rd2rk

I used MIDIOX to confirm that the Helix was actually sending MMC (sysex) messages. Using Sonar, I was totally unable to get it to work. I'd try getting their Support involved, but they're useless since Gibson bought Cakewalk. I've been using a Korg nanoKontrol2 for transport control. The Korg is recognized as a control surface by Sonar, and by using MIDIOX I was able to see what it's actually sending (NOTEs) and program the Helix, no problem. I'm going to try the Sonar forum to see if it's possible to use the MMC method, and will report back if I succeed. There may be a correlation with what you're doing. In the meantime, you didn't say what DAW or other apps you're trying to control. Check their documentation, you may be able to use NOTEs or CCs instead of MMC.

Let's say your amp is a Hot Rod Deville (HRD). Typically you'd use the 5150 preamp, replacing the HRD's preamp with the 5150 preamp. If you use the full 5150 amp, you're amping the full 5150 amp, pre and power, through the HRD power amp and speaker. If you use the 5150 amp and a speaker cab - hey, it's just a tone. If it sounds good, go for it! The joy of modeling is - NO RULES!

Is the output block set to multi or 1/4"? Either should work.

Maybe because I used to play semi-pro, maybe because my first teacher told me to, I almost ALWAYS stand up and move around when I play. And even just sitting down, wires are a PITA. Standing FEELS like Rock'n'Roll! Sitting down feels like sleepy time.

From Sennheiser's reply, my guess is that either they can't miniaturize the tech enough to get around the need for a belt pack, and/or they COULD incorporate the better tech into these large over the ear phones, but they don't see the guitarist practicing at home market as being worthwhile. Considering how many amateur players spend thousands on modelers and guitars that we only use at home, and how much more fun it is to do so without the upstairs neighbors calling the cops, I think they're missing the boat. LINE6 - there's a market here!

Well, shut MY mouth! From Sennheiser's VERY fast reply: "Latency occurs in all wireless headphones however the technology being used to create the wireless signal does affect how much latency is caused. For example a Radio Frequency (RF) model (like an IEM monitoring system) has a latency of approximately 3 m/s whereas an 8-FSK digital model (like the RS 165/RS 175/RS 185) has a latency of approximately 45 m/s. Usually the delay (even at the 45 m/s level) is not discernible and hence goes unnoticed when watching TV, but can produce an echo effect if being used in conjunction with wired or RF microphones/ instrument connections." I couldn't believe it! 45ms? NO WAY! So I set up a new preset with just a simple delay set to 45ms and 100% wet. Yep. 45 ms. DOH! I stand by what I said here: "With Helix set to a normal preset (with FX), at normal playing volume, pick noise inaudible, no more distraction. With backing track/streaming music, even KNOWING that the latency is there, it's no impediment to my practicing." It works for me, YMMV. However, I make no further claims to knowing what I'm talking about concerning latency. BTW - the IEM they referenced for comparison, the EW 300 IEM G3, is $999 at Sweetwater, and has the funky earbuds that jump out of your ears. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ gunpointmetal - glad it's working for you, it sounded awful to me. Maybe I'll give it another try, could've gotten a defective unit. Are you using the earbuds that came with it?

Peter - it was a joke. BUT... even quacks get it right sometimes, it's the mix of truth and fantasy that keeps their followers coming back. AND....the research, from prestigious universities and research groups IS out there. Google it! Personally, I'm more concerned about getting cancer from reading media reports on politics.... :) <----Smiley face

Most of this discussion has been carried out while I was on the road (I drive a truck, probably another reason my ears are less than perfect). Now I'm home, so I conducted further testing. With helix set to a pure, clean amp, no delay/reverb, no backing tracks/streaming music, with and without G10, XLR outs and S/PDIF going to the 18i20, Wired Sonys vs RS185: No difference between XLR and S/PDIF. No difference between G10 and guitar cable. Line6 apparently has excellent conversion tech. Thru the RS185 I can hear pick noise separate from the headphone content. That's latency. Thru the Sonys, none. At the low volume I used for this test it was mildly distracting. Don't know how much in ms, but I have a request in to Sennheiser support for specs. Not holding my breath. With Helix set to a normal preset (with FX), at normal playing volume, pick noise inaudible, no more distraction. With backing track/streaming music, even KNOWING that the latency is there, it's no impediment to my practicing. In summary: jnysen - Thanks for forcing me to test this, it's good to know, and now everyone who's been following this thread knows (there goes my free headset!). Considering your problem with return costs, you probably shouldn't bother with the RS185s. Someday, when miniaturization catches up with the IEM tech, we'll have TRULY wireless in-ears. I'm waiting with cash in hand! Meanwhile, if you find a better alternative (true wireless, no belt pack tether), please bump this thread. Thurston9 - Unless you have a similar problem with returns, go ahead and get the RS185s. They work great for practicing and, no, it doesn't affect my timing when practicing without headphones! SIDEBAR: Dr. Mercola (based on much scientific research), says that ALL wireless transmission tech causes cancer! SO, the question is - are we more concerned with brain cancer from our wireless IEMs, or testicular cancer from our wireless guitar transmitters? Food for thought..... :rolleyes:

