codamedia

I don't disagree but if you take a look through the Helix forums 60% or more of the topics are on Amp/Cab/Mic models... and how to monitor the unit effectively. There isn't a lot of talk about the effects themselves which is the primary focus of the HX Effects. This creates a lot of irrelevant chatter (for HX Effects user) and clutters the forum. Questions specific to the HX Effects are on Page 2 in a heartbeat due to more and more topics on FRFR and shrill cabinets models. Just sayin'... I would also suggest the M series effects had a lot in common with the HD Processors... but they got their own forum. Certainly not a big deal for me... I'm just saying it would be nice to not have to weed through irrelevant threads looking for the ones the matter to us.

There is a Line 6 Artist page if anyone really needs to know who uses their gear. https://line6.com/artists/ It's not immediate as to who is using a Helix, but clicking on the artist will display the L6 gear they use. At a glance, there are many notable players using the Helix... just keep in mind that what is notable to me may not mean anything to you and vice versa.

Plain strings on the lower three? Your string cores will be huge... not sure if it will help with string bending... maybe. You may have to adjust the volumes in work bench... although I don't believe this will be as drastic as it would be on a normal guitar. You will have more tension in the neck, therefore a truss adjustment will likely be necessary You will definitely have to adjust intonation... no way around that one. As with any guitar, I'm not sure there will be enough play to make this work.

Since you have a Mark V (although I am not sure what Mark V you are referencing) you can use for power, I'd suggest buying an Eminence Beta-12LTA, then look for an empty used 1x12" cabinet for it to sit in - or build one. https://www.parts-express.com/eminence-beta-12lta-12-full-range-pa-driver--290-409 You could probably do both within a $150 budget (or close) and you would have a setup capable of live use, not just home use. A decent set of studio monitors would likely cost much more, and they could only be used at home.

Over the past couple of years I've been disappointed with my Variax (just an older 300 with a Fender Tele neck)... it just didn't seem to sound as nice as I remember it being when I first got it and has some nasty over tones. I tried all the general guitar maintenance such as new strings, make sure the piezos are clean, check/adjust intonation, double check all the connections, etc... etc.. No difference. It seems like the guitar has been getting worse over the months... but I suspect it's just me hyper focusing on the problems I was hearing.. So today I hooked it up and did a complete backup. Then I re-installed the latest firmware and original patches. VOILA! I don't know if something was corrupt in the firmware, or if I had just tweaked the patches to death over the years, but it is back, sounding like I remember it sounding.

I'm not sure that all are wired the same, which model of Variax did you buy? I hope you got it at a good price... and was told it wasn't working. I suspect someome "tried" to fix it and that is why the wires are off... even if you get them back on there is a good chance that was never the problem.

When you change patches there will be a slight delay ... as much as people don't like it, it is the nature of digital multi effects. To get around this, try to stay in the patch and use Snapshots to make some changes, or work from stomp mode to turn things on/off. Based on the items you listed, you should be able to stay in one preset and cover it all.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^ My setup is very similar and the dummy plug in the unused 1/4" output solves the problem.

I don't have experience with these particular products being debated, but I do know gear! A MIC pre is not a feature you want in a cabinet aimed to guitar players unless there is an input that bypasses it completely. If the Alto has both a flat input and a mic pre input - it's a feature.... if it's just a mic pre input, I'd pass on it and gladly pay the same price for the headrush. It is likely a response center that has a choice of canned answers to choose from. When the question goes beyond the canned answer, they don't know what to say because most often they simply don't know the product or the answer.

Some effect blocks are louder than others... just as some effect pedals are louder than others. Having "almost identical effects" won't make it immune to volume differences... any different effect can contribute to a change in volume. The big question.... are your quiet patches too quiet, or are you loud patches overly loud making it impossible to get them to even out? Retaining gain structure from beginning to end with the effect on/off is very important. Every time I add an effect block I balance the signal... it should be equal volume on or off. The only exception is an item such as a boost - or something meant to boost... which I generally set about 3 db higher. I have a project/home studio so I have the aid of meters when needed... so it makes it easier for me other than just guessing. In general, I find the volumes on each block sufficient to balance the effect. Spend a little times and make sure you get that right and you should be fine. Caveat... make sure you haven't inadvertently setup a controller on one of the blocks, with the volume to low at the controller level. Doing an "effect on/off" volume test for each block will make that easier to find. Good luck...

