rd2rk

"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.

If you want to OVERDRIVE something, put the gain pedal before it. If you want to BOOST THE OUTPUT LEVEL of the whole rig, put it last. Some folks like their wah after their overdrives. I've never heard of anyone putting it after the amp. For me, it sounds best first in the signal chain. So, you have a dilemma. The wah sounds best early in the chain, and, as a level boost, you need to put the Pig last. I would put the wah between the guitar and the Helix, and the Pig between the Helix and the amp.

Not offended guys - thanks for the help. Rocco - I took your suggestion to try and record the phenom, recording into Sonar via USB 1/2 from the Helix. IT DOES NOT RECORD! The recorded sound is perfect! Yet, direct monitoring (Helix to Rokits OR DAW to Rokits - the levels are different so I know which I'm hearing from the Rokits - while I'm playing/recording is wonky! Here's the setup: Guitar into Guitar input, bass into AUX. 1/4" out to Alto speaker, XLR to KRK Rokits. I took a split off the end of Path 2 (Input AUX/BASS - same results if I run the test with Guitar from Path 1), sending the 1/4" Out on 2A to the Alto and 2B Out to USB 1/2. Sonar input channel set to 1/2 Stereo (HELIX USB Out Centered, makes no difference Right or Left). Globals - "USB In 1/2 Destination" set to XLR (default?), all else at defaults (I think - don't remember changing anything). This is interesting since, as I mentioned (and I tried it again just to be sure I'm not crazy), using a EHX Pitch Fork set up Bass to Pitch Fork to regular guitar amp (or direct to the Alto) no Helix, same problem, using Guitar or bass. So, it seems that, regardless of which Pitch device I use into what system, Audio reproduction is weird, but digital recording (Helix as interface, don't have another to test simple guitar/PF/DAW) is perfect! In all of these tests I've listened VERY carefully for the acoustic string sound, the third sound I mentioned, which, at low volume, is distinctly audible. At higher volumes, the shifted sound drowns out both the string sound (with or without headphones) and the unshifted sound, but the unshifted sound is still there, just not amplified as is the shifted sound. I realize that the experiments with the Pitch Fork direct to amp takes this out of the realm of a strictly Helix problem, so I guess that what I'm really looking for are any ideas as to why it should be an Audio vs Digital thing. I know, it makes no sense. And yet, it is. I'm still entertaining the parallel universe theory......

Gonna BUMP this in hopes that one of the Line6 guys will give it a shot....

I agree, it doesn't really sound like "the real deal" in every case, though, if you spend enough time tweaking it, on YOUR system, you MIGHT be able to get close. But, unless you actually OWN the real deal, how can you know? And, unless you know what post processing was done on the recordings you're comparing it to, how can you expect any other result? You're right, the Helix sounds better, that's why I sold my HD. But the fact is, the Helix only sounds like the real deal after you spend a bunch of time tweaking on YOUR system, to sound like what YOU THINK the real deal sounds like. However, since you can't afford a Helix, you certainly can't afford the other competitors, so the POD HD is the best bang for the buck you can get. The bottom line: can you make sounds that are pleasing to YOU, never mind the real deal. Unless you're a recording engineer trying to mimic a specific sound EXACTLY, who cares. Even if you're in a cover band trying to sound just like Joe Superstar, 1 - consider that LOTS of people have been using the POD for just that, and 2 - the audience won't notice, as long as you get "close enough for Rock'n'Roll". If it sounds good, ROCK IT!