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  1. The documented installation instructions leaves all current setlists and presets intact. Even if you perform the recommended factory reset following the firmware update, the subsequent Restore from Backup step overwrites any new or modified factory presets unless you deselect them. Since there are new factory presets in v3.6. here they are for convenience. FACTORY 1.hls FACTORY 2.hls TEMPLATES.hls
    10 points
  2. If you already own any version of the Helix book, you can download version 1.4 for free from your Sweetwater account. Here's what's new compared to version 1.3: 534 pages (45 more pages than v1.3) In-depth analysis of v3.70’s nine new Cabs In-depth analysis of v3.70’s ten new Amps Complete parameter descriptions for the new effects (Prize Drive, Regal Bass DI, Feedbacker, Dynamic Bloom, and Nonlinear) 27 new presets featuring the new models in the v3.70 update I'm particularly proud of the new presets. Even if you don't read the book, just import the presets and have fun :) All except for three of them work with HX Stomp. I also did something a little different this time. I described the preset creation process for the new presets, and why particular blocks and parameter values were used. Also, many of these are oriented toward lead sounds. I felt the book needed more of those. And of course, I'm always interested in your feedback for when I start work on v1.5!
    7 points
  3. Hi So, I have updated my cheat sheet (pdf-version) and for you who are interested just download it from the link below (from my Dropbox). All the new amp’s, cab’s and effects are in there, marked with a red “N”, incl DSP and some other additional info. Legacy devices are marked with a red “L”. All are sorted in order of appearance on the unit, in their respective group. DSP-values for the new products are from me, but I have used the same method as Ben Vesco has used, published, and described very well on his great site (unfortunately not updated). If anyone has found a value that differs from mine, please let me know. There is a slight difference depending on which blocks are used when trying out the numbers. I have used blocks from Ben’s “reference material” to minimize errors and to get continuity. I have used two different setups and if those have a variation bigger than 0,5 (in relative %) I have used a third setup. Think it’s hard to get any closer. “Last device” is always at least one volume pedal at the end, in mono (0,47%) and/or in stereo (0,61%), what’s ever slips in :-), so that would be the tolerance... All devices are in preamp/full amp (cab’s are not incl, presented separate, but as default cab’s incl DSP, are in the sheet with the amp’s), stereo/mono, single/dual etc. where applicable. In an earlier version I did also publish the cheat sheet in a MS Excel 365 format, a DSP calculator. I will make that update but need some more time to finish it (want to play some guitar too…). Download the cheat sheet from my Dropbox (pdf-format) – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8vsyuiehgd6ofjryw6g9q/Line6-Helix-Model-and-DSP-Summary-3-70.pdf?rlkey=k3yyscizqbi1z80ozmo6gsihi&dl=0 Great update Line6, very impressive work. Thought I had all I needed before this update, but was I wrong, there were a few more I didn’t know about, eg. the US Dripman (!), some of the Catalyst amp’s, 2203 and the ODR-1, wow :-) Have fun (I will…)! //Per
    7 points
  4. I really enjoyed everything you wrote...except this. Best thing I ever did for myself was getting this set of IEMs with built-in ambiance mics. They're expen$ive, but to have "high-fidelity earplugs with a volume control" is nirvana for my ears. I even wear the IEMs to concerts and movie theaters where the sound is too loud. Full disclosure: I endorse these IEMs but am not compensated for doing so. I just believe strongly that musicians should protect their hearing. Sorry for the detour, back to why Helix is so effing wonderful!
    7 points
  5. Hi, attached is an xls. spreadsheet reflecting the latest update. You can sort the models etc. Let me know if there are any errors or omissions. Enjoy Bboy19 Helix 3.60 Amp Cabs Effects List xls.xls.zip
    7 points
  6. The Elmsley is fantastic IMHO, and I fall into the "I like the Grammatico" camp. The update went 100% smoothly here, but to be fair, I followed the documentation :) I guess it's time to start in on the next eBook update!
    7 points
  7. I check by this forum frequently, but am I the only one who's puzzled that I need to scroll a lot to see some relevant new posts. And who will miss that there's e.g. 3.70 out there, because the sticky posts still talks about 3.10? Hopefully some moderators can do a bit of clean up in what's sticky and what's not. I would love to see the latest firmware announcements always be among the top 5 sticky posts. That being said: Then I just LOVE that a hardware that's what? 7-8 years old is still getting new firmware updates with a lot of new features. Thanks a lot to all the developers!
    6 points
  8. I have little interest in moving air for my own enjoyment. I like to hear great tone mixed nicely with the others in the band - and let the FOH move the air. Modeling and full range monitoring accomplishes exactly what I enjoy most. Nothing against the traditional cab approach... it's all good. Just not for me.
