GadgetGuitar

I have been using it for a while, it has gotten much easier to load. Opposite to some, I put the expression pedal in first, it seems to add the bulk to the bottom. But still very pleased with the backpack. I was going to get a fixed board to connect my Mission Pedal permanent, but I just been carrying it in the front pouch.

I am at a loss with this one. I use a stratocaster with a pre loaded pickgaurd, Dimarzio with moded tone/volume pot, into the Helix, out of the XLR to the FOH. All the normal settings in Global settings, no Global EQ, set the impedance to auto. We use in-ears for monitor. For several weeks after the unit has been on for a while, it is like someone kicks on my compulsive drive with a nasty grit of a sound. At first I thought it was the IEMs, but last couple weeks the sound guy has noticed it in the FOH. Today I shut the unit off during the sermon time, and turned it back on for the end of the service, worked for a while then went back to the same pushed sound. It is acting like a tube amp changing as the tube gets warm, but not in a good way.

Fractals commitment to quality builds of the software is outstanding. They are dedicated to the AX/FX software. I believe what they produce is a quality product. Was at the Hendrix Experience Concert over the weekend. Sitting directly on the front of the stage was Dweezil Zappa's pedal board, it was an FX8 running 4CM. So I think they put out some professional stuff. Not putting down the Helix or support, I enjoy everything about, just going back to the original post, would love to see a new firmware.

To me this was not a bad thing at all to get updates that quick. They would post beta builds to try and I would load them all. I can say over the years of using the Axe Fx, I can't think of ever being hurt or disappointed by an early build. All I am trying to get at is, it was good to know I paid a lot of money for a box that keeps receiving updates even after the shelf life and newer models have been released. I would love to see the next Helix be built to use the same software, so my current Helix can be updated with the same core software.

I want to add my 2 cents in this conversation, but I am not a pro, I do play in church. I was skeptic when I picked up the Helix, because I was an Axe Fx II owner. Loved it, played it for a few years. Used the editor to modify patches. Never got very good at editing on the fly at a gig or church. Could tweak a little on stage. Helix editing is a ton easier to edit on stage. Not sure if I would have learned to edit on stage if they had an editor, but it is Very Easy. The thing I think that makes Fractal so enticing is the software updates. Not only for each unit, but the fact that they update over the life span of all the products. And I do not mean, just add new amps, Fractal is always adjusting the tones of the existing amps to match. They do this weekly. It was at times hard to keep up with all the updates. You felt you wanted the update because they were constantly tweaking the amps to sound better.

A couple weeks ago I watched the Line 6 Support video where Rob Math built a Hendrix tone. He used a two cab speaker block and adjusted the mic distance to 6" in both cases. Over the past few years I have been using the Axe, and now the Helix. I got in the habit with the OwnHammer IRs and others of using a 1" Cap or CapEdge. Sometimes I would use a two mix IR with a room mic and something on the speaker. Never messed with the mic distance. In my mic'd cab days, i would put the mike just off center against the cloth. I went back to my main patches and changed the IRs to further distance and a few with Speaker cabs I changed the distance. Found I like this much more for my Vox/Fender or Spanky tones. I have mainly been playing my strat lately and finding this to be avery nice sound. Just wondering if anybody messes with he mic distance or just leaves it default to 1"

Nobody doing AC/DC It's a Long way to the top (if you want to rock n roll)? Would be killer to have a bagpipe patch.

I have a spring loaded mission pedal that I used with my Axe Fx ready to be put back in my bag. Got used to my wah running that way. Would love to see it in the Helix.

Thanks. Missed that one. Will give them a try.

I e-mailed Wes from his website. Have not got his IR yet. The original one I used on the Axe was from the Axe Forum. It was supposedly from a Taylor. The Taylor ones are what I use the most. I do adjust those sometimes. I use a Taylor and a P22 with the Helix. Both are using some form of the the Taylor IRs. I have a patch with just effects for the Taylor but tend to use the IRs with a studio pre on it.

I have read about this. I run both about half way through the set. Depends on the drummer we use. If we have our hard hitting drummer I will tend to leave one out. I do mix in stereo. It is very good to span the instruments left/right mix. Gives a much better mix. On the Ownhammer, I did not do much with the internal speaker cabs in the Helix. To me, what set the Axe Fx apart (Kemper for that matter) was the IRs. So i was so used to using them on the Axe, I just immediately took them to the Helix. I have downloaded many of the heavier tones from the CustomTone and use some of Glen's patches (the early VH one is very good, tweaked a little) that all use the internal speaker cabs. They sound great. Some of the Bogner/Engl stuff I use the Ownhammer IRs.

I was lucky and got one of the first shipments from Sweetwater back in Sep/Oct. Been using it every Sunday since i got it. I have already owned several Ownhammer packs from the Axe Fx. I loaded the a couple of Acoustic IRs and the Taylor IRs. Then loaded several of the mix and match IRs. I purchased the Justin York after I had been using the Helix sometime in Nov/Dec. All my patches you external IRs. My go to patch is a Vox 30 with external IRs from the Justin York collection. I start with the mix options then try out the SM57 based upon different positions across the speaker. We use IEM at most of our area churches. I tweak the amp knobs just like I would any real amp in a live situation. Global EQ is always off and I will have the sound guy set everything to 12 O'Clock. I usually play with one IEM in the ear the other open to hear the outside.

I have seen all over the web people talking about the Firehawk 1500 hundred working well with the Helix. If we go out the Helix XLR R/L to Monitor in R/L of the Firehawk 1500 are all the speakers going to work? Meaning are we getting the Wet/Dry/Wet? Others have posted we need to run a send out of the helix into an input to a clean (Firehawk) preset. If that is the case seems like a lot of work just to get the amp to work correctly. Would have been nice to use a Link cable? Or just use a couple LT2 or Lt3?

Peter, thanks for the post. Used to follow you on the Tom Anderson board a few years ago when I had my Crowdster Plus. At the time you could send the Crowdster in to modify the Crowdster to a Plus 2. Chose not to do it and sold it. Playing with a PRS P22 Piezo bridge. Looking forward to trying it out with a 2 cable setup. I run it single and then use the blend knob. Great sound with the T and Helix. I agree amsdenj on the acoustic amp. Getting some good sounds use the Mic Pre but would be nice to have a dedicated amp.

Good stuff. I have an old BYOC drive pedal that I can use the housing and 9V input. Thanks!