rd2rk

"So, IMHO, get the Helix if you can afford it. But if you can't, the HD500X is absolutely the way to go......But the HD500X will be my totally acceptable and nearly equal backup. And let's be honest, unless the people you're playing for are guitarists; they, more likely than not, wouldn't hear a difference. It would all sound good to them. This purchase is mostly for my ears." Excellent summary!

To clarify my 2 previous posts, they were in response to someone's response to mine 3 posts back. He deleted it, so here it is: ME: "Watched YouTube vids, haunted these forums. Finally decided to take the plunge." DELETED: And what if you had done the same with the POD HD 500x? Probably you still would have it... I'm not saying that 500x is better or viceversa, I just think that both can achieve the same result with some effort.

Quick add-on to my previous post. I don't think the FX in the Helix are all that much better than the HD. If I was sticking with my tube amp setup, using just the pre amp FX and FX loop, the HD would be perfectly fine. I want to simplify my rig and vary my sound options by going full FRFR, and THAT'S where the HD didn't cut it for me.

I did do the same with the HD500X (replaced an ME70 that I also researched, and that replaced a Behringer V-Amp). At that time, it sounded very good to me. I used it for over 2 years. If not for the Helix, I might still have it. After 3 months of side by side use, I sold it and kept the Helix. My opinion: with A LOT of effort, you can get inferior (to MY ears) results from the HD500X to what you can get MUCH QUICKER/EASIER with the Helix. That's got nothing to do with the price. I wouldn't have bought the Helix if I couldn't afford it (and I work HARD for my money!). I wouldn't keep a car that needed to be worked on constantly just so it would get me to work every day, why keep an effect unit that takes 3 hours to get a good sound when it takes 15 minutes to get a better sound (to MY ears) on the next gen model? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the HD is a POS. I liked it fine when I got it (compared to the ME70 which was way better than the V-Amp). If what it does is satisfactory for you, it's a great unit. But neither am I buying the argument that it's every bit as good as the Helix because it's cheaper, and that the Helix isn't worth $1500 because it doesn't sound $1000 better. There are so many things about the Helix that I WISHED were in the HD. The combination of sound and features is what makes it worth the price to me.

"But deaf will claim the opposite because they pay 1500" Had an HD500X. Was never totally happy with the amps. Mostly used the fx with my Engl, a VHT 112 and/or an Alto ts210. Waited a year after Helix release. Watched YouTube vids, haunted these forums. Finally decided to take the plunge. I could always return it to Sweetwater if it wasn't worth the $1500. After 3 months, sold the HD500X. The Engl is on Craigslist. I'm not deaf, and your ears aren't as good as you think they are. The millennials vs whatever argument is ridiculous. Bottom line: if you like whatever you like, use it! But don't insult other people who have differing tastes.

"But deaf will claim the opposite because they pay 1500" Had an HD500X. Was never totally happy with the amps. Mostly used the fx with my Engl, a VHT 112 and/or an Alto ts210. Waited a year after Helix release. Watched YouTube vids, haunted these forums. Finally decided to take the plunge. I could always return it to Sweetwater if it wasn't worth the $1500. After 3 months, sold the HD500X. The Engl is on Craigslist. I'm not deaf, and your ears aren't as good as you think they are.

He's working on the MAC version, but no telling when it'll happen. Unfortunately, there's not a lot out there for MACs in this context. There's something called Mainstage that might be helpful. You might also look into the BOME MIDI Translator (has OSX version). A while back someone gave me a MAC and I looked into trying to get it to do all the things I could do on a PC. Big PITA and ultimately just not possible. There, I've said it. That should motivate all the MAC kiddies out there to prove me wrong by suggesting possible solutions for ya! :) As far as routing for the Softstep, I had a quick look at the manual. I didn't see any way to set output Channels for controlling separate devices, which is what you'd need to be able to do. Apparently you'd also need to get the MIDI Expander Hardware to link to other hardware devices. As I said, it was only a quick look, so I could be wrong. If there's a forum for the softstep you might have better luck there than here. Good Luck!

Pretty easy with an FCB1010, not so much with the L6 stuff. There's a program called Cantabile that's made for "one man band" type performers. It can do all sorts of things with MIDI and VSTs - play loops, send, receive and filter MIDI messages - filters, triggers, tempo syncing, changing presets on VSTs and external synths etc., - and organize all that stuff into songs, sets, pretty much anything you want. It doesn't record loops per se, but it'll record stereo Wave files and MIDI files, and if you have those in Ableton, you can export as Wave or MIDI files to use in Cantabile. There's a large and very knowledgeable support forum, and the author is very active and responsive there. I've only ever used it as an "ultimate VST loader", but some of the stuff that the people on the forum talk about sounds truly amazing - way over my head. You'd have to look into it to see if it'll do all that you need, but as far as I can tell, all you have to do to set a "Song" running is send it a CC - easy enough to do from a Helix (or POD for that matter). The program is surprisingly inexpensive and very stable.

OK, 3. You just can't get that Bela Fleck sound without that!

If you only play one kind of music, you only need one guitar. If you have a Les Paul AND a Strat (and a modeler with FRFR), you can play most anything!

I no longer have my HD500 (got a Helix!), but IIRC the HD does not transmit MIDI via USB. You can do what you want, but you'd need to have a separate interface and use the barrel connectors. I was using a MOTU Fastlane (around $80). You connect the MIDI cables from/to the HD, then connect the Fastlane via USB to your PC.

LMAO!

Helix is bigger. You'll have to take measurements to be sure.

Only real limitation would be the 64 preset restriction. That is, you'd only be able to access the first 64 of the 128 presets in each bank.

I've never used a TalkBox, but that is WAY COOL! Hey, Line6, WE WANT THAT!

Thanks Duncann. Amazing how much more dsp 2048 uses! Could be my imagination, but seems to affect sustain somewhat. Or my ears could be tired. Time for a break!

The user may choose a 1,024-sample version to save DSP, which fades out the IR halfway through How does that affect the sound? I'm guessing, then, that to use full 2048 samples, I should set up the amp and IR before adding other effects, while there's plenty of dsp available?

Sorry, my bad, 3Sigma does come with different sample rates, but the Rosen Custom sets I have just have the one non-specific set of 3. The Helix automatically converts whatever you feed it to 16/48? I assume then that if I set the Helix at a higher rate, that it converts to that rate?

My Helix came set by default to 48k. Redwirez and (some) Ownhammer Impulses have folders of IRs at different sample rates, so I choose the 48k impulses. Rosen and 3Sigma don't have this option. Anybody know what this is about?

MusicLaw - It was sealed, and I'm pretty sure - tho I can't swear - that it was the factory seal because I'd heard the same as frodebro, and was wondering as I opened it.

Got mine from Sweetwater about a month ago, had 2.01 on it.

Guitar->Helix Guitar Input Helix FX Loop (1,2,3 or 4) Send->Amp Input (where you normally plug your guitar) Amp FX Loop Send->Helix FX Loop Return (1,2,3 or 4) Helix 1/4" Mono Out->Amp FX Loop Return Put the Helix FX Loop Block (1,2,3 or 4) between the FX you want BEFORE the amp (like distortions) and the FX you want between the amp's preamp and power amp (like delays).

Guitar=>POD Guitar Input=>POD 1/4" (MONO) OUT=>Amp FX Return

With exception of fat lazy(?), I have some from each. All good with some amp or other, all bad with something. In other words, cruisinon nailed it. Have fun, spend money! Find the ones YOU like, you're bound to think that MY favorites suck!

Just assign a button to both the amp model and the FX loop, save with the desired default ON, and you're good to go.