gunpointmetal

Are all of your XLR cables of the same type/brand? We have about a dozen el-cheapo Amazon XLR cables in our rehearsal space and they exhibit that same behavior on pretty much everything (Helix included) except a few drum mics. My slightly more expensive cables with Neutrik-brand XLR connectors are solid on all devices, though. You definitely shouldn't need an external DI box to get XLR out to the PA, should you desire to operate in that way.

I do, every time I set both my monitors up on stage, just by turning them slightly away from each other I can hear the difference between sides just fine.

Not really, as long as they're sealed from each other internally and they have different radiation patterns, its pretty easy to get stereo out of a single box. If the cabinet interior construction is right, its not different than having two separate speakers standing right next to each other.

I recorded some tracks for a guy who wanted amp feedback/sustain but we were recording in my apartment with the HD500X. We ran one of the 1/4" outs to a small practice amp and put it on a chair right next to him and turned it up till it started feeding back. I can't say if it sounds like a real amp feedback loop, but it certainly worked for our purposes at the time.

If you don't like it, write a better OS. Then get it to work with everyone's hardware and software. I'll keep using my hiccup-free Windows 10 machine till the hardware wears out or I find a technological reason to upgrade ;)

Definitely not a computer salesman. Its pretty easy to not lollipop up an OS if you know what you're doing. I set up an old laptop for my my drummer to use for practice running XP and its been rock solid for over two years now.

Nonsense. I've been using a Win10 laptop for recording and live work (backing/click tracks, IEM mixing via Presonus VSL 1818) and I've only had it NOT behave as expected one time, and it was entirely my fault for accidentally enabling the WiFi at a gig, so I got a pop-up about Windows Updates. Disabled the wifi, dismissed the notification, and back to normal operating. Pro-tools sucks on anything but purpose-built systems in my experience, but if you're having constant problems with OSX or Windows, its undoubtedly user error.

I got to run my Helix with my 9-string through a friends and I would agree that the single 12 could hang with most half stacks at reasonably loud levels. definitely very "cab-like". Way too heavy and not enough of a sound difference over the pair of Mackie Thumps I've been using, at least not for the price. Sucker was kinda huge and heavy, but I did like where the crossover was voiced for a little extra mid punch.

I haven't had any issues. It's small-ish, but still plenty usable. I guess it depends on your vision and how far away you want to be able to read if from. Mine is a few years old, so maybe its not quite as high-res as the newer ones.

1/4" goes out to a pair of Mackie Thumps behind me in wedge position unless there's something I can stand one on or we're playing on the floor, then they go on a pole. XLR outs are for the sound guy. If he's willing to take both, I'll give him both (I have some stereo delays and pitch shift stuff that sound better with the separation, but its not necessary). Headphone output goes in Mono (instrument cable) to our IEM mixer rack. I have the Volume knobs as standard, usually about 3/4 of the way up and if I need more/less volume on stage I use the controls on the back of the speakers. Headphone volume is MAXED for consistency in the IEM. On bigger systems I don't even really need the monitors on stage with the IEM, but it helps for people who wanna get up close similar to having the stage sound of an amp and I like a little air moving for personal comfort.

Just copy the whole preset to several locations and only edit the Snapshots you want to change? I don't know if that would make it easier or if I'm missing part of the equation.

It's kind of the "nature of the beast". The Helix is simulating a full gear chain, so you gotta nail all the components as close as possible. Always keep in mind, also, that recorded guitar tones probably didn't sound ANYTHING like the finished product (other than gain structure, basic tonality) when they were tracked in, plus there is bass, drums, and a plethora of mix techniques to get modern hard rock to sound the way it does. It may seem tedious, but learning how to use the device from beginning to end will make further tone chasing expeditions much easier. I'd also HIGHLY recommend getting the Allure IR pack and any free Mesa Cab IRs you can find. The cabs built into Helix are fine, but a good IR is better.

You can always search on Custom Tone. I'd second the advice of looking up their gear and trying to approximate it.

This worked for me. After an update all of my pedal controls were mapped to EXP1, setting the volume pedal to EXP2 had everything working properly.

Well, mine dims when I switch from Vol/Pitch, but without the contrast between the L/R sides, I still need to look at the chain to see what effect is on, because its "DIM" state isn't very stark from its LIT counterpart.

I still can't figure this out...the default has two different "lights" depending whats on or off, but if you rename it, you only get on or dim for the whole strip? Why can't I have mine labeled "VOL PITCH" where the vol is brighter when thats in use and dims when I switch to pitch, similar to how the default EXP1 EXP2 lights work?

Look at the Lenovo Yoga laptops. I have one with an i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD running Windows 10 that I use as a recording computer. Never has any issues tracking in 12-16 audio tracks, runs Reaper, Helix App, and I've done a handful of mixes with LOTS of VSTs and softsynths and haven't run into any real issues. the keyboard folds back and turns off so you can use it like a tablet, battery life is ridiculous, solid construction, one USB 3, one USB 2, micro HDMI output, bluetooth... awesome little machine. It was kind of expensive two years ago when I bought it ($800), but I got the second-highest-specc'ed one they had at the time. I've also been using it as the hub of both my band's live shows running IEM mixes through a presonus interface, click and backtrack outputs, and controlling lights. I carry a cheaper one with everything loaded as a backup, but so far in two years its never even hiccuped.

This statement alone proves that your cognitive level isn't worth acknowledging.

They are Full Range, but definitely not flat response. Also, there is no FX loop, so to bypass the front end you'd need a 3.5mm Stereo plug w/two mono 1/4" jacks at the other end to make use of the 2x12 stereo features. There's been several discussions between here and TGP about integrating the Helix with the Spider V and the consensus from L6 seems to be the two products were never intended to be used together.....even though, IMHO, adding a stereo effects loop to the 2x12 combo and the 240HC head would have probably shifted a bunch more units, since people could easily integrate it with Helix at a price point well below the $1000 bucks the FireHawk amp costs.

Hopefully it works for you!

Are you recording a stereo signal on a single track and then right channel is only clean? The only thing I can think is you somehow have an unneffected split in your chain. When I track I have a stereo wet track and then I set up a mono track for USB in 7 to record the dry audio, but unless I activate the monitoring in Reaper, I never hear that dry track until I play it back. Unless you're referring to re-amping a dry track through the Helix, then yes, your dry track will play along from the DAW as well as your wet track from the hardware.

that can be done with the pitch wham blocks pretty easily.

I use my Helix to play out anywhere from 1-5 times a week. If I could leave it at the rehearsal spot, come home, track demos with the same tones and my little interface (or create new ones, and take them to rehearsal to load into the hardware), that would save me a lot of hassle. I can leave my live rig set-up and my demo rig at home and have the same tones between the two....sounds pretty great to me!

I have yet to hear of anyone having a PB fail on them.

Helix is a "pro" level piece of equipment. Bluetooth is not a pro-level wireless protocol. As someone who gigs, I want as few possible points of failure as possible and as little extraneous hardware/software as possible.