codamedia

No, not exactly as you hope and/or describe. The best you can do is assign the EXP to both the WAH and the DELAY MIX, then have a switch toggle between the two effects. Of course.... you would lose any/all delay when you toggle the WAH on unless you have a 2nd "fixed delay" block you could utilize at that time. Examples: EXP 1 on my LT is a volume control and a wah. The Toe Switch determines which block (volume or wah) is active. Also on my LT, I assign EXP 2 to multiple things.... but all things that would NEVER be run at the same time. Vibe speed / depth Chorus depth Tremolo depth specialty delay level.... a special delay I setup for dotted 8th, or longer tap "lead" style delays. etc... etc.... Although the EXP controls all of these settings at all times.... snapshots and stomp mode determines what effect is actually ON at any given time. It's extremely flexible, but takes some planning.

Log into your Line 6 Account (not the forums) and open a support ticket. Line 6 support is very good ...

Although I use headphones out on my studio mixer to feed a particular power amp... I am keenly aware that I need to keep the headphone output very low so it is more on par with a LINE LEVEL output. Bottom line.... It's a risky thing to try, and I shouldn't have suggested it on this forum. I am going to remove it from my post so others are not tempted to try it. Sorry about that....

I can't imagine anyone would be using the Helix if this was actually fact. I know I'd sell mine off rather quickly :) Is your Helix healthy? Have you tried the XLR out's to see how they sound?

This is a misconception that you need to rid yourself of.... it's leading you down the wrong path of correction. If the demo clip sounds good on your speakers, that is how that preset sounds. You are listening to it on YOUR speakers. The differences by the time a person installs a purchased preset is obvious ... A different guitar Different hands Possibly different global settings in the Helix Different playback ONLY if you are listening on a different set of speakers than the ones you listened to the DEMO on. You need to LEARN how to create tones that translate from playback to playback. It's not a button, it's not a setting, it's not easy! Everyone that succeeds with a <insert modeler choice here> has solved this equation to some degree. Start with a GOOD SET of speakers..... Create tones on those speakers at a high enough volume to avoid the Fletcher Munson curve. If you don't get the volume up, the tones you create will be thin/boomy/shrill (no depth) by the time you get them up to stage volume, yet they will always sound good on headphones (read the next bullet) Don't create tones on headphones.... they don't give true representation of what is going on regardless of how good they might sound. Expect this to be a learning curve that NEVER ENDS.... you just get better at it over time.

Those "epic tones" you hear on You Tube will sound that way through their studio monitors and/or FRFR as well. If they didn't, nobody would ever use this thing live, yet many do. How are you listening to them? The key factor is making tones that translate well from speaker system to speaker system. No two playback systems sound the same so that creates this big challenge. If you think about it, this is the exact same with music production. Take you favorite song and play it on 5 different systems... it will sound GOOD on all systems, but it will not sound the SAME on all systems? Recording producers/engineers take years honing this mixing craft.... you need to hone it for guitar tones. There is no "one size fits all" remedy, it's something you need to learn. There is a lot of low end hype in these speakers. Keep the contour off, lift it off the ground, and don't place it in a corner.... then you might have a fighting chance. The Yamaha's will be great, honest sounding speakers, but the 5's are too little IMO. The 7's is about the smallest I would go, the 8's would be my preference. The Helix tone has not changed, the playback has. Don't blame the wrong product.

For general compression, I put a Rochester comp or an LA Studio Comp near the end of the chain. That gives the guitar a "polished" tone that smooths out some rough edges. When I need something heavily compressed - as I stated I would just reach for the Red Comp (dyna comp) or maybe the Kinky Comp... and place it before the gain stages. My "heavily compressed" tone example would be 80's POP and some 90's chicken pickin. For everything else I'd stick to general compression.

I wasn't familiar with it so I just gave it a listen.... both the studio cut and a live cut. IMO.... I'd just hit it with the stock settings of Dyna Comp (red comp) before the gain stages. Most of the sustain in that particular break is driven by the whammy bar movements and a very loud amp - there's studio compression on the track, but that's not what's causing that sustain. That's a part that could really benefit from a "feedback" effect... sadly, one does not exist in the Helix... yet!

