Randall RM100 W/ PODHD500

Anyone know how to use both of these together. I want to control the channel switching via midi and just use the effects from the POD. Also, wanted to know about hooking it up 4 cable method and its advantages. Thanks, REALLY new to all this!

I've used the RM 100/ HD500 combo a little. I was trying to set it up to switch amp channels and patches with one 'stomp'. I couldn't seem to do it. It took at least 2 presses on the footswitch to change the patch and the amp channel. I was used to using a Rocktron Midimate to control my RM 100 and my G-Major. That setup worked very well. I think the midi capability in the 500 is quite limited (or I'm just not smart enough to set it up correctly! LOL). Maybe someone else can give us both some better answers.

Its actually pretty easy to set up the MIDI switching. Are you using the editing software? Thats the best way to get to it.

In the patch where you have set up your effect go to the "Controllers" tab then look down at the section labeled "Midi Assign" Just select the Foot Switch Button you want (i.e. FS1) and below it assing the midi channel. For the RM100 the channels are simply matching - Midi Channel 1 will select the first module slot, Midi Channel 2 will select the 2nd module slot, etc.

Dont worry about the rest of the settings.

I could never get the 4 cable method to work so I just run the effects into the front of my RM100. As a guy who was a rack/effects loop snob I have to say that I get great results with the effects just going thru the front of the amp.

Good luck!

It'll work. Play with the cc or cc toggle settings. I use the hd500 to control my Nova Drive and its midi implementation is great.

Iam using the rm100/hd500 together with the four cable method and have great results. Midi works great with the rm100. Midi in from rm100 to midi out/thru on hd500. I read the midi switching on rm100 is set on channel 16 and it work on mine. Once you assign the foot switch to midi, and on program change select the module you want and hold the ch. select/store on rm100 for a couple seconds and save the setting on the hd500

The benefits of the 4 cable method is you can use the high gain mods from rm100 and the clean amps from the hd500 as I do. You can also arrange the effects if you want before or after the preamp.

Well I fired up the amp for the first time last night and it's definitely something to get use to, coming from the amp modeling community. The modules arent ideally what I'm looking for nor do I like to have all el34's. My previous amp besides my podhd was a 6505+, so I like that American tone. I wasn't floored by the tone due to all the factors I just mentioned. I got into the mts to mod some modules. I did figure out how to use the midi. My amp was modded to be a Mod100 so it was set up to recieve only on midi channel 1 right now. So the podhd automatically sends pc messages when changing patches is what I found out. So to save the modules to a patch was easy. Pick a patch on your podhd, pick a module for that patch, hold the channel button on the rm100 until it turns off, done. Easy. What I want to know if it is possible to send additional midi changes within the patch itself. Ex: 1a consist of to virtual loops. On one loop I have a OD boost. The other loop is all modulation. When I switch loops I would like the change the module as well. Can I do this??? Reminder. My amp is like a mod100. I'm thinking I its something to do with the dip switches on the amp.... Thanks for all the help so far!!!

I used Stemlife's technique to integrate my HD500 and RM100 and it worked! The only issue I have now is the Midi Mate I used to control the amp channels and my G-Major 2 does not switch the channels like it used to.
Does anyone know exactly what happens when you hold the channel selector button on the amp? It must have changed something :shock:

When I programmed the Midi Mate, I didn't have to do anything to the amp...why couldn't I just assign the program change # (1, 2, or 3 respectively to each module channel) and the midi channel (1) on the HD500? I'm a little confused.

RATM_45 said:

The benefits of the 4 cable method is you can use the high gain mods from rm100 and the clean amps from the hd500 as I do. You can also arrange the effects if you want before or after the preamp.

Click to expand...

I am using 4 c/m with my rm 100 and I use digitech rp1000
I want to know if I really even have to use 4 c/m I just use rp 1000 just for effects chours reverb delay and sometime.a stompbox for more of a boost I use my modules for my clean and dirty could I run just into effects loop or some other way thanks

the crush 36 said:

RATM_45 said:

The benefits of the 4 cable method is you can use the high gain mods from rm100 and the clean amps from the hd500 as I do. You can also arrange the effects if you want before or after the preamp.

