gunpointmetal

We're at the point where there are diminishing returns in "better" as far as amp modeling goes. The biggest hurdle now is getting most people to understand the different between a guitar cab and FRFR with speaker/mic modeling. There still seems to be a lot of people that think something is wrong when a complete "Studio" tone through a PA doesn't feel like a 4x12 at 110dB.

That's an OS issue not a Reaper issue. Also, I don't think in the 10+ years I've been using it has Reaper ever FORCED an update. Big Sur has been a fun game for everyone so far, it seems. 

11 hours ago, HonestOpinion said:

Getting past OS and USB issues would be a big win although Wi-Fi doesn't guarantee side-stepping problems with new versions of operating systems. Presonus mixing boards like the "Ui24r" found an interesting way to circumvent OS issues by having their remote app run within a browser using Wi-Fi. Don't know whether or not that approach would transfer data quickly enough to serve as an editor/interface for HX devices.

If the Helix can host the software and operate in full function a browser editor would be dope, IMO. Definitely no Bluetooth, though. Bluetooth is a just fine audio transmission protocol for non-critical listening, but its bad for data or HQ audio. I'd like to see something along the lines of the cloud features coming to the Quad Cortex without the requirement of the cloud. Like if you come up with something cool at a rehearsal or a sound check you could hotspot off your phone or the locations' wi fi and upload your patch to your account and pull it down somewhere else. Or full backups via cloud so if you had to replace a unit you wouldn't have to be at your computer to restore your presets and IRs.

The search feature here can be finicky, but the truth is 99% of people don't want to FIND an answer, they want to be GIVEN an answer. They wanna post a questions from the crapper in the morning and come back after their day and have everything laid out for them by someone with more time and inclination to service. I had to mute the FB Helix group and only check it when I feel like it for this reason. 200+ "WhY nO FiRMwAre WoRk foR mE?" posts a day is ridiculous. It would seem out of the 30k+ people in that group, 11 know how to do a search.

I didn't have any problem getting a big aggro sound out of it, but I'm using EMG-equipped guitars. What is your reference for the Diezel sound?

I've never had an issue with Helix connected to 2.0 or 3.0/USB-C ports, but there's no advantage. At home my Helix is connected to my laptop with a USB-C to USB-B cable, at one studio its a regular old USB 2.0 port, and the other it's a 3.0 port and I've never had the device not be recognized (unless I turn it on while its connected, regardless of USB port type) or noticed and issues or improvements in any scenario.

If you're expecting to anything besides get through a song or two in your covers set without changing guitars its probably not gonna be up to par. I've tried the Kemper, AFX, Drop, etc and the pitch stuff is just as bad, just in different ways. To me the Kemper sounds like a picture of a guitar moved up or down, the Helix stuff sounds like the Drop but better with the EQ adjustment. IMO. None of them would ever make it on a recording as anything other than a special effect.

Unless there's an artist in there you really want to get tones from, I wouldn't worry about them. I keep my Setlist 1 as factory so I can try the new stuff with updates, and honestly, a lot were underwhelming, a lot seemed slapped together and lazy, and a few were pretty cool but nothing I would copy for my own use. The Rabea and Bulb chug tones were highly disappointing, in fact I wonder if anyone even put sounds through Rabea's "CHUG" preset. The Mastodon preset and the Devin Townsend preset were fun.

21 minutes ago, Kevin-M said:

Even more amazing are the levels of arrogance some people have in responding to questions, while not contributing any help at all.

It's not arrogance. Unreasonable expectation maybe, but it's not arrogant to think that if someone can find the forum, create an account, and post a question that they would also be entirely capable of Googling the question or searching the forum.

14 hours ago, silverhead said:

Is it more reasonable to think that they all were unprepared for the final release, or to think that one company, Apple, released an OS that is non - compliant with their own specs? I think it’s more reasonable to assume that one company, rather than many, is at fault.

 

Now I’m out of this debate.....

That's pretty much it in a nut shell. If everyone else is the problem, then you're actually the problem, lol. 

Some people want to hump Apple so bad they'll ignore the fact that this has happened with almost every major (and some minor) Apple OS releases. Spending 2x on your hardware doesn't exclude the maker from being responsible to their users. I know PC has had its issues, but I can still run the original version of Tux Guitar I downloaded in like 2009 on my Windows 10 PC if I want to....

You'd think the last 15 or so years of Apple OS's would have shown people that Apple does not really give a crap if their updates leave software or peripherals non-functional. 

1 hour ago, lock84 said:

 

The problem is that my sound is not due to a normal use of Podfarm, since it only works with the Large Plate 100% mix, not 99%, only 100%, it looks like a glitch.

So I'm "stuck" with Podfarm without knowing what gives me that sound and feeling.

And I would have liked to reproduce it with a better quality material, I had already tried with the HD500 without success...

