codamedia

The first block in all of my chains is the "GAIN" block. It is extremely transparent and uses very little resources. With that block in place, you have the most flexible "input pad" at your fingertips. My tele is my baseline... the gain block would be zero. My strat has about 5db of gain added... my les paul about 6db removed. The results are predictable effects settings because the input levels are "pretty much" balanced while he character of each guitar still shines through. I create a general preset for each of my guitars. When I grab my Tele I turn on the TELE presets... repeat for Strat, Les Paul, PRS, etc... etc... The presets follow the same structure and layout.... they are just fine tuned for each guitar.

IIRC the Torpedo has a "line/GTR (instrument)" setting. Make sure that matches the setting for the LOOP in the Helix! Set both to LINE, or both to INSTRUMENT. This will assure the proper levels are sent back and forth between the units. If the problem continues, it's easy to test a loop. Insert a short patch between the send/return on the loop in the Helix Insert that loop block in your preset toggle the loop block on/off, NOTHING should change if you have it setup with no cuts or gains applied in the loop block. If it sounds different when toggled, there is a problem in the Helix (settings or hardware) that need attention! If it sounds right, then the problem is not the Helix itself. It is the Torpedo, OR a mismatch in levels!

IMO... Pick up a low cost mic pre, something like the ART Tube MP. Plug the Mic into that, then run that into a return on the LT for further processing. You own an LT, and bought a good mic! Why compromise now? The ART I mention isn't a great mic pre by any means, but it is light years better than running a basic adapter.

IMO, there are a few things at play here. I doubt the scarlet is the problem... I always run my LT into an interface for the computer. You setup your tones for use with an amp.. and the speaker within an amp. That will be an "amp in the room" sound. Now you are adding cab models and listening through a computer speaker environment..... this is a "mic'ed up amp" through small speakers.Those are two very different monitoring situations. Cab choice, mic choice and mic placement will take a lot of experimenting. That will cover the majority of your EQ problems, without getting destructive with EQ's later in the path. All Helix mic positions are CENTER cone... a very bright tone. You can pull the mic back, but you can't move it toward the edge like many engineers would do to tame the highs. To get around this, insert the TILT EQ after the cabinet... dial the TILT back to dark 50 or dark 60 and leave the other settings alone. This is a great starting point for moving the mic about half way toward the edge of the speaker.... it will tame a lot of the fizz and abrasive highs. I find it adds a subtle depth to the tone. Good luck... it takes time to go from an "amp in the room" to a "mice'd up amp" :) EDIT TO ADD: Looks like @cruisinon2 posted something very similar while I was writing.

HX Effects doesn't have amps/cabs.... from the unit I used to go into a Peavey Special 130 for my pedal steel. Can't share the preset because I no longer use an HX Effects.... sorry. IIRC... it was just some compression and reverb... nothing much beyond that.

I have no personal experience with this... I keep my transmitter on my belt and swap guitars just like I would if I had a single cable. Using mute/engage with multiple receivers should work fine... changing channels also, but then you have to reserve two channels from other band members.

Mine locks in very solidly! There is no way it is coming out without damaging something. It's in storage right now (no gigs for obvious lockdown reasons) so I can't take a look at how it secures. I'm pretty sure the cable is the lock mechanism.... take a really close look at that to see if it's working. Sometimes these things just need an adjustment/cleaning, sometimes they need to be replaced. As stated above... there are replacement cable options, and I'm sure Line 6 has one as well.

IMO... if this is new, just ask for a replacement. Here are a couple things you can try. Do I see two XLR's plugged in the back? Disconnect those and see if the unit starts consistently. This is not a fix, just a troubleshooting measure. Try a different outlet.... maybe (big maybe and doubtful) the Helix is just starved of power Try a full reset.... (hold FS 9 & 10 during startup). You will loose all of your presets, IR's etc.... so I hope you have a back up. * If it randomly starts up at this time.... try and perform a full BACKUP prior to doing the full restore. Failing that... try to update/reload the firmware. You will have to start the Helix in update mode by pressing FS 6 & 12 during startup then follow all instructions for updating. If none of that works, the unit definitely needs service. Again.... if its under warranty, that is what warranty is for.

When I listen to your sample... ^^^ this ^^^ is jumping out as very unnatural... I'm curious why you thought it should be added when the banjo doesn't have any octave strings. On to the rest..... IMO, getting an IR to make a guitar sound like a Banjo is difficult - impossible. I have not heard one I like yet! Like the others above... I own an Epiphone 5 string Banjo and a Variax to cover my banjo needs.

I don't have my Helix with me to check so I could be wrong.... but I don't think the Main Volume controls the SEND levels at all. I think it is tied to the 1/4" and XLR outputs (and headphones on the LT).

^^^ this ^^^ @thaw There are Presets, Snapshots & Stomps... as well as several combinations of ways to set those up. All available via footswitch. IMO, those options are far more efficient than tap dancing around an old school pedal board. Your request of a "page over" isn't a bad one, by all means suggest it over at IdeaScale... in the meantime - if you really need more foot control there are plenty of midi controllers available.