Click to expand...

I am using 4 c/m with my rm 100 and I use digitech rp1000
I want to know if I really even have to use 4 c/m I just use rp 1000 just for effects chours reverb delay and sometime.a stompbox for more of a boost I use my modules for my clean and dirty could I run just into effects loop or some other way thanks

Click to expand...

As long as you want all your effects in the loop, there's no reason to run it in 4CM. But if you ever use the wah, you'll want in going into the front end. Also, depending on how you use the boost, you might want it going into the front.

Update: I finally figured it all out! It's definitely how you set up your dip switches on your amp. Like I stated previously, my amp was modded to be a Mod100 so it accepts the dual channel modules. I flipped switches 5 (omni mode),6 (Program change enable)&7 (Controller data enable) on, on my amp. I also had to set my podhd500 to omni mode. Now this is what all that means... The way I set up my channels per patch is still the same. Hold the channel button on the rm100 to the patch you want to save on your podhd500. Now to change modules within the same patch you have pick a pedal that's going to initiate the change. To set it up go to the assignment control page (hold the "MOVE" button). There you will have the option to choose midi control assignments to each foot switch. Choose a midi channel besides channel 1 (It's being used already) Then you choose - message:cc toggle. And then you will see cc# to the right. In your manual there's a list of the cc#'s that go with each module channel. And the last option is the value:000. I left that alone. Needles to say it worked. I use the "Trails" option on Podhd so this is real handy for me. Hope I didn't make this too complicated! Oh, and the 4CMethod... I'm still working on that.

I was unsuccessful getting the 4cm method working with my RM50 combo. The effects loop runs too hot and distorts the effects loop input of the HD500, even with the module master volumes below 11 o'clock. I also could not get the output of the clean sims on the HD to match the levels of the higher-gain sims or the internal MTS Modules.

An external device or mod to adjust the send/return levels on the RM100 would be needed. I know Bruce made a few and sold them here on the forum a while back.

scottro123 said:

I was unsuccessful getting the 4cm method working with my RM50 combo. The effects loop runs too hot and distorts the effects loop input of the HD500, even with the module master volumes below 11 o'clock. I also could not get the output of the clean sims on the HD to match the levels of the higher-gain sims or the internal MTS Modules.

Click to expand...

Assuming you are connecting everything correctly, and if you are using the HD500, make sure that in your preset, the mixer is set to 0db (no volume boost) and Centered. Also, learn to use your compressors...place it after the mixer in your effects chain and use it to adjust your overall volume to match the rest of the modules. Also, your "FX Loop" block levels need to be adjusted properly. Send and Return are at 0 for me and Mix is at maximum. And for the love of god, put the FX loop before the mixer in the chain.

And for those who are still having issues trying to access all amp channels while within a preset, here is my post from another forum. It's best if you create one preset (with the following midi settings, and set levels - including the FX block enabled) and save it to your computer, then load it on a new tone preset when you want to sculpt a new tone. IF YOU WANT THIS PRESET, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL EMAIL YOU MINE.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1198419

1. First, figure out a logical layout on your HD500 floorboard configuration that would give you access to all three channels,.
Go to the midi control settings in your hd500 computer software.
2. Select footswitch (fs1, fs2, exp1, etc...) to assign a function. (I chose F6 for my channel 1, F7 channel 2, F8 Channel 3.
3. Then Select MIDI Channel 1 (most of the RM100s are defaulted to this channel)
4. Enter the "type of message" you would like to send...which in this case is "CC"
5. Then set the following values for the designated channel select buttons. In this instance, mine are set like the following:

Control Change #56 (w/Control Value 127) allows for ?Instant Access? selection of Channel 1.
Control Change #57 (w/Control Value 127) allows for ?Instant Access? selection of Channel 2.
Control Change #58 (w/Control Value 127) allows for ?Instant Access? selection of Channel 3.

