ricstudioc

Unless I've missed something, only the Helix Floor/Rack/Lt offer Variax inputs.  Of those the Floor/Rack offer more inputs/loops, and the LT doesn't have the scribble strips - other than that they're pretty much identical.

Edit - oooops, missed the POD's mentioned above - but don't think they're still avail...?

On 2/12/2024 at 5:29 PM, datacommando said:

Blue fins!

 

”I dig the fins... listen: do you know how to get to the ah, Hollywood Inn from here?”

 

Well, you can't have that, but if you're an American citizen you are entitled to: 
a heated kidney shaped pool, 
a microwave oven--don't watch the food cook, 
a Dyna-Gym--I'll personally demonstrate it in the privacy of your own home, 
a kingsize Titanic unsinkable Molly Brown waterbed with polybendum, 
a foolproof plan and an airtight alibi, 
real simulated Indian jewelry, 
a Gucci shoetree, 
a year's supply of antibiotics, 
a personally autographed picture of Randy Mantooth 
and Bob Dylan's new unlisted phone number, 
a beautifully restored 3rd Reich swizzle stick, 
Rosemary's baby, 
a dream date in kneepads with Paul Williams, 
a new Matador, 
a new mastadon, 
a Maverick, 
a Mustang, 
a Montego, 
a Merc Montclair, 
a Mark IV, 
a meteor, 
a Mercedes, 
an MG, 
or a Malibu, 
a Mort Moriarty, 
a Maserati, 
a Mac truck, 
a Mazda, 
a new Monza, 
or a moped, 
a Winnebago--Hell, a herd of Winnebago's we're giving 'em away, 
or how about a McCulloch chainsaw, 
a Las Vegas wedding, 
a Mexican divorce, 
a solid gold Kama Sutra coffee pot, 
or a baby's arm holding an apple?

Was in a very prog band in the 70's, Genesis/Yes/Kansas/Crimson etc - the Tubes were high on our list.  I had this whole spiel memorized and would rattle it off easily (often under the influence of various and sundry pharmaceuticals).  We went all around to stores and begged/bought/stole (?) as much POP displays as we could get our hands on (Point Of Purchase).  So during the rap there'd be giant cardboard soup cans, cassette boxes, beer bottles - any product, you name it - getting thrown around stage. Good times!  (Wish the Helix had been around then...)

On 2/12/2024 at 8:05 AM, cruisinon2 said:

If Helix can't make me a sandwich after the next update, I'm going Fractal...

So..... models of the Danelectro Tuna Melt trem, BLT Slap Back, Pastrami Overdrive, PB&J Delay?

Ah hell - now I'm hungry.

On 12/22/2023 at 7:27 AM, drewdemaio said:

I don't use a volume/expression pedal much and when I do, I have it on the left side of the board, not the right.

From the moment I got Helix, I felt that L6 was missing a bet by not making their own expression pedal in the same format as the one built in.  Same heavy construction, same treadle, same angle - heck even put magnetic pads on the sides so it would lock into place.  Given the number of threads early on about compatible pedals it seemed like a no-brainer to me.  Esthetically  pleasing, placeable on the left or right - just seems like L6 missed a "plus sell" on this - I would have bought a couple.

Congratulations!  And Merry Christmas, eh?

On 12/21/2023 at 10:20 AM, Joeleft said:

Believe it or not, I hardly use the Helix

Oh I believe it - I've been sorta retired from playing (at least playing well, neurological problems) for a while and have barely scratched into Helix for a bit.  I'd bet Data can weigh in on the setlist thing.

And you're quite welcome - I've found the Helix community to be extraordinarily helpful.  Glad you got it sorted.

On 12/20/2023 at 8:50 AM, Joeleft said:

 

UPDATE:

 

Yep, did all this. plus tried a different USB socket on the PC.

No change in result.

