rd2rk

EVERY playback system colors the sound. TRUE FRFR is a myth. A Unicorn. Unobtanium. An acoustic amp colors the sound to make acoustic guitars sound best. Most of that happens in the preamp, but the speakers and cab are chosen and tuned to reinforce that.. Your Fender is made for electric guitar, so it MIGHT sound better. If you go over to TGP (The Gear Page) and check out the Fender Mustang Amp threads, even the devotees can't agree on how good any particular model or speaker sounds. Studio Monitors are designed to be as flat as possible for mixing recordings, and are always at least 20-20k full range. The better SM mfrs provide a Frequency Response Chart so that you can see the actual performance over the range. The BEST SM mfrs actually provide a chart that's an honest representation. Many modeler users swear by the JBL305 and the Yamaha HS5. I've been quite happy with my Rokit6 monitors. Read the reviews and compare the specs. I'd say try them side by side but, you know, coronavirus......

1) Of course, sound will come out of either amp. Whether of not you like the way it sounds is entirely subjective, you'll have to try it and see. In either case, if the amp has an FX Loop, take the Helix Outs (set to LINE level) into the FX Loop Returns. Keep in mind that even if it sounds good at home, presets made to sound good through ANY specific playback system will sound different when played through a different playback system. Gold standard is to create presets through a system similar to what you'll be using onstage, and create them at gig volume. 2/3) In the space you describe, 5" monitors would be fine. Usually, bigger speakers result in a bigger, fuller sound, but the acoustics of the room have a lot to do with that. Yamaha, JBL and Rokit are all good choices, but any of the major players will do. I'd stay away from Behringer, but whatever you can afford. If you can swing it, add a sub made for the system you choose.

Yes. Putting guitar and Strike on separate paths also gives (simplest) independent control of both input and output levels.

The BEST way is totally dependent on what EXACTLY that you want to do. You have three stereo devices. Do you want to maintain stereo throughout? You can take the L/R Outs from the Strike into the Return 1 and Return 2 on Helix, then set Path B Input to Return 1/2. OR you could place Return 1 and Return 2 Blocks anywhere in the signal path, pull one down to make a parallel path, then Pan one Left and one Right. Then take the Helix L/R outs to the RC30 Inputs. OR..... It really depends what you want to do.

For the most part, I find that the full amp model sounds better. The reason is that when you use a traditional amp, there's an interaction between the pre and poweramp, and there's a characteristic sound of that amp produced by the pre/power combination. This interaction and overall sound is modeled in the full amp model, but is not reproduced when using the digital preamp into the analog poweramp. The characteristic sound of a pushed poweramp (example: 6v6 vs EL34) primarily comes out at high poweramp levels, which can be modeled in Helix then amplified by your REAL amp without the REAL poweramp adding MORE of it's own characteristic sound until IT is pushed. So, the more clean headroom your REAL amp has, the less it will color the modeled amp's sound. Your 20watt DSL does NOT have a lot of clean headroom, it is designed to get poweramp distortion at relatively low levels. In addition to the Gain, Master and Channel Levels, the base signal level is set in Global Settings>Ins/Outs by setting the Send/Return Levels to Instrument or Line. Each Send/Return Block also has it's own Level settings. How to get it all balanced properly for every possible amp and effects combination? LOTS of HARD work! OR you could use the Helix as it was primarily intended to be used - with it's modeled amps/cabs/IRs through FRFR speakers OR as an effects processor with your REAL amp.

1) No. Not part of MIDI info, must be entered manually in the editor. 2) Stomp only has one bank.

"Soon"

Looks right. I'm guessing that you're pulling Stomp presets via MIDI? Have fun getting all the various FX levels balanced for use with whatever Stomp presets you use. What database manager are you using to keep track of it all?

I agree that you should be able to set the Send/Return separately. OTOH - I never saw that. Link please?

ABSOLUTELY! At the same time we all know that there's a certain percentage of people, in all walks of life, who are EXPERTS at F***ing up a FREE LUNCH! Then there's the ones who spend a PILE of money on hi-spec DIY computers that no product tester ever imagines including in the test regimen. And lastly, the well meaning but cosmically unlucky few who somehow wind up living directly above a ley line where NO tech works reliably and EVERYTHING electrical has some kind of incurable HUMMMMMMMM......... Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the people who NEVER READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!

