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Rewolf48

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Everything posted by Rewolf48

  1. It is annoying - a big problem if you use acoustic patches with tone knob rolled down (mic position changed) and then go to an electric and everything is muffled. It can be worked around, but in a rather inconvenient manner: if you have a single instance of "Force" then you have to set Force on every patch and every snapshot within those patches. The other option, if you have a hand free at the time, is to turn the tone knob... it only holds the setting in absence of an instruction to change it. Let's hold out hope for 3.2...
  2. I would like to correct the position for studio recording slightly. You can record additional tracks in sync if you correctly set the latency compensation in your DAW, and can live with a second or so lag between pressing play/record and the music starting. The process to get the correct settings is a little laborious but on Reaper and Windows for me when set as 12 in and 2 out you have to turn off the Audio driver reported and set Output Manual Offset = 71067 and Input Manual Offset = 26827. As you can see that is nearly 100,000 samples of compensation which with a 48k sample rate is 2 seconds of latency. But once set you can listen to previously recorded tracks while tracking new ones without having to align the tracks afterwards.
  3. It is now a month since we were told not to update our iPads if we want remote control of the M20d because of an incompatibility. Presumably if we do update we loose the remote control option. The App Store is still reporting version 1.21 from Aug 31, 2017 as being the current version. It there any news about an update to fix this? Is anybody working on it? Are there any plans for anybody to work on it?
  4. Wow - that was scary. Exactly the same failure to start HX Edit, tried re-installing, then tried internet search and found this page.... Got as far as the first mention of disk 0 and realised I had the microSD card from my Zoom H1 in the card slot. Took it out and the software started immediately.
  5. Been experimenting with getting a really good sound from Variax Acoustic models as EQ and Compression was just sounding lifeless. Fullerton Nrm Preamp with Drive Norm on 10 and Drive Bright on 0 and Sag boosted a bit gives a lovely valve compression with a hint of breakup when pushed that still maintains fullness and clarity when backing off to light finger-picking. Using a Cali EQ in front to shape the tone and reduce the level a bit
  6. Yes it can be done - especially with Helix using e.g. Acoustic guitar IR;s: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=acoustic+guitar+impulse There are examples on this video for the 3 Sigma ones using some very electric guitars - how good they are is up to what you are hoping for: And there are other guitars that combine an electric body with piezo or a semi body with electric pickups and piezo. While I play a JTV69 I quite fancy one of these: If you don't have that sort of money then these actually sound quite good in acoustic mode but are a bit limited as an electric: Many other options are available - the key is that Helix and Acoustic IRs can significantly enhance the sound of any solid-body guitar with piezo pickups.
  7. I have toyed with the idea of getting a bar rather than a tree - like this one... but never quite got around to it. Thought it might give a bit more pressure over the nut for all strings: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MagiDeal-Electric-Retainers-Tension-Tremolo/dp/B078N5Y5DJ/ref=sr_1_3
  8. This is perhaps a bit embarrassing but it just happened to me! In my defence it’s the first outing for the M20d in ages , so 3 days before the gig I had tested all XLR and all 1/4” inputs and all outputs using a condenser mic with phantom switched on and checking levels on a meter. I got constant good levels. Then on stage both lead vocal mics and one drum mic - all dynamics - had very low levels. So low that swapping mics and cables, and setting trim to maximum gain, and setting the channels to maximum gain and reducing everything else down and boosting the mains volume to only just got us through the gig. The drum mic was a SM 57 and recorded nothing. Most of the dynamics have required 12 of boost on the clips before they are even close to the levels of direct or condenser channels. Going to have to take my own advice here
  9. If re-flashing the firmware doesn't make a noticeable difference then.... It may have been a post or two of mine where Global String Levels were mentioned along with compression or more specifically a lack of dynamics. I have no inside knowledge, but I do have a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and I work in computing... so a little knowledge could have lead me to completely the wrong interpretation. Or not. I have a much better knowledge of measuring signal levels now and could probably prove it with some measurements; except we have a 3 set gig tomorrow afternoon and all the kit is packed up. I first tried adjusting global string levels after following advice about how to get better acoustic sounds by switching strings to 11s, and while the tone was better there was no dynamics so I starting thinking about why it wasn't that great and then about why global string levels would exist as a configuration at all. I thought about a few of the variables: The resonance of the wood the