 

 

Hmmm.  Sorry Joe, I'm about out of ideas here.  To be clear, you downloaded Helix_Floor_v3.70.0_0xd2be32d64.hxf?  (Assuming yes).  Other than that I'm coming up short.  DataCommando - thoughts?

At least you're up and running on 3.6, yes?  Nothing wrong with that, hold tight until this gets figured out.

On 12/18/2023 at 4:44 PM, Joeleft said:

I'll try this in the morning after a nights sleep (I'm in the UK)

An excellent idea.  Hopefully you see this after a nights sleep.  Do check back, let us know how it's going.

Personally, for the last several updates I've used the Line6 Updater, never have problems that way.  If you go to downloads and enter Helix, then Firmware, then Windows 10 (I guess - don't know if that matters) it should take you to a screen where you can download the installer.  Runs around 42 meg, very compact.  Then run Updater and choose to update from local file.  Works for me.

Native has never seemed to have problems.  Good luck.

As noted above the 4 send/return loops are one solution - I'm a big fan of EHXs "9" series of boxes, a full size build might include the Mel, C9, String - and I always run a POG.  So there is that.

To your specific asks - the Poly Sustain (heck, all the Poly effects) are DSP beasts, eating up the lion's share of one of the two processors.  (And a mighty big lion, at that.)  Now, if you're currently using the Stomp for full amp/cab/fx modeling, and have presets that work for you now - well that's one DSP line, so you'd have another full line available in the Floor.  So certainly possible.

There are 4 sends on the Floor, and various ways to split the signal path, so getting an octave box to send to its own discrete output wouldn't be a big deal.  It all depends on the routing within a particular preset.  As flexible as it is, there are still some practical limits to how much Floor can do, as with any gadget.  Until you start dropping boxes on the lines it's hard to tell you exactly what's possible. 

On 12/13/2023 at 8:19 AM, themetallikid said:

.I need help in dialing in some sort of atmospheric space filler sound.

Why not simply volume fade (EXP pedal or guitar knob) into a delay/reverb?  Here's a track I played on/produced for a local artist - no synths, all the pads are just what I mentioned.

My first thought is that your IR of the studio is just that - an IR of the studio environment.  No real guarantee that it will translate well in a variety of live settings, you'd probably find yourself tweaking with an EQ anyway.  Me - I'd probably jot down the settings from your studio EQ, use them as default for the Para and adjust as shown needed at sound check.

Can"t speak to the EGO, but I've regularly run Synth9, String9, Mel9, C9, Keys9 - there's always a POG on my board.  Works a treat.  Routing wise I put the sends first after the input (w/a compressor before to even out the signal), bring the returns in after amp/cab/gtr fx but before delay/verb to get some wet on'em.  In some configs I put return levels on a foot pedal for fine level control/fades.  Go for it, you'll be fine.

Edit - Oh, I missed where you have an FX.   Never mind - anybody else?

On 12/6/2023 at 7:54 AM, molul said:

Wow, it is indeed DSP insensitive

Chuckle - well, I suppose that's a legit way of putting it.

On 12/1/2023 at 4:04 PM, rwinking said:

Datacommando, Silverhead and Ricstudio! Wow! Thanks so much for taking the time for me!

Still not sure what was going on but this piece answered all of my problems, although the first time I tried it it got hung up. I was able to do my rack, LT and XLStomp all this afternoon. I copied the thing and put it in my Helix Update file as I am sure I have not seen the last of this stuff and it will come in handy next update. I can't wait to try all of the new toys out. It seems that the issue was me signing in when I did not need to for the offline mode. EVerything got backed up and I will try each out before my next gigs.

Thanks again.....

Yer welcome, brother - now get thee hence and make sum noize!

On 11/30/2023 at 7:02 PM, silverhead said:

First make a system backup of your Helix Rack using HX Edit. Then download the v3.70 firmware manually. Run Line 6 Updater and choose Install from File. Select the downloaded firmware file. After installation refer to the v3.70 Release Notes and complete the procedures from the firmware installation point.