    6 points
  9. The free update for owners of previous versions is now available from Sweetwater. Here's what's new in v1.2: 459 pages (91 more pages than v1.1) 337 Presets and files (over 100 more than v1.1), including new presets for Poly Block low tuning, bass, bi-amp processing, EQ-based cabs, combi-band processing, and 82 new multiband presets for Helix 4-path devices Extensive analysis of all the new cabs and mics in v3.50, with frequency response curves and performance summaries Coverage of the new effects blocks in Helix 3.50: Pillars OD, Vita Dist, Vita Boost, 4-Voice Chorus, Flexovibe, Dynamic Ambience, Boctaver New section on Send/Return block applications Expanded bi-amping chapter Surround sound and multi-channel audio configurations with Helix I hope you find it helpful!
    6 points
  10. If Helix can't make me a sandwich after the next update, I'm going Fractal...
    5 points
  11. If you own any version of the The Huge Book of Helix Tips & Tricks, it's time to go grab your free update to version 1.3! Here's what's new: 489 pages (30 more pages than version v1.2.1, 121 more pages than version v1.1) Frequency response curves and analysis of the 9 new cabs introduced in Helix v3.60, and revised frequency response curves for the cabs introduced in v3.50 Coverage of the new Grammatico GSG, Elmsley, and Agua Sledge amps Coverage of the new Dark Dove and Triple Rotary effects blocks All-new tone analysis of the 13 three-parameter distortion blocks (this doesn't relate to 3.60, it's just something I found fascinating) And as the software folks say, "additional bug fixes and enhancements" :) To obtain the revised version, download the book again from the Sweetwater site at the link above, using the code you used to download your previous version. (If you didn't save the email with the code, it's in your Sweetwater account history.) Remember there's a dedicated support forum for all my Sweetwater books on the Musicplayer.com website. I welcome suggestions for future revisions. Finally, I've mentioned before that when a book goes to a new edition that represents a significant change (like software going from version 1.X to 2.X), owners of previous editions will be able to get the new edition for half-price. However, I don't anticipate this happening for quite some time.
    5 points
  12. I've never understood the obsession with having the latest and greatest "Product X". A device either fulfills your wants/needs, or it doesn't. I have a 5 year old phone in my pocket. Why? Because it works. How different could the brand new one that Verizon wants to sell me for $1K possibly be? Who cares if an even newer one is coming out in 3 months? SPOILER ALERT: We live in a disposable economy. Something new is always coming out in 3 months. Couple that with a buying public who: A) Has been conditioned to believe that they're "missing out" if they don't treat themselves to every shiny new toy that hits the shelves, and B) Often has the attention span of a house fly... And the result is discussions like this, lol. At this point the "next big thing" IS just around the corner... and that ain't gonna change anytime soon....whether it's from L6 or somebody else, whatever it is, it's coming. You can play the waiting game if you want, but if you get sucked down that rabbit hole, you'll never buy anything... because "what if the next thing is better?" Oh, the horror...;) Buy whatever you want/ need, and can afford. But waiting with bated breath for extended and/ or unknown periods of time for some future, even more magical device, is just an exercise in self-denial. Just my 2 cents...
    5 points
  13. you can also use some of the standard webapps that will show differences between two files. the presets are just text files so you can load them into something like Diffchecker - Compare text online to find the difference between two text files and it will show you the differences. I agree a very cool app that spelled things out for you would be better, and maybe even let you make changes... but just to do a compare, this will definitely work.
    5 points
  14. https://helixlib.com/ Helix Preset Viewer Vulcano FX: Helix/HX Stomp preset-snapshot online viewer Helix Preset Viewer Helix Preset Viewer They're all different. Take your pick. Also they may no longer be actively supported and not up to date with current firmware.
    5 points
  15. In a nutshell the "ultimate" Helix experience has a large range of what different people deem as "ultimate". Many of us that frequent these pages have had our share of different variations, but each have their limitations. But each limitation may not be that important on an individual basis. For example getting a traditional sound like you would out of a cabinet setup isn't all that important to some of us. How could that be you might ask? To put it simply, the only one that hears that particular sound are the people standing in the vacinity of that kind of setup. That can never be the actual production sound you hear in a live performance or on a professional recording because it has to be captured by a mic, which will change the sound. Add to that in a sound reinforcement practical sense no stage setup can ever compete volume-wise with a PA, and you wouldn't want it to because it messes up the overall mix the audience hears. That's why many people using modelers target creating a great production sound, the same as would be done in a studio which the Helix is perfectly capable of right out of the box and going direct to the mixing board. But what a person needs for inspiration as a stage or studio musician actually performing that music may be different, and that's where the configurations can make yet another turn using a stage setup similar to what you're describing, but purely for on stage or in studio performance. But of course that comes with the limitation that you won't be hearing the same thing as the audience will be hearing including the mix with the other instruments. The thing that's important is that modeling, by it's very nature, changes and expands on the lessons we learned from playing in a traditional setup. That's why you see so many variations in how people use their Helix.
