Pod HD500x Opinions

[slyym]

What is everybody's opinion on these? I have a chance to pick one up pretty cheap? Just need it to record with so the effects section doesn't matter to me and I don't have a problem using 3rd party IR's? I've heard some clips where it competes with the AXE FX. Are these clips accurate? Thanks!

 

[Spaceboy]

It's nowhere close to the Axe FX. I've owned the POD HD500, 500X, Desktop, Axe FX Ultra, II, and AX8. I wouldn't go down the POd Hd route again. I'd maybe try that new Helix or w/e it's called though. You can get usable sounds on the POD on some models and the onboard cabinets are terrible compared to third party IRs. It's okay if it's cheap, but honestly I'm currently using the BIAS Amp plugin a lot and would chose it over a POD HD, and even at a steal, the POD is going to be considerably more expensive than BIAS.

 

[Chris6870]

I bought one earlier this year. Just wanted fx to use in 4CM and some clean amp models. I messed with it for about 4 hours. Colored the tone really bad in 4CM. I did not like the amps enough to use them so back it went. I thought it was a pile of shit quite frankly. I bought the M13 that was much better for fx only in 4CM but I ended up with the AX8 and could not be happier.

 

[slyym]

Guess I should just go up to guitar center and play one myself. I have bias and hate it. I figured the pod might be a step up from that from all the videos I've seen. I really would rather get an AX8 but just wont have the funds for a little while.

 

[mudf00t]

Guess I should just go up to guitar center and play one myself. I have bias and hate it. I figured the pod might be a step up from that from all the videos I've seen. I really would rather get an AX8 but just wont have the funds for a little while.

The AX8 isn't an audio interface. That might be important for you since you are doing home recording. Just get a Suhr ISO line box ($180 new) and then you can just record with your amp.

http://www.proaudioland.com/suhr-iso-li ... pedal.html

 

[Spaceboy]

That Suhr gizmo isn't a load, so recording this way wouldn't be different than using a mic. Or am I mistaken?

 

[slyym]

Guess I should just go up to guitar center and play one myself. I have bias and hate it. I figured the pod might be a step up from that from all the videos I've seen. I really would rather get an AX8 but just wont have the funds for a little while.

The AX8 isn't an audio interface. That might be important for you since you are doing home recording. Just get a Suhr ISO line box ($180 new) and then you can just record with your amp.

http://www.proaudioland.com/suhr-iso-li ... pedal.html

That looks pretty cool but then I'd be back to the volume issue. What If I used it and layed my cabinet face down with some blankets on top? Has anyone ever tried that?

 

[glassjaw7]

It's great when used as a "pedalboard" to front of amp. Most of the effects are really solid and it can be thought of as a more flexible M13 with an expression pedal that be assigned to just about any parameter of any effect or several effects. I like a few of the amp models and some can be tweaked to sound fairly like the real thing. didn't have much luck with 4CM though.

 

[messenger]

Never tried the 500x but the older POD I had seemed like it had the capability to sound good but was going to take a fair bit of work to get there. Where the AxFx and the Digitech RP500 sounded good with little to no work.

 

[Monkey Man]

Owned every POD and POD Pro (including the bass ones) since v1.0.

IMHO, the HD500 was the biggest disaster... correction: the only disaster amongst all of them.

For me at least, it took 2 years to finally dial my tones in properly for all the on-board emulations. The fight was mainly against scratchiness / harshness and fizz. My neck and back, which took some months to recover, would implore you to steer clear and grab any other POD, including the Helix, in preference to the HD.

 

[MrDowntown]

Owned every POD and POD Pro (including the bass ones) since v1.0.

IMHO, the HD500 was the biggest disaster... correction: the only disaster amongst all of them.

For me at least, it took 2 years to finally dial my tones in properly for all the on-board emulations. The fight was mainly against scratchiness / harshness and fizz. My neck and back, which took some months to recover, would implore you to steer clear and grab any other POD, including the Helix, in preference to the HD.

The 500 or the 500X was disastrous, IYO? He's asking specifically about the 500x. I have the 500, not the 500X...and they may be very similar... I was under the impression however, that the 500x was an upgrade of sorts from the 500. IMO they are OK, for what they are; inexpensive do-a-lot processors.

They'd be ok for small gigs if cork sniffers aren't present...even if they are, they may not pay attention, though it'd be obvious you aren't playing through a boutique half-stack. I could never get the 4cm to sound right (either)...always killed the tone for me. But For studio, direct in (I'm assuming) to DAW, i think it does a good job with some of the amp models. Especially if you have some external IR's that are better than the 500(x) cab options, that may be your ticket. And...not sure what cheap is for you...but if you'd have to pay more than $250 for a good used one...i'd pass.

Lastly, if you've heard studio cuts with the 500x and it sounded alright to you, then you'll likely be satisfied.

 

[mudf00t]

That Suhr gizmo isn't a load, so recording this way wouldn't be different than using a mic. Or am I mistaken?

