roscoe5

Thanks for the reply. I do recal my old JTV59 acoustics sounds being good. But the clips I've heard of 3sigma acoustic IRs sound great too. Ive been researching more on JTV. Man, I can't believe it came out in 2010. It also looks like you can't pass the dry piezo signal through to Helix to allow you to use acoustic IRs optionally.

Need some quick opinions on acoustic sounds...I found good deals locally for both a Godin LGX mag/piezo guitar and a Line 6 JTV-69...$600 for either. Which would yeild better acoustic guitar sounds...JTV HD gen acoustic guitar models or the Godin piezo signal through the 3sigma acoustic IRs? FYI, I owned a JTV59 previously with my POD HD and never liked the electric guitar modeling, only the acoustic. So to me the additional JTV electric guitar models are irrelevant. And from what I understand, you can't just pass the dry Variax piezo signal into Helix to run through an acoustic IR.

I think there are some guidelines on the ps2 presence and depth controls for flat response. I want to say fully counter clockwis for both, but I can't find the manual online. But anyway, thank you so much for trying and reporting back!

You should be able to run full Helix amp models through the PS2. It will likely sound better. I believe there are some guidelines on the PS2 presensce and depth controls for flat response. One of the main selling points of the PS2 is the flatness and lack of coloration of its 6L6 power amp. This is why you can tell no difference in an attenuated physical amp in the videos. It is meant to take a full amp signal. This is the main reason I am looking to buy one

Well, the other major players Fractal, Kemper, and BIAS have some sort of tone/amp matching features. I would like to think Line 6 is considering this. However until Line 6 releases something, DAW tools and IR's extracted from them are about all we really have available. It certainly takes some knowledge, experience, skill, time and a little artistry to execute. So hats of to guys like Glenn who put in the effort to do this and offer their work for what I feel is a pretty minimal cost. Luckily I can do this for myself and enjoy it so I haven't really purchased any of his patches. I have no time or interest in doing this for an entire amp library of stuff that I wont use. But not every can or wants to mess with this and would much prefer to spend a little $ on some quality patches with this IR match feature, regardless of title. I do like the points and questions asked by Guitarmaniac64 as we should all be curious and challenge each other. I think it's good for us to understand the fundamentals and "how it's mades". I don't feel that this level of understanding detracts from the value of Glenn's or others work, and awareness may even contribute. I do hope some of the tech savvy realize though it is possible to do this on your own and that there is opportunity to contribute to the community and make a few $ doing it.

JLondon has good points. The DT amps are HD/last gen and Line 6 hasn't released seamless integration with them. You can get some smoking deals on them if you look and they are fun to mess with and will do the job. Frankly, L2/3 Stagesource speakers are about as old as DT. But in most press and videos I see when Line 6 is demoing Helix, I see L2 speakers with it. Some new HX compatible tech is probably around the corner.

You should seriously try the demo of BIAS Amp. Heck, it's only $69-$169 to buy. Sounds right up your alley. Might hold you over until Line 6 puts something out (wishful thinking). https://www.positivegrid.com/bias-desktop/

Eh, it's just my personal experience with my rock band made up of old friends from back in the day. My other guitarist just picked up a real Bogner Uberschall halfstack, the bassist has an Ampeg 410+115 rig and the drummer is loud as heck. We play a buch of self-indulgent 90's grunge and 2000's emo rock for fun and pick up the occasional bar gig. I use Helix, my Mesa 212 and Line 6 Spider Valve HD100 or DT50 depending on my mood. My other band I play bass in actually plays good gigs and makes great money. They are sort of an acoustic-fronted jazz/jam band with fellow players from the jazz program at the university I attended. I can play Helix into the effects return of my Mesa Walkabout + 112 bass cab. I've gone direct a few times through just monitors too. Works great for electric and double bass. I could easily go with an L2 in this band, even if I played guitar. P.S. I think Helix + Spider Valve + Mesa 212 sounds better than my friend's real Bogner and pedals. He's always tweaking and jacking with that thing, my rig is on set it and forget it mode :) Takes him twice the amount of time to setup too. Good thing he doesn't hang out on this forum ;)

Alright! Now were cooking. This is a good thread.

