codamedia

We live in very different worlds :) Clubs, Festivals, Soft Seaters, Arena's.... my guitar strip rarely moves from "flat" at the console! I talk to every tech I work with... and aside from some very minor adjustments (plus or minus 3 db on the strips) there is nothing special going on. They can engage a low cut if they want... it won't effect anything because I don't send them those frequencies to begin with. If (and this is rare in my world) a system is so poorly setup that my guitar needs serious work... I know it's not just my guitar they are EQ'ing the crap out of... it's EVERYTHING! Usually one look at the FOH EQ is a dead give away of how bad the tech and/or gear is! Just like an engineer/producer creates recordings that sound good in "most" listening environments, I do everything I can to create my tones that way as well!

Absolutely... but the same has always applied with regular pedals as well. The only difference is that most pedals don't mark where 0 is. IMO... on a pedal this would most often be 12:00 (noon). EG: Turn up the compression on a pedal and you often reach a point where you have to turn down the LEVEL to keep it unity. Same applies to GAIN on any overdrive or distortion.

Real dumb question here... but need to ask since I don't see it asked yet. Are you absolutely sure the Helix presets in question have their INPUT set to "Variax" or at least "Multi"? If it is set correctly, have you double checked to make sure the preset load is not "forcing" the Variax volume to 0? Based on everything you say, it sounds like the Variax works with the HD500 so it shouldn't be the guitar. Can you get your hands on another Helix to try? Or maybe backup your Helix then try a factory reset.

My apologies.... yes that is interesting. What I can't find for information is whether or not the horn is disabled with those settings like it is on the Powercab. If it isn't... then it's just an FRFR with preset EQ curves. You'll get the same (but more options) with Helix Cabs or IR's into an FRFR.

#3 (especially the 2x12 version) can provide anything the other 3 provide... with more options. #4 limits you from ever taking advantage of the "full range" options. Cab modeling, mic modeling, acoustic instruments (should you use them), etc... etc... #1 & #2 provides full range options, but won't provide you with a traditional "amp in the room" tone without really learning how to capture/create it... which takes time.

You follow this with a list of things to do in order to make it work. It is that list of things that many guitar players are NOT wanting to do... they just want to plug in to a power amp and guitar cab and have it sound that way immediately. What those player forget (or don't realize) is that their tone doesn't make it to the FOH, yours does! Don't get me wrong... I'm on your side. Like you I have great success with getting an "amp in the room" tone/feel from the monitors or FRFR. It is not an "unmic'ed" cab sound. In your list #2 is a "good cab IR".... that will include a cabinet, speaker and microphone(s). It is the sound of a "mic'ed up cab" that you are processing to sound as natural as possible. By getting that "natural sound" from an FRFR your tone will probably sound fabulous through the FOH. Far better than a real amp that sounds great on stage, but is much thinner and weaker in the FOH with a single mic jammed into the cone.

The actual OP was from 2016.... most are now responding to a later post by @jesseadamwilson ... Until this "single post" user returns for follow up it's impossible to help him. It's been 4 days now since his post... so I'm not so sure he actually wants help. Did anyone visit his bands web site?

That looks like Rosewood to me... but I certainly can't say that definitively. Most rosewood I have seen in recent years has been much lighter than that, but my older rosewood strat looks exactly like this photo. It's the grain that is making me question it... it doesn't look tight enough for ebony.

This took some getting used to after using an X3 and HD500 for many years prior to the Helix. The Helix doesn't tie the light to the same clock so it will not stay in sync. Certainly not a deal breaker for me, but it does seem like such a silly oversight.

I don't disagree with you at all... but there is another side to the discussion. This is an interesting conundrum, and really is the difference of approach and mindset between "amp in the room" and "FRFR". Not right, not wrong.... different. In the end you are right... it is "personal preference". For those that play live and are miced up through a system, the crowd doesn't get to hear that 4x12 sound. You can dial in the tone all you want for yourself... but the crowd will get tone of a mic (often a '57) jammed into a tiny 2" square section of a single speaker.... producing a tone that will pale in comparison to the full cab sound you hear on stage. A live tech does not have the benefit that a studio tech does with using multiple mic's and placements to capture that full tone as much as possible. My approach is to use cab blocks or IR's with multiple mic placements to try and convey the fullest tone possible to the FOH. I look at it this way... if I send a great tone to the FOH, then it will also be a great tone in my monitor, FRFR or in ears.

Yes - I'm glad you caught that. As you know the preset mode can be set any way you want it to be... but it's still referred to as the preset mode. It can be difficult to explain the options when there are so many options to choose from :)

At the root of the problem, is understanding the 3 display modes and how to reach them. There is preset mode, stomp mode and snapshot mode The MODE button swaps between "preset mode" and "stomp mode" Snap mode is accessed by pressing both bank up&down buttons at the same time Global Setting > Footswitches > Snapshot Mode Switches: This determines whether or not you stay in snapshot mode after choosing a snapshot, or if you return to the previous mode (preset or stomp) after choosing a snapshot. "Preset mode" can be altered in the global settings. Global Setting > Footswitches > Preset Mode Switches: This allows you to change the preset screen to several combinations of presets/snapshots/stomps. NOTE: If you set your preset mode so it no longer displays presets, pressing either the bank up or the bank down will display presets until you choose one.

