Line/Inst Settings for Line Level Amp Loop - Ebtech?

[carlito17]

I am running 4CM and my amp has a line level loop. Because of this I end up having to use 1 more loop than I would if the loop was instrument level.

 

So on the Helix I have...

 

Loop 1 Send set to Inst Level. Goes to the front of the amp

Loop 2 Return set to Line Level. From my amp's fx send

1/4" Out is set to Line Level. Going to my amp's fx return

 

Has anyone ever used the Ebtech Line Level Shifter? If I used one I could turn everything back to Inst Level and get loop 2 on the Helix back.

 

It'd be a cool feature on the Helix to be able to split a loop and make the send and return individually selectable for Line or Inst for us 4CM users.

 

For now I think the Ebtech may be my best solution. What's everyone else out there doing in this situation?

[jbuhajla]

You are still just using 1 send and 1 return on the Helix either way. You still have 2 more send/returns available.

[ricksteruk]

I have my Helix Send & Return set to instrument level and then just turn the Return Block level down to about -15dB to account for the fact that my amp's FX send is -10dBV level not instrument level, so that I get basically the same level with the FX loop bypassed as engaged.   Works fine for me :)

[carlito17]

You are still just using 1 send and 1 return on the Helix either way. You still have 2 more send/returns available.

There are 3 pedals I would like to add and I currently can only add 2. Not the end of the world just seeing what my options were if anyone had thoughts.

[jbuhajla]

The only option would be is to have two of those pedals in serial, but you can't control them individually in Helix.

[carlito17]

After doing some research I think I'm gonna try the Ebtech Line Level Shifter. I'll post results if I do.

[jeremyn]

The Ebtech line level shifter worked well for me when I was trying to use a digital reverb processor with a super hot amp effects loop (the amp needed up to 70V Pk-Pk back into the return loop to get full volume). It has 12dB of gain to go from -10dBV (which is about -8dBu) to +4dBu. 

 

The only issue is that if you use it on both the input and output you end up isolating the ground connection to the device in the middle. This can be a good thing if both pieces of gear are grounded and you are experiencing some hum. But if one piece of gear is being powered with a 2 prong switch mode supply, semi isolating it from ground with the Ebtech will cause it to hum like crazy.

 

In your application, it looks like you only need to drop the level of the Loop1 Send from line to instrument so it doesn't overdrive your amp input. The Ebtech is perfect for this and you only need to use one of its channels.

[carlito17]

I finally tried the LLS. It dropped the signal from the amp's loop too low. Had to bump up the level on my amp's loop to make the Helix match the volume of the amp without the loop. Not worth gaining an extra internal loop on the Helix. I'm back to running it the original way I had it. All good.

 

It still would be nice if there was a way Line 6 could make Loop 1 splittable so you could make the send Inst Level and the Return Line Level. That way us 4CM users wouldn't lose an internal loop if our amp's loop is Line Level. It a very small thing though. Overall the Helix has been incredible. Don't think I've even scratched the surface yet.