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I would probably just copy the preset with the amp+cab block into a new preset naming it PC-Name or something and replace the amp+cab block with just an amp block.

There hasn’t been much new for us Variax users for quite some time. That’ a pity because there’s nothing on the marker that can do what a Variax does for a gigging musician. Variax is so close to being fantastic, its too bad it hasn’t gotten incremental improvements to push the technology over the top they way Helix did with the HD500 series of amp modelers. So here’a a fiew ideas on what a next generation Variax might look like. Hopefully this will generate some discussion and customer demand that will help Line6 justify some new development in the Variax line. Miniaturization: Use HX Stomp engineering to significantly reduce the hardware footprint of the Variax while increasing its DSP capacity. Leverage this new hardware component to make it very easy to install Variax hardware in almost any existing guitar. This might require some routing and a new back plate, but I think we all prefer the flexibility of Variax in our own favorite instruments. Stick to the four knob layout of the Variax Standard to fit on guitars that typically have four knobs (volume, tone, model selector, tuning selector) On guitars with two knobs, use a mode switch on the knobs to change between volume/model selector and tone/tuning selector - this will take some engineering on the control, but would simplify functional layout on the guitar. Ensure VDI and 1/4” outputs sound the same and VDI faithfully reproduces the magnetic pickups into Helix Support option for VDI guitar impedance modeling and simulate treble rolloff for different lengths of cable and different cable capacitance. Support more customization slots, or better yet, just treat all blocks in the guitar the same way and use presets to load whatever block the user needs into whatever switch position they want. Allow Impulse Responses for guitar models. These can include IRs for body, pickup, acoustic bodies, mandolin, acoustic bass, etc. There’s a growing market for instrument IRs Variax should be able to leverage this. Include a model that provides access to the raw piezo pickups so that Variax can leverage IR blocks in the Helix line as well as other models for additional flexibility Support Line6 marketplace for purchasing guitar models and guitar IRs Expand the models available from Line6 (and maybe others from the marketplace) and let users choose which ones to load into their guitars. This allows the existing model to be retained for backward compatibility while opening up the possibility for new models. Its ok to have more models than what can fit into the guitar at one time. Allow additional guitar models to be loaded as part of Helix presets (just like different blocks in Helix). This will require much faster model load time that is currently available from Workbench. And finally, and most important, improve the body, pickup and acoustic models to make them “HX” quality. Do this by expanding the models available in while retaining the current 1.9 and 2.0 models if anyone wants to use these. There’s no reason to not have the choice to retain what was while opening up new opportunities. These models should just be Variax “blocks” that can be loaded as presets from Helix or Workbench HX.

Re-imaging (upgraded to mohave) seems to have resolved the issue so I guess it was all software/mac OS X related and not an issue with the Helix itself. Hopefully I can get back to recording now! Thanks datacommando for the pointers.

Thank you @datacommando, yes, I was signed in previously. All good now. I restarted my Mac today and the pictogram you mentioned was right there. Don't ask me why it was not there before ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'm good now, looks like the updater is...updating. Now, I'll try to see why Logic doesn't see the other download, the new mac driver in the audio preferences drop down. Thanks for the detailed response! I hear ya with the screen shots!

Thanks so much for the feedback. I'm going to buy it online. Cheers

Perhaps something here might help. There was a neat preset that someone made on customtone that worked pretty well, but I can’t remember the name and I am not near my helix; so, I can not look.

Yes. It does cause problems with internal circuitry if let go for too long. Have had several on my bench in the past.

This past weekend I was dialing in a metal bass guitar tone with the software in my DAW. I have a parallel setup with EQs set to have one path be the lows, and the other path be the signal chain for the mids/highs. I got a decent chain doing this, and was thinking about popping Fabfilter's Saturn in there for a little distortion. However, I opted to try the Helix native with the bass pedals. The Clawthorn was alright but not what I wanted, but as soon as I tried the Obsidian after adjusting parameters I had what I wanted, and didn't even need Saturn. I actually got better results with it than I was expecting from Saturn. So I have to reiterate that the Obsidian pedal is one very nice addition to the Helix for bass work.

You may have a defective unit. Since it's new rather than try to problem solve I would return it and get a replacement.

Just use the "amp" only (and no cabinet), and you have what you want.

Any amp will work, but there is no FX loop on that head, and to use Helix with FX before and after the Amp (4 cable method) you really need to purchase an amp with an FX loop.

There are probably a few options for power amp/amplifier head to drive the speaker cab but for most versatility i recommend just replacing the cab with a powered fr/fr speaker, unless it is a very good quality cab that you are very attached too.

I don't think there's any way to remove the cab from an amp+cab block. I'd just delete it and replace it with an amp block. You'd want to change the parameters for whatever real cab you plan to use anyway.

Makes little sense to me... especially with the PREAMP models already separated, and the CAB models already separated. It would be pretty easy for a company like Behringer to analyze the "differences" between a full amp (pre-amp and power amp) and a pre-amp only model to determine the difference.

The regular tuning banks (D standard, baritone, etc.) are mapped to be used with the guitar in standard tuning. When you get to the custom tuning banks and the modeled tunings in the custom guitar and Shuriken banks, those are mapped for dropped D as they are Stevic’s Custom tunings and he keeps his guitar in dropped D. Myself, I’ve kept it in standard and ended up overwriting the custom tuning banks with my own.

