ColonelForbin

One thing to note, it's not software provided by Line6.. That being said, works fine, way fun to dial in the DT amps for standalone use! I have DT25; the DT50 has more cool options, those added setting are all available as well. Anyway, this is the one I use (for PC): DTEDIT http://rome2.github.io/dtedit/

I have been making the switch to using my L2, coming from using a DT25. I would guess the key to using the L2 in 'electric guitar' speaker mode, is also setting the HD500 output mode to combo poweramp or stack poweramp, which disables the mic model. I like using the DT25 still, but at home have been doing more 'studio direct' with the L2 in PA/reference mode, for ease of direct recording. Definitely surprised myself with how the PRE only amp models versions vs the FULL amp models sounded; got tricked up a couple times using my DT25 patches (PRE only) in PA/reference /studio41 direct mode. Working with the deep edit amp settings helps alot when dialing in L2 patches. Check the master in the deep edit (not the HD500 master, the one in the amp model edit screens). And the "res' and "thump" settings, turn those three settings down some. Not to zero, but not as high as they are by default.

Everybody starts somewhere! I have had an HD500 since they came out, but my knowledge of dialing in good 'studio/direct' tones with it is woefully underdeveloped, since I've almost always used it with regular amps, and then a DT25 for the last couple of years.. More recently, there is no more band, so I've been using it at home just with a pair of M-Audio BX5 monitors, for way lower volumes.. Takes a totally different patch dialing in approach! And despite years of familiarity with the controls, it's still like starting from scratch! With the DT25, especially, I never did anything with res level, thump, or mic settings. I set up patches that sounded good only when linked to a DT25.. With the impending Helix, I have been thinking I should give 'studio direct' another try, after lugging around the DT25 - which is the lightest of those amps, they are still heavy and my lower back seems to tweak without fail every time I lift something wrong. The L2t by comparison, I can lift and carry with one hand, and easily lift up to my chest to carry with two hands.. As for the L3m, they are just stacked in the closet, too insanely heavy - and loud - to be jamming at home with, or moving for anything other than a gig!! They would make killer floor monitors for a nice big stage, when you want to be able to crank it.. But the L2t is also insanely loud, and crystal clear. I also messsed a bit with the L2t speaker modes, while leaving the HD500x in 'studio direct'. Depending on the amp and cab settings, it can sound better in 'electric guitar' mode than in 'reference / PA". Though as a floor monitor (horizontal) it does sound better in 'monitor mode'. I also put a Roland keyboard into the HD500 FX loop, and tried the L2t in keyboard mode, that does nice things for the Roland.. Quite versatile. So in general. patch dialing is 99.9% subjective, based on the speakers used to listen. If you can get everything relatively 'flat' it should translate from the smaller monitors to a bigger system. But, that varies considerably based on the amount of bass freq being produced... I admit, the DT25 makes the process easier; but the easiest path isn't always the best, or only path. On the bass note, I also tried running my 5-string bass into some of the new model pack bass amps, linked to the L2t. Sounds fantastic!! For the right gig, this is a totally doable bass rig, especially if the stage volume isn't able to support the typical bass cab low end volume.. Tight and clear, plenty of volume and plenty of low end, with the FOH signal coming from the HD500x XLR outs. I also set up some bass patches with a dual amp model, to get a wet / dry thing going on. Sounds awesome to split the bass signal, put a filter / autowah on one channel and a pitch shifter (down one octave) on the other channel.

Another helpful slightly hidden parameter than can help 'tighten' up your sound in the monitors is on page 5/5 of the amp model edit screens: 'res lvl' and 'thump' . try turning either or both down in various levels, also try them all the way down to zero.. To get there, click over so the selector is on the amp model, then double click the 'enter' button. Click right to get to page 5. The other four pages are also useful with various control over the mic, mic er, and some other settings like sag, master, etc. One other thing: in your input page, set input 1 to guitar and input 2 to something other than 'same' or 'guitar'. Like, variax. Setting it to same doubles the level of your input signal. To get to that screen, (click the 'view' button to exit the other edit screen we were just in), now hold down the 'view' button, which gets you to the 12 pages of 'setup'. This is where you can toggle between using the 8 switches to turn on/off FS1-8 vs. using FS1-4 to toggle FS/FX and FS 5-8 to do patch changes (A-B-C-D). So, click right to get to page 3/12. This is the input setting page.Try: input 1 source: guitar and input 2 source: variax. Now click right again, to page 4/12. This is the output mode page. Make it 'studio direct'. Now click right again, to page 11/12. This is the 'global EQ' page that was added in a more recent firmware update. NOTE: Make sure you have the most recent firmware installed.. Hope that helps. Cheers~!! :)

