Genebaby

I thought I'd post an update. I've been having a lot of fun learning how to use the Helix in general, and setting it up for the live shows that I do, so it can do it all. It turns out my old mixing desk MAY be a bit of a culprit in how things are sounding through my PA that I have here. I am witholding judgement of the Mackie Speakers until I get a hold of the Soundcraft desk we also have, and I set that up with these speakers, and hopefully the sound will improve. I say this with some hope as I had a jam with my new drummer and bassist, along with a singer audtion, at a rehearsal space. Something I haven't done for a LOONG time as I find it more productive to rehearse at much lower volume. I primarily wanted to check out my new band mates and their gear before we eventually play live. I brought my old setup of a JVM and the HD500X in 4CM but also brought the Helix just to try it. Well, I was surprised that it sounded GREAT through the Yamaha PA setup in that room. A small desk and I think just 12"powered speakers. Here I've got 15"speakers and a SUB! It was reassuring to hear the Helix peform so well and I got by with the sounds/setup I already had, but now I have much more going on in terms of Snapshots and knowledge on how to use the Helix. I ended up using only the Helix and that's all I'll be bringing with me this weekend when we try out some more singers. This thing is great and actually quite easy to get a good sound out of it seems.

Ok, I'll check into that, thanks!

I forgot to say, my setup at the moment doesn't like loud channel volumes. Everything was way loud and distorted at any volume until I put the channel volume to about 4.5. So I will test against the new mixer and then see what's what about dialling in tones and setting the volumes between them. I have a program to measure in LUFS. Today I hooked up the other XLR output into the mic input of my Focusright Scarlett, but I think I need to do one of those things at a time and put the XLR back into LINE when I use the Scarlett, not keep it in MIC? Or is it ok because it's going into the MIC interface.

Thanks, I setup the whole system earlier and I am going through it like at a gig and for some reason it sounds better than the other day when it was still setup at the old rehearsal space. Still a bit different from the other sounds I got at home, but this is what I need to be hearing, a realistic output into a PA. I haven't heard my amp in any usual way live for many years as I used ear plugs and a screaming loud wedge monitor, and now use in-ear monitors, so I'm used to just hearing what I hear in there compared to what my amp is ever doing. What I heard at the last gig was at soundcheck setting up my guitar sound, prior to putting in the earphones. I wanted to hear this part this time, and yeah, it was interesting. I got that app as well and I was running at 80db just mucking around, so a little bit more when I seriously get down to it. I think I will wait until the other mixer comes along, I think it's better quality etc. Until then I will play around, experiment with other amps using this setup, and then see how things are with the new mixer. I think it's gonna be good!

Actually, looking at the speaker now it only has XLR inputs, so will need to set it to line at home I guess and back to mic for gigs.

Thanks! In my reading I have heard of that effect, I'll get an app for that and do my tests at 90db. How far away should the phone be from the speaker to use that 90db level? So just plug into the speaker? I have set my XLR out to mic but would it be ok to set it back to line when I'm at home using the speaker and back to mic when I go to a gig? Or just use the 1/4" outs as it's not a big deal/difference? So ignore the sub, and even the desk? I was going to go into the desk via the XLR, setting everything flat. I will A/B against my JVM, not for exact tones but the way it sounds and the feel.

I just got a Helix finally after having an XT Live and a HD500X (I orginally got a HD500 upon release but it was killed at a gig and the easiest replacement was a 500X). I guess I didn't think about things as much with the XT Live, plus those were simpler times and the sounds I made at home on the PC, using the LOGITECH speakers!!! seemed to work just fine. Back then one 1/4" out went to the PA and the other went to my powered stage monitor, so I just turned that up or down as I needed on the unit itself. We did numerous gigs and it was fine. When I got the HD500 I didnt like the sound in the PC at all so I began using the amp models only and lugging my TSL100 to gigs for the power amp and cab parts. Then I decided I wanted to do the 4CM and I got a JVM and set that up and it was great but lately, for some reason, I began jonesing for the Helix. Maybe just for new gear? I've almost purchased headphone monitors, then studio monitors, in an effort to dial in sounds at home that will be usable at gigs through a large PA, larger than the one I used to use with the XTL, but also that style. Any decent PA really, where I am only bringing the Helix and my guitars to gigs. As luck, or bad luck, would have it, I've just split up with the rest of the band, and the PA I used to play with is going to live at my pace rather than our rehearsal space. I plan to run the Helix through it, with the channel as default as possible, to dial in sounds. It will be done in my small studio, but I can turn it up loud if needed, to check the sound at volume. The system uses Mackie SRM450 speakers and a matching sub. These are old school Mackie's. When we weren't using them we were going to sell them but realised they were worth more to us and the new ones at the time seemed to be made cheaper/differently. I know we had to actively cool them as they would turn off in summer when we got them. I am wondering, should I do it with just one SRM450, both, or both with the sub? Should I put the speakers low/on the ground to simulate how I hear the guitar through the cab, like it's a hi-fi cab system? I was able to quickly make a patch that sounds great through the PC, but earlier this week I took the Helix to the break up meeting and quickly plugged it in. To show them the new toy and to hear those patches quickly through the PA and it wasn't great compared to at home, so I will be starting from scratch and want to know best practice, within my range, before I start again. Previously I would dial in my amp in this same room, getting to know the sound it made at a volume I would use at the gig where then it would have a mic put on to go to FOH, that was my responsibility. Now I have a little bit further to go, I'm handing the sound guy the lead from the mic. The band did play our last gig just two weeks ago and I was paying attention at soundcheck and remember that my amp didn't sound great when he was getting me to play and turning me up etc. The audio when the band was playing, via the desk or through phones/cameras was great, so I am thinking there is a relationship there between what I think is a good sound, and what a band needs, so hopefully when I do use it live it's a sound that is workable. We are a one guitar band, so it's just me, bass and drums.