codamedia

There you have it.... the only Line 6 POD Products I haven't owned - LOL!

Yes - in case I muddied the waters, I was agreeing with you :) I have upvoted your idea!

HX Effects is just effects, but it is a different product than the HX stomp. Even you said it was an HX Stomp that was in question... I'm not sure why/how HX Effects has been entered into evidence :)

I do like the idea of one "power amp block"... rather than separating every single amp. It could be as simple as choosing tube options (El84, 6V6, Single Ended, 6L6, EL34, KT66)... or as complicated as choosing PI Options (Cathodyne, Long Tail, etc...), Tube Options (as mentioned earlier) and Output Transformer Options. With option #2, if you knew much about the amp you like you could built your power amp to match. EG: Long Tail PI, EL34 Tubes, Partridge Transformer would give you a close replication of a Marshall Plexi or JCM 800. In combination with the pre-amp models this would be very useful.

^^^ This ^^^ I put my Peterson tuner away once the strobe was introduced on the HX line. I'm not suggesting the HX tuner is better than the Peterson, but it is comparable. As for hooking up an external tuner to the HX Effects... why not follow the tip provided on page 15 in the manual.. "TIP: If you have a favorite pedal tuner and wish to use it instead of the tuner within your HX Effects device, connect Send 1 or 2 to your tuner's input and turn Knob 1 (Tuner Out) to select "Send 1 or 2." This way, every time you hold the TAP footswitch, the HX Effects device will automatically route the signal to your favorite tuner"

IMO: The Helix Control would be a better fit for the Helix Rack... but YMMV. If an expression pedal w/toe switch (extremely useful for wah effects) has any importance to you, then the Helix Control will win the battle. The HX Effects cannot recognize an external toe switch at this time.

What Line 6 products had the option of storing different "default settings" for the Amps/Effects? I've had the original POD Bean, POD2 Bean, X3 Bean, X3 Live, HD500, HX Effects and now the Helix LT. Unless I've missed it, I've never seen that option. Don't get me wrong, it's a great idea and I will upvote it! I'm just curious where it may have been used before by Line 6.

For the record, in your OP you do NOT ask for any help on how to overcome this, you just look for confirmation on how you feel about the tone. Since you are struggling with this problem, I'd suggest you check out the Jason Sadites videos on you tube, in particular this one... "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oSUj8oK6Pg Another option is to try some IR's... although that can be overwhelming if you don't have a lot of experience with cabs/speakers/mics/positions. Are you suggesting the HX Stomp sounds different than the Helix? It's just a smaller version, the amps and effects are the same. The entire HX product line (Helix Floor, Helix Rack, Helix LT, HX Stomp, Helix Native) all share the same amps and effects. When talking about tone, a stomp owner has every right to voice his opinion.

From the manual of that amp.... ------------ NOTE: Because the MASTER Control determines the send level of the FX Loop, extreme settings may cause possible overloading of FX processor’s or pedal’s Input stage, but also may make balancing the two channels’ FX Send level difficult. ----------- It says the Master volume of each channel alters the FX SEND LEVEL? IMO, Randall Smith made a huge mistake with that design! I think you will have a hard time balancing a 4CM with that amp... I'd recommend just running everything into the front end of the amp. if you really want to try 4cm with that setup... Set your HX Effects LOOP to LINE in the global settings and turn down the SEND level (in the loop block) to -6 or maybe even lower so you don't drive the front of the amp to hard. Either that... or insert a SEND BLOCK (#1) set to Instrument level, and then add a RETURN BlOCK (#2) set to LINE level... but that takes up two blocks. Just my opinion!

IMO, it shows that the Helix is more than capable of the job. The rest is up to the user.

Great advice by rvroberts... start at the beginning and test everything to eliminate that as the potential problem. I will only add... is the loop in your amp LINE LEVEL or INSTRUMENT level? That is important to know so you can set the loop settings on your HX Effects appropriately.

In a test like this it is imperative to be volume matched or your ears will perceive a difference that doesn't actually exist. In my setup I have never noticed any difference in tone between the XLR and 1/4". If there was a difference in the video, it's marginal. More important, if there was a difference in the video who's to say it isn't the Alto's inputs that sound different. According to the video description on YouTube... the biggest difference was noise, with the XLR being quieter. That shouldn't surprise anyone.... as unbalanced lines are more susceptible to noise.

Glad it worked out for you... or at least got you started down the path. When I say "volume" in my examples I actually mean "drive".... sorry for the confusion. The master is left as it's DEFAULT which I believe is 10 with the Deluxe. The CHANNEL VOLUME is just set to taste and to help balance with other tracks. I do own a Les Paul, but have not set that up on the Helix yet. I just got the Helix about 3 months ago (upgraded from an HX Effects) but I did have an HD500 for years, and an X3 Live before that, and a POD Bean before that... you get the idea :) I'm familiar with Line 6 products.

I have never met a sound man that wouldn't tell me how my STRIP is set at the console. There is no secret involved with that. How he mixes the band is irrelevant... every tech will have their method. I don't give it any thought unless I hear complaints... or see people running to the door when we start - LOL Tell him to show you the strip! If he won't, then good riddance! IMO: My goal is to provide a tone/signal that sounds great over multiple systems with a flat strip. I don't mind seeing a slight boost/cut on the strip (eg: 3db here of there)... that could be preference, or it could be room adjustment. What I don't want to see is anything drastic that shows up consistently. EXAMPLE: If every tech has to roll my highs back 12db, I have a problem I need to fix. If I see one tech rolling off 3db and the next one adding 3db... that's within tolerance. AS for delays/reverbs.... unless it is part of the tone (ie: syncopated delay) I always leave a lot of room for the tech to add more if they want/need to. If I give them too much - they can't take it out... but they can always add.

