Leaderboard

Has anyone found any creative ways (other than using USB) to have a Helix (Rack) connect to a PowerCab 212+ via L6 Link and still allow for some sort of digital output (into a soundcard, for instance)? I use a Helix Rack + PC 212+ alongside a Clarett 8Pre and am bummed that switching on my PowerCab (connected to the Helix via L6) disables the S/PDIF output - I use the latter to intake the Helix signal, keeping some analog channels open and staying in the digital realm. I quickly perused the forum, but didn’t find any ideas that’d specifically address that scenario. Self-deprecatingly, -LesSand

Surprised, not at all. ☺️ Annoyed… Yes? Maybe? I was less focused on my feelings, and more in solving the problem. ☺️ And right you are, this is very clearly stated in the manual, which was very helpful of Line 6. I also suspect this is not the kind of limitation that can be resolved via software with the current hardware, hence me not even feeling very motivated to add an entry in IdeaScale. Man, I took the blue pill - I’m firmly attached to the Matrix! What do you mean zeros and ones sound bad? Don’t you miss the sweet sound of a 28.8 mbps modem?? lol

Hi, You seem to be surprised, and somewhat annoyed, by that the fact that you can only use the S/PDIF, or the L6 LINK, but not both simultaneously. This information is clearly documented in the Helix Rack 3.0 Owner’s Manual - Rev E - English page 65 “One digital output can be active at a time; choose S/PDIF or AES/EBU. Connecting an L6 LINK device to Helix automatically disables S/PDIF out. USB audio is not affected by this setting.” AFAIK, this has always been the case right from the launch - it hasn’t changed.You can still use all the available USB channels for audio, but you do not like that option. Note: the sound of ones and zeros is not very pleasant. Hope this help/makes sense.

I'm guessing that you're trying to eliminate the AD/DA conversion at the "soundcard" for recording purposes? I've done extensive comparisons with a DAW, and I cannot detect any difference between using SPDIF and using an analog channel on my Scarlett. I doubt that any measurement you can do will detect any either unless you're using a really old or incredibly cheap soundcard, but if you have a method that would show such a difference I'd be interested. How are you measuring? I've never claimed to have "Golden Ears" :-) - too many years playing loud R'n'R - and my recording needs are purely amateur hour so I can't state definitively that there's no difference, but with modern converters there shouldn't be. I use a 2nd gen Scarlett 18i20. What are you using?

Thanks for putting some thought on it, @HonestOpinion! What you described is EXACTLY what I was thinking too, but wanted to hear from you folks first. And I too was wondering about differences between L6L and AES/EBU protocols, whether a passive solution would even make sense or if would need to look for a digital splitter (if that even exists; would I then need to worry about clocking... a potential rabbit hole), but it didn't occur to me that there could be actually physical malfunction caused by it. Thanks for bringing this up, this perspective now gives me some extra pause. And all of this because I'm trying to avoid using two simple analog cables... Ugh. Just saying that makes me feel dirty. I wish I could digitize my ears and listen to zeros and ones. (-:

The new Catalyst amps have a .5 watt setting. Get the 100watt version for MIDI control. Boss Katana also has a .5 watt setting. Get the 100 MKII version for MIDI connectivity and power amp/FX Loop flexibility. If you're not planning to ever play out just get a quality set of powered studio monitors.

You need to your pitch shifting on Path B only (use Split, so A and B are both receiving your guitar), and then remix the shifted guitar back in with unpitched using the Merge block.

Interestingly enough, I am experiencing essentially the opposite behavior (more evidence this is a bug): After saving a change to the new Behavior parameter, upon leaving and returning to the preset, the "saved" change is reverted / was apparently not saved. This occurs for me on all presets with an EXP bypass.

Thank you. I think I can handle the general sounds bc I am very familiar with logic pro x so I can work with digital pedals. I think im just scared of getting this set up for live performance. I just got the phone call. I got the gig I auditioned for last night so I believe I will be buying one of these after I watch some more videos to try and relieve some "digital sound anxiety" haha.

Modeling isn't for everyone, it can be a little daunting at first as there is a learning curve, but the Helix is designed for mere mortals, and you will most likely find yourself wrapping your head around it soon enough with some initial effort. After that point it becomes very rewarding! As you design your presets at home, you will get better as time goes by at anticipating what will work once you hit the stage, regardless of what you are using to monitor them. The advice already presented here holds though. The closer your volume is to performance levels, and your monitor equipment is to a PA speaker, the more direct the translation will be, and more likely fewer preset adjustments will be required for that transition from home to stage.

Did you update POD Go Edit before updating the firmware? I imagine you might be running an older version.

The lack of easily visible bpm display is definitely an oversight on an otherwise solid product.

I've been running MacOS Monterey for a few weeks now and haven't has any issues with HX Edit, Powercab Edit or Helix Native. I am running it on an M1 Mac Mini with 8g of RAM. Bear in mind, depending on the plugins you run and the complexities of the type of work your doing, your mileage may vary, but overall my experience has been solid.

Hi, If you care to trawl through the numerous posts on here, or the dedicated HX Native pages, you will find that many, many Helix Native users are managing to work with Rosetta quite successfully. The point is that, generally, lots of people come into these forums to gripe about Line 6 not having their stuff fully compliant with the new Apple products. Yet this was an industry wide phenomenon - Apple made the change. When I say “industry wide” that is not simply music and audio apps. Lots of things are still not 100% - recent status here: https://www.toolfarm.com/news/apple-silicon-compatibility/ Hope that helps/makes sense.

I think this would be a good (and cheap (language independent)) improvement of the manual. I remember looking for the numbering scheme when I stumbled over the first instructions on doing various resets. While it was highly likely Line 6 would be using the ‘western’ practice of left to right and top down, doing different types of resets is not really something you want to do by trial error. Later reset instructions added how to identify the switches and all is good now. That said, the manual I believe, has quite a few references to switch numbers but never describes which number goes with which switch. Maybe I missed it ... Maybe a more productive feedback from an Uber Guru would be advice on how get real improvements into the manual update pipeline. As far as I gathered from past posts, Line 6 is unlikely to pick this feedback up from this Forum.

Quick update. I filed a support ticket and they got back to me within a couple hours. They suggested I remove the knob cap and try pressing the shaft directly. Sure enough, that worked. Then after replacing the knob shaft, the knob itself is working as expected, all good! Perhaps the knob was pushed too far down on the shaft not leaving enough travel to engage the switch when pushed? In any case, its working now. Like I said, I am very impressed with the Helix ecosystem :) Thanks all for chiming in. Richard

On their list of priorities, this will probably land somewhere between staff requests for monogrammed toilet paper in the workplace, and making National Gazpacho Day a paid holiday...