    5 points
  16. hi guys first of all I'd like to let you know that I read all the threads I found about this same subject and didn't find the complete answers, so I decided to run some tests myself (like I did on the POD HD years ago) and to create a new thread with my results (I'm on FW 2.60 by the way) ok, I'll start from the end results, so that those who just need to have a quick answer can read it immediatly, then I'll give some deeper explanations the main point of this post is: the moment you create a split/merge routing configuration by dragging down a block you get a level change: after the merge block, with all bypassed fx: with split A/B and Y you get +3dB at the output sum with split crossover you get -3dB at the output sum BUT each path by itself gets attenuated by -3dB so if you use the split A/B to switch between sounds, each of those sounds is -3dB qiueter than the same fx/amp with the same settings in a non-splitted path the good news are that the level changes do not actually occur at the split, so the two paths are both an exact copy of the signal before the split, instead the change occurs at the merge block so the right solution is to act on the merge mixer faders --- why? and why those values? • well to answer, I need to clarify two things that I've read someone get wrong and mixed up in other threads 1) when you sum two identical signals in a circuit either analog or digital you get +6dB boost (voltage sum) 2) when you send a signal to a physical speaker and then send the same identical signal also to another identical speaker you get +3dB (acoustic power sum) this is math and physics, not an opinion now, this second point is one of the reasons why something called "pan law" exists: as we said, when you have a mono signal going to two speakers (so the pan knob on a mixer is at the center position) you get +3dB of sound pressure so mixer designers in some cases decided to pad the center position of the pan knob by -3dB, gradually returning to unity gain at the extremes (in some other cases they may use -2.5, -4.5 or -6dB: the actual effect of the pan law depends on the coherence/incoherence of the signals, on speaker placement, on listening conditions, and also on mixing taste I would say, so the designers have to make an assumption and take a plunge, I don't have time to enter into this now, sorry). • now back to the Helix: you have an empty "new preset" patch you have a signal going through path 1 (I used various sine waves and pink noise) you add a gain block at 0dB (if you want you can even bypass it) => nothing changes you drag the block down creating a double path => you get +3dB at the output sum so, what's going on? - the A/B or Y split duplicates the signal to two paths, so each of them carries the same identical signal which goes to a merge block mixer channel, then the two get summed together... so you should get +6dB, but... ... since the pans in the mixer have a -3dB pan law you only get +3dB - the crossover does not duplicate the signal but splits it in two frequency bands, if you sum those two filtered signals you get the exact same signal you had before, so no +6dB boost here, but there is still the pan law, so you get the -3dB - but, as I wrote before, each path by itself gets attenuated by -3dB because of the pan law, so if you use the split A/B to switch between sounds, each of those sounds is -3dB qiueter than the same fx/amp with the same settings in a non-splitted path • please note that these are not theories or speculations, I've tested and measured thoroughly every configuration and I'm sure the Helix routing works like that • all this behaviours occur identically to mono or stereo signals, remember that all the lines representing signal flow in the Helix display are always "double conductor cables" so either stereo or dual-mono (stereo = they carry two different signals; dual-mono = they carry two identical signals) this point could be deepened a lot but I don't have time for this now --- some other considerations: • if for example you open the pan pots of the merge mixer to the extreme L and R, the pan law attenuation does not apply and the level goes back to unity BUT this is not a solution, because if you run in stereo you only get the left from path 1A and the right from path 1B • I'd like to warn you of potential problems I found with the parameters inside the split blocks I) the split A/B "route to" parameter is a balance control, not a crossfader, so moving it to the left attenuates the signal going into B while not touching the signal going into A and viceversa; so it is appropriate to use that parameter to switch from A to B but not too much to find a mix of A with B for 3 reasons: 1- as I said you only have control over the attenuation of one of the two signals you are mixing 2- at center (even position) you have more level than any other position because the two signals are at full level, so the judgement on which is the best mix is compromised for psychoacoustic reasons 3- worst of all: if the blocks in the paths are amps or distortion boxes or compressors, as long as you are not in A100, "even" or B100 positions, you are sending an attenuated signal to one of them, changing its sound and not only its level II) the split Y "Balance A" and "Balance B" parameters (added in fw 2.10 so not covered in the manual) work like this: the stereo or dual mono signal goes into the split, it is duplicated to path A and B and on each of those you can control the balance between left and right, those balance control also have a pan law but different from the merge mixer block pans ! in this case it's unity at center and +3dB at sides ! (I think the reason for this is to avoid an attenuation to the splitted signals at default settings) so if for example you use 2 amps in the paths do not use these parameters or the two amps will receive a different level than if the balance is at center. --- • to finish I'll add two other Helix Routing measurements I found during my tests: - the pan block is actually a balance control with a pan law equal to that applied in the split Y block: at center it's at unity gain, going to the left attenuates the right up to minus infinite and adds +3dB to the left (and viceversa) - unlike the POD HD500 the fx sends / returns on the Helix are all at unity gain levels (+/-0.3dB), thanks Line 6 ! --- thanks for reading, I hope to have been helpful bye Lorenzo
    5 points
  17. It's been a long time since I did this but as I remember the secret was to use snapshots to change the Key and Scale parameters during the lead so they harmonized correctly over the chord pattern.
