robbieb61

For me personally...my own sound has definitely evolved for the better.

When I got my first Helix in October of 2016 they didn't have all the amp models they do now. So I was using the Rectifier and it's corresponding factory chosen cab in the "Amp + Cab" category. Sounded great to me at the time. (I play classic rock/80's hair band stuff)

And then over the last few years new amp models were developed that became my NEW "main amp" at certain points (Mesa MK5, Line6 Modded Marshall, PRS Archon) as well as new distortion models, etc.

And of course a couple of years ago when I started using 3rd party IR's...my sound jumped up to the next level. Complete game changer.

So yeah...it is impossible (and not very probable) for me to ascertain if the original amp models actually sound "better" than they did at first.

And as has already been stated...the factory presets are just pure garbage sounding. The key is to start with an empty preset and start building from scratch.

And then you'll get to a point where you go "Eureka!" and think you've finally achieved the "holy grail" for you tone-wise.
That will last a few months at best. Then you'll start tweaking and trying other amp models and IR's and delays and change the whole thing! lol

Yes, I too have had this happen.

Sorry most of the replies have sounded like a bunch of jerks.

Hatman777, when you get your Helix....don't use the factory presets. They are garbage.

First off tell me what sounds you use...I personally play a lot of classic rock. So I use a pretty heavy crunch rhythm (a bit more distorted than AC/DC) and a liquidy thick mid rangey lead sound. And my third sound is a nice Fender-ish clean. 

And that's all I need. 

My Helix sounds awesome doing those tones. 
I also own a Boogie TC50 amp and a Bogner 4x12 cab that I use whenever I can at a gig...but the Helix damn near sounds just as good to me onstage and definitely sounds as good through the Front Of House PA system.

EDIT: I use a BOSE LT frfr to monitor myself at some gigs, a JBL Eon 15 wedge monitor at other gigs, and Ultimate Ears In-Ear Monitors at yet other gigs. Sounds great in all of them.

I'm not using the USB cord, I'm running into an FRFR. And it only happens randomly.

On 8/9/2020 at 10:18 PM, HonestOpinion said:

 

You can edit your topic title by editing your first/original post. You will see it also allows you to edit the title.

Thanks for that! Just did it! :)

Oops. I meant 2.92. 
Yes that is what I have. Damn it! Now my thread title isn't indicative of what I'm asking. Grrrrr....

I've been noticing that every once in a while when I power up my Stomp with firmware 2.91 I have no input or output with the device. At least I THINK it's input and output.
When it happens no sound outputs. And the tuner doesn't work at that point either. Like I have no input.
Rebooting it seems to solve it.

Is this a bug that anyone else has noticed?

It's one of those things that doesn't happen every time. Just randomly. 
Had it happen again today so I thought I'd ask.

My latest configuration.

39 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said:

Anybody know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow? ;)

Hamburger?

It would be ideal to be able to choose a third party IR for the cab in the "Amp + Cab" block for sure. As it stands I have to use a block for my IR...and it sounds too good to use an amp + cab block with the stock cabs in the Helix. 
I actually tried this a few days ago because we only have six blocks on the HX Stomp which is what I'm currently using. Set up duplicate amp settings on two presets and used my favorite Ownhammer IR on one and a amp + cab on the other (heavy rock sound...Van Halen-ish). 
No matter what I did or what cab or how I tweaked it...it just didn't have the oomph, warmth and fullness of the Ownhammer IR.

So yeah, it would be AWESOME to be able to choose amp + cab and choose an IR instead of a Line 6 cab. Don't care about stereo because I play live (or DID play live before the govt. shut all the clubs down).

Hopefully that option in amp + cab is coming soon! :)

2 hours ago, donkelley said:

Do that with a mesa boogie (on a heavy tone) and a cab with speakers that have good high end, as is a combination that I've come across a fair bit in my life and is a situation I'm dealing with currently, myself, and I'm pretty sure you'd agree with my assessment of the tone.  Very fizzy and needing HF cut, or a very different miking situation.... both on helix and in real life.

Not trying to be argumentative. :)
But one of my rigs was a Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp into a Mesa Simulclass 295 tube power amp into a Marshall cab. We were playing hair metal stuff in the late 1980's with that rig. Plenty of gain. No fizz.

My other rigs over the years have included a Marshall TSL, Peavey 5150,  Peavey JSX Joe Satriani head, Bogner Extasy, and my current Mesa Boogie TC-50 (awesome amp with tons of gain). 
I'm just saying...I've heard people using the same amps I just listed who sounded like angry mosquitoes with chainsaws, but they were doing the old treble on 10 bass on 10 mids on 0 thing.
I've never set my tone up like that and never had any fizz.

I will admit that I had some fizz in the beginning with Helix. And it bothered the hell out of me. 

And when I did high cuts it took the fizz away...but I felt like it also took away tone. 

I've found that finding the right IR seems to handle that situation for me. 

Let me throw a monkey wrench in.

Every band I have toured with over the decades wouldn't even ALLOW an amp to be shooting out into the crowd. 
So my various amps were always side stage mic'ed up and coming back at me through a monitor mix. My monitor mix was always flat at the monitor board (no cuts). 

