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Helix and Amplifi


roscoe5
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Has anyone tried Helix into the Amplifi 1/8" Aux in jack?

 

I searched this forum and didnt see anything on the pair.

 

It seems like Amplifi could be a good at home (maybe even jamming at friends or small bars) solution at a fraction of the cost of Firehawk 1500 but similar stereo design, albeit scaled down.  I know these can be had pretty cheaply with new discounts or used.

 

I just replied to another user asking about good at home solutions and he was talking about buying a ZT Lunchbox or using acoustic amps.

 

Immabouta take Helix to GC and try it out with a 1/4" L/R Y-cable to 1/8" stereo adapter.  The suspense is killing me.  

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Found this thread with a user asking the same question and DI & Phil_m answering.

 

http://line6.com/support/topic/15517-helix-and-amplifi/

 

It sort of derailed with some "why Amplifi when you can use (more expensive) X", but got back on track.

 

No user feedback on the sound quality, etc. Only confirmation that it is technically possible and caution on the fragile-ness of the 1/8" cable and jack.  The original poster said that "it worked fine".

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I actually have an Amplifi 150.  My Helix replaced it, it hasn't been powered on since I got my Helix.  I have been meaning to try it with the Helix, but never seem to get around to it since I've got a pair of studio monitors I use when I'm not using headphones.  I'll give it a whirl.  It probably sounds fine, but wouldn't have the stereo spread of the monitor pair.  I'll find out.

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I have played with amplifi bars and scenes with a mic in front of it for the last years, using an ipad to drive it and fbv. That is a great sounding solution for a few bucks. It is also a perfect gear for playing and working at home, with same good sound at low volume, playing backtracks etc.

Since I have the helix I got a stage monitor so as to get the less effect from speaker on sound, but before I used to play helix on amplifi with a simple set, no amp, no effect. That works great. I was using guitar cable, not Aux in.

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Has anyone tried Helix into the Amplifi 1/8" Aux in jack?

 

I searched this forum and didnt see anything on the pair.

 

It seems like Amplifi could be a good at home (maybe even jamming at friends or small bars) solution at a fraction of the cost of Firehawk 1500 but similar stereo design, albeit scaled down.  I know these can be had pretty cheaply with new discounts or used.

 

I just replied to another user asking about good at home solutions and he was talking about buying a ZT Lunchbox or using acoustic amps.

 

Immabouta take Helix to GC and try it out with a 1/4" L/R Y-cable to 1/8" stereo adapter.  The suspense is killing me.  

 

 

I actually have an Amplifi 150.  My Helix replaced it, it hasn't been powered on since I got my Helix.  I have been meaning to try it with the Helix, but never seem to get around to it since I've got a pair of studio monitors I use when I'm not using headphones.  I'll give it a whirl.  It probably sounds fine, but wouldn't have the stereo spread of the monitor pair.  I'll find out.

 

 

I just did a quick test and I can confirm that the Helix sounds pretty darn good through an Amplifi using the 1/8" AUX input of the Amplifi.  I used the Helix 1/4" outs set at line level into a "Y" cable to connect.  It seems to reasonably and faithfully reproduce what I hear through headphones and also from my studio monitors, which are a pair of Yamaha HS8's.  I tested the stereo-ness using a ping pong delay and you can hear it bouncing back and forth from one side of the cabinet to the other, so stereo seems to work, too, at least as much stereo you can get from a 22" wide single cabinet.

 

It gets pretty loud, too.  I set the Helix master volume at 12 o'clock and briefly turned up the Amplifi nearly all the way and it was way more than what I'd want to be sitting next to for practicing, but didn't seem to break up, at least that I could tell for this quick test and everything in my attic office rattling including the windows. :)  I couldn't run it that way for long because the family is home.  But with the Helix master volume at noon, and the Amplifi AUX volume at around 10 o'clock, it was comfortable.  So I'm assuming it would work for what you are thinking, and I'm sure there's more in there if you turned up the Helix master even more.  That's the Amplifi 150 at least.

 

I didn't try going direct into the Amplifi's guitar input from the Helix.  That didn't really seem to make sense for my purposes, though robby747 and others have said that works fine, too.  I'm assuming you'd lose stereo doing that, if that's important to you.  I have two ears, so I like stereo.  :-)

 

That was fun!  And my Amplifi actually got turned on for the first time in months since getting the Helix. :)

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Thanks so much for testing and writing it up! That should be some useful info for others too.

 

Did you hapen to try Bluetooth music at the same time as using Helix in the 1/8" jack?

 

It would be nice to have an practice amp (though it sounds like Amplifi could do more if needed) always set up in the room to just plug Helix into and do some low volume jamming. The gig rig usually stays packed up bwtween shows. I get tired of headphones and have to drag out XLR cables to use the studio monitors.

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I just verified that works.  Connected with my iPhone using bluetooth while running the Helix through the 1/8" aux input.

 

Note that the volume knob on the Amplifi is actually two-in-one, which blends the guitar signal in with the aux input.  Makes it real quick to level out the sound to get the right volume of each when playing with a backing track.

 

When running the Helix into the aux input, as well as playing something over bluetooth, you lose that mix functionality, so you'll need to match the volumes appropriately from their source, either the Helix or whatever you're bluetooth source is.  Still easy, but not quite as easy as blending on the Amplifi itself.

 

If you run the Helix into the Amplifi using the Amplifi guitar input, the Amplifi volume mix knob would work as usual to match the volumes of the two sources.

 

All in all, it's a pretty sweet setup.  Not as good as the studio monitors, but still not bad at all.  And I'm sure not as nice as it's Firehawk big sister.

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I have an Amplifi 150 and got the Helix four months ago. Yes, I've been frequently using the Helix with the headphone jack out going into the Amplifi stereo input jack. I find it works fantastic and also will allow Bluetooth connection at the same time for MP3 play along.

 

Just use the headphone volume dial on the Helix and good to go.

 

The setup isn't ideal when compared to using large powered speakers but at the same time extremely satisfying for bedroom/apt type practice/playing.

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Man, I like the Helix headphone out idea, saves the Y cable.

 

I'll probably keep an eye out for a good deal on an Amplifi 75 or 150 for home use.

 

Can't really justify Firehawk 1500 for that.

 

 

Maybe Amplifi is a good FRFR gateway drug to see if I would like to go that route.

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  • 2 years later...

I would use the mini jack in to the Ampfili, as this input bypasses the pre amp stage straight to the slave amp. This works as FRFR, due to the fact that the signal of the Helix is injected directly to the stereo signal sent out to the 5 way speaker system of the Amplifi. I set the Helix at 12 o’clock and use the master volume on the amp for stage volume. No problems, and the stereo image of FX from the Helix are maintained.

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  • 3 years later...
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