OD pedals and the POD HD500

[redgold]

I'm not a great fan of the OD models... anyone have any good experiences running OD pedals in front of the HD500?

The HD500 seems to like my Screwdriver... not so much the COT, which gets a little spikey in the treble. It likes my Minibone, but the trumpet sounds are a little less pronounced for some reason. Jury is still out on the Zen. Sometimes I have the Sag on the Pod full up, and backing off the sag seems to help it take pedals better.

I really want to try a RC Booster or Red Snapper in front, but don't have either anymore...

TIA

[Pietro]

LOVE my BB Preamp before the HD, also am able to get great sounds from the Tube Drive and Screamer models in the box... I had to set the controls to weird places, but it works. I can get the same exact tone from my BB and the Tube Drive if I set them right... and stack both... oy vey... noisy but fun!

[AZG]

LOVE my BB Preamp before the HD, also am able to get great sounds from the Tube Drive and Screamer models in the box... I had to set the controls to weird places, but it works. I can get the same exact tone from my BB and the Tube Drive if I set them right... and stack both... oy vey... noisy but fun!
I would be interested in what settings you use on the HD's Tube Driver and Screamer models. They all sound thin, harsh and squelchy to me. Maybe you found the secret settings? The Boost Compressor, as recommended by Will Chen, has become the only drive I regularly use on the HD. I think it actually sounds pretty good.

[overunderdrive]

The best OD sounds I've found in the HD are the Screamer and Rat models, particularly the TS into the Rat.

I actually think the Screamer model is better than many analog TS-type boxes I've tried--some of them 'boutique'.

As always, the flexibility of the HD comes through in spades, as you can use one switch to activate multiple pedal models if you wish.

[78deluxe]

I haven't found any OD pedal IN the HD that is really usable to me, but would welcome settings that work for other people.

I'm still in "beta" testing with external pedals, but have had virtually instant success with a Barber Half-Gainer, Small Fry, and King of Tone. All of these required minimal tweaking to sound better than the on-board OD pedals to my ear (and feel was improved as well).

[Gigbag]

When I first got my HD500 I tried a few analog pedals (flanger, phaser, etc.) in the FX loop. It was really noisey, so I never tried other pedals with it until a few days ago. I had a Bad Monkey handy with a battery in it and tried it in front of the HD500. It works great. I plan on taking off more dirt pedals from my pedal boards soon.

[Will Chen]

I would be interested in what settings you use on the HD's Tube Driver and Screamer models. They all sound thin, harsh and squelchy to me. Maybe you found the secret settings? The Boost Compressor, as recommended by Will Chen, has become the only drive I regularly use on the HD. I think it actually sounds pretty good.

I've used my Boss BD-2 as well as a TS (and a few clones) into the front with very good results. But when running a leaner rig I'm more than comfy with the Boost Comp and simply choosing a higher gain amp model when I want more dirt. I still think the TS and Tube Drive internal ods are serviceable, but after several months of use I've shied away from using any dirtbox models much preferring the Boost Comp as it sounds more natural to me.

[Pietro]

I put the bass at about 12 oclock, and the drive, treble, and mids all at about 11 oclock and get a real usable sound. Sometimes I dip the treble more than that.

[guitarnet70]

I use my ones (see my signature) in the loop with excellent results. The only ones I can use in the HD are the TubeDriver and the TS.

[78deluxe]

I put the bass at about 12 oclock, and the drive, treble, and mids all at about 11 oclock and get a real usable sound. Sometimes I dip the treble more than that.
Your previous post mentions you use both the Tube Driver and Screamer models, to which model do these setting refer?

[Mango Positive]

I'm getting pretty great results with a Fulltone OCD in front. I can use the OD models in the box, but it definitely takes some tweaking.

[dbun]

I actually really like the drive models in the HD, the main reason being that they have so many parameters that you can adjust, which means you can dial them in to work with nearly any amp.

I did find though that I really had to sweep the parameters and hear how it changes the tone and then dial it in to the 'sweet' spot.

A bit different to the amp sims where I find that I can set the knobs to nearly the same place I would on my real amp and the resulting tone is very similar.

[redgold]

Well the Zen sounds as advertised for single lines with the blackface models... just needed a little volume to sound its best.

I have a RC Booster on the way...

[artkingjw]

has anyone completely forsaken the HD's distortion models and just used the amps and delay models while using their own OD pedals? how does the pod respond in comparison to a real amp when jerked by a normal analogue OD pedal?

