rd2rk

You need an INSERT Cable (Single 1/4" Stereo to Dual 1/4" Mono). When you get your Helix, READ THE MANUAL, specifically the sections COMMAND CENTER and SNAPSHOTS. The attached Preset demonstrates the technique. Use Command Center to see how it is done. I don't know which Channel is activated by which connection, TIP or RING, so I've called the Snapshots TIP and RING. When you load the Preset, Snapshot 1 (TIP) is active. Ch Switch.hlx

In that case, no.

You add the controller to the Preset, then tweak it in the Snapshots. Be aware of the Global>Preferences setting of "Snapshot Edits". When I'm tweaking I set it to RECALL. That way I don't have to remember to SAVE between tweaks to different Snapshots. When I'm done I set it back to DISCARD.

Just Rename the Snapshots.

You've got a 3 channel amp and appear to be using a 2 channel switching scheme. Instead of a simple footswitch, try Snapshots - SS1 = NONE; SS2 = TIP; SS3 = RING.

If you like your Helix AND your DrZ, then you do what you gotta do to fix the problem. The Palmer mentioned above is $150. Ebtech Hum Eliminator is $72. The Pyle I mention below is $18. Otherwise, you dump one or both and try something else. Maybe you'll have better luck next time. Maybe no hum but crappy sound. I don't mean to sound harsh (well, maybe a little), but welcome to the real world. My Engl amp had horrible hum with my HD500X. A cheap Pyle "Hum Destroyer" got rid of most of it, enough to make it usable. My Helix Floor with Egnator Tweaker has barely detectable hum, no gadgets required. The Wizard of Oz knows why, but he's not talking. Good Luck!

In TH3/THU there's a LIVE mode that discards changes when ON. But again, that's SW. Even if it can be done in HW, people would then complain that they forget to turn it on, and why can't Helix SENSE when they're performing? How hard can it be to implement that sort of simple AI in a product as expensive as Helix? ATTENTION!!! SARCASM ALERT! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you're doing major edits, use HX Edit, no hitting wrong buttons. You refer to SOFTWARE, but obviously editing on the HARDWARE. No hardware I know of (I could be wrong) warns you like that, just software. Lastly - computers 101 - "SAVE EARLY, SAVE OFTEN!" :-)

The problem is Audacity. You have to jump through hoops just to use a proper ASIO driver. Try Reaper (unlimited trial, $60 when you're ready). Or Cakewalk (FREE). Or Ableton LIVE 10 Lite (FREE, track # limits). All are full featured DAWs. Reaper and Ableton have tons of online how-to videos and Reaper has a large and helpful community. Cakewalk not so much, but still WAY better than Audacity. I've used all 3 for years, they got no problems like Audacity can't handle. BTW, I tried Audacity when someone else came on here with a similar problem. I'm baffled why anyone would use Audacity, unless they're on LINUX and don't have much choice.

Here's what it looks like when you assign the Snapshot Controller to a parameter: Those will be the settings in Snapshot 1. Change to a different Snapshot to assign different values. Just a thought - less vitriol and more PLEASE HELP........

https://georgedyermusic.com/2016/11/24/how-do-quilter-amps-work/ Should you decide to look into a Quilter, contact Quilter support or go to their forum or FB page and ask about specifics.

Not to bring more clouds to your dismal day, but nobody on this site has anything to do with any of the products' development. Over on The Gear Page is where they hang out. There's a thread called Helix 2.9 that has about a thousand posts just like yours. Good Luck!

SS power amps like the EHX need the full amp - remember what I said about the interaction between pre and power amp, and how that's lost as soon as you leave the virtual (digital) realm? And with the EHX there'll also be no interaction between the EHX and the speaker. One reason I suggested Quilter is that their circuit attempts to mimic that interaction (depending on the model). Signal flow is simple - 1/4" L/MONO out to EHX. Try the EHX Bright switch in both positions. One of he reasons I didn't like the EHX was that it seemed to add a lot of HISS through the speaker. It was less apparent at higher levels, and your Marshall cab is pretty dark compared to the speaker I was using so, as always, YMMV. Only other tip is to be sure that everything is plugged into the same EMI/RFI filtered surge strip to minimize noise and prevent ground loops. One last thing - just because you're not SUPPOSED to use a cabinet model (or IR for that matter), doesn't mean you CAN'T. IT"S NOT REAL! NO RULES APPLY except - "If it SOUNDS good, it IS good!"

Update: I woke up this morning, fired up my Helix Floor (I turn it and the computer it's connected to off at night), and discovered that every time I try to load an effect into an empty block, in ANY preset, even a NEW preset, the looper controls take over the footswitches. Even though there's no looper in the preset! Yes, MIDI cables have been removed. That's the first time anything I've tried has caused a serious problem. I managed to fix it by shutting down HX Edit and the Helix, disconnecting USB and re-starting the Helix. Everything's back to normal. WHEW! I've deleted the DANGEROUS post I made about trying this.

It's a form of confirmation bias. It's bigger, so it must be better! If you REALLY think it sounds better, and your presets can afford the DSP, USE THEM! But when you get to the point where the preset is ALMOST perfect, if only you had a teensy bit more DSP, remember, you're one of three people in the world who can hear the difference, and NOBODY can hear it in the mix!