I am going to provide how I would do it on my Helix LT... I'm sure it is very similar on a stomp, and if I am wrong hopefully someone will correct me. I'm going to do this through HX Edit, as it is likely more "uniform" than trying to explain it through a different device. This is my preferred method..... the Merge Block Connect to the preset through HX Edit.... Click on the MERGE BLOCK (the node where path B returns to path A) Right Click on "B Level" and assign it to a footswitch of your choice Now go to "bypass / controller assign" Highlight the "mixer > b level" assignment Set the MIN Level to -60 (the lowest it will go) Set the MAX Level to 0 Now the footswitch you assigned will act like it is turning Path B on & off by turning the Return Level of Path B up and down. NOTE: You could also assign the EQ and Ptich to that same footswitch, but I think that would be redundant. To do this using the SPLIT Block.... you can try this. Connect to the preset through HX Edit.... Click on the SPLIT BLOCK (the node where path A splits off to Path B) Set the Split to "Split A/B" Right Click on "Route to" and assign it to a footswitch or your choice Now to to "bypass / controller assign" Highlight the "Split A/B > Route To" assignment Set the MIN Level to "A 100" (only A path) Set the MAX Level to "Even Split" (this sends equal amounts to both Path A and Path B) Now the footswitch you assigned will act like it is turning Path B on & off by turning the SEND Level of Path B up and down. Hopefully that works with the Stomp & Stomp XL like it does on my LT.

If the Pitch on Path B is allowing a dry signal through, then you will hear it effect the guitar in ways you do not want. Also, turning off the Pitch will not stop the dry signal from heading down that path and merging at the end. The EQ is always in play with the signal on that path and it will trick you mind into thinking it effects everything. To use this preset effectively.... the Pitch cannot allow any dry signal, and to turn the pitch on/off you need to do so at the SPLIT or MERGE block by having a switch control the SEND level (at the split) or RETURN level (at the merge) of that path. Please note: I do not own a Stomp to try this preset, but I do know that parallel paths wreak havoc on the mind with unexpected consequences. They take time to figure out.

My statement is not incorrect. A CAB or IR has a natural attenuation in high end... that attenuation will effect any effect that is before it - providing that effect is creating more high end than it's been fed. Some do, some don't. That's all I'm stating. I never said reverb, I said "effects that add artificial high end". I am not limiting it to just reverb. Easy test: Princess Amp > 112 US Deluxe Cab Put a mono "pitch echo" before the cab, then move it after the cab. It's very different. The high end sizzles on that delay when it's after the cab, not so much when it's before the cab. If you really want to accentuate the difference, increase the high cut on the cabinet (ie: make the high cut more noticeable by lowering the frequency) and continue the test. For the record... if there is ANY residual sound after a null test, then the files are not identical. There is a difference whether your ears notice or not.

Why am I not surprised by this ... LOL!

It all depends on the "high end" produced by the effect. If the highs are all natural (nothing actually added) then I agree with you.... But If the effect adds artificial high end to the tone.... The highs are retained when after the cab block The high are attenuated by the cab block when it is between amp & cab (when the highs extend beyond the frequency of the speaker/cab)

When I hear some isolated guitar tracks from recordings I'm usually surprised at how much "fizz" is often there. I also find that when I prep a tone at home I hear the artifacts I don't like but they serve a purpose in a live situation and help the guitar cut through. Perfect, sweet tones are not always the answer :) That said, I hate fizz and tend to try and get rid of it myself. This is my experience, YMMV. Presence often adds more fizz than treble so I will tend to use treble to shape the tone, and add presence only as needed. Stay away with anything with a bright cap..... If using IR's, lean toward the ones with the mic position "off center"... FWIW I usually prefer a position about half way between center and edge. The center of a speaker is "all fizz" to my ears. Ditch the big EQ's and go simple. Add the TILT EQ after the cab/IR block, then dial it back toward the dark setting. It's actually a fairly subtle EQ, so don't be afraid to get aggressive if required. Throw the "Rochester Comp" near the end of the chain... anywhere after the cab/IR. The default setting is really loud so you might need to turn the output level of the compressor down... then set the gain reduction so it is barely coming on. This is a great studio style compressor that adds some magic sauce to the signal, and really tames artifacts such as fizz. * Disclaimer: I am not a high gain player so our experiences with fizz might be quite different.

The Stomp has two sends... a TRS Cable is required to use both. TRS on one side (for the Stomp) and 2 separate 1/4" plugs on the other side. Once you get it figured out, label the 1/4" plugs so you know which one is SEND L and SEND R. This is what one of those cables looks like.... you can get them in any length, and often they are referred to as "insert cables".

