty rack slot in my rig!

I have, using an ENGL530 and the solution worked well HOWEVER not as well as using an external IR loader in the FX loop and then bypassing the cabinet models in the POD HD.

Occasionally I will just run the POD HD into my monitors (so guitar >>> pod) to hear if I am kidding myself or not... I am not. It sounds fizzy and cheap and is not something I would put up with or get joy from long term.

if I had to rely solely on a "all in one" digital unit in the future (for what ever reason), I would go the AXE FX route.

I actually think that the "preamp" and amp models in the POD HD are quite good. I don't rate so well the cabinet and microphone models (and I am not the only one).

At one point I was using (in conjunction with Monitors/FRFR):
POD FX send >>> ENGL 530 >>> Torpedo CAB >>> POD FX return

The results were good but I ditched the ENGL and the CAB and instead purchased a Torpedo Live for use with tube amps.

Now I go:

AMP >>> Torpedo Live >>> POD HD (via SPDIF) >>> Monitors/FRFR

I use the POD as post amp/cab effects (think stereo reverb, delay, etc) as well as a interface for my DAW. I am very happy with the results and am unlikely to change the POD HD out (simply because it is a fine FX unit and interface)

 

[Alice AKW]

Currently trying to upgrade to an 11R

Because of the goddam peak at 5K but the parametric EQ only goes up to 4500 and it's the only one with an adjustable Q

 

[prozak]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get an After The Burial style tone like in this video?

I'm using an RGA8 with D'Activators. I have had some success making patches for my seven but just can't get anything decent on my eight :S

Try to match with single centered guitar at 1:48, that first double layered part sounds way more huge of course.

I don't own an 8 string, but I think it's pretty manageable with the POD itself. Man I wish I had some of those 8 string axes....

 

[Curt]

After some things coming up in life, I probably won't be able to end up springing for the axe-fx 2 like I wanted to. So, i'm going to look at just running the POD through a power amp and cab. Anyone here know of a good power amp at a decent price? So far, I know of the Matrix ones people are using with the axe fx are $600, but can you find similar ones at lower prices?

 

[lewis]

After some things coming up in life, I probably won't be able to end up springing for the axe-fx 2 like I wanted to. So, i'm going to look at just running the POD through a power amp and cab. Anyone here know of a good power amp at a decent price? So far, I know of the Matrix ones people are using with the axe fx are $600, but can you find similar ones at lower prices?

Rocktron Velocity 300

Half the price of the Matrix