So hows the amp without 500X or are you always using the 500 to control it now?Are the basic 4 amps (Fender, Mesa, Marshal and Vox) as shown on the card, preset into the 500X and available via footswitch?
I fully intend to get both the HD500X and the DT25, subject to being blown away by them in the shop.If they don't blow my skirt up sufficiently then I'll be looking at the Blackstar ID range, which I know aren't valve, but they have gained some rave reviews and seem very versatile.I got hooked up to one when I test drove the CV Tele, but I didn't really explore it like I should have done, focusing on the guitar instead.If neither do it for me then I'll just see what takes my eye/ear and take it from there.
When you looking Bilbo, next weekend? The ID60 got a great Guitarist review, nearest can get to valves at present. This month, they love the Blue lamped valve amp!
http://87.106.71.220/oma/huke/images/GM_front_1378888735.jpg
I have tried the amp with and without the pod.If you don't want any effects (apart from the basic drive and reverb) then the amp on its own is great, and quite simple to operate.Yes, it's got a few extra switches compared to a traditional amp, but that's basically just the amp model (the 4-way switch), the class selector (A or A/B), and the pentode/triode selector (haven't really played with that yet).
I'm ashamed to say that I don't know if the 4 basic amps are preset into the 500X!There are a lot of presets and I've only fleetingly gone through them to try them out, without taking a lot of notice of how they are configured.I think there's a real task involved in working out your favourite presets, which you can then group together in one of the set lists so that they are readily accessible.
I'll try to check that out some time and get back to you!
My advice FWIW is just to go for whichever one floats your boat sound-wise.The HD500X is complicated to operate and that could be off-putting, but I'm starting to see the light a bit and ir's clearly extremely versatile.The Blackstars are cheaper - less than half the price of the combination DT25/HD500X, but that obviously doesn't give you the huge variety of the pod although the ID series amps do have som effects (more than the DT25 on its own).It depends on your budget of course too.To be honest, this was all rather more money than I'd anticipated spending (especially since 2 weeks ago I didn't anticipate buying an amp!) but I figure that it's better to buy something that will last me for many years rather than getting something that I'd want to replace in a year.There's quite a learning curve, but it's good for me to climb it, and I know that this rig will do everything I could want for a long time.I will have to organise my finances a bit to cover the unexpected outlay but it's not the end of the world (as long as I don't go GASsing after an expensive Gibson in the near future!).
Other than that, I can't advise you to get it or not; that's up to you, your ears and your wallet.Do try out some of the more esoteric presets with the pod, though, if you get a chance!
2-3 weeks.I need to sell the gibbo first, before my funds will be sufficient.I'm just stuck with the micro cube at the moment, however, so really need a bigger amp sharpish.
I don't mind the pod being a bit of a mountain to climb.Like you, if I can grab something that will stand me in good stead for a while then I don't mind a bit of a steep learning curve.I'm in no rush.With playing as bad as mine it'll be quite some time before I outgrow anything, lol.
I assume you guys have seen this lively scouser already, but he does some great reviews. Sat through a whole bunch, he obviously likes the Blackstar IDs and DT25s.
Paul Glover - YouTube
On my subscribe list now.
That amp up north was a bit far away from me, but a DT25 went near York for 400 which would have been too much to resist, glad I saw it afterwardsdata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
The race just got a hell of a lot closer…..Just found this on youtube about the Blackstar ID100.Very, very interesting and a real insight into it's versatility :
The Blackstar certainly looks good and I've no complaints with my HT5, but with a Variax and eventually an HD500, it makes no sense *not* to buy a DT25 data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I am going the opposite way to you guys and actually thinking of keeping what I havedata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Well, just the MT head. I just love the little amp and save for heavy Distortion it gives me most of what I want. I might however swap out the little 8 inch cab for an Orange 1 x 12 cab, as read that can thicken up the tone quite a bit. I then have the cab incase I do succumb to a Jim Root terror one day.
So my only predicament is Orange or Black data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7