    5 points
  18. The Helix is the single best gear purchase I have made in my 40+ year career. It was the first modeler/multi-effect that met my wishlist, and has since exceeded it.
    5 points
  19. I've been using ToneX for a while now (SW and Pedal), with stock (ToneX MAX) and 3rd Party (Amalgam and Jason Sadites) tone models. It's nice being able to try amps that I'll never even see ITRW, even if they are restricted to what somebody else thinks sounds good. Some of them really do sound good. I have a Helix preset configured so that I can use Snapshots to quickly switch between Helix/Catalyst/ToneX for comparisons. Bottom line - the "Golden Ears" crowd can rave all day about how "night and day" superior "captures" are vs "models", and the "I've been playing tube amps for 700 years" bunch can yammer on and on about the "vastly superior feel and responsiveness" of captures vs models. My evaluation thus far is that ToneX is a nice toy and fun to use, and as the community gets better at making captures it will continue to improve in usefulness, but the excessive hype is just that. The main thing it succeeds in doing is expanding the "which of my 10,000 IRs is PERFECT for THIS tone" rabbit hole into "which of my 10,000 IRs and 10,000 Amp Captures is PERFECT for THIS tone" rabbit hole. My Helix ain't going nowhere. Zappa was right. Gracie too. "And if you go chasing rabbits and you know you're going to fall Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar has given you the call He called Alice when she was just small..."
    5 points
  20. Who hates the New Custom tone site and misses the old one? The old site was fine and easy to search for patches. New site is terrible and frustrating. Who else feels this way?
    4 points
  21. I don't see any way to get more than one page of results or how to sort by date or anything else.
    4 points
  22. Funny story. Turns out not to be a bug. I submitted this issue as a support ticket and in response Pete in Line6 customer support pointed out that the problem is that global setting MENU > Global Settings > Switches > "Stomp Select" was set to "both". What that means is that when I pressed the FS, it went into setting mode, and the scribble strip reflected that. Changing the global setting to "touch" solved the problem. Now, to make a change in the FS setting I'd need to touch, rather than press that (or any other) FS, but that's fine with me. Thanks, Line6 support (and Pete) for a prompt, helpful response!
    4 points
  23. I agree. I used to like sorting by date so I can see new patches that had been submitted and might want to try...now that seems impossible. bring back the old site!
    4 points
  24. 4 points
  25. If you're not PLAYING through plugins, then using Helix as your AI is the way to go, as it allows you to Direct Monitor your playing (zero latency) through Helix while simultaneously recording a wet track and a DI (un-effected) track over USB (no additional AD/DA conversion) which can be used for re-amping through Helix Native or other plugins when latency is not an issue. This configuration is what Helix was designed for. If you're PLAYING through plugins then you might want to use a separate AI, as Helix latency in this configuration can be an issue. For instance, on my ancient i7 laptop system, RTL (Round Trip Latency - AI Input to AI Output) using Helix as AI is <>12.6ms at 64samples (buffer rate) vs <>7.6ms using my Scarlett as AI. If you have the Helix Floor/Rack get an AI that has SPDIF. This eliminates the added latency from the AD/DA conversion between Helix XLR out and the AI's XLR IN. IOW, the signal remains digital end-to-end. The only latency is the processing time (and single AD/DA conversion) in the Helix itself and the computer/DAW/Plugin. As for the sound quality itself, Helix vs external AI, only a "Golden Ears" professional recording engineer will (maybe) hear a difference and eliminating that difference will require a MUCH more expensive AI than the home recordist needs.