guitar is made of The gauge of strings players use - from Billy Gibbons 7s to Steve Ray Vaughan 13s Playing style and picks varying from featherweight nylon to solid metal or stone The sensitivity of the piezoelectric pickups Any of the above will give a significant variation in the signal level coming out from the pickups. The signal that then feeds into a modelling process that include pitch shifting and most significantly effects that depend on the level of the signal: such as how much resonance or body do you get. The modelling has to have a sweet spot in the incoming signal level - too quiet and the sitar won't get resonating strings, too loud and they won't stop. To get the signal into that sweet spot with the wide set of variables I couldn't see any way to cope without putting some form of compression and or limiting place. But the consequence of that would be that if you had sensitive pickups and resonant wood (which is good - right?) and used 11s and played with stiff nylon picks or fingernails then you could be hitting that compression very hard all of the time. And the designers must have known this and put in an option to reduce the signal level before the compressor that would affect all of the models - because the root cause is the physical attributes of the guitar and player. Global string levels was exactly this sort of control. So I tried it and was quite shocked to discover that I had to reduce the lower strings down to -10db or more before I could hear a difference in the sound level from the guitar. So I turned it back up slightly and repeated on all the other strings; the top ones were more like -5db. I then played quite a few of the models and the acoustics especially had a lot more dynamics to them. The only problem with the method is that you have to guess because all you can hear is the results after going through a model and you don't know what that is doing to the signal. If I was to repeat it today - or more realistically on Sunday - I would be using a Loudness meter that gives me peak and short term loudness and dynamic range figures and I could probably achieve a more balanced result across a range of models. So my answer to your question is that I think the only reason that Global String Levels exists is to allow for compensation in the variables I list above, and that it was put there to fine-tune the guitar. The reason why they come from the factory set to 0db on all strings is that it is probably a relatively costly step to tune them for each guitar when the result will probably be wrong anyway because of point 3: the player. Or everything I wrote above is complete nonsense. Neither psarkissian or anybody else from Line 6 to my knowledge has never commented on this subject but I would love to get feedback from the software design team on the subject.
  10. It might be one of a few known issues. If you search for Level Drop and M20d there are more than a few historic threads: in summary it is probably an issue with connections between the boards and/or to ground. And it is not a fatal problem if a) it is in warranty, or b) you or somebody you know is OK with the mechanical side of electronics. Contact cleaner and reseating will often do the trick - or it did with my dodgy 1/4 inputs, but you might need to go as far as the grounding mod described in this thread:
  11. I have to disagree. Global String level settings are a great place to start especially if you use heavier strings but also because woods vary, and piezoelectric pickups vary. If every model has no dynamics then you have to lower the globals down until there’s an audible difference between light and heavy picking. Then you tune the models to taste. The numbers for the global settings are in the same sort of ball park as what I needed on my 69.
  12. Helix Floor and Rack have S/PDIF digital Input and Outputs so you can daisy chain between units in the digital domain. You can also use the USB audio feeds to extend processing using e.g. an iPad running MIDI Guitar 2 to map the guitar signal to MIDI and then play a soft synth back for additional processing within Helix
  13. This is in the wrong sub forum which is why nobody has responded. IRs can be loaded into the Stomp without any impact on existing presets except if you overwrite an existing IR that is referenced by a Preset. The Presets identify IRs using the location number so if you overwrite IR #3 then every preset that uses IR #3 will be changed
  14. I have used L6Link all the time with my Helix Floor to connect to my L2t speakers using a Digital connection; from my perspective the XLR Main Out connections have been rather useless because the only time I have wanted to use them is to connect to the FOH system when on big shared stages and it is impossible to get them to turn phantom power off. Finally got myself an Isolation Transformer so that may change, but I have got used to using the XLR Mix Out on the L2t to feed POH, so then again maybe not
  15. My 69 is 2011 and I try the battery every now and then. 6 months ago was the last time and from working fine before it is now totally dead; will sit on the charger for days with the flashing light but doesn't even give a single bar when plugged into guitar. £45 + shipping for the official replacement is quite a lot for something that I haven't used in 8 years. We are also told not to buy unofficial ones such as the £28 one explicitly sold as being for JTV Variax with free shipping and a 30 day no quibble guarantee.