Yes; I just tested: all the XLR input connections still function on my L2t when also receiving L6Link audio. Works with both the line in on the back panel and the XLR ins on the side panel; so it would work for both 't' series and 'm' series. Assuming the gain levels and eq are set up properly on the mixer, and the signal strength is correct, should be good to go! The main advantage of using an L2t or L3t is that you would have your own control of the volume of the side panel XLR input with the vocals, independent of the master volume control. IE, get your guitar signal the way you want it, then slowly roll up the vocal monitor level until they are balanced. This is a great idea! Thanks for posting this! Gives me some cool ideas for my own rig. Lately I have been working on a lighter 'sans amp' rig, doing patches to run direct, in tandem with just the L2t as a floor monitor. I can feed my monitor mix into the side panel, and keep the L2 linked to the HD500... Gonna try this with the M20d actually - using the non-Link 'monitor out' analog XLR to the L2, and I will do a real test with vocal mic, will report back if anything goes awry..

Question: Will the HD500x stream USB audio through the Line6Link connection to an L2t speaker? I was hoping yes; since there is a 'playback' speaker mode.. I have however always had issues trying to use my M20d to do USB playback over the link connect, so... I haven't tried this previously.. Attempting to playback from ProTools to the HD500x, USB stream- and/or overdub on existing multi-track sessions. Have the XLR outs going to smaller M-Audio monitors, was wanting to send the same audio to the L2t through the L6Link connection.. Possible? At the moment, I am hearing the ProTools playback only through the M-Audio speakers. Hearing all inputs through both speakers; I have a a Roland keyboard going into the HD500x FX loop; and a guitar or bass in the guitar input. Quick note on the FX loop: When you have an FX loop block in the signal chain as a 'return only' device, IE, nothing plugged into the 'send' jack, the return is ALWAYS ON, even when the FX loop block is toggled 'on' or 'off'. That status seems to only impact the send, which if it was a full loop, makes sense - delay trails? So, if you have a delay pedal in that loop, ad you toggle the fx loop off, you should still hear the delay / reverb decay.. In this case, I was like, "why do I still hear piano / drum machine when the fx loop is OFF???".... Anyway, a simple 'yay' or 'nay' is fine; or if there is some setting I need to find, point me in the right direction. Thanks!

Yeah, I know they are doing it to sell; but there is something about the fact that they like being in the same room together that makes you let your 'sales pitch filter guard' down a little. It feels like they are actually having fun. And Hindmarsh had set up for gig patches, that he used going direct - so those tones were definitely well crafted and designed to sound good live with a band to an audience, just as much - or more - than they were to showcase the product.

Yeah; those two Anderton's videos really make a case for a more real world vibe, what it would be like dialing in tones with your band or something. It is sounding fantastic, the way they take the hands on approach - Sweetwater needs to loosen up and do more videos like this!

Not trying to start anything here, but I would guess the chances are quite good you would use both of those options. The 8 channel audio is easy: that means 8 tracks to ProTools through the Helix, at ultra low latency. Sure, you may have an awesome way better 8 channel sound card. That does re-amping. But having something like this, which is portable, could be great given the circumstance of how it's used. Just sayin. I use my HD500x as my main sound card right now, into ProTools, etc. I can definitely see some benefits to using the Helix in it's place! I have an old M-Audio Delta 1010 that is an 8 channel soundcard, but it requires a PCI slot, which i don't have open in the PC for my music room. A good USB 8 channel soundcard, definitely can find some uses for that. Drum tracking? Which brings us to the FX loops; since the returns are how you'd be using the Helix as an 8 track soundcard. Again, maybe you really won't use that feature, or maybe it's redundant to better options already in your personal arsenal. I still think being able to integrate external FX pedals and outboard rack gear to the Helix through it's assignable FX loops will prove to be of major value to peoples' rig building. Ultimately, for me, I can get behind the idea of its role as rig commander, central brain, whatever. It's able to be all if it all alone, direct, or if you want, it can expand substantially to take on greater functionality in a more complex rig configuration. I respect all you've said, and believe me, I don't have a spare $1500 burning a hole in my pocket! So as much as I would like to snag one on day one, it's gonna be a while.. Cheers!

