I will admit, i can go both ways on the presets... On one hand i can call them crAppy, impractical, etc... On the other, they are back down to earth and useful if you just do a little modding, like tone, gains, amp mics, etc. not really seeing huge difference between the 500 and 500x presently.

What benefits do you get using the software? Just quicker modding? I used it initially, then didnt like how it slowed me down(when syncing) when i was in tinker mode.

Then again today i set up a double amp tone with the tweed and super o, all kinds of preamp eq, distortion, reverb... Took about 30 minutes. Then? I hit the knob to go to next setting without saving. Calmly shut down all electronics, put prs in case, grabbed my washburn acoustic that i use for "outside/by the water" playing, and sat outside playing like a happy luddite, far away from the stresses of digital noisemaking.