rd2rk

In Global Settings>MIDI/Tap Tempo, set "MIDI PC Send" to OFF. This prevents Helix from sending it's default PC at Preset Load, allowing you to control the PC# sent using Snapshots. Make sure that the BASE CHANNEL is set to the same one as the SYN2. Default is Channel 1. If the SYN2 is set to OMNI, set it to 1. Not essential, but Best Practice. Load a Helix Preset that you want to use for this purpose. Make sure you're in the Snapshot you want loaded when the Preset loads. Open Command Center. See the little lightning bolts? Those are Instant Commands (IC), sent at Preset Load and on Snapshot Change. Select the first one (IC1). Set COMMAND to "Bank/Program". MIDI CH defaults to BASE. Ignore Bank CC00/32. Set "Program" to the PC# of the SYN2 Preset you want to call Save The Helix Preset. Repeat for each Snapshot. If you fail to set a Snapshot, when that Snapshot is selected no message will be sent, leaving you on the last SYN2 Preset called. Not necessarily a good thing. Set ALL Snapshots, saving the preset each time. Whether or not saving each time is necessary depends on the setting of Global Settings>Preferences SNAPSHOT RECALL. Getting in the habit of saving each time you change a Snapshot is another Best Practices thing. That's it!

These MIDI interfaces require a "host" computer that runs a driver. Neither Helix nor any MIDI instrument (including Beat Buddy) are "hosts".

No.

For the latest updates on the updates, you need to be over at the Helix 2.9 thread on TGP (The Gear Page). This forum is for us mushrooms.

I seem to remember reading that it was a bug that should be fixed in an update (soon?). I could be wrong. Contact support for the definitive answer.

Do a reset: If that doesn't fix it, call support or open a support ticket.

Ah yes! The infamous "Klutz" bug!

No argument, the emphasis was on CLEAN. A bit nit-picky, I know, since the rest of what you said is more important, but I was feeling a bit nit-picky....

Do a search here for "headphones". Everyone's experience is different, and many find that cheap headphones sound as good or better than the expensive ones. Also, impedance matters. You may have to try several sets before you find one you like.

Speaker cables are unshielded and intended for use between a power amp and speaker, such as in a guitar amp. Guitar cables are shielded, but are intended for use between an instrument and an amplifier or other instrument or line level input. Of the two, high quality guitar cables are the better choice. Since I don't know what speakers you're using, whether they're powered or connected to an external amplifier (and what type/model) I can't be more specific about those cables. Some speakers use 1/4", some use RCA, some plain copper wire. Some are "balanced", some not. For future reference, when asking questions, keep in mind that you're not JUST using an instrument, OR an interface, OR speakers. You're using a SYSTEM. All of the components and how they're connected are important to the answers to your questions. "Buzz", for instance, is usually a result of "ground loops". ALL of the components of your system should be plugged into a high quality Power Strip with Surge Arrest and EMI/RFI (electromagnetic interference/radio frequency interference) filters. All of your audio power strips should be plugged into the same household electrical circuit, and that circuit needs to be properly grounded. That's what three-prong plugs are about, and a ground tester can be purchased very cheaply at any hardware store and most places that sell electronics. Avoid using circuits that also power appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, fluorescent lights or rheostats. All of these can cause noise in audio devices. "Buzz" can also be caused by low quality or defective cables anywhere in your system. Hope this is helpful.

From the manual: d) Connecting the amplifier-speaker: The ETHERWAVE may be used with a wide variety of musical instrument, stereo, or public address amplifier systems. The nominal level of the ETHERWAVE's audio output is one-half volt RMS and the nominal output impedance is 2.4 Kilohms. We suggest a small but high-quality portable 'keyboard amplifier' of the sort that synthesizer players frequently use for practicing. Use a shielded audio cable with a conventional 1/4" phone plug on one end, to be plugged into the ETHERWAVE's audio out jack. The other end of the cable should be equipped with whatever kind of plug your sound system requires, and should be plugged into a jack labeled line in, instrument, or aux on your sound system. Do not plug it into a microphone or guitar input, as these inputs are designed for much weaker audio signals. ************************************ IOW - a standard guitar cable from the Audio Out jack to the input of the HX - whatever model Helix you have. Don't know what you're using for a sound card, so can't help you there, but depending on the model of Helix, it might be a sound card itself.

