Helix LT beginners questions

[fotogestaltung]

First off, the last time I bought guitar equipment is about 20 years ago, so my questions may sound rather stupid.

My current equipment is a Quadraverb, a Marshall JMP-1 and a Marshall 50/50 power amp. I control it with an Exef Midi switcher.

 

The Exef switcher is having defects from time to time and my Quadraverb is maybe just not as good as the newer devices...:)

 

What do I want?

 

I still want to use my 50/50 Marshall poweramp with my Marshall speakers. I also want to use the JMP-1, because I love its sound.

So here are my questions:

 

- Can I control the JMP-1 via MIDI from the Helix LT?

 

- Can I set up the Helix LT to ony use its effects and use the JMP-1 as preamp? If yes, can I bypass the JMP-1 without changing any cable setups, if I decide, maybe for just one song, to use the Helix LT as complete "soundmachine" (amp simulation+ effects)? Of course, I´d still use my Marshall poweramp in this case.

 

- The Marshall 50/50 can be switched to another sound with a footswitch. Can the Helix LT do that switch, as well? If yes, can it do this with just a single press on one switch? That means, I just want to press down one single switch and move to another effect, switch my JMP-1 via Midi and switch my Marshall power amp to the other sound. is that possible?

[HaltingState]

Someone else might have more detail but sounds like it should be possible. The Helix can send your customised MIDI messages. You can set up patches that bypass the amp and cab. i.e. so you're just using a preamp model into your poweramp and cab.

 

So I think you should be able to have that mute the JMP-1 with a MIDI message as well. The footswitches can have more than one function.

 

I've actually got a JMP-1 too. Just used for the emulated outs.

[strabes]

Yes, all of that is possible, very simple with Helix. 

[GDan]

The helix is designed as a practical "brain" for your whole setup, it can do this easily.

 

For what you want though I'd get the rack helix though so you can put it all in one rack and not have cables running back and forth from helix to JMP1. Plus maybe keep the quadraverb if you want.

 

It costs a bit more but I've seen more second hand and discounts on the rak version than other places.

[fotogestaltung]

Sorry for the late reply, but I did not get any notifications via email.

Meanwhile I´ve bought the Helix LT. Before trying with my Marshall stuff, I wanted to learn how to use the LT with what I have at home. This is a Hughes and Kettner Tube 50. So I´ve plugged my guitar into the "guitar in" of the Helix and then from the 1/4 out (left mono) into the guitar input (clean channel) of the Hughes and Kettner Tube 50. I´ve set the input volume of the Hughes and Kettner to a level, where it does not distort., when the guitar goes straight into it (without Helix). Then I used that same input level, when I went from the 1/4 output of the Helix LT into the Huges and Kettner. I turned the output volume knob of the Helix to a level, where I still get a clean sound, which is about a middle position.

I´ve tried a lot, but everything sounds terribly thin! Aweful! Then I went from the 1/4 output of the Helix to the return of the H/K amp. This time it sounded thicker. But still not satisfying. There are endless videos on Youtube, but it´s hard to find something, where someone shows in detail, how to make a good sound with the LT going into a combo amp  like the H/K.

Why is it producing such a terrible thin sound, when I go from the 1/4 to the H/K guitar input? Even after some hours, I could not get a halfway "normal" guitarsound.

Am I right to assume that I don´t need to set up a "cab" in the Helix signal chain, if I go into the H/K? I don´t get this. I´m rather dissappointed at the moment.

 

[jbuhajla]

Sorry for the late reply, but I did not get any notifications via email.

Meanwhile I´ve bought the Helix LT. Before trying with my Marshall stuff, I wanted to learn how to use the LT with what I have at home. This is a Hughes and Kettner Tube 50. So I´ve plugged my guitar into the "guitar in" of the Helix and then from the 1/4 out (left mono) into the guitar input (clean channel) of the Hughes and Kettner Tube 50. I´ve set the input volume of the Hughes and Kettner to a level, where it does not distort., when the guitar goes straight into it (without Helix). Then I used that same input level, when I went from the 1/4 output of the Helix LT into the Huges and Kettner. I turned the output volume knob of the Helix to a level, where I still get a clean sound, which is about a middle position.

I´ve tried a lot, but everything sounds terribly thin! Aweful! Then I went from the 1/4 output of the Helix to the return of the H/K amp. This time it sounded thicker. But still not satisfying. There are endless videos on Youtube, but it´s hard to find something, where someone shows in detail, how to make a good sound with the LT going into a combo amp  like the H/K.

Why is it producing such a terrible thin sound, when I go from the 1/4 to the H/K guitar input? Even after some hours, I could not get a halfway "normal" guitarsound.

Am I right to assume that I don´t need to set up a "cab" in the Helix signal chain, if I go into the H/K? I don´t get this. I´m rather dissappointed at the moment.

What model blocks are you putting into your signal chain within the Helix? If you are running Helix into the front end of your amp, just try a single overdrive or distortion model to see how that sounds. With your amp set clean drop in the Minotaur and play around with the parameters on the distortion model. 

 

If you are putting other things in your signal chain that are normally not used going into the front end of an amp, then things may not sound "normal" to you. 

[fotogestaltung]

What´s not "normal" to me is how ultra-thin everything sounds. And that applies to all presets. Aren´t there any presets that are specifically for Helix LT>Combo amp?

I´ve also tried to set up something simple: only a "Solo Lead OD Preamp". Terribly thin, no matter, how I set bass, mid etc. If I plug the Helix into the H/K´s FX return instead of the H/K´s guitar input, it sound richer, but still not acceptable. The H/K´s lead sound is way "thicker".

[jbuhajla]

What´s not "normal" to me is how ultra-thin everything sounds. And that applies to all presets. Aren´t there any presets that are specifically for Helix LT>Combo amp?

I´ve also tried to set up something simple: only a "Solo Lead OD Preamp". Terribly thin, no matter, how I set bass, mid etc. If I plug the Helix into the H/K´s FX return instead of the H/K´s guitar input, it sound richer, but still not acceptable. The H/K´s lead sound is way "thicker".

Are you talking about using the factory presets? If so, I don't recommend using those as a reference. There is a factory preset already set up for 4 cable method. 

 

Preamp models are going to play differently when ran with different real guitar amps. When you run it into the front end of your amp, you are essentially running through two preamps, then to your power amp section. When you run into your return, you are running the modeled preamp into the power amp section of your H/K. Some preamp models may not as good as others through your power amp section. You will just have to experiment. 

 

I would start with the 4 cable method and go from there. 

[fotogestaltung]

Can you tell me, how to connect my equipment with the 4 cable method for my 2 "scenarios"?

 

- How to do it, if I use the H/K Tube 50

- How to do it with my JMP-1, Marshall 50/50 poweramp, 4x12 speaker. In this case, I want to be able to either use the Helix LT and the JMP-1 (Helix for effects and JMP-1 for distorsion. Marshall 50/50 as poweramp) or just bypass the JMP-1 and use only the Helix LT and the Marshall poweramp.

[jbuhajla]

Search for Helix 4 cable method, there are many videos out there that can step you through it.