 

[slyym]

Well folks tomorrow is payday and I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the PodHD. I've had many pods in the past so I know what to expect. I know its not an AXE FX but I've listened to I swear 100's of videos and clips the last couple days and I think it will get me by a little longer until I can get something better. I'm getting it cheap enough to where when I'm ready to let it go I wont loose to much on it. I'm just tired of PC amp sims I'm losing my mind. In a month or 2 I should be able to get an AX8.

 

[Monkey Man]

Owned every POD and POD Pro (including the bass ones) since v1.0.

IMHO, the HD500 was the biggest disaster... correction: the only disaster amongst all of them.

For me at least, it took 2 years to finally dial my tones in properly for all the on-board emulations. The fight was mainly against scratchiness / harshness and fizz. My neck and back, which took some months to recover, would implore you to steer clear and grab any other POD, including the Helix, in preference to the HD.

The 500 or the 500X was disastrous, IYO? He's asking specifically about the 500x. I have the 500, not the 500X...and they may be very similar... I was under the impression however, that the 500x was an upgrade of sorts from the 500.

Actually, the "X" was, AFAICR, simply a processor upgrade in response to folks' complaints about running out of useable FX slots, especially when running dual-amp configurations.

The coding / modelling is identical AFAIK.

 

[Hung Huy Tran]

I wouldn't say it competes with the axe but with 3rd party IRs it can be decent. The recto sim is the best on that particular unit IMO. For dirt cheap recording I would go with LePou Lecto and Ownhammer irs.

 

[MrDowntown]

Owned every POD and POD Pro (including the bass ones) since v1.0.

IMHO, the HD500 was the biggest disaster... correction: the only disaster amongst all of them.

For me at least, it took 2 years to finally dial my tones in properly for all the on-board emulations. The fight was mainly against scratchiness / harshness and fizz. My neck and back, which took some months to recover, would implore you to steer clear and grab any other POD, including the Helix, in preference to the HD.

The 500 or the 500X was disastrous, IYO? He's asking specifically about the 500x. I have the 500, not the 500X...and they may be very similar... I was under the impression however, that the 500x was an upgrade of sorts from the 500.

Actually, the "X" was, AFAICR, simply a processor upgrade in response to folks' complaints about running out of useable FX slots, especially when running dual-amp configurations.

The coding / modelling is identical AFAIK.

Oh yea, gotcha..."exceeding DSP"...or whatever it was called was a real issue.

 

[JackBootedThug]

i have the hd500 and like it. does what I need perfectly. cheap, portable, easy to set up, and decent sounds thanks to the tone library.

 

[Monkey Man]

Gee, you got lucky Steve!

Don't get me wrong; I reckon I got it to sound pretty damned good. It's just that it took me 2 years, whereas with every other POD I was cookin' with gas straight out of the box.

Owned every POD and POD Pro (including the bass ones) since v1.0.

IMHO, the HD500 was the biggest disaster... correction: the only disaster amongst all of them.

For me at least, it took 2 years to finally dial my tones in properly for all the on-board emulations. The fight was mainly against scratchiness / harshness and fizz. My neck and back, which took some months to recover, would implore you to steer clear and grab any other POD, including the Helix, in preference to the HD.

The 500 or the 500X was disastrous, IYO? He's asking specifically about the 500x. I have the 500, not the 500X...and they may be very similar... I was under the impression however, that the 500x was an upgrade of sorts from the 500.

Actually, the "X" was, AFAICR, simply a processor upgrade in response to folks' complaints about running out of useable FX slots, especially when running dual-amp configurations.

The coding / modelling is identical AFAIK.

Oh yea, gotcha..."exceeding DSP"...or whatever it was called was a real issue.

Correct weight, mate.

I remember being horrified at how quickly one could run out of DSP. Their initial advice was to "try to not use the reverb". Bad planning, unlike with the Helix, which by all accounts and from what I've heard in audio clips, absolutely rocks.

 

[MrDowntown]

Doubling up the amps gets a good tone quickly, but it also chews up the DSP quickly... so you have to minimize efx, verbs and such. Double Mesa's really sounds good. I could never get the JCM's to sound too good. The Soldano heads sound pretty good too. The clean amps sound good, fenders, dr.z, etc.. with a compressor, it's a nice chick'n-pick'n patch.

I like the stereo delay. The phase 90 pedal is nice. The vintage eq isn't too bad if you can work it in. I've used mine as a audio interface for mic'n my amps/cabs, i use it mostly for pushing (2) 50w monitors for backing tracks. Nice units for the money....but not at the same level of the 2K "modelers/processors" obviously.

 

[polaris20]

Owned every POD and POD Pro (including the bass ones) since v1.0.

IMHO, the HD500 was the biggest disaster... correction: the only disaster amongst all of them.

For me at least, it took 2 years to finally dial my tones in properly for all the on-board emulations. The fight was mainly against scratchiness / harshness and fizz. My neck and back, which took some months to recover, would implore you to steer clear and grab any other POD, including the Helix, in preference to the HD.

That's odd; I had no trouble at all getting good tones out of it, and there are tons of examples on Youtube where they sound good. Not great, but good. I can't imagine that being a "disaster", but to each their own.