Let me get this right... You setup a patch with the expression, and save it. You go to a new patch and the expression doesn't work.... I would expect that unless you setup the patch to use it. You return to the original patch and the expression no longer works? Are you sure? I would expect it to work as it did when you saved the patch. If that isn't what you are trying to explain, please provide us with a recipe of what you are doing, and what you are expecting when you do it.

You need two sends, and one return on the Helix... You would have to experiment with a loop and a separate send if you want to minimize the blocks used, but if you set this up as three blocks it would be fairly easy. Send A - Send to channel 1 (set the expression volume from "unity level - all the way down") Send B - Send to channel 2 (set the expression volume from "all the way down - unity level") Return A - this is a common return for both channels... from the loop in the amp. Output from Helix would return to the loop IN on the amp. The expression is now controlling the send volumes to each channel. Heel down it goes to channel 1, toe down goes to channel 2. Everything in between will be a blend - but there is no guarantee how the blend will work out. If the 2nd channel is a "gain channel" then you won't be hitting it with enough gain to work until it is full so I don't think blending into it will work as you think it might. IMO - I would put the two sends on a toggle switch. You will get "full channel one", or "full channel 2"... just like a 2 channel amp with channel switching.

A parametric should take care of honk.... keep your Q setting as narrow as possible to solve the problem without damaging frequencies around it. Tried sweeping? As in your not sure what to do with this knob? In my experience, if this is too far to the "cab" side and your are trying to run an IR through it, that will create honk. Set this to FLAT when you want to use the speaker simulation from the Helix... then adjust the tone on the Helix If you want to use it as an FRFR cabinet, you need to fine tune the position of that knob. It is likely just attenuating the tweeter... on "flat" is is full, on "cab" it would be completely off. What I would do (FWIW) is play a nice sounding CD through the speaker and adjust that knob until the high end sounds best - then mark that spot or at least take a photo of it. That setting would be your "FRFR" setting tweaked to your taste. Now leave it there and setup your Helix including any IR's or cab sims. Set this to CAB for the "Amp in the Room" sound... If you want the "amp in a room" sound... dial it back to cab so it is just the speaker, then turn all speaker emulation (including IR's) off on the Helix. Generally speaking, any speaker simulation is meant to work (as designed) with an FRFR speaker.

This question suggests that you are completely new to this type of gear... if I am wrong about that I apologize. Your options are limited only by your knowledge of those options. IMO, start easy... turn off the amp models in the pod and get a feel for it by using it as a pedal board. Guitar > Tuner > HD 500 > Amp Turn off the amp models in the patches Set the output mode to "studio/direct" (this keeps live cabs off as well) Set the switch at the top of the HD to AMP. Now set it up the HD just as you would any pedal board. Once you get some great sounds out of it and you understand how this thing operates you can look at some of the advanced options and features.

Random as in "not touching the unit" or are you hovering over a switch preparing to click it when it happens? I get this a little, but it's always the latter. Sometimes I'll rest my foot over the switch for a moment and next thing you know I'm in spilled over edit mode (yes, I wear shoes). I haven't tried it yet, but in Global there is an option to turn off the "touch". I love it during editing, but for live use I may try turning it if off. Global Settings > Switches > Stomp Select (set it to press)

L6 replied to say my symptoms are consistent with the problem units and suggested I take it back to my local distributor (I don't live in the US) for a replacement.

Do you mean an update on the original posting they made about this... in which the time line is still relevant? From the HX Effects FAQ Page Maybe it's just me, but until the timeline passes (which is June 21st) I am quite satisfied with this post.

