amsdenj

MIDI Commander is a MIDI controller only, it does not have an audio interface. So I assume you are using Powercab 112+ as your audio interface. What app are you using in the Mac? Helix Native? If so, check the input and output levels to make sure you aren't getting any digital clipping.

I have a Powercab 112+ and 212. I use them both for gigging, choosing the one to use based on the size of the room and available stage space. I use IEMs so my guitar in ears is always stereo regardless of the stage/room amp. So I personally don't hear any difference in a gigging situation. Stereo in a gigging situation probably won't matter much to the audience either unless you're also going stereo to FOH and using patches that leverage stereo. The biggest difference between a 112 and 212 though is probably just the ability to move more air. Experimenting in a room, the Powercab 212 stereo effect depends a lot on your patch. The typical setup might be mono effects in front of the amp, and stereo effects (chorus, delay, reverb) after the amp block. The Powercab 212 doesn't do any processing to enhance stereo spread, but there is a block in Helix that can add this effect if you want it. Stereo makes a difference with the Powercab 212 even though the speakers are pretty close together. It mostly just widens the space a bit by mixing the stereo effects in the air instead of electrically. It's nice, but not essential, and quickly gets lost when playing with other people. I'd recommend the 212 if you need the size and power, and get the stereo as an additional benefit.

All very good advice. For me the complexity of my patches isn't in the basic tone, but in the effects I use to cover a broad range of song needs. The essential tone is pretty simple, which provide a basis for building the required flexibility to fit the songs.

I could see Tom Bukovac using HX Effects. That would be cool.

FLAT mode always sends the input to the XLR output unprocessed. In speaker mode, a model of that speaker and a mic (likely an internal IR) is sent to the XLR outputs.

I would use HX Stomp stereo output into the RC-3 and then the RC-3 output into my FRFR (Powercab 212). I generally want the looper at the end of the signal chain. This doesn't take any blocks or footswitches in HX Stomp.

I have collected hundreds of Helix notes that I've considered organizing into a book or web site. But work and gigging continually gets in the way. Maybe when I retire. In the meantime, for anything Helix models reproduce, you can look up the actual device and review its manual. Or you can search on the web for the device and see how others use it. Similar usage patterns should apply to Helix. For other blocks, experiment with each setting you don't understand by moving it through its extremes and see what it does.

I have used Midi Guitar 2 with good results too, including with a Variax, pickups or models. Midi Guitar 2 can be configured to deal with the sensitivity of the guitar. I you want synths with a guitar, this is a really flexible way to do it. But you need a computer or iPad. I use the computer with the PA mixer.

Check this out:

I've used Helix floor for gigs for the last 5 years and never had a problem. I do have a backup though. We use an X32-Core connected to a MacBook Pro for our PA. I have S-Gear and Helix Native in the MacBook for a Helix backup. But I've never had to use it.

It would work, but would be a bit colored compared to a PA wedge, and more directional.

The Variax Workbench USB interface doesn't provide power to the Variax, that's why its ok as well as necessary to use it with the battery/TRS power pack.

The models and/or magnetics are both sent digitally through the VDI cable. The A2D converter for the magnetics is in the Variax. With the model switch off, the magnetics are sent by themselves over VDI. With the model switch on you can use Workbench HD to adjust the balance/blend between the magnetics and model picks for any given patch. The default is to have the magnetics turned all the way down, and you would have to do this for any open tuning patches.

Changing the pot would be pretty tricky. I wonder if it would be possible to get some lubricating tuner cleaner down the shaft to loosen it up. The tone pot on my JTV-69S has the same issue. The volume pot is great, but the tone pot is pretty stiff and slow to turn. @psarkissian?

I have Helix Native working on a Mac Mini with macOS 11.6 and Logic Pro X running natively on the M1 chip. I did have to delete the Application Support/Line 6 folder to stop the crashing, and do still have to ignore the warning about incompatible audio units on Logic startup - but it seems to be working ok. Except the knob and switch automation as controlled by MIDI controller assignments don't work when running on the M1. I have to run Logic under Rosetta to get the automation to work. Looks like Helix Native for macOS needs to work.

I'm sorry to report that I have not had success getting Helix Native to respond to automation changes sent from MIDI controller assignments on macOS 11.6 when Logic Pro X is run natively on the M1 processor. If you run Logic under Rosetta, then it works as expected.