Just an SM-57 right up on the speaker of the cab about midway between the cone and edge. And then blowing back at me through my old EV monitor with a 15" and a horn.

Always sounded golden. Pretty much exactly like what was coming out of my 4x12. 

In the studio...same thing. I mic'ed it up. Set it flat. Never cut highs and always tried to achieve a tone that didn't require low cuts either (I go for a real mid "Woody" sound in my high gain for warmth and roundness).

So...I have always run my rig like that...mic'ed up and flat eq on the board. Never had to cut highs.
So how is that explained in all of this "fizzy" debate?

By the way...I'm using an Ownhammer 4x12 IR with all my sounds in my HX Stomp. Never been a fan of using tons of different cabs. I like to keep my sound consistent. And I am not using any high or low cuts. No fizz, no problems. 
Just the way it's supposed to be. :)

11 minutes ago, Nylander88 said:

https://www.morningstarfx.com/

they have really nice midi controllers that would work nice. MC8 is what I'm going to buy at some point, MC8 is about the same size as the stomp, just a foot-switch wider. 

I'm using the MC6 and I'm using it for 6 snapshots.  
But again...with the Stomp limited to 3 snapshots per preset it requires me to make two presets to have the 6 snapshots to begin with. Which means if I go from one snapshot in preset 1 to a snapshot in preset 2 I get a "lag" and also lose any delay trails.

That's cool!

But what is really needed are more than 3 snapshots. Being able to fit more blocks in is great...but being able to switch between more than 3 snapshots without the "break" when switching presets would be even better.

Off.

Thanks MusicLaw, the factory reset did it for the tuner. :)

Updated to 2.92 
Just realized that my 3 footswitches now refuse to do anything other than change presets. I also only have 2 views. One is the footswitches view with 000, 001, and 002
The other view is the block view showing the blocks in the preset.

This kinda sucks for me because I use a MC6 to switch between snapshots and I only used the HX Stomp footswitches to turn on the tuner (FS3)
So now I can't access the tuner. :(
And yes, I have FS3 assigned to the tuner in Global Settings -> Footswitches

On 5/26/2020 at 1:33 PM, gunpointmetal said:

What do you think the stock cabs are doing? They're ultra-flat IRs with simulated mic positions at various settings, which is just a fancy way of adding EQ. Not that they don't/can't sound good, but they're not some magic algorithm. IME, especially for heavily distorted stuff, IRs are pretty much drag, drop, and play as long as you know the sound you're after. And so far, I haven't found a stock cab or IR that doesn't need at the very least a HPF to sit in a band mix. 

I don't use any high or low pass. Just found the right IR with the right mic and placement (an Ownhammer one). 

What guitars are you using? And what pickups? 
My guitars all have Duncan JB's or Dimarzio Evolution & Fusion pickups. So they are all hot. 

Maybe you aren't hitting the input with enough signal?  I had a weaker pickup in one of my guitars and it made a huge difference in loss of gain on my sounds.

Here's my advice...I had one of the first Helix units shipped from Sweetwater in Oct. 2015. 
I now have a Stomp for when I can't bring in my "real rig" (Mesa TC-50 with Bogner 4x12 cab and TC Electronic G System)

And I get my Stomp sounding damn near as good as that real rig. I play classic rock stuff like Queen, Zeppelin, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Heart, Journey, Boston, Van Halen, etc. and I go for a hard rock tone with lots of gain.

Anyway...here's my solution for you:
Start with a new preset (blank)

Put in the "Archetype" amp model and a 4x12 cab. Hell...you can even start with the "Amp + Cab" for the Archetype (though I use an Ownhammer IR with mine). 
Now without adding anything else...hit a big "E" chord. Feel that smile on your face? This is your amp model choice. 
Now play some lead and end it with a sustained note with lots of vibrato. Hear that note singing back to you? And the new big smile?

The Archetype is the best sounding amp for classic/hard rock with a heavy feel on the Helix.  I went through them all...and yes the Rectifier model sounds damn good as does the 2204 Modified and a few others. But the Archetype stands out to me (I don't use any distortion pedals in front of the amp...just the amp distortion itself) as THE best of the bunch for getting THAT tone.

Now all you have to do is put a little noise gate and wah pedal in front of the amp and adjust your snapshots to have a crunch and lead tone. All I literally do between crunch and lead is dial up the gain from "5" to "7" and turn up the Master a couple of notches and then add a delay. 

That's all you need for an awesome big fat round brown rock sound.

Just give me 6 snapshots per preset on my Stomp so I can stay on one preset in the Helix Stomp with my Morningstar MC6 midi pedal  :)

I wonder why they put an "Auto" setting in at all? What's the purpose?

Okay, I'm using a physical Digitech Drop pedal before the Helix. And the specs on it's output are:
Output Impedance: 1 kΩ (Effect Enabled) Output Impedance: True Bypass (Effect Off)

Oh okay. Well, I use the input noise gate and them my first block is an amp model always (I don't use distortion pedals, I like amp distortion).  
So is that why "Auto" sounds just fine to me?

So doesn't "auto" automatically choose the correct impedance on the input? It's what I've always used.