What part of the world doesn't have Amazon? How much could the return freight be, even from Antarctica? Anyhow, more effort than I've time for to prove something I know works. How's this - my focusrite 18i20 has two headphone outs. With the RS185 in one and my wired Sony MDR-V6 in the other, I can't detect any difference in latency. They both sound good, just different. I actually prefer the sound of the RS185s, less fatiguing. Or this - As I understand this technology, digital wireless is binary (0 and 1) data encoded onto (into?) radio waves. Radio waves travel at the speed of light. At that speed, the only significant latency is that added by the AD/DA conversion at either end. You play a note. The analog signal goes thru the guitar cable to the Helix, where it's converted to digital (AD). After processing, the note is converted back to analog (DA) and sent out the Helix headphone jack, up the wire and into your wired headphones. Electricity (again as I understand it) moves at roughly the speed of light, depending on the conducting material. I could be missing something, I'm no rocket scientist, but it sounds like the wired connection could actually be SLOWER! In any case, at 10-20 feet, either method of transmission is damn fast! Using a G10 (or any digital guitar wireless) eliminates the guitar cable and adds an AD/DA conversion (2 conversions - G10 and Helix). I don't hear anybody worrying about guitar wireless latency. Adding the RS185 eliminates the headphone cable and adds another AD/DA conversion. Now you have 3 AD/DA conversions. At one time I'd've worried about how that affects the sound. But after comparing the S/PDIF from Helix to 18i20 (1 AD/DA conversion using cables) to the analog signal, with and without G10 and RS185, I can't hear any difference in latency OR audio quality. Now, I know there are people on this forum who can hear .05 cent difference in their guitar's tuning, and those folks can probably hear the difference an AD/DA conversion makes, never mind 2 or 3! but for most of us mere mortals, especially those of us who've spent years on stage in front of multiple Marshall stacks and animal drummers, it don't make that much difference. And finally, lest we lose sight of where this all began, we're talking about PRACTICING AT HOME, with CD's or streaming audio that's already been digitized, pasteurized, homogenized and osterized! Make the leap to total wireless freedom NOW! DISCLAIMER: I don't work for Sennheiser, but, considering the time I've put into this thread, if three people buy a set of these headphones based on what I've said here, I think they should give me a FREE second set. OH, BTW - did I mention that you can use 2 sets at once from one base unit? That means that, if your band is a duo, you CAN use them for rehearsal, or even performance if you don't mind looking really dorky!

A DAW measures the latency between the time the sound is converted (AD) at the interface input, and the time it's converted back (DA) at the interface output, as reported by the ASIO driver. It has no way of knowing how long it takes the signal to get from the guitar to the interface, or from the interface to the headphones. All I can say is that with G10 and RS185 (same basic transmission tech), it FEELS every bit as fast as a guitar cable and wired headphone. When I upgraded from i5 to 7th gen i7, my reported round trip latency (Sonar and 2nd gen focusrite 18i20 improved by about 7 ms, and I could tell, so I'm somewhat sensitive to latency. As I've said before, if you're seriously looking for this type of solution for home practice, buy them somewhere with a good return policy (you're not gonna find a try before you buy situation), and return them if they don't meet your requirements. Whadda ya got to lose?

Thurston - The high latency numbers for the Sennheisers were pure speculation by someone who had no direct experience with them. IT'S NOT TRUE! This from someone who actually owns them and uses them every day! YES, they ARE expensive.

Before I got the Sennheisers, I tried one of the "affordable" UHF IEMs, the Galaxy Audio AS900k. The rig was $200 on Amazon, and was getting better reviews than the comparably priced Nady rig. What I got was lots of noise, dropouts (in my living room!), and severe compression. The in-ears were not as good as the $35 earbuds I was using with my mp3 player. When I looked into what real in-ears cost, cheap ones are more than the whole unit, and forget the kind of custom mades that don't fall out of your ears! I returned the Galaxy the next day. If you'll be using IEMs with a band, it's like with any other pro gear, you suck it up and pay for the best you can swing. I won't be messing with the cheap ones again. Someone earlier speculated 20-30ms latency with the RS185s. Not! Full wireless with a G10, I can't feel any latency unless I concentrate on looking for it, and then I'm not sure it's not my imagination. And the sound is what you'd expect from quality headphones. They're not cheap ($400), but for home use they're great!

For performance or full on band rehearsal, I agree. It's not what they're designed for. But for personal practice with streaming audio, they're absolutely viable. Maybe, when you tried them (you DID try the RS185s, right?), you didn't like them. Me and mike like them just fine. If you're seriously looking for an ultra low latency wireless solution for personal practice, pick up a pair at Best Buy or somewhere else with a good return policy. You might just be surprised!

I'm setup like mike, using the G10. Even using a plugin (Sgear) and running thru a daw (Sonar, focusrite 2nd gen, i7), barely perceptible latency.

Sennheiser RS185 Digital, so virtually no latency. Excellent sound, little coloration. Comfortable. Not cheap, but I started with Best Buy and went thru two levels of Sonys before I settled on these.

