PeterHamm

Every product ever made has the occasional defect. The odds of you getting two bad units in a row are really small. Line 6 has been insanely reliable for me for 20 years. I've owned 11 of their products, never one failure... just an anecdote... but...

Sounds like you need to assign the FX to footswitches on some of the patches is all.

Do you have the recent 2.7.1 update? It specifically addresses some expression pedal issues.

Update the firmware in any case. You may have a defective unit, but that's the only way to know for sure.

First thing I'd do is re-do (or perform for the first time) an update to latest firmware. Follow the instructions carefully. Install HX Edit (latest version) FIRST, then run the updater (which installs at the same time), follow instructions carefully (BACK UP ANYTHING YOU DON"T WANT TO LOSE FIRST!).

Who? I don't know that anyone was fired.

You can go ahead and idea scale that, but they've explained why that's problematic, if even possible, as the amp models they use now have much that is tied between the two parts of the amp. Totally new models of a preamp and a separate power amp might be possible, though.

Update to the very latest HX Edit, then run the Updater to update the firmware to the very latest. Should solve this.

I bet that's a corrupted preset. Do a reset and load just what you're using if you can afford to, and I bet it goes away. Also, make sure both the unit AND HX Edit are on the same version. This is easy to miss, and causes stuff like this, too.

I think it's on here somewhere. Have you tried backing up everything, re-flashing the firmware, resetting the unit, and then restoring your patches and IR? They might ask you to do that first.

If it happens on the same patch, or just a few, check to see if you have named the patch, scribble strips, or snapshots using a Helix-illegal character. If you do that, this kind of behavior can result. I tried using the • character in a patch one time. All hell broke loose.

Well, it matters not a whit to me, as I use it with a DI anyway and like that solution. The fact that the TRS to XLR cable changes the signal might not be because it is balanced. Something else could be going on perhaps? I don't know, to be honest. Someone from L6 might have to chime in, but it's not really a performance issue is it?

I've known this for so long I don't even know where to look, but when it's been asked either on facebook or here, the unbalanced nature of the outputs as noted in the manuals has been confirmed.

It is possible that something electronically is happening when you use a TRS to XLR cable in the output of Helix, but it is not a balanced connection. Line 6 has confirmed that the only balanced inputs or outputs on any Line 6 HX product are the Mic input on Rack/Floor and the 1/4" outputs on Stomp.

Couldn't this also be because you are lifting the ground somehow? Can you compare 1/4" -> DI to all that?

Yes, what is happening is that you are touching (but not pressing) the Tap Tempo switch. Easy to do, easy to learn to avoid, too.

The manual for Helix makes no mention of TRS at all. I do not know where that info comes from, but the manual states directly that the outputs are TS unbalanced. I have no idea about the link you shared.

Helix LT, Floor, Rack and HX Effects all feature no balanced outputs. Every 1/4" audio connection on those is TS. HX Stomp is the only product in the line that has TRS output, and is the only one that this plan will work properly on. 1/4" guitar cable to DI is a fine and professional way to connect to a PA.

Look, when you restore from a backup JUST before a gig, this is what you have to worry about. We've established that, right? So I think we have to adjust our expectation. Never do that? Yup.

I'm currently using it live with acoustic guitar basically. Not currently in a band, play in church one or two times a month.

It gets warm and there are absolutely no heat issues. I've had mine on for days at a time. It gets warm to an extent, but no warmer.

1. Any DI automatically gets rid of phantom power issues. There are SO many "my Helix sounded bad last night, first time live, why did this happen?" posts on the facebook forums it's dizzying. 2. Sometimes, it is, believe it or not. And if you are sending mic level and turning your output way down, you're probably introducing hiss that would most likely not be there if you just used the DI. 3. You have to be friends with your sound guy or you will sound like $#!†. Even if they are idiots. 4. Since the DI signal sounds the same, and there is way less chance you'll have any connection or sound guy issues, why wouldn't you go this way all the time? XLR outs? Use them for your onstage FRFR and in the Studio when necessary. Not live unless you already know before you go in that you are not going to have an issue. That's my philosophy.

outboard preamp doing what exactly? I like to send full signal out of Helix, and then adjust at the other end accordingly. Need more info about what you're doing to be sure that's the right thing for you. XLR out into a Mic pre? I'd set outputs to Line first.

I think it is, as it works with my Mac with no driver installation necessary.

Here's a wacky tip, and you'll need to learn how MIDI works to make it happen. You can make a patch that actually sends midi commands to switch snapshots, then hook a MIDI cable out and back in on Helix. Then, you can literally have ONLY two footswitches you lose if you only have two footswitches. But there's other ways that you can switch amps in one path with only ONE foot switch very easily, too. What you describe doesn't have to be done with snapshots, but can be done with volume blocks. or even just using a foot switch to turn the channel volume of one amp up and the other down and vice versa.