rd2rk

Download and read the latest manual (Rev C). With your background in IT your biggest problem will be that the authors have a sense of humor. In brief, a snapshot is a preset within a preset. It remembers the bypass status of the effects that are assigned to the switches by default, and pretty much any parameter can be assigned to Snapshot Control, which is NOT the default. Once assigned, when you SAVE the Snapshot (by SAVING the PRESET), the parameters will reset to the values saved in any given Snapshot. There are behavioral modifiers in Global Settings, so RTM to understand these. Unfortunately, there are only 4 Snapshots available per Preset (vs 8 in the LT/Floor/Rack and 6 in the HXStompXL). However, each FS can be assigned to control up to 64 parameters. So, when you turn on/off an effect you can also change the parameters of other fx without using a Snapshot. For instance, when you engage a Distortion you might want to lower the overall Output Level so you'd assign that parameter to the same FS and set MIN/MAX (Distortion ON/OFF) levels for it. You can only assign one control method to any given parameter. So, either FS or SS, but not both. AS I'm sure your experience in IT has taught you (my background also), the more powerful a SW or device is, the more complicated it's use becomes. RTM!

Note Frequencies: G 49.00 G♯/A♭ 51.91 A 55.00 A♯/B♭ 58.27 B 61.74 C 65.41 C♯/D♭ 69.30 D 73.42 D♯/E♭ 77.78 E 82.41 Lowest note of a guitar Low E in standard tuning = 82.41 Lowest note in Drop C = 65.41 I think you're safe either way.

The main APPARENT difference between the Alto and HR is that the Alto has preamps for direct use with microphones. They're BOTH "FRFR". When I got my FRFR112 I engaged their support staff in a painfully lengthy discussion over what exactly their marketing folks meant by "tuned for guitar". They either could not or would not provide an answer, which to me translates as "It's meaningless marketing BS". Yet, in the one YT comparison I saw between the FRFR112 and the Alto TS212, using music playback (not guitar playing), they sounded very different, the TS212 being MUCH better sounding in the context of MUSIC PLAYBACK. So, if you also use them for DJ work, go with the Alto. Speaker size in this context (different for guitar amps) has mainly to do with the amount of air being pushed, which translates roughly to SPL (total max volume). A pair of FRFR108 cabs will have MORE than enough for your needs. There have been a number of YT vids by Metal Heads who like them just fine. If you interpreted my previous post to be intended to disparage you from going with the FRFR108, it was not. My intent was to provide points for your consideration.

Most any PA speaker is Full Range (20-20khz). Unless you're very well off you can't afford the kind of studio monitors that come CLOSE to being truly Flat Response. And studio monitors aren't going to be much use in live performance. So, when some sales person says "Get this, it's FRFR! You NEED that with a modeler!" you immediately know that they're at best FOS. Now as to your real question "What's best for use with a modeler in home/jam/small bar/party scenarios?" Many players like the FRFR108, but some say they're "boomy". If you go this way, get them off the floor with a pair of short PA speaker stands. I had the Alto TS210 and didn't like it. I have the FRFR112. It's a pretty good BASS amp. Fact is, what I don't like about "FRFR" speakers is the effect that the HF Drivers have on distorted tones. They're fine for CLEAN tones but add "fizz" to distorted tones. For guitar I use a PC212+ in RAW or Speaker Emulation mode (no HF Driver). BUT - see below... Yes, yes, EQ, blah blah. Guitar amps sound like guitar amps because guitar speakers start to attenuate the hi frequencies around 5k. It's a gradual attenuation, but there's not much being reproduced above 10-12k. Since most adults can't hear much above 15k anyway, what's the point of having a hi-frequency driver to bring the range up to 20khz? Unless you LIKE fizzy overdrive sounds? IOW - it's a marketing myth that you NEED FRFR speakers for use with a guitar modeler! So, what to do? What's your budget? What kind of music do you play? A guitar amp with an FX Loop allows you to plug the modeler into the amp's power amp (FX Loop Return). A tube guitar amp will color the tone more than a SS amp. Short of HEAVY Metal, an open back cab provides good tone and a good sound spread for small rooms. IMO, HEAVY Metal chugga-chugga sounds better through a closed back cab but closed back cabs tend to be more directional than open back cabs. A high quality designed for guitar SS amp (Quilter?) and a 1 or 2-12 convertible (removable back panel) cab with relatively wide range speakers (Kappalite neo?) could be just the thing, but pricey. I recently bought a Catalyst100. Since I don't play HEAVY Metal the open back cab sounds great. You can probably pick up a Katana50 amp REALLY cheap. Heck, get two and have STEREO! In either case, you don't NEED to use the amp's front end, just plug your Helix into the amp's FX Loop Return. The additional front-end amps/fx are icing and a great back-up if your Helix takes a dive. These are things you need to think about. Nobody can tell you what will sound best TO YOU. Sometimes you just need to find a way to check out the options and decide for yourself. Whatever you decide, if it's a guitar amp don't forget the FX Loop, and whatever it is, GET IT OFF THE FLOOR!

