rayneman

Wow - having the XLR default to wide open if its not controlled by the volume is definitely an interesting "feature." Thanks for this post re: the Global EQ...I am certain this would have been a BIG suprise for the first time I'd use the Helix live, ugh. That seems way to hot of a signal.

Thanks for the replies so far. I guess it looks like I can shift the volume output of the Helix to control the feed to my monitor, which is what I'd prefer. Except for one certain venue, we always have the same sound guy and system, so he knows what he's doing...my intention, if everything works out, is to use Helix in place of AX8 for a simpler, smaller rig in certain places if not permanently. While it would seem logical that once stage volume and monitors are set, that it should stay there for the entire night, that is never the case with our guys. Both the drummer and keyboard player, whether they know it or not, play like dainty grandmothers during sound check, and then gradually ramp it up throughout the night. Of course there are other things at play as well like a growing audience size, noisier bar, etc...

Newbie here, I have a Helix en route. I have a question on output volume that I wasn't quite able to have answered via the manual. I currently use an AX8, and for live use, I send one XLR out to the board and a 1/4" to my FRFR stage monitor. The AX8 has two output level controls, Out 1 and Out 2. I leave Out 1 at 50% and that feeds the board, while Out 2 feeds my monitor. This is very useful as I can then alter my onstage monitor volume without affecting the signal that goes to the main system. From what I can tell, Helix has one main Volume knob. Would this then control output from both the XLR and the 1/4 outputs? If so, then does this mean I cannot alter output levels separately from the XLR and 1/4"? It would seem that way, but I may have missed something, Its not the end of the world, as I can simply increase or decrease the volume of my monitor, but often that is a little difficult to get to depending on the stage setup. Thanks! EDIT: I see on page 50 of the manual there is more info on the IN/OUTPUT and it mentions assigning the volume to a certian out so maybe my answer is there...

Hi, I am using the L2M to monitor my Fractal AX8. I then take one of the outs from the L2 to the mix in place of running a mic on a guitar cabinet. I know that changing the output of my AX8 will increase or decrease the signal the mix gets, but does the L2's master level affect that? I am just not clear on it. The manual states that this output "duplicates the signal at the line input jack." Does that mean that I can change the volume level of the L2's output but yet NOT affect the signal seen by the mixing board? That's what I'm hoping for but am not sure. Any wisdom on this would be appreciated. Thanks, Tim

Lately I've noticed that my G50 is not lasting for an entire gig. I guess it doesn't completely fail but by the end of the night it's well into the red. Tonight it was down to 1 green bar and switching to two occasionally before the first set was over. I put brand new Duracells in it and I had to replace THOSE during the last set because I wasn't sure it would make it. It used to last an entire gig and only would lose one bar on the status. Is there something that could shorten battery life? I don't stray too far from my board and I do keep the transmitter in my back pocket rather than attached to the strap but I've always done that. We have just begun to use a wireless mixer where the sound man does live mixes via an iPad, and the source is a snake-like device onstage that connects to the iPad app. I wonder if that could have anything to do with it...?

I currently have it plugged into the "Power Amp In" jack of this Fender HRD 1X12 combo. The preamp is bypassed, and the only controls that are active are reverb and presence. The Amplifire is similar to most other multi-FX units in that it has amp models and various FX you can add...you build presets and so forth. It has a really nice application so when you connect to your computer via USB, its simple to build tones and tweak the parameters. The Amplifire is limited in its switching capabilities by itself, but I have a little MIDI pedal (with bank up/down and 4 patch buttons) that along with the three buttons on the Amplifire device (which I have set to turn on/off boost, Mod FX and delay FX) make it pretty usable. The available FX are fairly straightforward and aren't very deep, but for me its all I need. I admit that some of these units get WAY too complicated for me. This thing is even easier than the Firehawk.

I have returned the Friedman. It sounded good with the Firehawk but it's heavy and awkward and I am not sure if I'd simply end up using it as a backline cab. I'll be honest, I bought an Atomic Amplifire and it sounds amazing through my Fender, and there are zero output or volume issues. If I try another FRFR device it will definitely be an Atomic CLR. I know I am sacrificing switching, expression pedal and some deeper editing moving from the Firehawk to the Amplifire, but right out of the box the Atomic device feels RIGHT. I'm sure for some the Firehawk is the better unit.