6. Step on selected footswitch once values are set.

7. Save. Repeat as neccesary.

So to recap, select foot switch to control channel 1, then follow steps 3 through 6. Then select footswitch to control channel 2, then follow steps 3 through 6. And repeat for channel 3. Save.

But most of this became unnecessary as my approach evolved. I set the HD500's pedal function to "ABCD" so I have instant access to each preset within each bank. So basically, now, i select the bank and preset location on the hd500, and the channel I wanna work with on the amp, do my magic in the edit software to get the tone I want. Then I hold the channel select button (as someone had mentioned in a previous post) to assign that channel to that preset. Then push the save button on the Pod. Done.

Really bored at work today.

Hey Icarus,

Had a long time apart from my rig and cant seem to figure out the changing amp channels within a patch. Could you please shed some light on this for me? As far as I know I have my dip switches like so: 1-4 and 8 are down and 5,,6,7 are up. I have my podhd500 set to omni. Did I do something wrong? Whats happening is im having both channels on at the same time! When in one patch ill have one module and when i make the change for the new channel the first one doesnt turn off...

Stemlife,

I got both POD HD 500 and RM100 and channel changing by POD midi out works well. The RM100 midi configuration is original and its midi channel set in 16.

Try to do the easiest way to configure:
1) Return to original midi setting in RM100
2) Set POD midi channel to 16
3) Select a patch on POD and select a channel on RM100
4) Push select channel buttom on RM100 for 2-3 seconds
5) Done! Now both patch and channel is linked!

scottro123 said:

I was unsuccessful getting the 4cm method working with my RM50 combo. The effects loop runs too hot and distorts the effects loop input of the HD500, even with the module master volumes below 11 o'clock. I also could not get the output of the clean sims on the HD to match the levels of the higher-gain sims or the internal MTS Modules.

An external device or mod to adjust the send/return levels on the RM100 would be needed. I know Bruce made a few and sold them here on the forum a while back.

Click to expand...

I have a MOD50 and an HD500. I don't always do the 4CM, but have played around with it and was setting up some stuff this weekend as I intend to use it for my church band set up. You can set both the Output and the Effects Return to Line level on the HD500. Output is one of the switches next to the expression pedal and the FX one is right around the FX jacks. I don't have any issue with levels and have left the HD500 FX levels at default.
Overall I like how it all works together. There is some noise from doing this that I can't seem to get rid of with Gates anywhere as I believe its the final output of the HD500 itself sending the noise into the return of the amp. I am hoping it isn't too bad while playing (worst on high gain modules, but I'll be using low and mid gain for church). If needed I can park it on a clean patch between songs. The other thought is to place a decimator between the HD500 and the amp Return.

So as soon as I posted this up I figured it out. Don't know exactly whats going on or why it even works, I just know I have accomplished what I thought this set up was capable of doing. Ill try to make it simple:

Saving an amp channel to a patch wasn't hard to figure out. Pick a patch (ex:1A) then select a module, hold the channel button on the amp, wait for the light to blink once, done.

Now the next thing I wanted to do was change the amp channel while still in the same patch... I tried all midi messages that were available from the POD Hd500 and tried setting the amp back to midi ch.1 then to 16, tried the omni mode as well. There were a lot of weird things happening with those settings (holding the amp channel button on the amp wouldn't work to save, all previous modules that were engage would stay engaged) and eventually came back to the way I had set it long ago. Dip switches 1-4, 8 down and 5-7up. One last weird thing that was happening was with pod hd500, no matter what midi channel I chose it would still communicate with amp.

Now having set the dip switches the way I did (and set the PODHD to Midi ch.1) allowed me to save the amp channels to any of my patches again, but to change amp channels I figured it would be a cc toggle message since the amp channels are numbered that way in the manual. Didn't work for me. What did work was choosing Midi ch. Base and sending PGM changes banks 00- 05. The 00-05 numbers are the 6 channels I have in my amp (RM100 modded to MOD100). So now I can stay on one patch and make amp channels changes and turn on/off effects all at the same time on the same patch. This allows you to take advantage of trails option on the POD HD500. That is all.