PeterHamm

Here's what you do. Plug your guitar into Helix, and in your DAW, record USB 7 raw, but do NOT record Helix's USB 1/2 output. Now, make your recording (punching in is cool, too, as you are not recording any time based FX). After you are done, load up an instant of Helix Native on that track you just recorded, and load in the exact same patch. It sounds exactly the same, btw.

Because we were busy making music maybe...? Y'all who record a lot are really gonna like this Native thing.

The problem is that some mixers (like my teeny little ancient mackie at home) only have phantom on and off for all the XLR inputs, which means you can't turn it off for just one channel.

BUT. I would NOT do a blend... using two exp is better. You can use a stomp switch as one if you want. Honestly. I'd get full Helix if you ever want to add a pedal in the loop.

The FX return works great with a passive OR active power bridge. I do this all the time with my guitars. https://pietrosquared.wordpress.com/helix-2-voice-guitar/

back in the day when a sampler was a piece of hardware and some synth modules were just appearing with XLR outs on them, there were some issues, so that's what I'm used to. Do I agree that it should have been designed so that phantom power doesn't matter? Yes. Do I think it's an issue? Nope.

Don't need a phantom blocker if you reverse this. Test it yourself. 1/4" to DI sounds the same as XLR out. The way I use Helix live is 1/4" to DI to house and XLR to my on-stage monitor. My big volume control controls only the on-stage monitor signal. It works fantastically. I have experienced other pro-level devices with XLR that don't get along with phantom power. IMHO, DI is a more reliable signal anyway, so I've been doing it that way for years. Whether it's a shortcoming or not is immaterial. It's the way it is. You live with it or you don't. One more thing... the XLR outs are a great Studio innovation in any case.

It has nothing to do with the design of the mixer. For one reason or another (does it really matter what it is?) they designed the XLR outs to be incompatible with Phantom Power. Pretty easy to deal with one way or the other. I don't see why they need to explain why...

Okay, but... Line 6 is clearly on record that you should NOT turn phantom on when connecting Helix... I'd listen to them.

HA! Yup, not what I meant to say. That's hilarious...

I don't know why. I've been in and around pro musicians for a pretty long time. They always have one with them, even guys who don't need them...

Every serious musician needs to have at least one DI box in their bag. Yes, but that's not all. In many cases, the signal coming from an XLR output on a device like Helix is not what the FoH guy needs, wants or is used to. Not just Helix, other gear, too. If you use a 1/4" to DI, the sound is going to be the same (really... I compared... it is), and there are impedance and level mismatch issues that simply go away in every case but the occasional very gross incompetence at the sound board. I never connect to the house in any manner besides DI. Ever. Been around long enough to learn that lesson.

Maybe in this particular case it isn't a problem, but don't tempt fate. Don't do this. You'll break something and it'll be your fault... We don't want that...

If you are looking to go between two or three amp/drive settings and not swapping out a bunch of FX on/off with a snapshot, there's a better way withOUT snapshots imho. I, for instance, generally have one foot switch that changes my amp settings from clean/edge of breakup (depending on whether my guitar volume is on 7 or 10) and dirty. That snapshot changes Drive, Master, and tone controls. Then I have another one (or two) foot switches for drive pedals I can stack on that (Minotaur and Timmy are my choices). Between those two, I can get any amp sound I need, seriously... and then turn FX on and off as needed.

Did you post this on purpose? Or was it predestined...

The more you accommodate the sound man, the more he becomes your friend and ally... If it were me, and I had a real amp available, I'd use a real amp and disable the sims in Helix this time only. Your tone won't be perfect. Who cares if they enjoy the music.

Nope. Actually, I am pretty sure it won't.

Tempted to say that doing patches at a low volume will never work... ...but... ...I personally discovered a workaround... Headphones don't cut it, but I've discovered that my Shure 215 IEMs DO. If I make a patch using them, it typically works great live. If you have decent IEMs, you might want to try that.

btw, Phil's mom says thanks...

Curious about this as well... also asking... uh... for a friend...

I suspect this is the way I will use Native. Not sure yet.

First... tweak at gig volume, through the PA you'll be playing through if possible, and through a good FRFR (like what you have) and you'll be fine. Again... at GIG volume. Otherwise the sound is very different. Second... I have two electrics and a hybrid (Crowdster Plus 2). I find that my guitars sound their best if I create patches JUST for that guitar, and the first character in the name of the patch is always the guitar that it's for, "A" for my Atom, "T" for my Tele, "C" for my Crowdster and "W" for my Wechter acoustic, which I use through Helix as well sometimes.

Unique for now, but I believe Fractal has announced they are also working on something like the. No idea when, though...

They have indicated, on more than one occasion, that the software sounds the same as the hardware. I have no reason to doubt that this is the case.

Let's not forget, as with any plug-in, just freeze the track after you've recorded. Voila. More CPU available.