  16. Well you have to do it to do a firmware update using the dongle, but there is no power on the VDI for that. The issue is borderline overloading of some components due to too much current being drawn. The real question is why do you want to do it? If you have VDI going to a Helix or HD500 then both of those can split Models or Magnetics onto separate outputs using an FX loop which gives the same result without the weight of two cables on the socket assembly.
  17. And there are regular 30% off sales. If you are considering this then Helix Native must be giving you good enough sounds; an HX Stomp can act as the interface and for simpler gigs might be all you need as it is half of Native in a very small box, and a used LT gives you full foot control and everything in Native. Both will give you the cheap Native licence (if the previous owner hasn't taken it). If you don't like the hardware you can sell it while keeping the Native licence.
  18. You have to vary the Speaker volume setting to avoid noise. Set mixer to 0db play music source, set speaker so it is a bit louder than you will want - this is the max volume for the system for this event. Then lower the level on the Mixer so you have the real volume you need and you have headroom to vary it as required. If you set the speaker to maximum volume then in most cases you have to provide a very low signal level and as every electric circuit has a noise floor that little bit on noise will be relatively high in the speaker. The only possible exception to this might be if you are using L6Link (digital connection), but even then the principle is still sound
  19. But would they sell more Variaxes if they had Wireless? What if they made it more generic and just happened to have VDI as a connection option? A unit that did Stereo Up and Down with MIDI data in both directions would give both Audio channels plus Stereo IEM and retain the control aspect and could be used by Keytar users too (!!!). A chunky Lion Battery could still power the Variax without the guitar needing to change at all. That would appeal to me even though I never play stadiums. Used to use VHF analogue wireless before I went digital and not worrying about cables tangling or dragging the big knob around on Helix is something I want quite a lot.
  20. I was thinking that if a G10 (inc receiver) can be purchased for £109 retail then 3 x G10 can be bought for £327 (including 20% VAT) https://www.andertons.co.uk/line-6-relay-g10-digital-wireless-guitar-system-grelayg10 There would be a bit more complexity and I would expect a base more in line with G10s but it should be possible to get something to retail closer to £400 given that the above includes 3x distribution and retail markup. The price of wireless hardware has come down a lot which is why we see digital units such as the Boss WL-20, X-Vive and Sennheiser XS in this price range
  21. The question thread with more technical aspects: Aside from power, there are two streams of audio downstream + control and one upstream for control so it was thought that 3 wireless channels would be required. G10 has come out since so perhaps the $999 is no longer quite so high.
  22. Powercab is smaller and lighter than my L2t (different shape). The sound at least when using speaker models is less clinical without doing significant high cuts. One big difference is that Powercab is a co-axial speaker so when close up there isn't a noticeable separation between woofer and tweeter; the L2t has a wider dispersion pattern while powercab is more like a normal guitar cab. You have to try one - if you an find a store that stocks them. I did and liked it a lot, but haven't been able to justify buying to replace yet.
  23. You need to understand the concepts of "gain staging" Auto trim will monitor incoming signals and set them to the ideal input gain for the channel - not too hot so it distorts and not too low. That is all it does. You mic is on a channel and that has a gain knob that controls the signal level going into the main mix The main mix is feed to the PA amplifier and that signal level is controlled by the big knob on the right of the M20d The PA amplifier has a volume knob that controls the overall volume Each of these is a gain stage and has to be set correctly; if you have 16 channels of input all set to 0db and all of them have a full level signal then you will overload the main mix. You need to mix the signals together by balancing the channel volumes (and eq) So turn down the channel gain and/or big knob and/or PA volume until it is not too loud and feeding back. There is also a feedback suppressor on the mic input channels and you can use that if your mic position is such that you are getting feedback at lower volumes - it will notch filter at frequencies that are susceptible to feeding back in the current session (the settings are forgotten when you switch off)
  24. I think the maximum recognized SD Card size is 64GB; I have a 32GB and pair of 16GB that work fine. 32GB is the largest capacity listed in the Advanced User Guide.
  25. All banks are customisable. There are two that are named as User 1 and 2 but anything can be put anywhere. The zero volume patch can work like the old LP method of doing a kill switch effect.
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