    4 points
  26. Global Settings>Ins/Outs> Guitar In Pad = OFF 1/4" Outputs = INST Global Settings>Preferences> Auto Impedance = First Enabled Preset Input Block Input Gate = OFF Guitar In-Z = Auto Input Gate = OFF Preset Output Block>Level = 0db Make sure that the Global EQ is BYPASSED. Make sure you're using a quality Instrument cable between the Helix and the Marshall. If there's still a difference change the Preset Input Block>Guitar In-Z = 1M Ohm. If there's still a difference you'll need to provide sound samples for comparison.
    4 points
  27. Also the Looper is a great tool for auditioning. Place the looper block at the front of the signal chain and record a sample loop such as a chord progression. Then put your guitar down and play back the loop. Use your hands or feet to tweak the tone as desired and listen to the tone change instantly without interruption.
    4 points
  28. I'm having a LOT of fun with it, but I've been distracted by applications other than feedback itself. With Unison mode and a little editing, you can get E-Bow sounds as mentioned in the release notes. But it can also work well as a mono guitar synth (anyone remember the Korg X-911?) if you play cleanly. Going through different amps, I've been able to obtain different oscillator sounds (very much like sine, triangle, saw, pulse, square). Changing Drive changes the waveform, which adds interesting animations. I've also been able to dial in fretless guitar and slide effects, as well as a pretty cool Theremin preset. Of course, there are limitations (e.g., you have to play the "theremin" on a single string, and there will always be at least a 150 ms attack time). However, it's important to note that Feedbacker is a squirrely effect unless you find just the right settings - it takes some effort to make it do your bidding. You really have to understand what all the parameters do, and how they interact. FWIW I'll be including several presets along these lines with v1.4 of The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks. (I'm working on the updated version now, and expect that it will be done in December. Like previous versions, it will be a free update to current owners.)
    4 points
  29. It's important to remember that the internet is a house of cards built on a foundation of quicksand, using a fractured telecommunications infrastructure. Servers go down or get slow periodically, whether it's in-house, Amazon, Azure, other cloud services, whatever. I use OneDrive for real-time saving of docs. Sometimes it's lightning-fast, sometimes it takes several minutes while the data sits a queue to be saved. However, I updated HX Stomp and Native last night with zero problems, using Windows 10. I'll be updating floor today, and I expect it will work equally well. The new amps are really good, and the Feedbacker effect is wild. It's also great to see more hi-res cabs. Overall, a very welcome update IMHO. BTW I will be updating The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks to v1.4, and it will be a free update to current owners. I don't have an ETA yet, but hopefully before the end of the year.
    4 points
  30. Hopefully enough people will express concern to the company that they keep supplying parts for the future,
    4 points
  31. Inasmuch as I'm now pretty much "retired" (various physical issues, and just plain gettin' too old for this sh*t) this will have no major impact on me, other than not feeling comfortable trying to sell either of my Variaxes. How do you look at a potential buyer and say "oh by the way.....?" That said - next to the Helix, the Variax was the most useful bit o'kit I purchased/used in the last 6 years or so. In a working "business" band, where the songlist is wildly diverse, the V was a godsend. I used various electrics, acoustics (6/12 string), dobro, banjo, sitar - the custom tunings put licks I could not otherwise play under my fingers. It (they) certainly payed for itself many times over, over those years. So for the sake of the next generation I hope a new iteration is forthcoming, regardless of the brand name on it. A bit "niche"? Possibly, but it fills a need that - once you have that need - no other instrument can.
    4 points
  32. Im waiting on my record deal. They say that once my amp/modeler has a properly represented bright cap they'll start pressing off the records. :)
    4 points
  33. I'm really confused!!! How is it I've had my Helix since it came out in 2015 and there has not been a single situation in the thousands of presets I've created where I had to ask this question???
