Pod hd500 high gain clarity

[toolshed]

I'm having problems getting the patches to be more transparent while using distortion or gain from the amps. Do you have any suggestions on how to make it clearer and tighter so you can hear all the strings on the guitar when chorded

 

[Wildwind]

I played one for years. I always had to combine an overdrive with amp gain (drive) to get great high-gain tones. I also was partial to the Dr. Z cab with everything. To my ears, it brought out the best of the amp models I used. IMO these choices will get you closer. But I never did achieve the sound you describe with my shorter-scale guitars (Les Paul or PRS types), only with my Strats that use lower-output pickups (vintage style).

Overdrive I chose most often was the Tube Driver - just hit my ears right. I found clarity would improve when the amp drive was lower, so the OD did more of the work. Also rolling off the bass a bunch was key - won't always sound great at home but worked in a mix.

 

[slugworth]

Blue comp treb. Try it.

 

[Wildwind]

Yeah, forgot about that. Used to use that quite a bit.

 

[i8guitar]

Try experimenting with the System setting "Guitar In-Z"
• Select the input impedance of the Guitar input. This feature affects tone and feel because your guitar pickups are being loaded as they would be by an effect pedal or a tube amplifier.
• The Auto option dynamically sets the input impedance to match the input impedance of the very first Amp or FX model in your POD HD signal chain.
• Or, you can manually select from a variety of impedance values from low to high (22k, 32k, 70k, 90k, 136k, 230k, 1M, or 3.5M). A lower value will typically result in some high frequency attenuation, lower gain and overall “softer” feel. A higher value provides full frequency response, higher gain and overall “tighter” feel.

 

[toolshed]

Thanks. I'll give it a try and see what happens

 

[randombastage]

use a single input, set the other to something unused like Aux or Variax whichever applies to your situation and use a single path muting the other path at the mixer level control. Use less gain and get everything you can articulate and just right out of the amp model and cab *before* you add any pedal.
Use the Master control on the Pod as the master to your system.

use a third party ir instead of the stock cabs if possible.

 

[toolshed]

thanks so much for the information. I turned the mixer up to 12 and the fade to 0 I used the blue comp treb and turned the thump up to 70 the bias exc to 40 and the bias down to 20 and changed the input to 3.5. Seems to be very clear. Thanks

 

[690MBCOMMANDO]

For me, choosing the right pedal in front of the amp model is important as is enough headroom by putting the master volume knob (all the way to the right on the hd500 face) at at least 65-75% makes a big difference. Like a real amp, if you put the amp model to the edge of breakup and use a pedal that is using more input level and less gain it gets more clear. Hope these ideas are helpful.

 

[toolshed]

I usually keep the master at 12:00.... are there advantags to pushing it higher and keeping the volume lower?

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

I usually keep the master at 12:00.... are there advantags to pushing it higher and keeping the volume lower?

No.

 

[Badside]

Seriously, in the "DEP" (deep editing parameters I think it,s called) for the POWER AMP, lower the Master Volume (not the amp volume in the patch, the one where you also have setting for bias and hum), this controls the power amp distortion. Set it around 30-40% instead of the usual 50%.

This MIGHT seem counterintuitive, but the reason high-gain amps have such powerful clean power amp is that you don't really want the power drive overdriving that much for this type of tone.

I struggled getting the JCM800 model to approximate my live rig until I found this control. Now everything is tight and focused and raw like my real amp.

 

[CheeseGrater]

Im not sure how you are using the Pod (FRFR, power amp, guitar cab, etc) but have you tried the pre-amp only models? I shunned them at first, as at low volume they sounded a little less lively, but in most real life settings they sound great. I still use full models fro clean and SRV type stuff, but for all my high gain patches, preamp only models give me the most clarity and definition, especially in a band mix.

 

[Unnecessary]

Yeah, live into a power amp/cab the pre-models are fantastic! let the amp and speakers work on the output tone.

 

[Badside]

To get back to my previous post, the "Master Volume" control in the power amp DEPs (the power amp distortion control if you will) allows you to better fine tune between the full model and the preamp only (with it completely off it's closer to preamp models only).

It,s really useful.

 

[toolshed]

Cool. I'll try it. Right now I'm running into the mixing board. I have a fishman performer amp that I'll probably use for monitoring

 

[burningyen]

I'm not a POD user, but I'd try experimenting with parallel signal/dual amp patches.

 

[GreatSatan]

Stick a mid focus EQ before the amp/s, turn the high up over 75% (or full) but keep the lower eq at around 33-50%, depending on the guitar/pickups.
This will help tighten up the bass sound and make the 'mush' seem a little clearer which is good for tight riffing and chord word.

Is also a great straight, transparent volume gain boost without any added dynamics compression.

Don't be afraid to put the Master Volume amp paramreter all the way down too with some of the higher gain models (recto, Soldano),
as this can help clear things up some, but will have to turn the channel vol way up to compensate.

Why not use the preamp versons if you're just going to turn down the master, i hear you say?
Because the full amp models always have more bass and oomph than their pre counterparts,
whether the power amp volume is fully engaged or not the models themselves are still voiced differently.