I think the primary benefits are the notion that it's a 'control' center. What that means to each person is very customizable. I think the visual reference to what any give footswitch does is a HUGE benefit. I like to make different switches fdo different things in my HD500x patches. It can be tricky trying to remember if I made a patch intended to be 8 FS vs patch + 4 fFS config, or which FS controls which type of effect, or even what that effect is. Big upgrade there, for me. Especially since each switch can really be made to do nearly anything. You aren't tied down to a specific configuration of FS from patch to patch - or at least, your memory will be free to focus on the music, lyrics or performance based efforts, rather than trying to remember that FS4 is phaser on patch 12B.. And that, to me, will be a tremendous performance enhancement. The Anderton's videos, thus far, have done the most to persuade me that it's higher cost is an accurate reflection of it's increased offering. The second video they made, in particular was an eye opener. They set up the Helix foot switches to control the physical amp they were plugging into; stuff like channel switching. I don't think they were even using the amp modeling in that second video; they just had Paul Hindmarsh playing guitar, while the Andertons' guys tweaked settings and effects while he played. Of course, the first video covers all the direct tones which definitely sound stellar! I certainly heard some things in there that caught my attention. That, and the Helix does seem to go the extra mile for the "four cable method" enthusiasts. Because the FX loops are so robust, and they can be assigned to different FS setups, it immediately takes it beyond the HD500x series. You can insert various outboard pedals, and put them into two loops - you don't have to choose between only pre or only post, a limitation on the HD500x since it has only one effects loop. These items seem like extras that some may not use, but they are likely to be used more readily than you think! Put your favorite overdrive in the pre-amp model slot, and put your favorite reverb or delay pedal into the post effect loop. Right there, I am already excited! I'd love to sequence my analog pedalboard through the Helix in a pre and post. As such, you also have that much more control over setting up four cable method rigs.

Well, close! It's 45 minutes... For part 1! They also did a part 2 that's around 30 minutes.

This video by Anderton's blows all the others out of the water. It's friggin' sweet. PART 1 : Direct / FRFR PART 2: Does it play nice with valve amps?

Thus far, the best tones, playing, discussion and Helix overview, that I've heard, in any of the demo videos, hands down, by a whole lot, is the recent Anderton's Helix review video with Paul Hindmarsh!! Winning with English accents, gets it done every time! :)

When Did you place the preorder?

Last time I checked, lollipop is not a Latin word.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lollipop

I think the Line6 forum censoring (lollipop) software needs to learn some Latin! Such as: -lollipop Laude -Summa lollipop Laude -Magna lollipop Laude -lollipop Honores -Egregia lollipop Laude -Maxima lollipop Laude https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_honors

“In this replacement Earth we’re building they’ve given me Africa to do and of course I’m doing it with all fjords again because I happen to like them, and I’m old fashioned enough to think that they give a lovely baroque feel to a continent. And they tell me it’s not equatorial enough. Equatorial!†He gave a hollow laugh. “What does it matter? Science has achieved some wonderful things of course, but I’d far rather be happy than right any day.†-Douglas Adams

Lol. Four amp models not enough DSP for ya? That's 2X the capability of the HD500x, 4x the capability of the AxeFX AX-8. Upgrade, however is the wrong word. I got rid of my older, getting-slightly-glitchy HD500; my HD500x is still more new-ish, so I don't see any great reason to replace it with the Helix. I would certainly love to have the Helix; but I am way off my budget ability to actually *buy* one. While the HD500x is certainly an awesome piece of gear, the Helix does take it up many, many notches. 15% better? that's Rubbish. It's a whole lot more than 1,000% better. Whether that translates to actual value - or affordability, is a different question. Personally, I am really excited - but also remembering how the M20d that I paid $2000 for dropped suddenly to $1500. Or the $1500 JTV59, that I got for $1000, that I'd be lucky to sell for half that price... I'd love to see some awesome sales; maybe closer to the holidays? Bottom line: If I had $1500 to spend, or even $1500 in available credit, I'd get this thing. I pre-ordered from Sweetwater, but unless the expected date gets moved back a couple months, or some financial windfall comes my way, I will probably have to cancel my pre-order. Or maybe I'll win some money on the lottery! Regardless of all that, the Helix certainly stands to be a major upgrade for my home studio. Let's consider that I use my HD500x as a soundcard currently, when I use ProTools 11, for example. The Helix is likely a better soundcard, can do multi-track and can do re-amping. So that's an added bonus right there. The direct recording sound quality and routing options are clearly way more advanced than the Hd500x, so there's another bonus. The cool visual name tag strips are very, very good idea, and I think that's a huge upgrade. In fact, that's cooler than ANY other floor controller. Better than Hd500x certainly. Also better than Voodoo Ground control, and pretty much any and all floor controllers for Kemper and Axe-Fx. So there's more value. On a total side note, I have recently been running a Roland keyboard in to the HD500x fx loop return, and having some major fun doing keyboard looper jams. Which are mono. Helix can do stereo looper. Also fun to put cool FX on the keys, and run dual / parallel channels. Two is nice; Helix does four, which is nicer. I don't even use amp models in that case, so I am thinking with Helix, I would be able to use WAY more effects, more overall routing, and better recording ability - capture the dry, and still have the two channel thing going. So there is an example where you could use all 32 blocks or whatever, and likely never hit ANY DSP limit. Anyway, I digress. Haven't been thinking of it too much, knowing I don't have the funds, and won't, anytime too soon...