First, don't judge Amplitube by the iOS app. It sux. They have a FREE version of the full product, and if you pick up either the British Amps or Mesa update (depending on your tastes), you will find some tasty sounds. BUT - you'll need a decent computer and Audio Interface - at least $100 for the AI. Based on what you've said about your situation, the LT is probably more than you need. I would look into the new POD GO, due out in April. Much cheaper, same sounds, easy to use, targeted at your section of the market. Whatever you decide to get - and there's lots of options (not just L6, not just new) out there for someone in your situation - keep in mind that if you judge any device or amp sim based on factory presets, you're bound to be disappointed. Take some time to read up on your choices over on The Gear Page in the Digital and Modeling Gear thread. There's always threads along the line of "Best economy modeler", "Best beginner modeler", "This modeler vs that modeler", etc.. It's worth your time.

It isn't clear what exactly he's asking for. He wants a CLEAN BOOST FOR LEADS into the Power Amp Return of a Tube Amp, showing that he doesn't really understand gain staging and tube amps. He wants a way to GLOBALLY CHANGE IT to accommodate different needs at specific gigs. He wants it on a FOOTSWITCH, which makes sense for LEADS but doesn't much matter as an overall gig setting. So, everybody's suggestions work for one problem or the other, but none of them resolve the problem of increasing the level into a tube power amp and the resulting distortion, which means that no truly clean boost is possible. He wants a UNICORN! Put it on Ideascale, maybe we can get it in the FREE PONY update!

Political correctness strikes again! Gobbledy-g00k gets the lollipop treatment! ROFLMAO!

OP DID ask for a footswitch, and we've established that there's no way GLOBALLY to do that. Using Global EQ is the closest I can come but, again, no footswitch solution. An external clean boost will work, but most of us would like to avoid additional external devices if possible. As for using the seemingly obvious "BIG KNOB", there are some who believe that, since that volume control is not analog, it occurs in the digital realm prior to the DA converter, that it diminishes the quality of the sound when you turn it down. Has to do with bits and some sort of digital gobbledy-lollipop discussed elsewhere in another thread with reference to posts by high-end tone-sniffers on some Audio forum. Anyhow, the idea is that for maximum tone quality you should leave that BIG KNOB fully UP (UNITY GAIN). I don't buy it, because I can't hear it, but that doesn't mean it's not true and, for those who claim to be able to hear it, using the BIG KNOB is not an option. The story so far: The BIG KNOB will work if you're not concerned with possible tone-suck. An external clean boost between the Helix and your amp will work if you're OK with an additional purchase and the resultant extra stage real estate required. The Global EQ will work if you're not already using it for it's primary purpose of EQing for a specific room, or don't mind increasing it's output level mid-gig, which could affect the EQ.... You could just turn up the master on the amp but, if you're using a tube amp, that could affect the distortion. Any other ideas? Pick your poison?

FIRST: READ THE MANUAL!!! BOTH the Helix and E570. WARNING!!!! See especially pages 18 and 33 of the E570 manual. The "MIDI FOOTSWITCH" switch MUST be set to the right, else power will be sent thru the MIDI jack to the Helix. That would probably not be good! There appears to be two ways to do Channel switching. The Engl Z-4 switch box appears to be a TRS device, which could probably be replaced with the Helix EXT AMP switching. HOWEVER - the E570 sends the Z-4 15mA of current to operate the LEDs. This may be too little to matter, or it may FRY your Helix. I'd contact L6 support before trying this!!! IF they say it's OK, then I would guess that the way it works is that if you set the Helix switching in Command Center to send NONE;TIP;RING;BOTH you can select the four channels. If you have the Z-4 you can use a continuity tester to figure out which is which. OR MIDI PRESETS Starting on page 23 of the E570 manual there are instructions for setting up presets. The default MIDI Channel on Helix is Channel 1 (BASE Channel in Global Settings>MIDI/Tap Tempo). Set the E570 to MIDI Channel 1. The default is probably OMNI. That MIGHT work, but matching the Midi Channel is Best Practice. In Helix Global Settings>MIDI/Tap Tempo set MIDI PC SEND to OFF. This prevents Helix from sending it's default Program Change message when you select a preset, and allows you to use any Helix Preset with any E570 Preset. In Command Center, use Instant Commands - the Lightning Bolts (IC) - to select the E570 Presets. I assume from the manual that the E570 numbers it's presets 1-128, like the Helix. Set IC1>BANK/PROGRAM to the E570 Preset# you want to load when you select a Helix Preset. Leave the MIDI Channel setting on BASE if you've set Helix and the E570 both to the same channel. Leave the BANK CC00/032 settings OFF. Set PROGRAM to the E570 PC# you want to load. If you want to use Snapshots to change the E570 Presets, IC1 must be set for EACH snapshot you use. If in Global Settings>Preferences Snapshot Edits is set to RECALL, then you can make all of your Snapshot settings at once, the SAVE the Preset If Snapshot Edits is set to DISCARD then you must save the preset before moving to the next snapshot, else your settings will be lost. I think that about covers it. Questions?

