robbieb61

I thought this was a joke or something. ​But it isn't! It's a real company that makes boutique effects. Wow: http://www.zvex.com/

I use my Helix with my DT-50 head and a 4x12 Bogner cab loaded with greenbacks. :)

I agree 100% about the extra username and password b.s. That whole thing seems redundant when people already say what they would like to have with the products right here on this forum. Line 6 has a treasure trove of customer feedback on THIS forum already.

It's working because that is exactly what the chain would be if you were in a studio (or live gig) and you were NOT using any effects at the amp (the soundman is adding them afterwards). ​I know it's not the way the Jazz/Chorus Amp works as a standalone amp. ​But it's actually the best way to run effects...post cab and mic. :) ​That way all the guitar tone is already there. Now you're just sprinkling in the effects on top.

It would be awesome if the preamp and amp were separate blocks. ​Because then it would sound like a real amp with a effects loop. ​BUT...having said that...in the 1980's we were all trying to get that "Bradshaw Rig" sound. ​And that was accomplished by running a tube head into a 4x12 cab at LOUD volume offstage and pointed at a wall or something where it wouldn't bleed out onstage or in the crowd. Then mic'ing that cab and sending the signal to a wet/dry setup with a tube power amp. I used to use the Mesa SimulClass 295 for that purpose. ​One side would get the signal from the original amp and cab run through effects totally wet, the other side got the dry sound coming out of that original amp and cab. ​Then that would output from the stereo tube amp to 2 more 4x12 cabs. One dry, one wet. And then THOSE 2 cabs were mic'ed up for the front of house. ​And it sounded SWEET!!! ​So The Helix is actually doing the best thing in it's set up by NOT putting effects between the preamp and power amp models. ​At least that's the way that the players with the best sounds in the world used to do it.

Using XLR out to the FOH

I can definitely see where it would be switched in the middle of a song (which is why I always HATED that loud "pop" when changing topology while in the middle of a song). ​For instance...I'm playing the song "Picture" by Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow. Nice clean sound using Topology I UNTIL the lead break kicks in. Now I'm moving to a high gain amp that I prefer Topology IV with. And after the lead I'm switching back to my clean sound. ​To be fair...the loud "pop" of the topology switching led me to only use Topology IV at live gigs and tweak my amp model settings accordingly to get the sounds I want using that topology only.

My only guess is that we get the amps that the guys doing the modeling have access to? Some cool amps for sure...but yeah, Bogner Ecstasy...Mesa MK series and more amps with all the channels (like the Marshall TSL for example, or the Ecstasy all 3 channels). ​The amps that are in Helix now are plenty for most people. And I'm sure that the guys at Line 6 are overwhelmed by everyone's requests. But it does seem like they picked some "meh" amps (in terms of demand) and skipped over some "WOW" amps that people would love to have their hands on.

I'm really hoping that they will address the S/PDIF cutting off. :(

I never had the X3. I had the Vetta and the HD500. ​I did own a Bogner Ecstasy head (along with about 30 other awesome guitar heads over the years)...and it was a great sounding amp. Loved all 3 channels of it.

Great amp...but man...people have been screaming for a Bogner XTC for years now (going back to all the Line 6 products). ​Seems kinda strange that they don't do it.

3 channels...As I said earlier...hoping for the Bogner Ecstasy. ​But with my luck it will be models of the 3 channels of the old solid state Peavey XXL guitar head. lol

Also hoping the S/PDIF cutting out will be addressed in the update. :)

If it's the Bogner Ecstasy it's "game over" for the "other" companies. :)

How come they keep posting about new firmware on other sites and not right here where their customers are at? Kinda sucks to have to hear it second hand.

I used to have at least one out of those 4...then my hair thinned out with age. :(

Sorry ge31, I was just joking around. :D ​I WISH an update could give us all of that! ​But I was just joking around and thinking of what would be perfect to me on the Helix. :)

Just installed 1.05 ​Everything is working perfectly now. Full integration using L6 link to my DT 50. ​Also loving the new Dumble model and the models of all 3 channels of the Bogner Ecstasy amp. And thanks for fixing that problem with the S/PDIF output. Great job guys!

Of course it's tube coloration or "distortion" and of COURSE it sounds good....not just to me, but to all guitarists who love tube amp sounds. ​I do the exact same thing with my DT 50 in the send/return except it's a little more complicated because I want to get the power amp tubes of the DT 50 so I use a Riviera Rock Crusher between the head and the cab and get the "Return" signal to the Helix from that. ​But yes Peter...it's a sweet warm tube sound I'm getting. Not a distorted clipping sound at all. I can bypass the effects loop on Helix and the volume doesn't change (because I set the MP up correctly for me) and the amount of grit or distortion in the tone doesn't change. What DOES change is that the "fizz" goes away and the sound "blooms". ​I'm wondering if the HD 500 didn't play well with it as opposed to the Helix? I don't know, but you didn't get anything like what I'm getting. I never tried it with the HD500 because with that I used to use the L6 link straight to my DT 50 for the tubes and it sounded GREAT. Especially compared to what the HD500 sounded like straight to the board without the DT50 adding that tube sound.

That's kind of what I was thinking too fukuri.

clintmartin...just be real careful with the levels. I never tried it with the HD 500.

PeterHamm...I haven't experienced any distortion with it in the send/return of the helix. As I said, I make sure NOT to overdrive it using the input and output levels on the ART itself. ​The only coloring of the sound I'm hearing is a nice warmth that was lacking before that. The cleans are still clean, and the hi-gain amps sound nice and warm and "gooey" like melted butter. :)

Well I'm using a Roland VS2480 studio circa 2003. So it doesn't even know USB exists! lol ​And unless I use a digital input into the mixer, it will send me through the Roland preamps on the board. The S/PDIF input on the VS2480 bypasses the Roland preamp. So I prefer recording that way for each track to avoid an colorization of the sound. ​So yeah, when that S/PDIF glitches on the Helix...it REALLY, REALLY sucks! lol

I never used it with my HD 500 because I have a DT 50 amp and the HD 500 integrated with the DT 50 so well that I always ran out of the xlr out of the amp with that rig. ​With the Helix, I usually still use my DT 50 amp. But I like using it in the same way as the ART tube preamp. But I don't want to get confusing so I'll stick with the ART: I use the send/return and stick the ART in at the very last before it goes out of whatever output I am using (xlr, 1/4", or digital). ​I also make sure that it's not being overdriven and the volume level is the same with it or without it. ​For the Helix, the settings I used are about halfway on input and output of the ART ​But I don't know if the HD 500 uses the same circuitry on it's send/return as the Helix does. So you may have to experiment with that.

​No you couldn't run that back in. I'm pretty sure that running that in would fry the Helix And quite frankly it's a solid state (digital) power amp anyway. The ART tube preamp I'm using is only a little more than $40 and it gives you a real tube and that is the "secret sauce". I wish Helix had a real tube preamp built into it's chassis. That would be awesome!