Line 6 DT50 Combo - Metal (Video)

[JCDenton6]

Ooh, that sounds really good fluff!
Line 6 has been impressing me lately.

 

[chumbucket]

Is there any advantage to using a DT50 head with a Pod HD500 / HD Pro over say a stereo tube power amp?
The DT has 4 voicing and just adds to the possibilities. You can use the amp models in the Pro Hd and or Dt 50 and control the DT 50 settings through the PRO Hd. Takes the 2 channel amp and turns it into 256 channels with out touching the amp. Has the L6 Link and can connect up to 4 amps for w/w, w/d, w/d/w or w/d/d/w or any combination.

Hmmm, very interesting indeed.

 

[Axe-Man]

I think it's actually got 512 channels! I definitely will need those extra 256! ha!

The cool thing is that the POD stores all the settings. So if you select a Reco sim in Class A, Triode and a negative feedback setting of a Fender for slide and then push a Bassman with Class A/B, Triode and the Neg Feedback of a Vox, it can be dialed up with a single click.

The HD+DT combo sounds WAY better than using a poweramp with the HD. This IMHO is an exercise in frustration and tweaking...endless tweaking. I've tried SS amps, FX returns from multiple amps and tube poweramps and the HD only ever sounded ok when run like this. It could sound good but anytime you changed volume levels you needed to re-eq everything. This is just me personally but I didn't enjoy it.

The DT combination works like an amp and you dial it in like an amp and bang, there is your tone. Simplicity IMHO.

I love being able to dial in patches and have the power section reconfigure to just how I want it in a split second.

 

[chumbucket]

I think it's actually got 512 channels! I definitely will need those extra 256! ha!

The cool thing is that the POD stores all the settings. So if you select a Reco sim in Class A, Triode and a negative feedback setting of a Fender for slide and then push a Bassman with Class A/B, Triode and the Neg Feedback of a Vox, it can be dialed up with a single click.

The HD+DT combo sounds WAY better than using a poweramp with the HD. This IMHO is an exercise in frustration and tweaking...endless tweaking. I've tried SS amps, FX returns from multiple amps and tube poweramps and the HD only ever sounded ok when run like this. It could sound good but anytime you changed volume levels you needed to re-eq everything. This is just me personally but I didn't enjoy it.

The DT combination works like an amp and you dial it in like an amp and bang, there is your tone. Simplicity IMHO.

I love being able to dial in patches and have the power section reconfigure to just how I want it in a split second.

I've gotta check this combo out. How do you feel the tone is out of your Pod HD500/DT50 rig versus a real tube head? Quantify it like does it sound 90% as good as the real thing?
Is the choice of speakers crucial to getting a good tone out of the Line6 rig?

 

[Axe-Man]

I've gotta check this combo out. How do you feel the tone is out of your Pod HD500/DT50 rig versus a real tube head? Quantify it like does it sound 90% as good as the real thing?
Is the choice of speakers crucial to getting a good tone out of the Line6 rig?

As soon as you get the tubes into play it sounds just like an amp. I run it with a couple of Kingsley tube preamp pedals which can help at low volume and allows me to get better tones/dynamics/flexibility at all volume levels but the amp sounds good even at baby sleeping levels as you can also use the LVM (low vol mode) for quiet practice. LVM add in power amp modelling but it does scale back as you push the master. Just more flexibility and using class A and triode you can reign the power section to around 15 watts I think. With LVM it's prob something like 5 watts and it helps beef up the bottom end etc.

A guy came round to buy a cab off me the other day and he owned a killer hand made Aussie head (Sherlock Fat Head) and 4x12. He said the DT rig sounded 'massive' through my 4x12 even at home demo volume. I think it's sounds great and TBH I'm getting kinda close to my Ceriatone Yeti Jose tones (not quite but you get the idea...it's a good Marshall tone though - I use Top IV rather than Top II for my JCM 800 patch). Simon from Kingsley just made me up a new pedal to help me nail the Jose sound. You can use the Tube Drive sim for this though I prefer a hybrid of tubes and modelling/FX and have found that a tube pre>HD500>DT just perfect for my needs.

I'm seriously impressed with this rig and surprisingly it's taken away pretty much all my gas. I've been thinking about a Fender Bassman for my cleans, a Vox AC15/30 hand wired for my Brian May type tones and even a Mini Recto for my black metal stuff but this sorted all that in one cheap (demo head) box. I got the HD500 (my third HD) SH in a trade for next to nothing so the whole rig with my Orange 4x12 prob only owes me $2k. Not cheap but a mini Recto head in Aus is $1799!!

I was not a fan of L6 stuff previously even though I've owned a fair bit of it. Just was never happy with the tones, the tweaking etc though I always felt they were great value for money and I knew they would eventually 'get there'. This rig has me thinking of a JTV variax now. I like it much better than my old Eleven Rack+tube poweramp rig. I would not honestly trade this rig for an Axe FX II.