I think this series should be expanded. Can we get a full season on Netflix? 13 episodes, 30 minutes each? Thus far the most entertaining thing I've seen in a while! The "Top Secret" warning stuff background overlay all in block letters, that kept changing behind the guys was great! Had to rewatch and pause, from around 3:33 to 4:30 ish: "Still Top Secret" "Yup" "Seriously, we'd be goners" "Those guys are serious" "Notgonnadoett. Nope." "Chapterhouse Certain Death is more like it" "Nothing to see here. Move on" "Nekrogoblikon is Awesome!"

That would be sweet! I am guessing you won't know until they do a big press release, shortly before a future NAMM... I've been thinking that the PRS S2 guitars are a good model for reasonably priced, (mostly) made in the USA equipment. I'd love to hear the next gen of Line6 Variax modeling embedded in a few different levels of PRS guitars. So as to cover the full spectrum of GUITAR BUILD QUALITY variations; since they all have the same modeling, in essence, something like 1.) First up, the lowest price: made in Korea (sim to JTV) ala PRS SE Variax: 2.) Next, middle price: made in Stevensville, MD (similar to PRS S2 guitars) ala PRS S2 Variax: 3.) And last, highest price : made in Stevensville, MD (similar to PRS Custom 24, semi hollow, etc. - the good stuff) ala PRS C24 Variax Not the binding on the edge; the ten top, the nicer hardware. The $4k+ price tag! :)

Here's an idea I have been messing with recently. Don't use a volume pedal block; instead assign the amp model channel volume to the expression pedal; Get all your fx routing in place, all the other FS assignments. Then copy that patch to all four blocks of a bank. Then, set each of patch A,B,C,D to a different max volume on the expression pedal amp channel volume. Try something like, A =60%, B = 70%, C = 80%, D= 90%. You could also treat A and B as being 'rhythm' patches, and set more of the extra FX toggled off, with C & D being lead / boost patches with more FX on. Sometimes you want more than just a volume boost; other times, like you mentioned, you just want the same thing louder. I am guessing there are better ways to do this, that don't involve patch changes. One, for example, would be to set the expression pedal to your two volumes, rather than making it go 0-100; instead, make it go 65% to 90%, so you can lead boost quickly with a exp slide forward, or slowly with a fade up to louder volumes. I suppose you could also use that to slide from a more 'dry' rhythm patch to a more 'wet' lead patch. Such as increase the mix of various FX all at once to go from 0 to some useable lead tone amount. Maybe 20-30% mix for delay and chorus, maybe add a touch of reverb. Lots of power in the EXP parameter change, vs patch change! Just gotta be careful to set everything up right so you don't accidentally slide the pedal up and melt your face with intense volume.. Experiment and get the settings dialed in tight.

Could be something to do with the programming in the HD500x. If you have it set to force model changes or volume on the variax that might account for what you are experiencing. Those settings can be global or per preset.

Recently, I've started building my patches without a volume pedal fx block. Instead, I have been setting the EXP to control the amp channel volume, and setting the max different from patch to patch. For example, a bank of four patches with a different amp model in each. Using a combination of the EXP pedal to max out the channel volume at a volume and tone that I like for each, then using the mixer block to balance levels from patch to patch. Using these two in combination seems to work pretty well for me. Before I always had issues with the channel volume needing to be in a different place for each amp / patch, and since I use it linked to a DT25, all it took was a little nudge by accident against the channel volume knob and the patch would be off the mark. As for the Shiva, that's my new go-to, all around favorite! I do notice it's loud. Using the max channel volume and the mixer block balances it pretty well with everything else. I also do banks of four patches, with the same FX setup in each, and the same amp model in each; I vary only the max % of the channel volume as controlled by the EXP pedal. If you need to go up a little or down a little in overall volume, this is a good sort of step based approach to subtle volume changes on a patch basis. I did something like, Shiva at 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% for the four patch channel volume max, and maybe -2 on the mixer level.

Yeah, that Mission Gemini line looks pretty sweet!!