Yes it does work that way :) If the HX LOOP is set to LINE level then the output of the SEND to the INPUT of your amp will likely be too hot at it's default settings. Simple, just turn down the send level in the HX so it better matches the input of your amp.

Are you looking for the "real names".... if so, they will not be there due to copyright and trademark issues. King of Tone = Overdrives > Tone Sovereign Prince of Tone = Overdrives > Heir Apparent Revv Generator = Amps > Revv Gen Rd "Glitz" and "Plateaux" should be under reverbs. If you already know all of that... but can't find them in the unit, try the reset suggested above.

IMO, you don't get an "amp in the room" from an FRFR. You get a finished sound.... which includes the mic as part of the tone. A poweramp and cabinet will nail down an "amp in the room" but you won't have an FRFR so you can never go down the path if you want to. Most FRFR's cannot turn off the horn which makes it difficult to achieve the "amp in the room". The PowerCab is capable of doing "amp in the room" because many of it's options disable the horn. When those modes are used it is not an FRFR, it is a speaker cabinet with some tone shaping on the speaker alone. The PC is an FRFR when it is set to FLAT or if you have the PC Plus and load up 3rd party IR's... I would suggest looking at a PowerCab Plus. You can control that fully with a Helix and swap settings per preset. That way you can get the "amp in the room" tone when you need it, and you are fully setup to take full advantage of an FRFR at your own pace. If money is a concern, the PowerCab can also do "FRFR" or "amp in the room", but you won't be able to control it per preset from the Helix.

Yes - you should get a nice set of monitors. I'm not a fan of 5" monitors but many others have great success with them. I prefer 6.5" or bigger for speaker size. Yamaha HS7's or HS8's are worth every penny... but there are other great options as well. If you plan on using a microphone for any recording the LT lacks an XLR input.... so you may want to invest in a small mic pre. If it's all new to you there is no need to spend too much at this time, just a little "ART Tube MP" or similar would give you enough options to work with. I would plug that into a RETURN and utilize it when needed.

This forum is littered with any/all potential issues.... the majority (but not all) were when people failed to follow the instructions. If you follow these instructions starting at "Updating to 2.82 from 2.71 or Earlier (READ ME!)" (that is about half way down the page) you will be fine. https://line6.com/support/page/kb/effects-controllers/helix/helixhx-282-release-notes-r928/ Here are two things that are often over-looked... When you update HX Edit to the latest version it will include all the drivers, and current updater that is required. When installing HX Edit there is an option to select / de-select some items... LEAVE THEM ALL SELECTED Do NOT open HX Edit when you attempt to update your Helix.

Instrument level and Line line are just that - levels (volume). There is enough control of volumes in the SEND/RETURN settings to compensate anything "Instrument/Line" are doing. Set your SEND/RETURN 1 to LINE level Insert an FX Loop Block Turn down the "SEND Level" so it hits your amp like it would if it were instrument level. Start around -9db... adjust as needed.

What do you mean by "double it"? If you mean cost.... you can get an Alto or Headrush for $300 or less. IMO... either is a better choice than an acoustic amp.

I rarely see 4cm being used. I see it talked about on the forums ad nauseam... but in the wild it is used in about 1 in every 20 - 30 setups I see.... and the 20 - 30 setups that don't use it sill sound fine. (by setups I am talking about any/all style of pedal boards... not the HX Effects or Helix in particular) I'm not against 4cm at all and I agree that it provides the optimum options, I just wish people wouldn't get so hung up on it.

IMO... many acoustic amps have pre-built "scoops" and "notches" in the EQ that I would avoid. I would lean toward a budget FRFR before going that route.... unless it's an incredible bargain so you can recoup your money if you don't like it.

Has anybody tried doing this within the Helix itself... not just through HX Edit? Close HX Edit Open the patch in the Helix. Save it to a new setlist/location. . If it works on the Helix (consistently) then the problem will be narrowed down to HX Edit error, or a USB communication error. It becomes a limit to be aware of until it is resolved... but not a roadblock that keeps you from working.

That's why it is usually best to know the rules before breaking the rules. This falls under the "know the rules before you break them" category. An IR can capture EQ but it cannot capture gain. You wouldn't be able to get the sound of a high gain amp, distortion and all - but I suppose an IR could capture the set tone of a clean amp. I'm not sure there would be much advantage... as you would then need to add an EQ to operate as the tone stack.

It's already explained well by @SaschaFranck directly above... I'm just here to add that I always use the 1024 block... it sounds perfectly fine to these ears :)

Maybe you are looking for the name too quickly.... Insert an IR block into your preset. You will have a choice between a 1024 or a 2048. If those are the names you are seeing, that is JUST loading a block, NOT an IR. Keep going.... :) Next... navigate to that block and choose the IR from the IR SELECT parameter.