There is an easy way to know if the outputs are balanced or not.... Since balanced connectors are TRS... if you plug in a standard cable you should feel a distinct notch before it is all the way in as it passes by the RING connection. If that notch is there, it is definitely balanced regardless of documentation. I am pretty sure @spaceatl is right on this one... even the original bean I had was balanced and that was a few generations ago. That said... a TRS > XLR cable or adapter doesn't provide any isolation between the POD and the board & is the equivalent of a passive direct box without a ground lift. Isolation is only a problem if the TRS does not respond well to phantom... I have no idea if the bean does or doesn't but the HD500 was fine with it and the Helix is NOT. More importantly... the lack of a ground lift would concern me so I would use a direct box. Just my 2 cents

If your amp is not changing tones then you likely have a signal flow issue. To me it sounds like the amps input is being bypassed....you are likely just hearing the amp "return" (just the HD). Double check that you have your 4cm setup correctly... and don't take any steps for granted. First deal with the signal flow so it all works.... Guitar > HD Input Set up the effects to use before the amp (normally overdrives, phase, wah, compressor, etc... etc...) HD Loop out > Amp input (don't forget to add the Loop block in the HD and turn it on) Amp FX Out > HD Loop return Setup the effects to use after the amp (normally delays, reverb, noise gates, etc..) HD Out > Amp FX In * Make sure the loop is inserted as a block on the HD and turned on. * Turn off all AMP models on the HD500... this will automatically remove any cab/mic sims as well * Set the HD to Studio Direct Now the HD should work as effects only, and the amp will be your tone. When you change from the clean channel on the amp to the dirty channel you will hear it. If not, something is not right - double check the signal flow again. Channel switching on the amp You have two options... using the amp's switching system, or using the HD500 to control the channel switching via midi. If you don't understand midi, don't own a midi cable, and don't know what a CC or PC number is then do yourself a favor and just use the amps channel switching for now. Although it would be convenient to have the HD manage the channel switching it just ads complications to your fundamental problem which is getting the amp to work as it should. Moving from home to rehearsal.... If it were me I wouldn't complicate things.... if the Marshall at the rehearsal room has an effects loop just set it up the same as your EVH. If not.... turn off the loop in your HD and plug directly into the Marshall (all effects before the amp). It may not be your favorite amp... but it is certainly good enough to use at a practice space. Although guitar players are known for breaking rules.... I'd like to point out that you are breaking two general rules of modeling here :) When using a real guitar cabinet... turn off cabinet/mic modeling in the HD When using a real amp as a pre-amp, don't use an amp model in the HD.

^^^ This ^^^ Either a failing filter capacitor that is taking a long time to stabilize from a cold start, or solder joints responding to the cold (off) / hot (on) state. Either way, it needs to be serviced.

Everything was purchased and registered separately over the years... no bundles. They all appear in my account separately, but the forums are only showing me as having 2 registered products. Thanks... that is exactly what I was looking for. I was trapped in the "community support" sub section so I couldn't see it... now I do. Sorry about that people - hopefully the mods will move this.

Keep in mind this is a user forum, so it's not the place to try and make a feature request. L6 uses ideascale (https://line6.ideascale.com/) for feature requests. There is probably a feature request for this already... do a search to see and vote for it. If it's not there, go ahead and add it. Coming from a traditional pedal board can seem unusual... but once you realize there isn't a 1 to 1 relationship between signal flow and switches you will find it much easier. The signal flow page is your representation of the pedal order... and in your case it may look reversed. BUT - the foot switches are not tied to this order... you can put any effect block anywhere you want. You have to separate the two in your mind. There is a signal flow, and there are foot switch assignments - and they can both be altered without altering the other. If you have the switches laid out the way you want but the signal flow is out of place, simple re-arrange the order in the signal flow. The switches will not change. If you have things the way you want in the signal flow but your switches don't look natural there are two options. In stomp mode.... lightly touch the switches for two effects and the HX will ask if you would like to swap them. Repeat this until the effects are laid out the way you want and remember, this does not change anything in the signal flow page. In signal flow page, simply re-assign the switch for each effect.

I love it when people locate the problem and share the solution for others.... thanks @Axxxeman I am diving into snapshots with my HX and this is the type of "gotcha" I may very well come across.

Sorry everyone... I don't see a general forum to post this in or I would have used it. Not very important, but does anyone know why does my "registered products" show as 2 when I have 4 items registered in my account?

Further to what @phil_m has said... there are some effects you don't need on a footswitch. Some players have "always on pedals" and that will differ from player to player. Some blocks like volume pedals, corrective EQ and IR's don't usually need a switch but you can assign one if you want. I don't view the footswitches as a 1 to 1 relationship with the pedals. I build my board in the "signal flow" page, then assign footswitches to the effects I need instant access to. It is so rare that I need all 6 I am experimenting with changing the global to "4 stomp mode" so I can have the snapshot up/down on the same screen.