My initial impression of the Friedman ASM in a live setting was that it really provided a clear sound and I could easily hear myself without blasting out the stage. We mic'd it as well for the house and other monitors. I was going to try and place it in front of me or to the side but I chickened out and used it behind me. Still, set in a wedge position it sounded very good and was very clear. You can see in the pic where I put it. However I am not sure about the Firehawk. I think it may have to go, not sure. Maybe I wasn't used to it but it's sort of hard to tap top row switches and not change presets. Also I think I hit both the up and down bank buttons at the same time and ended up in some live edit mode. That sucked. While all that is my issue I also wasn't blown away by the tones that I was so clearly hearing. Oddly I was happier with clean tones over dirty. My tones sounded "honky" and also "crispy." I will tweak some more but I'm looking at some other options. If the AX8 were available now I bet I'd just grab that lol. I think I need to spend more time at higher volume with it as I think there have to be great tones here, because I was able to get them at home with with ASM 12, but that was at "home" volume without other instruments in the mix.

Yes, in place of a traditional amp. My intention is to place this ASM on the floor next to my "regular" monitor or maybe even beside me. The Friedman will then be mic'd. I guess I'm sort of using it as a quasi-backline device but in the spirit of clamping down on stage volume I am trying to take advantage of its wedge shape so I can get MY tone separate and not blast away the stage. Other guys will have guitar through their monitors and whatever washes over the stage from the Friedman. For all I know this could be a complete failure. We will see tonight.

The ASM-12 showed up...basically a stage wedge dressed up to look like a Friedman BE100. The initial verdict is that I have to re-think the EQ on the user tones that I have created. Quite a difference playing the Firehawk through this Friedman device than through anything else I've used with it. I do think the volume issue is gone, the Friedman has a lot of juice, lol. Its a pretty neat way to hear your modeling device.

Thanks to you both for your replies. I had been using the Firehawk here at home with it plugged into the "power amp in" of a little 40 watt Fender HRD tube combo. When I did try "line" instead of "amp" the volume increased significantly, and really, the tone degraded IMO. I imagine that's because I was running amp and cab models into a guitar amp and that even though preamp section was bypassed it still colored the tone. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Friedman arriving today, hopefully this becomes a great solution for the stage. We all get our own decent monitor mixes, but I don't think I could stand only have THAT to hear myself...that would be taking stage volume to far down IMO.

Hi, First - I just got the Firehawk and am planning on running it through a Friedman ASM-12, which will arrive tomorrow. The idea is that my band plays in places where the volume needs to be managed pretty well, especially stage volume. We aren't a metal band, more 80s pop/rock. I am planning on using this setup in place of larger tube amps that I love, but ultimately don't really place nice with our music and are more suited for hard rock and metal. So - at our rehearsal place, I simply use an RP1000 into a Tech 21 Power Engine 60. That little rig does what I need it to do, I figure the Firehawk is a step up, and if this whole thing goes well I might end up with a Helix or another high end modeler. Anyway...I took the Firehawk tonight to rehearsl to see how it does with the band. I had made a few clean and dirty presets with various FX and such. I have the amps in the presets all turned up really high. As such I was really surprised I could barely hear myself when I got everything plugged in. I ended up having to take the Power Engine's output to 3/4 and the Firehawk's output (the RED dots around the wheel) to at least half before I started to get somewhere. This, for mild practice volume, and I ended up turing the Firehawk up even louder. I am not sure I could use this onstage if I had to (mic'd cab of course) without opening the PE and Firehawk wide open. I can't imagine that sounding good. I am using the output mode of "amp" not "line." I think that is correct but I am not 100%. So after all this, sorry, my questions are: 1. Is it normal to have to turn the Firehawk's output really high in order to really get decent volume through whatever device is amplifying it, or am I missing some adjustment that is made in the settings? My RP1000 never had this issue, and it seemed to work well with this Power Engine having its output at very reasonable levels. 2. With this Friedman device, I will need to use the XLR output as the Friedman is only XLR in. Will this change anything? The Firehawk manual touches on the output...the 1/4 vs, XLR but I am not confident that I completely understand. We have a gig Saturday and I would love to get this sorted out!!! Thanks in advance for any help. I searched but didn't really find anything that matched my situation, especially with the Friedman ASM-12.