I own a DT50 and have played my Helix through an L2m. DT50 Pro: Real tube power section through real guitar speaker. Helix doesn't sound or feel any different than playing through your favorite tube amp. No real transition from traditional tube amps to Helix + DT. Pro: Easy to get good sounds. Con: Line 6 hasn't released fully automated DT integration yet. Takes a bit of research and manual MIDI configuration and cabling to map the tube amp settings (topo, class, etc.) to the Helix preamps. Con: DT50's EL34 power section is pretty dominant with Helix preamp-only models. A lot of the Helix magic is in the full amp models. Some people use these with DT, and it works pretty well with DT low power mode. If your cup of tea is EL34/84 type amps like Marshall, Vox, and other boutiques, you'll love it. I think the 6L6 high gain preamp models like Mesa, Engl, PV and Bogner Uber are a bit off through DT50. Con: Acoustic and synth sounds are dull through a regular guitar cab. Cannot use for bass. Con: One cab sound and that's the sound of the physical cab you connect it to. You can get some nice variations with the eq block though. Con: You really need to be running through the rig at stage volume to setup patches. This can be challenging depending on your living/jamming space. Con: Pretty heavy/bulky amp. Neutral: you will need to mic the cab or split the Helix path at the end and put in a cab or IR block to the XLR out to PA. L2 Pro: Will work for electric or acoustic guitar or bass, as well as vocals, keys etc. Pro: Can use full Helix amp models and they will sound great as designed. Pro: Can use Helix cab models and an almost unlimited number of 3rd party IR's Pro: You can setup patches with studio monitors or headphones and generally get similar sounds from L2. Pro: 1 L2 speaker is super portable and easy to setup with L6 Link. Pro/con: You are hearing a mic'd guitar cab (model), which is exactly what the audience hears. But you may not be used to hearing this and it will take some getting used to. Con: Bit of a learning curve to get good sounds with Helix cab models and IR's. This frustrates many people. Con: L2 can come off harsh pointed right at you. You really need to understand Helix high/low cuts and eq settings. Neutral: This may be debatable, but an L2 in floor monitor position may not have the same stage coverage and volume of a traditional guitar amp. This can be good or bad depending on your playing and band situation (i.e. church vs a bar). So I might say that for a loud rock band with acoustic drums and bassist/second guitarist that play big traditional gear, you want to just plug in and rock and not go through tech-anxiety, you might consider DT. If you are jamming at home with recorded tracks, other bandmates have small rigs or modelers, drummer has an electronic kit, you want electric, acoustic and synth sounds out of the same rig, you are considering Variax or a dual-voice mag/piezo equipped guitar, you are playing in a volume-controlled environment, you are a sound engineer, etc. L2 would probably be the way to go.

Oh man...you are right! I bet my DT50 head would look GREAT on a Friedman 212! I love V30's. I never liked DT50 open back combos and the DT 412 is too big. My Mesa Recto is well, a recto. Studiocat's Friedman 212 IR's he posted here are great. Hmm... And man, if Line 6 models some Friedman amps (BE-100, Jerry Cantrell, Phil X Sig, etc.), the DT50 topo,class, etc. and EL34 tubes should be a perfect match. The Friedman amps are all about the EL34's. That would be a GREAT faux-Friedman setup! I wonder if there is any sort of universe destruction risk of mixing Bogner and Friedman ;)

I really would like some rack tube preamps and tube power amps modeled. Those could give us some versatility and other uses too like using physical pres with helix rack power amps live/studio. Posted these a while back, but would still like to have em. http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Helix-models-Rack-Tube-Preamps/821072-23508 http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Helix-models-Rack-Power-amps/821070-23508

It looks like Twelve Foot Ninja is using Helix. I believe they were former HD500X users. http://musicfeeds.com.au/features/twelve-foot-ninja-on-their-beast-new-record-the-outlier-fans-who-keep-them-going/

Cool thanks! My working theory is that the Fryette PS2 is the best possible sound for Helix (full amp models, no cab models) into a real guitar speaker cab. I really need to unload some gear before I buy one though and would like to have a little confidence. I always value your opinions.

I think the ghost of Prince uses my Helix at night. There is a Purple Rain preset on there that I don't remember importing :)

Thanks for replying to this HO! I never thought about editing snapshot names on Helix.

That's true. I admit I have a little Bias Amp envy. Voted it up. P.S. you might consider a title that reflects the topic to get some more traffic on this.

Doesn't Bias Amp do this?

Well regardless of his methods, I'm sure it's a bit of work, adding value to the packs. Does he specify the cab types, mic, etc. used in his "imprint" IRs?

Great! It's working really well for me with my PRS...better than my old ones I made. I found that it reacts really well to the guitar tone knob.

I wonder if he owns those amps and makes IR'S of their power setions. Otherwise, he may be applying an eq match to an isolated guitar track of those amps in his DAW. I suppose it could be his golden ears and manual DAW eq, then refried IR beans. When I IR my Mesa cab with my Recto power section, the Helix Cali Rectifier sounds more recto-ish. IR'ING with my Mark V in Mark IV mode makes the Helix Cali IV more Markish. IR'ing with my Stiletto ==> Helix 2204 and German Mandeva sounds more Marshy. IR with my Mesa 20/20 EL84 amp helps the Helix Vox amps.

Try just going 1/4" out of Helix the the effects return/power amp in of DT not L6 Link at least as a test to see if the sound is better. This physically bypasses all DT modeling.

Yeah, L6 Link and WDW possibilities is a definite plus. I'd feel a little awkward bringing up 3 L3t's with 4200w on stage to a gig though. I can only imagine the looks from the soundman. He might be threatened ;)

That's a good idea using the DAW meters. The dB levels you list seem to be a pretty good guide. This is pretty much the type of info I was looking for. I know Helix meters are up on the Ideascale wishlist, which could be handy too. Someone mentioned similarity to a big analog pedalboard. I think Helix patch leveling is a bit different in that a pedalboard would go straight into a traditional amp and the stomps are just relative to each other. This approach may work for snapshots in a single patch. But by the time I try to level 50 or so patches, I've lost my reference.

R5 Acoustic Sim.hlx Helix preset posted to the Dropbox location above. It is adjusted for single coil neck pickup and SC IR. Here is a quick and cheesy acoustic clip of the single coil IR and preset. https://soundcloud.com/michael-potts-995394155/r5-acoustic-sim-sc-sample