Unless there's a grounding (hum) problem. Then the ground switch on the DI comes in handy.

I'm not sure what the problem is. Did you try the Dual ST Paths preset I attached?

Attached example preset. L/Mono Out to amp return. Left send (TIP) to DI to FOH. You put the IR in the path, pull it down to split the paths, then pull down the MERGE block to split the outputs. karakartal.hlx

Click on the upper path's output block. In the EDIT pane select Path 2A. You now have the full processing power of BOTH processors at your disposal. Move your amp to Path 2A and split the path there to get your parallel amps.

Well, with both inputs in use, if you stand too close to the HXS it's possible that your pants might catch on fire, so keep an eye out for that. :-) The HXS Paths are stereo. Note that I said paths, plural. If you plug a guitar into the L/Mono, it will be on both L and R Channels. If you plug a guitar into the R jack it will be on the R Channel only. If you plug in 2 guitars one will be on the L Channel and the other on the R Channel. If the first block is mono, you now have both instruments combined in mono. If the first block is stereo, you now have both instruments combined in stereo. In either case they are no longer discrete L/R signals to discrete L/R outputs. In order to have two instruments in discrete paths you need to split the paths and hard pan them at the split. You then have 2 discrete stereo paths and can put totally different stereo effects on each path. When you merge the paths before the stereo outputs the L channels of paths A and B will go LEFT and the R channels will go RIGHT. Check out the attached demo preset. The signals enter the HXS with the guitar in the LEFT (L/Mono Input) channel and the bass in the RIGHT (RIGHT Input) channel. At the split the signals are hard panned. The guitar goes to Path A in stereo. The bass goes to Path B in stereo. When the signals hit their respective amps, they are collapsed to mono. The next block in each path is stereo, so the signals are restored to stereo. When the stereo signals from both paths hit the merge the left channels are combined and sent to the left out, the right channels are sent right. In this way you can have two people jamming in stereo with entirely separate amps and stereo effects. Now, suppose you wanted each instrument to have independent stereo monitors on stage. If you pull down the MERGE block Path A is stereo to outputs 1/2 and Path B is stereo to the SENDS (3/4 if using USB for recording). Your pants will NOT catch on fire unless the jam is REALLY HOT! Finally, if your needs are very simple and you choose your FX with DSP in mind, you COULD play your entire gig with acoustic and electric using a couple of variations of the attached preset. You really don't need all of that tomfoolery with the sends and fx loops. Think of it like this - if you were in a recording studio you'd plug your VPDI directly into the board and the engineer would add effects as necessary. That's exactly what you're doing here with the HXS as the board and no overpaid engineer telling you what HE thinks you should sound like! I know, that's a lot more info than you asked for, but WTH. How the HXS routes stereo is one of the most important and most misunderstood functions of the HXS and applies across the board on all Helix family devices AND Native. Thank You, and Good Night! Dual St Paths.hlx

That'll work. The tuner takes signal from either input. Just don't forget to hit the mute switch on the VPDI when you switch to your electric preset!

Whatever sounds GOOD to YOU is, in fact GOOD! To ME, both of those presets sounded awful, and the only way I could see to improve them would be to change the things I mentioned. Again, it's YOUR ears that you have to please, not mine. For all I know, in the context of your band, those settings might be perfect.

An IR (Impulse Response) is a type of Cab Sim. You would replace the CAB Block with an Impulse Response Block. People who post on Customtone (and know what they're doing) will use a stock cab sim even if they designed the tone with an IR because there's millions of IRs out there and they've no way of knowing if you have the one they used on your computer. If not, when you load the Preset you'll get an "IR Not Found" error. To replace the Stock Cab with an IR, first obtain the recommended IR or load an IR into the HXS IR list from your collection that you think might sound good. Then replace the CAB Block with an IMPULSE RESPONSE Block and select your IR. You get a choice of 1024 or 2048. 2048 is marginally better but uses more DSP. If the 2048 option is dimmed it means you don't have enough DSP available, use the 1024 setting. Note that the 1024/2048 option is an internal Helix thing, they're not two separate IRs. Note also that if you've no idea what I'm talking about you REALLY need to RTM ;-) .

