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{{Crumbs|blue2|1|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The Pad Switch|Pad Switch|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The MASTER Knob|MASTER Knob|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Amp/Channel Volume aka VOLUME Knob|VOLUME Knab|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Mixer Levels|Mixer Levels|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Master D.E.P.|Master Vol. DEP}}
{{Crumbs|blue2|2|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The Pad Switch|Pad Switch|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The MASTER Knob|MASTER Knob|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Amp/Channel Volume aka VOLUME Knob|VOLUME Knab|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Mixer Levels|Mixer Levels|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Master D.E.P.|Master Vol. DEP}}
{{Crumbs|blue2|3|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The Pad Switch|Pad Switch|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The MASTER Knob|MASTER Knob|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Amp/Channel Volume aka VOLUME Knob|VOLUME Knab|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Mixer Levels|Mixer Levels|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Master D.E.P.|Master Vol. DEP}}
{{Crumbs|blue2|4|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The Pad Switch|Pad Switch|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The MASTER Knob|MASTER Knob|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Amp/Channel Volume aka VOLUME Knob|VOLUME Knab|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Mixer Levels|Mixer Levels|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Master D.E.P.|Master Vol. DEP}}
{{Crumbs|blue2|5|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The Pad Switch|Pad Switch|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#The MASTER Knob|MASTER Knob|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Amp/Channel Volume aka VOLUME Knob|VOLUME Knab|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Mixer Levels|Mixer Levels|Line 6 Pod HD Tips and Pitfalls#Master D.E.P.|Master Vol. DEP}}
→Clarifying Confusing Volume Controls
=== The Pad Switch ===
Pods come with an input padding feature that reduces the level of your guitar signal. I have started using this to prevent some input clipping on guitars with high-output humbucker pickups. It also makes your signal a bit more manageable inside the Pod. I have tested the tone after compensating levels, and there seems to be insignificant tonal differences. Most of the issues with the Pod are that your signal is too hot rather than too weak. So this switch is a no-brainer for me. I had previously thought it had a unwanted tonal impact, but I was using a flawed test.
=== The MASTER Knob ===
The MASTER Knob is the physical knob labeled "MASTER". When I refer to it in this guide I always use the word knob to avoid confusion with the Master DEP control. This knob controls an analog attenuator that affects the output volume of the analog outputs. It is part of an analog gain stage, so its setting has some impact on the signal-to-noise ratio; however, it has no effect on the modeling algorithms. It has no impact whatsoever when outputting digitally (USB, SPDIF, or AES). This is a global setting that affects all patches equally. It has no digital representation and cannot be saved per patch - the knob's current setting is what the Pod will use. The Pod HD Getting Started Guide recommends turning this all the way up to get the best signal-to-noise ratio; however, some users have reported their tone suffers when doing so. In particular, high settings might clip whatever you're outputting the Pod into. For gig/practice applications, I set it to 65%, just shy of clipping the amp I run the Pod into. I advise you to turn it as high as possible unless you are clipping something downstream, using your amp's master volume control to dial in your desired final volume level. If your amp doesn't have a master volume controls, such as the Peavey ValveKing or 6505, you can use this in its place.
=== Amp/Channel Volume aka VOLUME Knob ===
The Volume Knob is also a physical knob, but it controls a digital setting which can be set and saved to different settings for each patch. When a patch is pulled up, it is set to the saved value, not the value the physical knob is currently set to. The digital setting will only change to the knob's value when you start turning it, like the EQ knobs. It controls the Vol/Ch Vol parameter located on each amp block, again similar to the EQ knobs. This is a tone-transparent control, not designed to change how the amp model behaves - to get the "cranked" amp tone, you use the Master DEP, discussed below.
=== Mixer Levels ===
Mixer Levels refer to the digital Channel A and Channel B level controls in the Mixer block. They are digital settings, saved per patch, accessible by selecting the Mixer block in the Pod's edit window or the Mixer tab in Edit. Like the above control, boosting too high can cause [[#Signal Clipping|digital clipping]] or affect the behavior of volume-sensitive downstream effects, but otherwise the mixer levels are tone-transparent.
=== Master D.E.P. ===
Master DEP refers to the [[Line_6_Pod_HD_Amp/Distortion_Tone#Master|Master Volume deep-editing parameter (DEP)]]. It is designed to model the amount of power amp distortion achieved in the amp modeling algorithms. It does have some affect on the patch's volume level, but you should not use it to adjust volume levels - use the amp/channel volume or mixer levels instead. It is a digital setting that can be saved per patch. It is accessible on the unit itself by double-clicking the "ENTER" button when selecting an amp block in the Pod's edit window to bring up the amp's settings, then clicking the right arrow. In Edit, the control is visible under the standard Drive and EQ controls on the AMPS tab.