4 Cables will get you MONO, 5 will get you Stereo. Do everything a 4CM tutorial will suggest but instead of a single cable going from the LT output to the Amp return, you need to run both the LEFT/RIGHT outputs on the Helix to the LEFT/RIGHT Returns on the amp.

Guitar Input > HX Send L > Amp input > Amp send > HX Return L > HX Send R > Pedal > HX Return R > HX Output > Amp Return You could likely use a combo of input/outputs, but get that wrong and a feedback loop will rip your ears off ... it's a dangerous route to go. The method above keeps the signal in a flow that will not loop back on itself... unless you get the cabling wrong.

Unless you need all 8 presets to show at a given time, you can change that screen to show different combinations in the global settings. EG: Change the screen to show 4 presets and 4 stomps... then a boost (and 3 other effects) can always be available. Of course, you will have to setup a footswitch in stomp mode to engage a boost, whether it's an effect block, or the Output Block as @rd2rk suggests above.

Just curious.... have you tried a FULL factory preset, without loading your presets back in? Corrupted presets can be a nightmare... which is why I am asking. Some reset options keep existing presets which will not solve this problem.

I've never actually used auto engage... but I would suggest setting the MIN setting of the whammy to +3..... (EG: +3 to +24, not 0 to +24) In theory... when the auto engage kicks in , it should be at the minor 3rd. If auto engage kicks in at the value of the expression, then it will take some serious trial runs to get it right. TIP: I still recommend my 2nd option :)

Two ways I would do this..... If you run a volume pedal in your chain, place the send anywhere before the volume pedal and leave it to set to send the signal to both to the rest of the path, and to the send. When you lower you volume pedal, you have silent tuning. The tuner is always getting signal, so you also have live tuning available at all times. Insert the send and have it set to MUTE the signal to the rest of the path. Place that SEND block on a footswitch and use turn it on/off as required. There is no need to do a complete loop...

Join the club.... most of us learn how to work around this "little" problem. Maybe you missed the point... I understand that you want to keep external boxes to a minimum. Why add both a tuner and a switch box, when the Helix can take the place of a switch box already. A tuner is all that is needed for the send method to work, and gives you options on a preset to preset level. That's what I do now for all my string instruments that I hold. I find it only takes a moment to unplug/switch/plugin a new instrument. I also don't like having a ton of cables floating around my side of the stage :) My pedal Steel is permanently connected to a RETURN, and on the rare occasions I play keyboards another return is reserved for that.

Even with the Variax.... just put a compressor at the start of the path to help establish a consistent guitar signal - then try some of the synth blocks. That said... I find the Helix synth options to be sorely lacking at this time - I'm hoping future updates will give us more options, but I'm not counting on it.

I am a multi-instrumentalist and have discovered this same issue a few years ago. There are certainly things Line 6 can do to improve the tuner in regards to functionality.... but for the most part, for the majority of users, it just works! What bothers us is not a "big limitation".... it's just an annoyance that the vast majority of users don't experience. If you have a spare SEND on the Helix you won't need "external switches"... and you won't need to run a tuner IN LINE... but you will need an external tuner. Use the SEND to feed an external tuner and get creative with the send block (preset to preset) as to whether or not you want it always engaged, or only engaged when toggled. There is no shortage of options in this setup. NOTE: The SEND Trick can also be done within the Tuner Settings... but you are back to the limits of the tuner inputs. My suggestion places a SEND BLOCK on each preset... so you have full control from preset to preset. Most guitar players swap guitars using the same cable or wireless.... they don't have everything plugged in at all times ready to go! Again... I'm like you and utilize those returns to my advantage for different instruments.... but we are not the "majority of users"!

Even though I own an LT and don't regret choosing it, I can't disagree with anything stated. The LT was a perfect fit for ME, but unless you know for certain it would be all you need - the floor is the safer choice. Two things I will say about the LT.... It's not as flimsy as some might make it out to me. I have absolutely no concerns about it's ruggedness and I do 100+ gigs a year (in normal times) Don't under-estimate the power of "performance view"... something ONLY AVAILALBE on an LT. I owned an HX Effects before getting the LT and I certainly prefer Performance View over the scribble strips. (IMO of course)