    4 points
  34. I put a fan in front of my powercabs. Works great.
    4 points
  35. Thanks for circling back and adding your feedback! I guess the issue is that nothing will have the "it" factor of an actual amp, even to the point where one actual amp won't have the "it" factor of a different actual amp. So really, the question is how close you can come to a particular sound you hear in your head, or have experienced in the past. Placement is part of that, where even the angle of the cab's kickstart makes a difference, as do the materials on the floor and in the room. But there are a lot of moving parts in trying to obtain an exact duplicate of a sound made with one technology using a different technology. When I did speaker emulation with analog filter circuits back in the 80s I could never get the sound right. Then one day for the heck of it, I did everything wrong - chose components that gave phase shift, passband ripples, and other anomalies "good" engineers avoid. Finally, it sounded like a cab :) When I consulted to Gibson, at one point I said that since they made Cerwin-Vega PAs, why not use the guts to come up with a Gibson-approved FRFR amp? I was told that there was no way it would sound the same as a "real" amp. So I set up amp sim software through a Cerwin-Vega PA, and frankly, it sounded wonderful - super-detailed and balanced. The people at Gibson agreed that it indeed sounded fantastic, but it didn't sound like a "real amp." Sounding "fantastic" was good enough for me :) I switched from tube guitar amps to solid-state FRFR keyboard amps in 1968, during my 60s/70s touring days. The goal was to get "my sound" before it hit the amp, so the sound would be the same on stage or in the studio when going through a console. Modelers like Helix going through an FRFR system are like a dream come true for me. And now that I figured out how to make Helix do surround, I can't wait to start feeding it into immersive audio projects with more than two channels! At least when it comes to playing guitar, it's a great time to be alive.
    4 points
  36. Granted this is an old thread, but it seems the subject never gets old. One factor I don't see mentioned much is that most PA speakers are on a pole, or otherwise more or less at ear level. It may be possible that a lot of the "amp in a room" sound (or more realistically, "cab in a room sound") is due to having amps that sit on the floor. Any bass/lower mids (which are very non-directional) that are headed toward the floor reflect upward, and reinforce what's coming out of the speaker. Simply turning up bass on a pole-mounted PA speaker isn't the same thing, because you're not getting the complex phase interactions from the reflected waves. Also, highs are more directional than bass. When mounted on a pole at ear level, you'll hear more highs. So, more highs, less bass, and fewer lower mids would likely produce the thin, shrill effect that's mentioned - particularly because presets may boost the upper mids somewhat to give more articulation through a cab. That kind of a boost would add harshness if heard directly through a PA system. The reality that's frequently (and I believe, correctly!) mentioned here is that if you find a sound you like, it doesn't really matter how you got there. I have a slightly different take - pretty much any configuration can make the sound you like, but some take more work than others to get there.
    4 points
  37. Since this is your first foray into an all digital rig it's really hard to say what you'll find a need for. That's because it's not about digital, it's about modeling. The way you worked with a traditional rig is often due to the limitations of space or convenience. In the modeling world all of that goes away and the doors are open to a much wider range of possibilities because your entire rig is "virtual". A classic example might be you would like to design a preset where you start off with a simple, straight-forward chunky mono setup with a classic amp such as a vox with a vox cabinet and a few effect that at some point instantaneously changes to a different, more aggressive amp going through a Marshall cab mic'd differently with some polyphonic effects such as a key change and is in stereo. Not something you'd likely attempt too much with a traditional setup, but something that's easily achievable in the modeling world, but only with an LT or a Floor due to the expanded capabilities. Modeling is more like having access to a HUGE studio with a large inventory of gear that you can reconfigure at will even in the middle of a song. That kind of thing may or may not appeal to you. I don't commonly use it, but I still have a Floor unit. That's because it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
    4 points
  38. The follow is one man's opinion. Feel free to have a different opinion if you like. It seems to me that a number of the query posts we see here and elsewhere on the internet relating to HX products have to do with people trying to figure out how to do something that exceeds the capabilities of the device. I suspect what happens is the person decides at the time of purchase that they can get away with a cheaper model because they don't envision needing any more capability than that but then once they get into it and start learning and paying closer attention to what other people are doing with their HX device they decide they want to try a few new things for themselves ... but they can't because of the limitations of the device they chose. What I am saying is that I think people in general should probably get the most powerful one they can possibly justify spending the money on, even if it means saving up a little longer and not buying anything right now. If you don't want to come up against a brick wall at some point down the road then now is the time to follow the old saying, go big or go home. My two cents.
    4 points
  39. Howdy gang. Just wanted to touch base. Finally got a chance to take my Helix out and play live with some new friends. Went to a really nice studio here in the greater Seattle area. Top of the line drums, bass and guitar. The room was full of bucket list gear. First time meeting and playing with these guys. really nice guys. Found ‘em on CL. Their ad was hilarious so I had to check it out. I’m running a Helix Rack with controller. 1/4” out to the effects return of my Marshall DSL100HR. 1960 cab loaded with 75’s and 30’s. Hole-E-S**t. Tone was ridiculous. Now listen, I have never tried my Helix with this set up before. She has been parked in my home studio, recording and consuming as many IR’s and patches that I can throw at it. I arrived with three presets in snapshot form. Two of the patches were designed without cabs or IR’s. I was expecting the cab block to ruin the sound of the 1960. Boy was I wrong. My best tone came from the patch with an IR. We ripped through Stones, Bad Company, Zepplin and Nirvana. It was fun. My ears are still ringing. I’m so very pleased with my set up. Oh, and before I go check this out. The other guitar player has this peddle board of boutique pedals. Really nice stuff. But I liked my tone better. So did he. He is now shopping. Blessings, Kendall in Seattle
    4 points
  40. A steep notch filter at the output, tuned to the fizz frequency, does it for me. I wrote an article (with audio examples in a YouTube video) 13 years ago for Harmony Central. I recommend checking it out to solve the majority of fizz problems. (FWIW because of this article, Avid released an Expansion Pack for the Eleven Rack that included a parametric notch filter at the output. And, a company I consulted to recently on some amp sims held off the product introduction to notch out the fizz frequencies in their amps after I pointed them out. So it's not just in my imagination!)