I like ENGL amps. Used to have an E315 head that I wish I hadn't sold. So I might get another ENGL someday. I'm curious. How did your friend figure out which MIDI messages did what?

Most MIDI devices that are controllable from generic controllers respond to specific MIDI messages - PC,CC, NOTE or SYSEX. The mfr should be able to provide a "MIDI Implementation" chart to tell you which messages do what. I did a quick search online and at their website and couldn't find one. Your best bet is to check with ENGL support. If it responds to PC,CC or NOTE, then any pedalboard that can be programmed to send those messages should work. SYSEX is a different story.

The major wear on electronic circuits occurs during startup and shutdown, as the circuits heat and cool. Don't know about the screen and scribble strips.

mikisb - OP was questioning the properties of the Helix headphone out. This has come up more than once, so, no, the discussion isn't pointless. It's actually been rather informative. Also, I, and others, have stressed your point - High or Low Impedance, all our ears are different. The only way to find THE headphones for YOU is to BUY 'em and TRY 'em!

DaveDaveDave - It's all good! This is a great discussion. I never really looked into the difference between High and Low Impedance phones, just assumed it was another of those audio elitist things. I only ran across the Sennheisers when all of the cheaper wireless units either had too much latency or sounded like crap.

Oranges defined: AKG K-55 32 ohm 96db sensitivity 16hz-20khz frequency range Sony MDR-V6 63 ohm 106db sensitivity 5hz-30khz frequency range Sennheiser RS185 Digital/wireless - has it's own amp/transmitter 106db sensitivity 17hz-22khz frequency range The Sony, being higher impedance, takes more power to drive, has high sensitivity and wider frequency range. You'd think they'd be the best sounding. To me, they're irritating. The AKG is cheap and has the worst specs. They actually sound pretty good, but echoey. I like the RS185 best, AND they're wireless (digital, so latency is not an issue). All 3 oranges will bust your eardrums before they distort. Bottom Line - 2) Just like through the air FRFR (my Alto TS210 sounds totally different than my Rokit6 monitors), find a pair of headphones you like and go with those. AND - what cruisinon2 said. ALSO IF you can afford the 300-600 ohm variety of high impedance cans AND you like the way they sound THEN they're worth the MUCH higher price tag ELSE oranges might be just fine That said, my favorite (the RS185) was $400. Sometimes the expensive oranges just taste better B) !

I have 3 sets of phones: Sony MDR-V6 - I doubt if anyone would say that these suck. Yet, they sound the worst of the three with Helix. Small over ear design. Thin and unpleasant. AKG K-55 - purchased at GC for $20 back in the Pleistocene era. Ultra light, plasticky, very large over ear design. Nicer sounding than the Sony, but sound like you're playing in a giant, empty auditorium. Sennheiser RS-185 digital wireless - Smaller (between the Sony and AKG) over ear design. All around best sounding of the bunch. Also most expensive. Allowing, of course, for the subjectivity factor, and considering the A/B tests I did, I say: 1) There's nothing wrong with the Helix headphone out. 2) Just like through the air FRFR (my Alto TS210 sounds totally different than my Rokit6 monitors), find a pair of headphones you like and go with those.

https://smile.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Open-Back-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00004SY4H/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1492791117&sr=1-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd600 So, to get the headphone out from the Helix to sound good requires $400 headphones? I A/B'd my Sony MDR-V6 phones, direct from the Helix vs Helix through my Focusrite 18i20 headphone out. They sounded virtually the same. Awful. Methinks there's more to this than meets the ear!

I looked at the Engl manual. Your problem is that the savage uses a proprietary db25 midi connector, and can only be controlled via midi when using the Engl pedal board. You can probably change the channels with multiple 1/4" switches (see manual), but it looks like a royal PITA and you'll never be able to duplicate the (considerable) functionality of the engl controller. You spent a pile for this amp, get the proper controller and do it right!

Sounds like the MIDI Moose is on Channel 16. You can set the Helix to that channel, or From the MIDI Moose manual: The MIDI Moose is factory set at Channel 1. When you initially power up,“1c†will flash in the numerical display for a few seconds. If you want to change the MIDI channel on certain occasions but not save the change, hit the UP or DOWN footswitch accordingly while the channel setting is flashing.The MIDIMoose will then operate on the new channel until you disconnect and reboot.If the channel setting stops flashing before you have a chance to change it,disconnect the power source for at least 10 seconds. Reconnect the power source and continue as above. NOTE: the MIDIMoose will revert back to the last saved channel each time you power up. To change and save a different MIDI channel setting: 1. Depress the UP and DOWN footswitches simultaneously.The current MIDI channel number will flash (1c). 2. Use the UP or DOWN footswitch accordingly to get to the desired channel. 3. Depress the 1/6 footswitch to save the newly selected MIDI channel.When saved, the numerical display will stop flashing. After a few seconds, the MIDI Moose will display the last program number you were in. If you have two or more MIDI controlled processors linked together, be sure they and the MIDI Moose are all on the same channel. If you do not want a particular processor in the chain to accept program change information from the MIDI Moose, be sure to change that unit’s channel.