MartinDorr

Why go through all your HW boxes if your target is recording with IRs, which you probably have already. Have you considered using just Helix Native? Independent of that, for me there is a significant difference in sound subtleties between Helix and the HD500. I did not hear it as distinctly when I got my LT, but now after I am spoiled I think the Helix is clearly in a different class of sound transparency, not counting all the other goodies you get. Edit: Forgot to mention I also have a DT25, but have not found using it with my LT to be worthwhile after playing straight through a pair of studio monitors. That said, I am a hobby user playing in a smallish room and the story could be different for a small stage environment.

Best guess would be a NAMM announcement and release ‘soon’ after. Soon could mean anything in the 2-6 month range, if history is your guide ... There is TGP thread about Helix 3.0 if you want feel the pulse of the waiters! Enjoy what you have. Polyphonic Synth does not sound like something high on the priority list - not claiming any insight or knowledge.

Interesting, I definitely used the “Tweed Blues Norm” for my experiments and actually liked its sound better for JTV Strat models. Obviously ‘better’ is a very personal thing ... I really appreciate you sharing your insight on this topic! It never hurts knowing a bit more about what a model dial really does.

Thanks for that feedback. Will try that out some time in the future - and your info does not seem to contradict my experience with the BMan, with which I did the most detailed comparison of Drive versus Volume block gain effect. I believe the BMan does not have the bypass caps you were talking about.

The most linear overdrive in Helix is the volume block. But don’t get your hopes up too far. It does essentially the same as turning Drive up, except you know how many dB you pushed the input signal - and (obviously) you can put it anywhere in the signal chain. In my experience, if an Amp model has a single Drive control, it is essentially a non-linear, Amp-specific input signal gain control. The Drive dial does not really change the Amp tone but its effect on the signal level that goes into the Amp model does. Whenever I tried I could get the same Amp tone by either turning the gain up in a volume block directly before the Amp, or alternatively the Drive control of the Amp model. The only difference you experience is how much each dial needs to move to get the same effect and the max and min ranges and resolution of the dials appeared to be different.

Thanks, that was a helpful plan of figuring out what might be wrong. That said, I encountered case 2a (the model names are changing when I turn the JTV model knob). I went on to move my Workbench HD application (was already version 2.15.0) to the trash and re-downloaded the lastest Worknench HD package from Line 6 and installed it successfully. Sadly I get the same result as before when I use it: The top left corner of the window shows rotating busy indicator on top of a gray guitar silhouette and after a few seconds settles on displaying a question mark and the text “Not connected”. Doing a rescan results in the same behavior. :-( Helix FW and HX Edit report to be version 2.92 and Workbench HD reports version 2.15.0. I believe my JTV FW was reported to be 2.23 when I checked yesterday with Monkey on an older version OS X. Right now I am primarily on MacOS Catalina 10.15.5, but I also checked with OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and get the same behavior.

I am not very familiar with HX Edit. What are you suggesting I should try to do to test Variax control via HX Edit?

My mistake writing the previous post in a hurry. Option 1 with Helix does not work for me. Option 2 with the dongle works. Guess I will have to live with that. It’s not too bad as I won’t make model changes often. I was really just curious of what I missed to make it work with Helix. Now it looks like something is broke.

Sorry for any confusion I may have caused. I understand that there are at least 2 options to edit Variax models with Workbench HD: Variax <= (VDI) => Helix <= (USB) => PC/MAC VDI provides power to Variax, no guitar cable plug and volume dial up needed because Variax is always on Variax <= (VDI) => Variax VDItoUSB dongle => (USB) => PC/MAC VDI does not provide power to Variax, insert guitar cable plug and up volume dial to keep Variax powered by batteries For me option 1 works, but for option 2 Workbench HD does not connect to the Variax. Maybe my JTV VDI Interface is partially broken (Helix still sees my guitar signals when I play), or Helix LT does not support option 2, or maybe there is some wrinkle in my Helix LT config that’s in the way. The latter seems unlikely now that some knowledgeable forum readers chimed in. I checked all versions to be latest and used different USB and VDI and even a CAT5 Ethernet cable - all with same results. Not sure yet how to check with another JTV. Let me know if anyone has some additional ideas on what to try besides having my stuff checked out by a Line 6 service shop.

Thanks for the extra info and warning. I am fairly optimistic that I did not break anything in the JTV or Helix due to the insertion of a dummy plug I had for the purpose of playing with JTV model updates earlier. I just tried again with the USB dongle (and the plug) and connecting to the JTV with Workbench HD works just fine. Playing my JTV with Helix via VDI also works fine. The only thing that doesn't work (and potentially has never worked) is connecting Workbench HD to the JTV via Helix (with no plug inserted). Obviously, I can't be sure that inserting a dummy instrument cable plug into the JTV while being connected to Helix via VDI has broken something, but considering there was no connection to ground or a real signal made, this seems far fetched. That said, the connection is also (obviously) not working through my Helix LT (maybe that is another LT limitation ?-) In the mean time I also tried the VDI cable I used for the working direct connection using the USB dongle for the Helix test and that did not fix the problem either. Apparently there is no other thing to enable, i.e., I either have to live with the work around (dongle) or have the JTV checked out with Line 6 service center. Thanks for all the replies.

