rd2rk

To the OP: I messed around with it a bit more and found a simpler way to do the BASIC Helix configuration. Matching it up to GR5 presets is still a PITA, but a little less so. To cruisinon2: I hear ya. But I also get where OP is coming from. In the end, it's all just sounds. GR was one of the first MIDI controllable amp sims, LONG before hardware sims. People actually made albums using GR. Still do, believe it or not. I started with GR2 and an FCB1010/UNO. Had Amplitube whatever version was out around the same time. I currently have both latest versions as well as BIAS AMP and FX, S-Gear, and TH3. I've had others too. Today I mostly use Helix, but I had/have favorite presets in all of those sims. It's not worth it to me to dedicate a setlist to sims, even if one were enough to cover all of the minor differences between them, but I still have the FCB and when I feel the need, I can load up whatever configuration I need and I'm ready to go! In fact, using Cantabile, I've set up MIDI filters that allow me to use one FCB configuration for all of the sims. I have a Cantabile rack that contains all of the aforementioned sims AND Helix AND synths AND EZDrummer. I like to think of it as "The World's Biggest Amp Simulator". Presently it takes up a lot of floor space, what with the Helix and the FCB, but if I DID decide to dedicate a Helix setlist, I COULD run the whole thing from the Helix (and a Korg nanoKontrol for rotaries/sliders/extraneous buttons). WHY would I want to do any of that? Because I CAN! Also, it's the kind of programming puzzle an ex-IT guy like me enjoys.

Here's the problem. Each Helix preset has to be custom configured to match the ON/OFF status of the specific effects in a corresponding GR5 preset. GR5 responds unpredictably (if at all) to CC#s sent with Program Changes (PC#s), which the Helix does by default (for any footswitch assigned a TOGGLING CC#) when PC SEND is ON in GLOBALS. Therefore, each Helix preset has to be totally custom created to match a SPECIFIC GR5 preset. You have ten buttons on the Helix to which you can assign a TOGGLING CC#. There are many dozens of effects in GR5. Therefore, either you: 1) decide on a maximum of ten GR5 effects to use in ALL of your presets, and assign them CC#s GLOBALLY (LOCKED) in GR5; or 2) in each GR5 preset you individually LEARN the CC# for whatever effects you want to use in that preset. The advantage of the first method is that you can create ONE Helix preset with most of the required settings, customize the scribble strips with the ten effect names, then copy it to all of the presets in that setlist. Then you assign a PC# INSTANT COMMAND to each preset in the setlist (Helix preset#01A=PC#000=GR5 Preset #001), since PC SEND must be set to OFF in GLOBALS/MIDI to prevent Helix from sending the assigned TOGGLING CCs by default, which can produce unpredictable results in GR5. BTW - this is only a problem in GR5. Amplitube, S-Gear and TH3 work fine with the default behavior, which simplifies this considerably. Each of the ten (or 8) footswitches in each Helix preset has to be saved ON or OFF to match the SPECIFIC GR5 preset to which it corresponds (so that it reflects the status of the effects and will be ready to TOGGLE the effects ON/OFF as required). Each footswitch needs to be assigned a TOGGLING CC# and the scribble strips customized with the name of the GR5 effect that it is assigned to. This is another thing that needs to be done individually if you use the second method (all GR5 effects available). In GR5, you need to set up a new TAG (MY PRESETS?). If you're planning to use more than one TAG in GR5 (requiring more than one setlist in Helix), you'll need to set the INSTANT COMMAND that calls the GR5 preset to also send MSB=OFF;LSB=GR5 TAG #. The GR5 Tags are numbered from 0. If one TAG is sufficient, you can do that in each Helix preset OR just remember to switch to your MY PRESETS TAG when you open GR5. I've probably forgotten something, but as you can see, using the Helix to control an amp sim is, at best a PITA! Should you choose to go down this particular rabbit hole, I'll be happy to answer any other questions that you WILL have! GOOD LUCK! *The Unnecessary step that I removed - (You need to assign a low DSP Helix effect to each of ten blocks (that can be saved and copied to all of the presets in that setlist). )

OH CRAP! It's worse than that! Now it's dropping out WITHOUT a digital suspect! I thought, "well maybe it's my G10?", so I swapped to a cable, no joy! Seems like the whole unit is dying!

Sometimes drops would be sudden and total, sometimes the dropouts would start with staticky in-n-out, then total silence. The latter is what happened this time. What's worrying is that I'd thought that it was fixed, as it hadn't happened since the update. I've also been having a (not new) problem with random static and pops, seemingly just on the 1/4" outs. So I'm back to using XLR to my interface/mixer. Not that I can hear all that much difference between analog and digital outs, but I want what I paid for, d## it!

I thought that, surely, OP must have misspelled frfr! But no! the term returns no search results! FORUM GUYS - better you should find out WHY the old forum was crashing and fix it, than continue with this ugly and minimally useful piece of junk! OH, WAIT! It shows the first letter of our names! NEVER MIND! What's functionality and readability compared to that? Aw, who cares anyway. The Helix Thread on the Gearpage forum actually gets read by real L6 people, who actually respond to users. Why should we expect ANYTHING from the OFFICIAL L6 Helix forum? END RANT EDIT: Oh yeah, organization of topics vs random posts. Reply by Triryche implies that they're working on it. Patience....