Sounds like its exactly as you described. A sonic anomaly that is really hard to replicate. Same reason some guys have "magic" stock drive pedals. Some tolerance in production was different that gave them a sound that nobody else would even notice but gives them goosebumps. If you want to use different gear, you'll have to live with different sounds. The modeling in POD Farm is not on par with modern stuff until you pull the cabs out, and I'd venture to guess that most people, engineers included, would say the FX in Helix are quite a bit better, but that doesn't mean better FOR YOU. I've never played a real Mesa amp that I got along with, but I like how the models sounded in my HD500X, not so much in Helix. It's just one of those things. 

TL;DR: I've done the 'verb trick in POD Farm and IMO it's no revelation, IMO. If it works better for you, that's what you should use.

POD Farm owner, Helix Floor/Native owner here. There's no special sauce in POD Farm, some of the sounds are good (bass especially), but nothing you can't get out of Helix. As far as a "feel" thing, there's no way anyone will ever be able to confirm or deny if one or the other is better. The real answer is up there in "if it feels good and inspires you to play instead of tweak, that's the better sound for you". I can't get ANY feel out of POD Farm no matter what settings I use, sounds like a picture of a tone on top of a guitar signal while I'm playing compared to the Helix. POD Farm sounds just fine in a mix, especially with some more modern IR cab modeling applied, but to actually play through it the Helix "feels" better to me every time. 

On 10/21/2020 at 2:38 PM, donkelley said:

RE: tablets:  ARE they standard on all sorts of stages for years already?  I wasn't aware of that... haven't experienced that as a norm at all, in fact, except by sound guys. 

Pretty much any band that has IEMs or goes direct these days has several devices running on stage. I'd say 75% of bands I've had shows with in the last 2-3 years (before COVID, anyways) were running some sort of tracks or lighting control from a laptop that was also being controlled by a tablet. When my bands play we're literally bringing out own Wi Fi network everywhere. I think it depends on what kind of music, and the level or seriousness in others, but a solid percentage or original acts are running multiple devices on stage.

You can get a USB-C to USB-B cable and bypass adapters all-together. Unless apple does something stupid that doesn’t allow that to work. 

3 hours ago, Schmalle said:

Well, DA conversion clipping is obviously wrong. If i.e. your floor monitor lacks bass in a venue it's perfectly fine to adjust to it by boosting low frequencies with the Global EQ. I'd argue that's it's intended purpose - adjusting to acoustic environments.

The volume knob doesn't change the USB levels.

Analog output level before DA conversion: USB/recording level + cut from volume knob position (full = no cut) + Global EQ

Ok, when I read "boost" in reference to guitar I'm thinking as a solo boost. Yes, that is what the global EQ is for. You're losing me with the "analog output level before DA conversion" because there is no analog level prior to a DA conversion. Last time I checked, the output meter turns red when you're digital signal is going to clip the analog output. 

On 10/16/2020 at 11:56 AM, Schmalle said:

Iif you refer to the output block turning black/green/red: Sadly that's not true, it gets red 12dB above the max USB output level. That means you are only safe from output clipping if your volume knob is max @12o'clock (= -12dB) and you're not using Global EQ to boost.

The volume knob doesn't change the USB levels, AFAIK, and nobody should be using the global EQ as a boost unless they only play in a totally controlled environment. While there is no "wrong" way to do it, that's not what the global EQ is for.

Mine usually stay at or near that -18dB mark, sometimes if I have a tone with a drastic EQ settings I'll need to turn them up or down just a little. If things are that quiet, you should probably just turn the output volume up with the IRs at the stock setting until you can hear all those differences. As noted turning up that IR level doesn't change the tone, it just changes how you perceive it due to volume. All things equal, as long as your output meter is still flashing green you can do whatever you want internally with the levels, though. 

Damn I checked out of this thread months ago (too soon apparently). People still get mad about owning what are basically computers that don't do what they want (and didn't when they bought it) instead of just buying a computer that does what they want? That's wild.

On 9/5/2020 at 2:46 PM, themetallikid said:

The venue we were at for this has a back room that they do larger events.  It's Maloney's in Kaukauna (used to be called JJ Maloneys).  Norm's a great guy up here.  What kinda music you do?  He might be willing to do a dual ticket with someone.  Im sure I could scrounge up the guys for something.  And I know another venue in GB that provides FOH and pays % of the cut, she'd be interested more than likely if I dropped a word.  I'll PM you my email.

Sounds like more of an "event" band thing than what we do. We're all-originals instrumental-post-mathcore band that usually plays ~ 30 minute sets with 3-4 other bands on a bill.

On 7/22/2020 at 8:03 AM, themetallikid said:

I'm located near Green Bay, Wisconsin.  They do have limits on gatherings here, however, the venue we were in is quite large.  

Mind if I ask what venue? I'm Wisco based and my drummer is starting to get ants in his pants about playing shows, but we're in Dane county and there is nothing happening around here.

I haven't tried it, but you may be able to export a preset without saving it first, if you're worried about overwriting a factory preset. Adjust stuff, export preset, then select another preset without saving it to the LT? I have no idea if that works, as I've never tried it. 

The CNTRL+Click thing makes sense. I'm having a hard time seeing a time when one would want to adjust ALL parameters the same degree at the same time.

From the Manual.