Good point about the cable. I did not try the same cable I used with the dongle. Will do tonight. All versions are latest ( I even checked yesterday with Monkey on an older Mac to make sure the JTV FW is latest)

I used the VDI cable and tried with and w/o plugging in a standard guitar instrument cable (though this should not matter when the JTV is powered through VDI and alway on).

I had never tried using Workbench HD via Helix to connect to my Variax and change a model, but trying now failed to connect to the Variax. Doing so directly with the USB dongle worked and I got the job done. Curious though whether I have a lingering problem because doing this via Helix should work since Helix version 2.20 or so. Is there anything special I need to setup / configure on Helix to enable Workbench HD -> Helix -> JTV communication? I am running with the latest MAC OS, Helix, Workbench HD, and JTV FW versions and are directly connected from USB-C to Helix with a USB printer cable (the latter worked with the USB dongle)

Same for me

OK, my 1st practical IR experience ... and thanks again.

Thanks for the replies. Sampled the DeLaune's presets and sample playing - very nice indeed. Looks like a worthwhile investment. Also saw some other contributions on that topic, but have not checked them out yet. Marketplace has grown quite a bit since I last checked! I could not fully download the wave file from Waymda (it's only 8.08KB) - I only hear a click similar to the first sound of a count in ... Will try the Helix preset file when I get home

Looking for preset recommendations tailored specifically for the JTV Variax Acoustic guitar models. I understand the basic recipe (just a preamp or no amp at all and EQ, reverb, and a bit of compression to taste), but still interested in comparing with other players faves. If someone had a banjo preset I would not mind checking that one out too.

A fair amount of what we think hearing is actually generated in our brains based on context and individual ‘knowledge’. That is not to say it’s real. There is ample evidence that placebos work to some degree for some people. I think there is no reason to believe our hearing ability is more real than feeling a recovery from sickness after taking a placebo.

It may not apply, but there is a bug fix in 2.91 for a merge path mixer issue introduced with 2.9 that raises the output signal level. For presets with parallel paths, the Mixer > Merge block would boost signals by 3dB—FIXED just another possibility for why there might be a different behavior going from 2.8x to 2.9

I bought the BM-A01 Bluetooth MIDI adapter (currently unavailable at Amazon, but I believe there are lots of other choices) and plugged it into the MIDI in and out ports on the Helix. It comes with a tiny Startup procedure using an iPad/iPhone or android app to fire it up. Thereafter my iPad received MIDI messages from Helix. That’s all I tried and checked. Given the adapter gadget has both in and out port connectivity I ASSUME you will also be able to send MIDI messages to Helix (either from your BT LE capable device or from the for-mentioned BT Foot switches. YMMV though and assuming is clearly not knowing for sure. I would first check whether the foot switch you plan to select can be programmed to send the MIDI messages you need to control your target devices or apps. If the switch capability looks right order the switch and BT/MIDI adapter from a place you can return it to if it turns out it does not work.

Have you considered Bluetooth LE foot Switches. You can use those to control iPad apps and with a fairly cheap BT to MIDI converter you can also control Helix. I have not fully investigated all the available foot switches, but the 4 button Blueboard from IK Multimedia (currently $100 at Amazon, but I have seen it cheaper in the past) and the AirTurn BT200S-2/4/6 series with 2/4/6 buttons ($80/110/130 at Amazon) come to mind. There are other choices, but not many and more expensive. The AirTurn web site has more specific details about the Button modes and various MIDI command/messages (besides premiered page turn modes) they support. I managed to control an iPad looper and drummer with the Helix looper buttons sending its MIDI messages to the iPad by putting the Helix looper on a no-output path. Obviously this is pretty restrictive, but proves the concept works, even w/o BT pedal.

To me having the meters very fancy and always going is just a useless suck on DSP cycles. If you are interested in signal levels, turn them on to check. If not, I’ld rather not see (or see much of) them, but have a bit more headroom on DSP cycles and may be able to run another model block on occasion if things are tight. Just my 2 cents. That said I love to have the meters, even better ones with some level indications. But they are to check whether things are there when something is odd or not working. Once you’ve done your homework, I think there is really no need to see them bounce around all the time, and in some extra fancy fashion.

Knowing your OS X version and laptop model / year would help to correlate to other user’s problem if there is a systemic underlying issue ...

There are several reports of this issue and apparently Line 6 is already aware of it and working on a fix.

Can’t talk about how or if this would work for Facebook/instagram live, but the Apple camera kit cable will get Helix’s USB output channels (via USB cable) into your iPad or iPhone. Works for me doing play alongs, looping app, mixing with a drummer app, and probably could made to work with what you want, but the latter is just my guess.