You are correct. It brings up the looper, but it won't record. If I cared about the looper (I never use it) I'd post for a way to disable that on Ideascale. One of those .0001% of users might need that....unfortunately for OP, he's part of that .0001%

If there's HotKey in Ableton that can find your "Next Marker", you can try the Hotkey function in Instant Commands.

A phenomena popularly known as "squirrels". Go To The Gear Page>Digital and Modeling and find the BIG Helix thread. It goes on and on, but it's basically as phil_m said.

Haven't tried them, but pretty sure that both Fremen and Glen DeLaune have ambient packs.

We're just typing fast and furious here! 1) IMO. YMMV. Try it. 2) It's all VIRTUAL. NOTHING IS REAL! Try every combination and see what you like best. There's no ONE RIGHT answer. Subjective. You decide what's best. see my first response re the different levels of interaction and the border between VIRTUAL and PHYSICAL. 3) Yes. If you can get a PC112+ to try out, DO IT!. READ THE MANUAL! Read some of the posts in the Powercab threads both here and over on The Gear Page>Digital and Modeling forum. BUT...keep in mind that a 1-12 will NEVER sound like a 4-12, no matter how loud it is. It's just physics.

There are very few tube power amp only units. They are usually rack mount and heavy. Mesa makes one, or at least used to, that's well thought of. Any tube head with a serial FX Loop will do the job. I chose one with 6v6 tubes because they're very neutral sounding even at high volume - think Fender Deluxe clean. If you need more power from tubes, getting something with WAY more power than you need will give you more clean headroom before the "color" of specific tubes starts to kick in. OTOH, you're using a Marshall 4-12 cab. You must like Marshall sound, so anything with EL34s will get you there. Yep, you're right - what have you accomplished if you're either going to need a heavy rack-mount tube power amp or a regular big heavy guitar amp head? Nothing. BUT, if you insist that only tubes will do, and you NEED a 4-12, there it is.

1) Yes. See my response to qwerty42. 2) Common advice to children: "Don't say you don't like it till you've tried it!" 3) The Powercab112+ can be used with Helix cabs or IRs like any other FRFR. You can also use "speaker sims" which turn off the tweeter and EQ the speaker, which is essentially a relatively flat guitar speaker, to sound like a variety of well known speakers - Greenback, V30, Creamback, Jensens and others, more to be added in future updates.

As I said, the interaction of VIRTUAL pre and VIRTUAL power amp are modeled in the Helix full amp model. That interaction DOES NOT (CAN NOT) exist between the VIRTUAL PRE amp and the PHYSICAL power amp. When using Helix with a PHYSICAL amp, you get the VIRTUAL Pre/Power interaction in the Helix, and the Power amp/speaker interaction ITRW. Personally, I found that using the Helix Pre with an external power amp sounded thin and felt wrong. Using the full amp model may seem theoretically better, but I don't think so. BUT....if it works for you, go for it. "If it sounds good, it is good!" Some people have reported that using a PRE amp model in front of a FULL amp model gives results similar to AIAB pedals ITRW. I tried a couple of combinations and wasn't convinced.

As I see it, there's two components to "feel". First is the interaction between the amplifier components - the PRE amp and the POWER amp. Second is the interaction between the power amp and the speaker. In Helix, there's a VIRTUAL PRE amp that interacts VIRTUALLY with a VIRTUAL POWER amp. When you pick a full amp model (not just a PREamp), that interaction is modeled. When you pick a AMP + CAB model, the full chain is modeled (I think). Once you start replacing the Helix AMP + CAB with AMP + IR, you start to lose part of the interaction. Once you leave the VIRTUAL world and start physically amplifying the Helix, there's a different "feel" thing going on. There's no interaction between the physical amp and the Helix. There IS a feel component between the PHYSICAL amp and the PHYSICAL speaker. Tube aficionados will prefer tube amps, and talk about "warmth" and "harmonic content" and "sponginess" and whatnot. SS aficionados will talk about clarity and response. Ten people are about to jump in and nit-pick what I just said, and none of it matters. Get a tube combo and run the Helix with a full amp model (no cab) into the FX Loop Return. Get a SS amp and speaker cab and do the same. If you can get a Powercab112+, try it using the speaker emulations (not IRs). Buy the one you like best. Our opinions are just that. So here's mine: My HR FRFR112 is meh. Usable. I tend to prefer Helix Amp+Cab models to Amp + IR. And I've tried a LOT of IRs. I like the sound/feel of Helix full Amp model (not Amp+Cab, not Preamp only) into the FX Loop Return of my 15 watt 6v6 1-12 open-back tube combo ($350), AT HIGHER VOLUMES. I don't like the sound/feel of my EHX .44 Magnum into a 1-12 closed-back speaker cab (sterile). There are better SS power amps available. Quilter is very popular. I'm currently thrilled to death with everything about my Powercab 112+ ($475 used). YMMV to the max!

OK, I should've called that solution "Most Bang for the Buck". Here's the actual simplest solution: 2i2 as Audio Interface. Windows Sound Panel Computer Soundcard as Playback device. 1/8" stereo to 1/4" Mono adapter - Computer Headphone Out to 2i2 Input 1. Helix L/Mono Out to 2i2 Input 2. Headphones from 2i2. Done. Functionality - record Helix processed signal and streaming backing tracks to separate LIVE tracks. OR record processed and unprocessed Helix to separate tracks. No stereo anywhere. Somewhere between "Best Bang" and "Dead Simple" you might be able to come up with a compromise. Maybe. I vote for "Most Bang"!