On the other hand, it hasn't totally crashed......yet!

NO, IT"S NOT FIXED!!! I'm reinstating my support ticket, will report back.

They said it was fixed in 2.54. IT"S NOT FIXED!!!!!

I haven't used midi for a while, so I can't say for sure when this changed, but it used to be that, by default, with the default global midi settings (PC Send ON), each time you selected a new preset Helix would send: CC#61 - for no reason that anyone has been able to explain Bank MSB 0 Bank LSB 32 PC# corresponding to that Helix Preset (01a=0;01b=1;01c=2;01d=3) ANY TOGGLING CC#s set in Command Center for ANY buttons in that preset Any INSTANT Commands This was VERY consistent. If you set PC Send OFF, then the default PC# and MSB/LSB settings would not send, but everything else remained the same. I went into the Helix to try and duplicate your problem. You can see what the Helix is ACTUALLY sending using a midi monitoring program such as MIDIOX (FREE!) if you're using a PC, I don't know what a similar MAC program is called, but there is one out there. There are also plugins that can be used with a DAW or VST Host. The Helix no longer behaves as I described. With the defaults, depending on which preset in the bank that you call, the following presets called might send any or all of the settings that used to be sent consistently. I tried various combinations and the results were all over the place. What this means to you is that SOMETHING has definitely changed in Helix midi-land! I recommend that you get a midi monitoring utility such as MIDIOX and test your settings. If it's not behaving as expected, document your experiments (screenshots from MIDIOX could be helpful) and open a support ticket.

Victor is a troll. If he wasn't, he'd have responded to the many "open a support ticket" posts as follows: "I have opened a support ticket, and will report back when I get a definitive answer from L6 SUPPORT." The closest he's come is suggesting that I do it for him! He won't open a support ticket because he's a TROLL! Why are we feeding the TROLL?

Are you using the ME pedal specifically made for L6 products? Or the generic one?

Here's what I'M curious about....HAVE YOU OPENED A SUPPORT TICKET? Or are you just another TROLL, who'll continue to hang around jerking our chains and insulting us until we stop responding? HAVE YOU OPENED A SUPPORT TICKET? If so, since you refuse to believe anything anybody here says, PLEASE refrain from posting again until you get an answer FROM SUPPORT! Curious people want to know, and YOU ARE THE EMISSARY!

You've wired it wrong? 4cm (where X=the Helix LOOP# being used): Guitar->Helix Input->Helix Send X->Amp Input->Amp Send->Helix Return X->Helix 1/4 L/Mono->Amp Return OR You forgot to put a LOOP block in the signal chain (LOOP X)

If no one had responded at all, would that have made you happier than hearing a truth (no one KNOWS) that has now been repeated to you multiple times by multiple people. Or would you have thought that we were unresponsive, unfriendly, uncaring and mean? That we didn't care ABOUT THE DETAILS doesn't mean that we didn't care FOR your question. YOU inferred that. No one KNOWS. BUT...somebody famous once said that "it's better to know than to not know" (Spenser?). So maybe you're right! Why don't you open a support ticket, then come back and share the results. Then we'll all KNOW, even if we DON'T care....

Not to mention that you've insulted everybody that's TRIED to help you....

The THON or the SWAN?

The Alto is 1100w Peak, 550w rms, 127db SPL, 28.4 lbs. Headrush is 2000w Peak, 1000w rms, 131db SPL, 35.8lbs. I have a TS212. It's LOUD and, so far, dependable. If I was buying today, I'd go for the Headrush. It's LOUDER. Time will tell on dependability.

Likewise, I thought the THON with the space at the back of the helix looked good. Also looked better fitted to the unit. The Swan looks like the helix just sets on the bottom of the case, not nested in. When you get the Swan, post back with quality comparison to the THON. For the extra bucks, is there a real difference in build?

Looks like the same case to me. $50 more than the THON, and doesn't look as well fitted as the THON.

Is this the one you're talking about? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Flight-Case-for-Line-6-Helix-FX-Pedal-Board/222359567785?epid=2120237740&hash=item33c5a9bda9:g:wFkAAOSwxyJaoBF5

Details?

Did I hear a rumor that Yamaha is hiring programmers from the Microsoft Update team? (Insert emoticons for TERRIFIED! and tongue-in-cheek)

Unfortunately, rolling back to 2.53 UN-FIXES the S/PDIF dropout problem. OK if you don't use S/PDIF, not so much if you do (I do!). Hope they fix it soon. Or, they could eliminate the NEED for external tuners by fixing the D@#$%d Helix tuner.....

Me too!!! I have the floor model. They fixed the S/PDIF problem and broke the tuner! AARGH!!!

You've now heard from many of the most active members of this forum, who mostly agree that: 1) We don't KNOW/don't much CARE, because 2) We think that the defaults are what L6 considers the norm, and 3) No one from L6 is likely to answer your question on this forum Here's an idea - maybe you're asking in the wrong place? Why don't you open a support ticket and ASSERT YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW! I, for one, would LOVE to see how THAT turns out.....