You might give SonoBus (sonobus.net) a try. If you're jamming with people close by who have 1G Internet, it works very well and is much easier to use.

I like Derailed Ingrid too, but its tone controls are somewhat limited and it can tend to be more mid-focused than a typical Fender amp. Try Litigator for a good all-around amp that can do most anything.

It's best to try to get the tone you want before applying any high or low cuts. This typically starts with the amp model and settings, but can extend to pedals in front of the amp, especially those that tend to stay on all the time. But possibly the biggest influence on tone is the choice of cab block and mic (or IR). Try getting the tone you want from the speaker and mic combination before doing anything with high and low cuts. You can cut bass by moving the mic away from the speaker to reduce proximity effect. You can cut highs by using darker ribbon mics. Using IRs can give more flexibility since you can choose IRs with different mic positions between speaker cap and edge. If you still need adjustments, it's likely they will be subtle and can be done with the high and low cuts in the cab/IR block, or in the Powercab output. You can also use an EQ block towards the end of the signal chain to make any final high and low cuts. Some people prefer this over the cab/IR high and low cuts because the filter slope is different. You might want to avoid doing the same EQ adjustments in more than one place as this can be hard to adjust in live situations. Its probably a good idea to avoid using global EQ for core guitar tone as this would not be saved with the patch and would impact all patches.

If you physically tune the Variax to an open tuning, then the models will play at that same tuning if you leave the tuning knob in standard. That is the tuning for each string is 0 change. Then you can blend the magnetic and modeled pickup tones.

I can't think of any reason that an IR in Helix with Powercab in FRFR mode would sound different than the same IR in Powercab. The actual processing should be the same. Where IRs in Powercab are useful is if your modeler doesn't support IRs, doesn't have enough DSP space for the IR in the patch, or you want to save a block in something like HX Stomp. I haven't actually compared them though as I use IRs in Helix out of convenience, use amp+cab models in HX Stomp to save the block, and mostly use Powercab in FRFR mode. I have however used the speaker models in Powercab on occasion and found them pretty useful. They sound different, and different is ok. Sometimes when we're comparing things we spend too much time trying to make them sound the same, thinking one is bad if we can't get them the same. Instead we should celebrate their differences and use them to our advantage.

I can confirm that Helix Native 3.11 works fine for me on macOS 11.4. Logic's plugin manager shows it as validated and does list the version as 3.1.1, but I've seen that representation in other places too. It's likely just a display convention and they're the same thing. I'm guessing that you might need to check your Line6 login in Helix Native.

I too have had trouble with my old Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 interfaces in recent macOS versions. But what I have found is that the simple Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter Apple sells works fine even in Big Sur. I did have trouble getting the Saffire kernel extension to load. But that was because of other old kernel extensions that wouldn't load and needed to be deleted. I cleaned these all up and now its working fine. I have two of them and they are the heart of my studio. Its great that they keep on working. Regarding using Helix as an audio interface vs. something like the Saffire or Scarlett interfaces, it depends a bit on your workflow. I like having everything into Logic Pro X setup the same from project to project so there's no changing audio devices. This allows me to leave a lot of things setup and ready to record vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, etc. without having to do anything but move mics and pick up instruments. One easy option with Helix floor is to use the SPD/IF output connected to the SPD/IF input on your audio interface if you have one. This allows you to use your audio interface, but go all digital from Helix, avoiding unnecessary conversions.

If you use HX Stomp with a preset containing no blocks as your audio I/O device into Helix Native, then the input/output meters in Helix Native should closely represent the actual input and output to HX Stomp. So if your guitar is pushing HX Stomp too hard, you should see high input levels into Helix Native. Then any patch you create using Helix Native should work the same in HX Stomp. That is, if the input into Helix Native isn't clipping, and after going through all your blocks, the output in Helix Native isn't clipping, then you shouldn't get any clipping with the same patch loaded into HX Stomp.

You can also leave Snapshot Bypass on for a particular block bypass if you run out of stomp switches and want to use a snapshot just to run on an effect. This actually takes two snapshots, one to turn the effect on and another to turn it off. But that’s ok. I use this for my Leslie block as I have already used the 10 stomp switches for other purposes.