Not currently. However, v3.0 will have Command Center, which should make that possible. Stomp can send Program Changes, but the're static. 01A=000 01B=001 etc. Again, Command Center should allow you to choose what each button sends, including PC, CC and NOTE messages.

SAVE is pretty much idiot proof. If, on the hardware, you press SAVE, once, then again, and the changes don't save, you've got a problem. Start by doing a Factory Reset: If that doesn't work, time to open a Support Ticket.

If you send a Toggling CC, the light stays on to remind you that you sent an ON message, and that the next time you press the button you'll be sending OFF. Everything else goes off when you release the button. The only exception is NOTE, which can be MOMENTARY (goes off on release) or LATCHING (stays on). Snapshots work as expected when they're on the HXFX, but if they're on the STOMP the LEDs will be reflected on the STOMP, not the HXFX, because the HXFX is sending a CC, not changing a Snapshot. And when you send a different CC, there's no way for it to KNOW that it just changed snapshots, because it didn't, it sent a non-latching CC. Even if you make it a Latching CC, it won't know to turn off the LED. You'll just have to leave the STOMP in Snapshot Mode if it's important to know which of it's snapshots is active.

All of the above. BUT, to maximize what you've got, using 4cm and swapping the Katana's Preamps with Helix Preamps (or full amps, whatever sounds best) by having the FX Loop Block and your Helix pre/amp asssigned to the same footswitch so that one is ON when the other is OFF is most flexible. As others have said, for home use, stereo is BIG FUN! You don't need to blow the rent to get a decent pair of studio monitors. Yamaha and JBL are very popular. I have KRK. AND, if you can swing a sub in the deal, even better!

When you say that the Volume pedal continues to control the Level regardless of Bypass state, you mean it ACTUALLY continues, when bypassed, to control the Level that you HEAR, or you see the Position slider moving (normal)? If you tried this: "If You're using a Stomp, then you assign the switch you're using to both blocks, then save the preset with one block ON and the other OFF." And it didn't work, I can only suggest a Facory Reset, and if THAT doesn't help, a Support Ticket, 'cause that ain't right!

That being the case, if it still won't work after the optimizations, then it's gotta be a Bandhub problem.

The FRFR108 is not really a bedroom speaker, it's a PA speaker, made to put out a lot of sound into a large area. When people use the term "Studio Monitor" they mean "near field monitor", made for close up use in a studio. Different tools for different jobs. And, as cruisinon2 suggested, get two. Much more fun!

Does the SurfacePro work with any DAW? I've heard of problems with those for audio applications, but don't remember where. I would also read the links in the attached file and implement the optimizations. DAW Optimizations.txt Optimize W10 for DAW.txt

4cm: Guitar>Helix Input>Helix effect>Helix FX Loop Block>Helix Send>Amp Input> Amp FX Send>Helix Return>Helix effect>Helix L/MONO Out>Amp LEFT FX Return. Amp FX Mix full Clockwise. That should send the full preamp signal through the Loop. You should NOT have to use both Returns UNLESS you're using stereo effects in Helix.

Are you using a Helix FLOOR or a Stomp? If Floor, Then adding a Wah AND a Volume should automatically switch between the Wah on Exp 1 and Volume on Exp 2. If You're using a Stomp, then you assign the switch you're using to both blocks, then save the preset with one block ON and the other OFF.

Easiest fix, delete both blocks, then add them back in.

According to the manual, using the Left Return is MONO, and you'll be using BOTH amps. No need for extra cables. If wiring from Helix L/Mono to Valvestate Left Return doesn't work, there's something else going on.

Sorry, left something out. If you take the LEFT and RIGHT 1/4" outs to the LEFT and RIGHT RETURNS, you should get stereo. In Helix, you can't have a MONO Block after the final STEREO Block or it will collapse to MONO.

I'm guessing here, that the effects knob should be full clockwise, but try it both ways if using 4cm. Otherwise, just take the Helix L/MONO Out into the Valvestate LEFT RETURN. See below, from the Valvestate manual: MASTER SECTION (8240) The 8240 has identical features up to item 17, then as follows. 17. Effects Returns Jacks for connection from the left and right outputs of an external stereo effects processor (left return also acts as the return for a mono effects processor if used). 18. Effects Mix For mixing the effects to dry signal. Note - if no effects processor in line, Effects Mix fully clockwise will result in no signal.

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