    4 points
  41. This is all so silly that it's almost laughable. I record daily through my Helix which is connected via USB to my Windows 10 computer. In addition I have two separate keyboards (88 key electronic stage piano and a 48 key MIDI controller keyboard) connected via separate USB ports to a hub connected to my Windows computer. My Helix serves as my general audio interface and that's where my studio speakers are connected as well as my headphones. That's the entirety of my setup and I do tons of multiple track projects weekly consisting of multiple guitar, bass, banjo tracks along with pianos, organs, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer piano, string sections, horn sections, drums, 244 piece orchestra, harmonicas, choirs, pedal steel, country fiddle, a wide array of synthesizers...and tons more. There's no fancy hardware other than my Helix with a USB connection and a powered USB hub for any other instruments I need to record. I configure my DAW to work with my Helix ASIO and everything just works with no serious latency. Honestly the issue here is thinking you need to have a bunch of extraneous physical hardware to do any kind of serious recording and that's simply not true at all.
    4 points
  42. Yup! You sure are. Why is it not possible to route path 1 to path 2 in stereo? - It is! Why is it not possible to mix a signal from path 2 into path 1 or vice versa? - It is, well - it is if you mean mix from 1A to 1B and back, or 2A to 2B and back. Theoretically, you could take the output of path 2 via a send and bring it into path 1 on a return. But why the hell would you ever need to do that? Insane, just plan ahead. Why is it not possible to make a different mix for different outputs? - It is! You need to go back and study the manual - again. Your Helix has 4 stereo paths available - Path 1A & 1B plus Path 2A & 2B - See Template example 04A for all 4 paths in use with each path being sent to 4 different output options. If you have something grayed out it means you have exceeded the DSP available for what you are trying to achieve. Page 15 Helix Owner's Manual - IMPORTANT! If you encounter items in the list that are grayed out or unavailable, this means the current path (1 or 2) cannot accommodate that category, subcategory, or model. See "Dynamic DSP" Dynamic DSP info is on page22 I have been using my Helix for almost 8 years and cannot remember the last time I ran out of DSP. I suggest you might want to reassess your approach to how you set up a preset.
    4 points
  43. Global EQ is intended to be used to adjust for the acoustics of specific rooms, not as a cure-all for deficiencies in preset design. You get to the gig, your presets sound "off" in that room, you use Global EQ as an across-the-board fix. It's a "last line of defense" sort of thing. Of course, there's no right or wrong in the digital wonderland, so you can use it any way you like, but it applies to EVERY preset and specific configurations cannot be saved. At home I use it to adjust for the Fletcher-Munson effect - at low volumes (<80-90db) I boost the bass and treble sightly, maybe cut the mids a bit. When I know that the neighbors aren't home and I get to crank the volume I turn OFF the Global EQ.
    4 points
  44. So, made an update to my Cheat Sheet with the nice stuff from the 3.60 update. If anyone is interested in a quick sheet and/or a DSP-calculator for the Helix and Stomp models. There are two different downloads – One in pdf-format, which is more of a collection of information from different sources. The other download is an MS Excel document including the information in the pdf-sheet (in the second tab) together with a DSP calculator (in the first tab). The info in the first tab is used to test ideas and to see if a configuration is allowed in a preset, including error handling (design check) and DSP information. The information in the second tab allows you to print the pdf format document in your format of choice (default is the same as the pdf-download). Some notes The DSP values comes from Ben Vesco’s site, except the ones from 3.60. Those are mine that I tested out myself using Ben’s method. I did correlate some of the DSP values on TGP and we came more or less to the same result, so it has to be true :-). Will check the values when Ben makes an update. The Dark Dove Fuzz – I checked the schematic and the spec (manual) of the fuzz and it’s stated to be 130k in impedance. On TGP I got the info that the Helix model is 1M (was measured). I tried the Fuzz and have the same problem with this on as I have with the other fuzz's, and it doesn’t sound anything like the demos I’ve heard. Probably me doing something wrong (run wireless and have two buffered Boss pedal between the guitar and my Helix, so no pic-up load available…), will do some more testing. Line6 Helix-Model Summary, 3,60a.pdf – https://www.dropbox.com/s/y1vsz6hoxe94xgo/Line6%20Helix-Model%20Summary%2C%203%2C60a.pdf?dl=0 Line6 Helix-Model and DSP Summary, 3,60a.xlsm – https://www.dropbox.com/s/qyqe6q4s4vuthi8/Line6%20Helix-Model%20and%20DSP%20Summary%2C%203%2C60a.xlsm?dl=0 Hope you find it useful. //Per