Some great Helix examples posted above... IMO they hold their own in quality. Let's go back 3 years to a Pete Thorn Demo of the Helix.... since the Helix is in question why does it have to be one of us? That wasn't your demo of the Axe FX3 you posted was it?

Sure... these are my basic setups listed below. I run each guitar through it's own preset, and I change pickup differences via snapshots. Generally the amp is pretty clean, I always run my guitar volume and tone on full, and I get any overdrive sounds from effects, not from the amp. Telecasaster Bridge Pickup > Deluxe Normal Channel > Volume 4 > Bass 4 > Mid 6 (this is fixed to 6 on a real Deluxe and can't be changed) > Treble 4 > Presence 0 > Sag/Bias, etc.... are default. Telecaster Middle and Neck Pickup > Same settings, lower the bass to 3 and raise the treble to 5 or 6 Strat Bridge/middle/neck Pickup > Deluxe Normal Channel > Volume 5 > Bass 5 > Mid 6 > Treble 4 > Presence 0 > Sag/Bias/Master, etc.... are default. Strat Quack positions (B/M & M/N) > Same Strat Settings... Lower Bass to 3 or 4 & raise treble to 6 Remember, I use an Ownhammer IR for a cab block... I also use an always on "LA Studio Comp" near the end of the chain... I'm pretty sure it is close to default settings.

Forgive my ignorance on the STOMP... out of curiosity, If you change the returns to AUX IN... do they still consume a return block? If not, where do they insert in the chain... at the "input" or "direct to output" I know other Line 6 units with an AUX become another source of INPUT... and will follow the effect chain. That doesn't work well with things like MP3 Players unless you give it a dedicated path. Other units (eg: Boss) send direclty to output uneffected. That works great for things like MP3 players, but can't be used as an additional input(s) on the unit. It's always a trade off.

None of the Helix products have a simple "Stereo Aux In" for this purpose... it's not just the Stomp. However every HX product has at least 2 mono returns (2 mono returns = 1 stereo return) to work with as @Kilrahi mentions above.

Thanks for the update... glad it worked for you. Here is a general rule about BIAS. Lowering the value will produce a thinner, often cleaner tone yet it may tend to sound clinical or sterile. Raising the value often adds warmth/thickness but it does so at the expense of clean headroom. Incorrect settings in either direction can cause artifacts that are not so desirable, as you have learned. The nice thing about the Helix is that you cannot harm anything with this adjustment... just turn it until you like what it does to the sound. In the real world amps & tubes have limits and if you exceed those limits (turn the bias too high) the amp goes "poof" :) In case you are wondering, the benefit of running the bias a little cooler (on a real amp) is extended tube life.

I changed your quote for you :) I no longer own an HX Effects (upgraded to an LT) but if I recall correctly you cannot hook up an external switch to the HX Effects. They can be assigned as expression controllers, or AMP controllers. If it's any consolation, the HELIX (Floor and LT) don't have this ability either. Just the Stomp and the Rack Controller. Verne-Bunsen has a solution above, but it does require wiring a 10k resistor onto the switch and assigning it as an "auto on" controller.

I use a Fender Deluxe "model" for all of my live work... mostly because I used to play a Fender Deluxe and a Fender Vibrolux. I am very familiar with what they can do. IME: The Deluxe Model in the Helix responds pretty much exactly like the real ones do. My gain (volume) hovers around 4 and my tone stack is pretty much the same as I used to set my amp. I don't use the stock cab... I'm using an Ownhammer IR made from a 112 Deluxe Combo with a 121 and 421 mic combo and it sounds exactly like I am accustomed to hearing. But that's my experience, obviously not yours. I can respect that. If you are not getting the clean tones you want from the Fenders, might I suggest trying the Placater Clean or even the "WhoWatt" (Hiwatt). IMO... the cab/mic choice is also more than half the battle, you may also want to check out this video from Jason Sadites on making the most out of stock cabs... it's a great lesson.

What do you have to monitor your Helix through?

Exactly what the XPS wants.... A few thing you may want to check Test that new TRS Cable to make sure it is operating properly? Tip to tip, ring to ring, sleeve to sleeve. All should be independent. If you have a multi meter.... check the voltage on the sleeve/ring of the TRS when plugged in... it should be somewhere around 7 - 8 volts. DO NOT keep the battery's plugged in when using the XPS/TRS connection. I haven't experienced any issues myself when I forget to remove the batteries, but I have read about a few potential problems. Good luck!

I wouldn't call it wrong handling unless you played with those advanced BIAS settings not knowing what they would do and ended up creating that sound for yourself. If you just inserted that amp and those are the default settings... how would you know to look at that setting? I'll admit, I got a little bit lucky. I have 35 - 40 years experience with real amps (and still use them on occasion) so I had a "hunch" that was what I was hearing. Sure enough, warming up the bias (turning it higher) solved it on my end. If I were working with a real Mark IV they don't have adjustable bias... therefore I would have swapped tubes until that sound went away :) Yes it can be... I find that my experiences with real amps over the years made my transition to modelling very easy. The Helix is remarkably accurate, but I could see how it would be very frustrating to those that don't know much about various amps to begin with. EG: Insert the "Who Watt" without knowledge and it will peel off your ear drums. Insert the "Who Watt" and know how a HiWatt works and how to set it... it's deadly accurate!

I'm pretty sure the XPS uses an AC power supply... the Line 6 PX-2. With an AC power supply, polarity is irrelevant. If you bought a DC power supply, it won't work, and could cause a lot of damage.