100% agree. Honestly quit messing with the HXedit path back in the 2.x somewhere - always a bit hit and miss.  Have NEVER had an issue running local update from file.

On 11/29/2023 at 5:44 AM, codamedia said:

Buy yourself a little mixer (they are cheap these days). Get the monitor mix from the house on one channel and ask the tech to remove the guitar from your mix.

This - after returning to the band after a hiatus, they had gone to in-ears.  Picked up a small mixer and told FOH to send me a band mix without me in it.  I set my own guitar level for myself. Works a treat.

edit - BTW I note your "without a mixer" comment.  But no good way to achieve your goal otherwise.  'Tis what it 'tis.

On 11/29/2023 at 12:39 PM, rd2rk said:

If you use Helix on a carpet it seems much harder than necessary. I solved this problem by getting a cheap little shelf from Home Depot to set my Helix on, but any stiff board will do. The switch is no more trouble than my Dunlop wah when used like this.

+1

On 11/20/2023 at 9:38 PM, craiganderton said:

anyone remember the Korg X-911?

Oh yeah- built a custom board around it.  Mmmm - may even still have it in a box somewhere.

On 11/20/2023 at 5:12 PM, theElevators said:

I love the fact I can turn my guitar and get a different note: 1, 5, 7, 1....

Years back I worked with a prog band - (Genesis/Yes type prog) - I was required to hit and hold certain notes indefinitely.  At stage volume I walked around and found the sweet spots for each note to feedback.  I marked them w/tape - then later went back and measured the distances to those spots.  Sound men would later ask me "Whatcha doing with the tape measure and tape?" as I marked the spots for that gig.  Never let me down.

Physics is fun!

On 11/15/2023 at 4:19 PM, soundog said:

And I agree with others, I hope parts (piezos, etc) will be made available into the near future, especially for the "newer" JTVs and Standards.

Yah - if I knew for a fact that support would be available for X period of time, I'd be much more comfortable selling one/both of mine (probably one).

I know that in certain industries, manufacturers are required by law to stock parts for a period of years - maybe 7 to 10?  Don't know if modeling guitars are covered under that.

Inasmuch as I'm now pretty much "retired" (various physical issues, and just plain gettin' too old for this sh*t) this will have no major impact on me, other than not feeling comfortable trying to sell either of my Variaxes.  How do you look at a potential buyer and say "oh by the way.....?"

That said - next to the Helix, the Variax was the most useful bit o'kit I purchased/used in the last 6 years or so.  In a working "business" band, where the songlist is wildly diverse, the V was a godsend.  I used various electrics, acoustics (6/12 string), dobro, banjo, sitar - the custom tunings put licks I could not otherwise play under my fingers.  It (they) certainly payed for itself many times over, over those years.

So for the sake of the next generation I hope a new iteration is forthcoming, regardless of the brand name on it.  A bit "niche"?  Possibly, but it fills a need that - once you have that need - no other instrument can.

On 11/8/2023 at 10:11 AM, cruisinon2 said:

Stir,stir,stir the pot... gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily.... nobody gives a f*ck. ;)

 

Could be worse, gents... at least he's not bitching about the tuner. ;)

 

 

There once was a man with a Helix

With the Marshalls, he just couldn't feel it

About one certain cap

He relentlessly yapped

And the rest of us... don't give a f*ck.

Haiku, anyone?

Well, never say never - but welcome to it!

I'm the pragmatic type - when I got the Helix back in '16 I picked up a set of Alto 10" FRFR's (forget the model atm).  I've always set them up in front of me like floor wedges, firing back up at me.  Never had any complaints.  But your application should dictate your choice.

On 6/27/2023 at 9:05 PM, Kendall124 said:

But I liked my tone better. So did he.
He is now shopping. 

Muah hah hah!  One at a time, minions - one at a time.  We WILL rule the world....