NEW Line 6 HD500....mmmmmmmm

KeithReynolds · Post by **KeithReynolds** » Thursday Oct 07, 2010

http://line6.com/podhd/
Watch the videos, listen to the sounds...read the specs.

I want one!!!!

RFBuck · Post by **RFBuck** » Thursday Oct 07, 2010

I still haven't figured out all the bells and whistles on my XT Live yet LOL.

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Thursday Oct 07, 2010

That looks sweet .. I will have to try one out.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Friday Oct 08, 2010

I'm ambivalent as I always am with every Line 6 product. The clean stuff always sounds good, but the overdrives always sound processed and compressed. Some of the effects sound a little too digital to my ears, while others sound really good.

The harmonizer stuff sounds really cool, though!

RFBuck · Post by **RFBuck** » Friday Oct 08, 2010

Well, it is what it is, Paul...a pile of microchips. Can't replicate tubes in silicone LOL. But I do like mine for home practice and recording...they do seem to shine there,

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Friday Oct 08, 2010

I know what you mean, Paul. I love line6 stuff; but in the same turn, there will never be anything that can replace the good ole' tube screamer ..

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Friday Oct 08, 2010

True, guys. I've never been one of those "it has to have tubes or it's poo" type of guys, but I've yet to hear any microchips sound like a warmed up set of 6L6's or EL34's. With that said, I equally love solid-state and tube bass equipment. However, I lean towards tubes in guitar amps. I guess it's because overdrive is much more important to guitar sound in general than bass sound, and tube clipping sounds more pleasing than distortion artifically created by solid-state devices. Hmm...

Perhaps it's just my frustration. I've yet to hear any Line 6 stuff that sounds bad. I just always think there's that extra little something that's missing when I hear Line 6 products.

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Friday Oct 08, 2010

If you want to listen to an awesome sound. Hook a line6 pod xt live up to a mesa boogie dual rectifier half stack, and play a Fender strat through it. It will blow your mind ..

KeithReynolds · Post by **KeithReynolds** » Saturday Oct 09, 2010

I agree that highdollar tube amps are certainly the way to go as best case scenario.
Line 6 stuff is pretty damn good for modeling technology. They have the most real sounding amp modeling processors out there. To help with getting that tube goodness when using something like the Line 6 processors, a nice warm tube preamp will certainly help!
Theres been a bunch of major label records that have exclusively used amp modeling technology for guitars. Hardware AND software plugins.

The HD500 is a leap forward! I really want one!!!!

RFBuck · Post by **RFBuck** » Sunday Oct 10, 2010

In that line of thought, isn't that why they came up with the Spider Valve? Basically it's their models thru a tube pre-amp and output. I heard a full stack once...it was impressive, but you knew what it was in the end.
I've run my XT Live thru the clean side of my Bugera just for giggles, and it did pick it up a few notches to where I was like "OK, I'll keep this." But it was still lacking, and I just went back to jamming on the gain side of the amp anyway.
But like I said before, you can't beat it's direct USB link to a computer, and my recording program automatically recognizes it. Speaking of which, we'll have to talk sometime Keith..I'd like to learn a little about tweaking it. I record and it sound OK, but they have a harshness to them. I know it's all in the EQ and stuff, but I'm not real savvy in that department.