You need to use an FX Loop Block. Put it at the end of the signal chain. Take a 1/4" TS cable (like a guitar cable) and run it from the Stomp FX SEND jack to the A/MONO input on the RC10R, then another from the A/MONO out of the looper to the L/MONO RETURN on the Stomp. If you want stereo, you'll need TWO FX Loop Blocks, an INSERT (TRS to Dual Mono) cable, and TWO 1/4" TS cables. The INSERT cable TRS plug goes into the Stomp FX SEND jack, the Dual Mono plugs go into the Looper's A and B Inputs, the two TS cables from the Looper's A/B outs to the Stomps A/B returns. In Global Settings>Ins/Outs make sure the "RETURN TYPE" is set to RETURN.

When I was looking into this I came across the older version, and wasn't sure if the Returns were actually stereo? The manual for that older model isn't clear on it.

I'm sorry, I left something out. FIRST THING! Try another USB port. Usually, the ones on the front are a hub. Use the ones on the back, and avoid (if possible) using USB 3.0 ports. If thet deosn't get it, THEN do the other stuff!

Of course it's not your fault! When Line6 built HX Edit they built in a feature that blocked YOUR specific configuration from being able to use it with Windows 10! :-) Seriously, here's what you do. First, make sure that Windows is up to date. Second, make sure ALL of your drivers are up to date, INCLUDING the Motherboard drivers. FWIW - it helps to be SPECIFIC about the hardware you're running. Certain Video cards and Motherboards have been reported as problematic. Delete all things Line6. Search your directories to be sure you got it all. Use a Registry cleaner (Like CCleaner) to make sure there's no lingering traces. Do a clean boot. Perform ALL Windows Updates. Do a clean boot. Now, being EXTREMELY careful to follow the install directions EXACTLY, Install the latest HX Edit (v2.82) with ALL options. Again, being EXTREMELY careful to follow ALL directions, use the L6 Updater to update the hardware. IF, after doing ALL of the above, you still have problems, start over with a CLEAN INSTALL of Windows 10. Repeat ALL of the above steps. If you STILL have problems, do a COMPLETE hardware inventory, open a support ticket and include COMPLETE details of your hardware configuration. If you're lucky, support will have a history of problems with your specific hardware configuration, or know some trick I'm unaware of. I know, sounds like a lot of work. But consider - your laptop works fine. Your DIY build doesn't. But you expect Line6 to fix it for you?

You'll need to run the Helix Outs into the JC120 Stereo FX Loop Returns. This will effectively cut out the JC120 preamp unless you run 4cm: Guitar>Helix Input>Effects>FX Loop 1 Block>Helix Send 1>Amp Input>Amp FX Loop Send>Helix Return 1>Effects>Helix Left/Right Out>Amp Left/Right FX Loop Return Make sure your Stereo FX blocks are at the end of your signal chain and that there are no MONO blocks between them and the Output block. Here's a simple demo preset that allows you to use the JC120 Preamp (FX Loop) OR a 2204 (direct to the JC120 Power Amps). 4cm with Amp.hlx

I'm sure they've given SOME thought to the screen design, we'll just have to wait and see what they come up with.

Yes, but each loop requires an FX Loop Block. Currently you only get six blocks. The 2.9 (or is it 3.0?) update will increase that to 8 blocks, but it doesn't increase DSP. I'm not sure how much DSP an FX Loop takes. Another consideration is buttons. You've got 3 on board, and you can add 2 external at the cost of the EXP pedal input, unless you add an external MIDI controller. If you add up the costs, including the additional real estate (pedal board?) for all the add-ons, you're getting into LT territory. If you're already adding this much stuff before you even buy it, what more might you want to add later? And then there's the new POD GO.........

Snapshots allow set variations within a preset. Stomps allow on-the-fly variations within a snapshot.

You can change the parameter values of the effects in a preset, but not the effects themselves.