I don't have a Shuriken, but this applies to any Variax so... 1- The Variax just shifts the physical tuning of each string so you have to think about that. All the "Shuriken" preset are mad for a physical drop D tuning. The standard tuning in the Shuriken is actually a standard tuning with the sixth string raised one step. 2- I don't have an Helix and can use a Variax with any other amp, by using the battery. When you use the USB adapter, you have to use the battery. Don't know what happens if you use the Helix as a Variax interface.

I'm a bass player, and a newish owner of a Helix HX Effects. So my perspective is a bit different, as the unit doesn't have any amp or cab models. I don't think I'm lacking anything, except that the factory presets don't help me, so I'm making everything from scratch. Other than that, I as a bassist don't feel shortchanged at all. So far I'm really happy with it, and really impressed that modeling of this quality is now available at an affordable price point.

Hmm. To me the offered preamp stages of the two Cali models and the Ampeg (though I rarely use that, I don't like the Ampeg sound in general) are pretty sufficient, and there's still the Aguilar and others available. I don't use the Darkglass because it sounds too harsh for me, instead I either use a guitar pedal like the Deranged Master or a blend of a guitar amp and a bass amp. Without wanting to offend anyone: I'd rather check if there isn't a way to get the sound you desire with the amps and FX that are already available. You can always add an EQ inbetween stages and do a lot of tone bending, you have the IR block that can also be used in various places. I know the desire to have more different models available, but often enough the flexibility offered by the existing ones is actually sufficient. And I'd rather have Line6 focus on a few good models than to add mediocre ones on every update.

Agreed! Some of the guitar cabs are far better than many bass cabs... for bass use! One important trick for me is to avoid the use of certain mics (57 Dyn cuts lows!). In my experience, a close (1'') 414 Cond or 121 Ribbon give me the best results. If some cab is too dark, then the 47 Cond helps (this is what comes with the SVT by default). Then the 4038 Ribbon boosts lows too much, it is useful sometimes, but I am not sure if there is the need to boost lows when there are so many cabs that work well. Avoiding medium distance "57 Dyn" is what makes MANY guitar cabs usable for me. My favorites bass cabs (Forgive comments in "Spanglish"): Also "No cab" works really well for me. With some EQ to tame and "voice" high frequencies, but totally transparent with lows. It avoids phasing issues. We bass players have enough with our "FRFR" cabs, they are not that "transparent" in the lows, so there is no need to make the problem twice as bad. I have certain theory why some "good" or "professional" or "thoroughly recorded" cab models are not so great with the Helix or any other modeller. Their responses are anything but "tight". 1x18 Woody Blue may sound good with headphones, but I doubt it is good with the full band and using any practical real cab in stage with the full band at high volume. To me it sounds really BAD. I can understand why some bass multi effect users are enthusiastic with their presets tuned with headphones without a band and then in the first rehearsal the band tell them "This is for guitars, your old bass amp sounded way better". ================== About the blend: Some overdrives / distortion have. And this is great because this avoids certain subtle problems that appear when using parallel paths. The problem with parallels paths (besides being very limited in number) has to do with phasing issues, they are different for each amplifier or overdrive. These issues are far worse in bass than in guitar. I know that this topic can be very controversial. Some ODs don't have a blend control, but they work at low / moderate gains "as if" they had a clean parallel path. If you play bass I recommend to try Teemah! for this reason. Teemah! and Obsidian 7000 are my favorite dirts. I have a preset that is simply Teemah! plus an EQ (instead of cab) plus effects, this is one of my favorites with the band. Because it is "rich enough" but "TIGHT". And I need my bass to sound very tight in many songs / band situations. Next in my "OD" list are 3 bass amps (SV Beast and Tuck'n'Go) and then Clawthorn Drive. There are many usable blocks to create OD / Distortion, some are bass amps, some are guitar amps. IME many of them are totally unusable for bass. But there are some surprises, for example the LEGACY heavy distortion (this one requires a parallel path). Or the Tube Screamer emulation is too "treebly", but does not CUT bass, so it admits EQ to restore bass... and does not require a parallel path! (it works better in a band context this way). I really would like to add a blend control in overdrives and distortions. Now I know it is not trivial to add if done properly. Hope it helps.

I dunno, the only thing I think it's lacking are good fuzz options. I use it as my entire bass rig and I don't shy away from effects at all. While there may not necessarily be things that are bass-specific, most of the effects don't need to be anyway. For example, why does a chorus, flange, phaser, reverb, or delay need to be "bass specific?" These all work great as is. A lot of the legacy stuff works really well for bass, too, including the synths and fuzzes. The Obsidian 7000 you mentioned is absolutely killer, too, one of my favorite effects on the Helix. Again, I do think it could use more in the fuzz department especially, but there's still a lot there. I think it's easy to get caught up in the numbers game, but the reality is that you need to listen to the tones. I've not had any issues getting a great tone with it. Granted that my real rig (prior to the Helix) was a Mesa 400+ into a 1x15" cab, so my tone is pretty much perfectly represented here, but they've certainly covered all of the main tonal options. Certainly there will be people who will say, "But I use this obscure amp!" but that is also true on the guitar side - still no Rockerverb in there, for example. I think the challenge is to stop thinking about it in terms of the gear you are already familiar with and start figuring out what gets you the tone you are after. Also, there is a Sunn 1x12 bass cab option in there as well as two 1x18 (!) options. Though there's no reason you couldn't use any of the guitar cabs if that's what you really wanted.

Thank you guys! I think I'm going to have fun with this thing. Of course now I can see myself falling down the rabbit hole of making patches...then again, that'll be much cheaper than buyin' more pedals!