Impedance

With firmware v1.4 the PodHD got variable input impedance. Line6 says before this the impedance was always set to 1M, but I feel like something changed...for the better. The unit seems more responsive to me. Anyway, I like this setting at 1M or 3.5M. This allows the loudest, tightest, and brightest tone to pass from guitar to Pod, which helps dial in the high gain tones I like. If you prefer a muddier or fuzzier distortion or looser feel, you may want a lower value.

For the F-Ball amp model, I find it can get kind of gritty and nasty for the distortion if your guitar signal is a bit bright. When I want a smooth tone from this model, normally I like to use a Mid-Focus EQ to roll-off enough high-end to smooth the tone out. However, if I don't have enough DSP or effects blocks to do so, I will turn down the impedance to attenuate some highs. I like it around 230K for this.

Also, the "auto" setting works well - it matches the impedance to the first effect in your chain, which helps make fuzz boxes sound fuzzier. If the first block is the amp, your impedance is likely 1M, which is the setting for most amps. The advanced manual shows you the input impedance values for each effect when you use "auto" on pages 2.5 - 2.7.

Remember, if you set the input settings to apply per patch, just because you changed the setting on one patch doesn't mean you are using the same settings for the patch you're currently tweaking. If the patch is noisy or you can't get the tone clean enough, be sure to double-check these settings.

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J. The Effects (fx) Loop

Keep in mind where you place your FX Loop in the Pod's signal chain, particularly in relation to the amp/cab modeling. Effects will sound very different depending on how they are ordered (see Effects Ordering section) and this is particularly the case for the amp modeling. Also note that you can change the send and receive levels for the loop.

Given the option, not using the loop (by placing the effects in front or behind the Pod) may be slightly advantageous because it does not require you to add an FX Loop effect to the signal chain (for HD 500/Desktop/Pro), freeing up one block for an additional effect. It also saves the tone from an additional set of D/A/D conversions and reduces complexity in gain staging.

The best part about using the loop is you can use just one footswitch to toggle on/off all the effects in the loop, rather than having to tap dance on all the individual effects.

There have been complaints that the FX Loop is incredibly noisy. It definitely adds noise, but not to the point where it is unusable. I don't like to use it to do simple things like clean boosts or to force mono-summing, but since its DSP cost is so low, sometimes it's the only available effect to do so. I find boosting the signal inside the Pod via a Studio EQ before the FX Loop can reduce the noisiness a bit.

I've also read the loop causes your signal to lose a significant chunk of volume. I believe these claims, but I have not tried to determine how bad this actually is. Be aware that you may need to compensate for the loop. The best way is to boost via a Studio EQ before it, which additionally improves SNR. If you can't do that, you can increase the Return level on the loop itself.

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