If you test drive one, give it a good crank and if it's the DT50, make the master is pushed in so LVM is turned off.

 

[jlbaxe]

I think it's actually got 512 channels! I definitely will need those extra 256! ha!

I new it was more than 128

I like how easy and quick the Pro HD is to make a patch. Turning knobs to adjust effects or the amps is just simple. A lot better set up than the Axe II, maybe not as high end but better at dialing and playing.

 

[chumbucket]

I've gotta check this combo out. How do you feel the tone is out of your Pod HD500/DT50 rig versus a real tube head? Quantify it like does it sound 90% as good as the real thing?
Is the choice of speakers crucial to getting a good tone out of the Line6 rig?

As soon as you get the tubes into play it sounds just like an amp. I run it with a couple of Kingsley tube preamp pedals which can help at low volume and allows me to get better tones/dynamics/flexibility at all volume levels but the amp sounds good even at baby sleeping levels as you can also use the LVM (low vol mode) for quiet practice. LVM add in power amp modelling but it does scale back as you push the master. Just more flexibility and using class A and triode you can reign the power section to around 15 watts I think. With LVM it's prob something like 5 watts and it helps beef up the bottom end etc.

A guy came round to buy a cab off me the other day and he owned a killer hand made Aussie head (Sherlock Fat Head) and 4x12. He said the DT rig sounded 'massive' through my 4x12 even at home demo volume. I think it's sounds great and TBH I'm getting kinda close to my Ceriatone Yeti Jose tones (not quite but you get the idea...it's a good Marshall tone though - I use Top IV rather than Top II for my JCM 800 patch). Simon from Kingsley just made me up a new pedal to help me nail the Jose sound. You can use the Tube Drive sim for this though I prefer a hybrid of tubes and modelling/FX and have found that a tube pre>HD500>DT just perfect for my needs.

I'm seriously impressed with this rig and surprisingly it's taken away pretty much all my gas. I've been thinking about a Fender Bassman for my cleans, a Vox AC15/30 hand wired for my Brian May type tones and even a Mini Recto for my black metal stuff but this sorted all that in one cheap (demo head) box. I got the HD500 (my third HD) SH in a trade for next to nothing so the whole rig with my Orange 4x12 prob only owes me $2k. Not cheap but a mini Recto head in Aus is $1799!!

I was not a fan of L6 stuff previously even though I've owned a fair bit of it. Just was never happy with the tones, the tweaking etc though I always felt they were great value for money and I knew they would eventually 'get there'. This rig has me thinking of a JTV variax now. I like it much better than my old Eleven Rack+tube poweramp rig. I would not honestly trade this rig for an Axe FX II.

If you test drive one, give it a good crank and if it's the DT50, make the master is pushed in so LVM is turned off.

I might have to buy a DT50 and take it home to try it through my own cabs. I already have an HD500 that I haven't opened yet.
Here's a few more questions for you. Does your Orange cab have V30's in it? What speakers have you tried your combo rig with and how did they sound?
When you have a good live sound setup, how well does it translate to direct recording on your DAW? Or do you just mic up a cab?
How are you using the tube pedals? As OD's or just as preamps to warm up the sound somewhat?

 

[fluff191]

I just got around to hooking up my Mesa 2x12 with V30's and I don't know if I will ever use the stock speaker again. The V30's sound that good.

 

[Axe-Man]

I might have to buy a DT50 and take it home to try it through my own cabs. I already have an HD500 that I haven't opened yet.
Here's a few more questions for you. Does your Orange cab have V30's in it? What speakers have you tried your combo rig with and how did they sound?
When you have a good live sound setup, how well does it translate to direct recording on your DAW? Or do you just mic up a cab?
How are you using the tube pedals? As OD's or just as preamps to warm up the sound somewhat?

TBH, this is kind of rig you need to spend a little while with as the HD and DT sometimes seem to be a little daunting at first. It's actually pretty easy to use. For playing at volume, just grab a preamp sim on the HD (LVM pushed in), L6 Link connected (so only one cable), and then dial in the power section for what you feel sounds good. Essentially using the HD as the amp front end.

My Orange is the standard V30 cab. Sounds really full and warm (they are very nicely broken in v30s) though some Greenbacks would be nice to try out. I only have v30 equipped cabs!

Haven't tried the DI out yet though I'm close to trying it through my mixer etc...just need to hook a few things up. I've heard it's one of the best DI's around. Just feedback that soundguys have said to players on TGP. Don't quote me on this but they seem very happy with the direct as it's transformer tapped (I believe it's meant to emulate a v30 cab).

I use the pedals for boosts, a little extra presence and tubey feel and some OD. They give a great playing dynamic that I like and are killer pedals overall IMHO...little PTP plate voltage preamps in stomp chassis! The DT does feel good to play though...it's just better with these pedals IMHO!