Half-a$$ed guitarist since 1960. Semi-pro bassist since 1963. TBH - I play bass thru an ancient ME-50B. More options than I've ever needed and right there, easily accessible. Much easier to get a good bass sound out of than my Helix. Not that it can't be done. It just feels like using an AR-15 to go rabbit hunting.

Acoustic>VPDI Input>VPDI FX Send>HXS L/Mono Input (set to LINE or INST whichever works better with the VPDI SEND)>HXS FX>HXS FX Loop L>HXS FX Send L/Mono Out>VPDI FX Return>VPDI Out>HXS Return L>HXS Output Block>HXS Outputs>Powered Speakers That gives you signal at the HXS Input which is where the tuner gets it's signal.

DUDE! You've got the treble and presence dimed, the mids scooped, the bass down AND a Rat, which cuts the bass even more and is DESIGNED to make an amp sound HARSH. OF COURSE it's harsh! All you need to put icing on this cake is to plug in a strat! Wait - you're not playing a strat, are you?

That can work. Also try @Kilrahi's suggestion about using the HP out with the global setting for "Volume Controls" set to Phones.

Mono into two outs = dual mono so yes. Keep in mind that you want a consistent level to FOH. The Volume knob on the HXS will affect BOTH outs and controlling your stage level from the back of a powered monitor is a PITA. A better idea is to place a SEND at the end of your chain with SEND and DRY THRU parameter both set to 0db (UNITY). Run the send into a DI for FOH. This way the Volume knob controls your STAGE level and FOH gets a consistent signal. Consistent, that is, to the extent that you've levelled all of your presets up to the Output Block! IOW - the SEND needs to see the same level between presets at the LOUDEST (lead tone, all boosts, ODs etc engaged and hitting the strings as hard as you ever do). You can route the SEND to an external AI and use the meters or a LUFS app in the DAW or do it by ear using your powered monitor from the SEND instead of the Main Outs.

Yes, it works great. TIPS: After recording I usually route the Dry track to another (or several) tracks with Native or some other VST loaded on the track. That way I get several different re-amped tracks to compare or combine. If you use WAH or Volume effects, or change presets or snapshots in different parts of the song, be sure to record a MIDI track. Then you can repeat the effects/changes in the re-amped tracks. Don't forget to enable Snapshot CC Send in Global>MIDI.

Here's a sample "comparison" preset. You can use it to compare amps, cabs and mics. SS1 is both amps & cabs, one panned full left, the other full right. SS2 is the amp & cab on Path A. SS3 is the amp & cab on Path B. In all three snapshots you'll hear the amp(s) in both speakers since after the MERGE the signal is stereo, collapsed to (dual) mono in SS2 &SS3. The panning is done in the MERGE block. Rarely will the stock settings of two amps be at the same level. Rarely will the stock settings of two cabs be at the same level. Rarely will two mics give the same apparent level. To minimize variables, use the CHANNEL VOLUME on the amps (does not affect tone) to level the signals. If you add anything AFTER the merge (a simple ROOM reverb adds a bit of "room" feel), be sure to use a STEREO effect. I created this preset on an HXS which is why there's only one main path. You may need to route Path 1 to Path 2 to use anything other than the Legacy reverbs. 357Mag.hlx

Copy a "New Preset". Paste it over the one you want to "delete". Done!

I have an old Hotmail account that I haven't used for years. I ran into an old friend who I haven't seen for about that long and she said she'd been trying to contact me at that account. Apparently during one of the updates it got disconnected from my main MS account (which I've had for decades). I contacted MS and they linked me to a "Recovery" app that asks a bunch of questions that can't be answered unless you have access to the account. Yep, Catch-22!

Then why don't I (or many thousands of other Helix users) have this problem? We're all using the same SW/FW. You've had this problem over several updates, and L6 replicated it over two years ago? What's their latest explanation for why only SOME units (including theirs) have this problem? And why it hasn't been fixed? I don't mean to be attacking you, but this whole thing baffles me. It makes NO sense!

Well then mine must be a more perfect than perfect specimen, because I ain't got no problems like you got with yours! How do you explain THAT? Are you located on a convergence of major ley lines?

That has GOT to be a defective unit.

First, RTM. If you'd at least looked at it you'd know that the X on the lower path means there's no Input (that's the INPUT Block). Now give us some details. Two amps. What kind? Same make and model? Guitar amps? Power amps? FRFR? Same speaker cabs? If you're using guitar amps and speaker cabs, why are using Helix amps and cabs? If they're guitar amps they might have FX Loops. Do you want to run them in 4cm? (RTM) Do you want to run them in stereo? Dual Mono? Need more info. Did I mention RTM? I'm not just being snarky. Lots of people come here with questions because the manual confused them. We're happy to answer questions, but reciting the manual to you page by page is a whole 'nother thing!