The second you step on a stomp switch, or move an expression, or choose a snapshot you have edited the preset and the little "e" will appear. This is normal! The little "e" has nothing to do with the problem you outline next. The global settings allow you to change the behavior of how snapshot mode operates. The way you have the global settings set now... when you enter snapshot mode and choose a snapshot, you are immediately returned to preset mode. You can change that so you just stay in snapshot mode if you want. It's all in the manual.... under the global settings options. Global Settings > Switches > Snpsht Mode: When set to "Moment[ary]," the HX Effects device returns to Preset mode (or Stomp mode if Pg 1 > Knob 3 [Preset Mode] is set to "Moment[ary]") after selecting a snapshot. When set to "Latch[ing]," the HX Effects unit stays in Snapshot mode until pressing + to return to Preset mode (or MODE/EDIT/EXIT to return to Stomp mode). Bingo! The 2.9 and 2.91 updates reset your global settings. You never noticed the E before because your settings used to keep you in snapshot mode. The current update does an auto backup. Just restore your global settings, or manually go change them to how they were set before.

Not sure if this is related to your problem (sorry if it isn't)... AFAIK, the mode cannot be changed via stomp or snap. The VALUE of the mode can be, but not the mode itself. When you are in time based, you can change the time value. When you are in tempo based you can change the divisions. You cannot change between time and tempo. I need to run 2 separate delays and toggle between them. One is a time mode setup for slap, the other is a tempo based connected to the tap. A stomp button toggled between them.

If you are using the Helix as your interface, Silverhead's answer directly above will solve your problem. If you use a different interface and want to record a dry track... just insert a SEND as your first block and send that to the interface. If you want the send after the volume pedal... just place it directly after the volume pedal block.

I fully understand the lack of I/O meters in Native because it has always had that.... Gain reduction meters is what I am referring to.... the ones on the compressors. They are a wonderful tool for compression, and most (if not all) studio hardware and plug in compressors have gain reductions meters.... having them absent from Native after this update is odd.

I would also like to see the gain reduction meters in HX Edit... although I do understand the communication might be too limited to do so. I am more disappointed in the fact that there are no gain reduction meters in Helix Native. The studio is where I require them most.

A few (4) hot fixes for known issues in 2.9 that could be deemed as "show stoppers" for those that experienced them. At the bottom of the page is a list of known issues... how important these are to how many people is probably weighed to determine how much resource is applied to them. Some have been around for a long time (slight thump turning on some effects) while others might be completely new to 2.9. They are listed there so people know they are aware of those issues, it's not a guarantee that they will be fixed.

The simplest I can think of is the TILT EQ. Since the TILT boosts lows while cutting highs (and vice versa in reverse) it's also provides a "pseudo shift" in the peak resonance which is what happens to a pickup under load. That shift can also be fine tuned with the frequency control if one feels ambitious. IMO, I would try the TILT EQ before the fuzz, and dial it back to about "dark 30" then adjust from there. Have a footswitch turn both the tilt and fuzz on/off at the same time as if they were working together.

Just an FYI .... Those are the errors people were having when updating to 2.8. You are bypassing that update, but you still have to get to the same place which is a completely re-written helix core! If you look up that error message there are many threads that will walk you through it.

My experience as well.

As I said in my first post in this thread "I'm not doubting the issues some are having considering all the variables".... but it doesn't appear to be everyone, for whatever reasons. FYI.... even if I start fiddling with the Helix immediately on start I am not seeing any of the problems you mention? The entire "wait 30 seconds" seems to make some sense to me as a work around. The start speed of 2.9 is very fast.... so I don't doubt it is saying it's ready before it really is. Line 6 has identified some issues Line 6 has provided a work around for some (wait 30 seconds) Line 6 has promised a speedy hot fix (history shows they deliver on these) Let's give them the benefit of the doubt, and a little time :)

How quickly we forget the 2.8 update and how many issues people had "bricking" their HX units... for a variety of reasons :) I've seen that in reference to the volume control.... but what other "major issues" is it suppose to prevent from occurring?

I'm not doubting the issues some are having considering all the variables. I'm sharing my update experience only for reference... Windows 10, Helix LT... I always backup with my current version of EDIT prior to updating anything EDIT update took about 30 seconds.... no issues Helix update took about 7 minutes, give or take a little. That included the built in backup and preset rebuilding. After the update I restored my GLOBAL settings only. Seeing the horror stories I immediately tried a few things.... Tap tempo. No issues, but I do run my delays in "transparent mode". Volume control... no issues, works as it should All presets are working as expected, including my Variax presets. It might be premature to suggest this, but I don't see any issues with this update.... the features or the process. It's working as it should and there are no surprises that are biting me. Are there things I might have done differently? Darn right there are! But I've always been one to adapt to how something was designed rather than complain that it wasn't designed the way I thought it should be.

I'm a multi instrumentalist.... everything is routed through the Helix. I'm limited by the number of inputs since i only have an LT, but I still have no problems keeping it clean and tidy. For my guitar input I do what @DunedinDragon says above. I have a Wireless and simply plug in each instrument as a grab it, then call it's corresponding preset(s). This includes my Electrics, 5 string banjo, Baritone, Dobro, Mandolin and Classical. Return 1 is setup for my Keyboards. Return 2 is setup for my Pedal Steel. My Variax is wired separately (VDI cable) and has it's own set of presets (eg: Acoustic, Acoustic Drop D, some electric tones, 6 String Banjo, etc... etc...)

@isaactautari ..... I don't have my Helix in front of me but your input on Path B looks like there may be an issue. Not only is there an arrow indicating the signal is coming from Path A, but there is also a "guitar" indicating the guitar input is also being used. Not only is the guitar input being processed by path A on route to path B, it also going directly to Path B. IMO.... that creates a tricky parallel/series path, where what you really want is just a series path. Check the INPUT to Path B.... I'm pretty sure it should not have anything other than the Arrow. (disclaimer: As stated, I don't have my Helix in front of me.... I could be wrong. I'm just pretty sure that guitar should not be present on the input of path B)