    4 points
  45. Use Snapshots. Read the manual for details about what they are and how to use them.
    4 points
  46. Here's your first stop in getting a good tone and understanding the amp settings. Jason Sadites has long been the goto reference guy for dialing in presets and understanding how to use different amps and effects on the Helix. When it comes to a Strat sound slightly overdriven or clean my new favorite model is the Elsmley. Here's Jason's overview of the Elmsley which should help you get started. He literally has HUNDREDS of videos that can get you up to speed on anything Helix related.
    4 points
  47. I'd consider getting something else if I ran out of possibilities with the Helix, but that hasn't happened yet and probably won't. It's deep enough to keep me interested, and friendly enough to keep using it.
    4 points
  48. Welcome to the Line 6 User Community forum! You’ve put a lot of time, thought, and effort into your first post here and the insights from your experience are valuable. As a new user it’s understandable that you are not yet aware of the way that Line 6 officially accepts and reviews feature requests and product update requests. It’s not done by posting in this user forum. Line 6 developers and product managers do not regularly visit this space so, unfortunately, in its current presentation your ideas will not reach the appropriate Lone 6 personnel. Line 6 uses a different web space called Ideascale where users can post their requests. Go to https://ideascale.com and sign up. Once you have access search for the Line 6 sub space. Once in there you should post each of your suggestions separately so that each can be considered and voted on individually by other users. Line 6 reviews this space regularly and takes some of the best ideas for future implementation.
    4 points
  49. I've mentioned the performance system I built and use with my band many times but I got in a productive mood this morning and took some pictures to help people see it and understand how it works. The top picture shows the Control Center which is what does all the work. I never really touch it but I keep it on stage just for reference or if there's a problem. The laptop has two USB outputs. One goes to the MIDI Control unit and one goes to the audio interface in the case the laptop is sitting on. The MIDI Control unit controls all aspects of the performance either by me engaging a footswitch such as selecting a song and starting it, or through MIDI commands from the Control Center. Of course one of the main things it controls is the Helix so I rarely touch the Helix on stage other than maybe the volume pedal. The audio output goes to the QSC Touchmix 30 which is our main mixer. As you can see the Live channels for live instruments and voices are separated from the Audio channels which come from either the control center playback or from the streaming laptop situated next to the TM30 and managed by a separate person. If you look closely at the Control Center you'll see it's running Ableton Live in session mode where each row contains a song and each column contains either an instrument for that song, a MIDI control command track, and a stop track to end playback at the end of the song. Those are the commands sent to and from the MIDI Control unit at particular points in the playback of the tracks. Each one of those instrument tracks consists of a single instrument being used within the song being played. If you look closely at the MIDI Control and the Helix you'll see they all have the name of the current song being played. So when I select the next song the MIDI Control system coordinates that action between the Helix and Ableton. So each song is a separate Helix preset and a separate Morningstar MC8 setup. Each song in the live system is it's own .WAV file or a MIDI file. In the bottom left you'll see a screenshot of the studio system where these tracks are created using Ableton in arrangement view along with Native Instrument plugins such as The Gentleman piano. Once completed those MIDI files are all converted down to individual WAV files which are imported into the live laptop system. This avoids a lot of processing and potential problems because live playback doesn't depend on any plugins. That's about it. Hope you find some of these ideas interesting or potentially useful for your applications.
    4 points
  50. - Quit HX Edit! Don't start it again until you're finished with everything following. - Go here and download the Line 6 Updater (in case it's not installed on your machine already): https://line6.com/software/ - Also download the "Flash Memory" from there (it's the actual update). - Install the updater. - Reboot the Helix while holding down switches 6 and 12 (this will take you to safe boot mode). - Start the Line 6 Updater, select "Offline Mode" and see whether it finds your Helix. - If yes, select it and choose "local file". Point it to the Flash Memory file you've downloaded.
    4 points
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