[Pietro]

has anyone completely forsaken the HD's distortion models and just used the amps and delay models while using their own OD pedals? how does the pod respond in comparison to a real amp when jerked by a normal analogue OD pedal?

imho, perhaps just a tiny bit better with external pedals than internal ones... but the difference is very very subtle... I am usually totally happy with the internal pedals. I do drive a BB into it from time to time, and an EP booster. Very sweet.

[Wildwind]

Both my FullDrive II and Wampler Ecstasy sound amazing in front of my HD500. MI Audio Crunch Box was a disaster, though. Haven't tried the loop with these, need to do that.

[FUSER]

I have tried an OD pedal in the loop.
Too much noise and clearly something wrong because it changed the gain of the pedal.
I can use it before (in front) of the HD500 fine, but then cant use the HD wah.

Any tips on using the the loop correctly?

[Pietro]

I find the loop okay for time and modulation based FX. I don't like it for dirt. Clean boost is fine sometimes, but these days I only use the loop for my POG2.

[guitarnet70]

Any tips on using the the loop correctly?

I've find that setting the loop levels right makes a hell of a difference. My one is set -4db send and +8 db return. I leave the pedals on and just switch the loop on/off. I have wah and tube comp before the loop, then amp (blackface or deluxe) and the mod and delay.

[ElDiabloBlanco]

This may have cracked the code for me - I never thought to try this. My Fulltone II Mosfet sounds killer in front of the plexi and AC30 models - much better than the drives in the unit itself. Sounded good before - now sounds great!

[redgold]

Just got my Xotic RC in (my second time around with this pedal)... it is the best pedal I've tried in front of the HD500... dynamic and great clarity even with chording. Sometimes I wish it had a mid boost switch and a tad more dirt available, but I think it will be my "always on" pedal for the POD.

[Capn Spanky]

has anyone completely forsaken the HD's distortion models and just used the amps and delay models while using their own OD pedals? how does the pod respond in comparison to a real amp when jerked by a normal analogue OD pedal?

For me, this is the only way to fly. I'm one of those guys that leaves the amp models very clean and uses real analog pedals for any distortion or overdrive.

I think it responds and sounds great.

[atson67]

Given that the HD od stompboxes sound the same as the M9/13:
I could dial in more usable tones out of the screamer, classic distortion and the tube drive moderls than out my TS10, my 86' Rat and my MIJ Ibanez Tube King.

[redgold]

Both my FullDrive II and Wampler Ecstasy sound amazing in front of my HD500. MI Audio Crunch Box was a disaster, though. Haven't tried the loop with these, need to do that.

I really want to try the Ecstasy... the Zen gets kind of mushy with chording.

[Wildwind]

Ecstasy is the best $200 I've ever spent. But it is what it is - a Dumble-ish pedal, so it's not real crisp on the low strings. However there is a lot of control and three modes...

I plan to buy a second one eventually and use one set to much lower gain. Might be just what you're talking about.

[guitarnet70]

I really want to try the Ecstasy... the Zen gets kind of mushy with chording.

Zen 2 here and no mush...try putting the volume high, voice and tone at 4 and then play with the gain. Works well with Blackface and Deluxe

[frankencat]

I just hooked up my Allums Opto modded CS-3 and TOD-1 in front of my HD500 and it's killer!! I never tried it with pedals before and it's really great. The internal comps and ODs are ok, in fact I really like the internal TS, Tube Driver and Dyna Comp models but the analog pedals just sound bigger and I think it really likes having the buffer in front of it as well. Cool! :)

[jrockbridge]

I consider the crunch-pedal models within the HD500 weak. But, I'm pretty spoiled as far as real stomps. Luckily, the HD takes pedals well. My chain was always...

Guitar > AM Bicomp > modified Dunlop Crybaby wah > Suhr Riot Dist > AM KOT OD > AM Sunface Fuzz> Damage Control Liquid Blues OD > Xotics RC Booster > Dano CT-1 Cool Cat Tremolo > SweetSound Mojo Vibe > VanAmps Solemate Spring Reverb > HD500

I've switched to an 11R because of reamping. Also, I find it faster to reach a sweet spot with the 11R. But, overall, I don't think there's a better all-in-one modeler than the HD Series right now. Although, certainly, some other all-in-one units do specific things better.