rd2rk

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.

Google "MIDI Basics". Here's one result:
http://tweakheadz.com/how-to-get-started-with-midi-and-the-difference-between-midi-and-audio-is-explained-along-with-many-other-core-concepts-for-building-a-home-recording-studio/
 
Could be TMI there. Here's the basic basics:
 
Channels
 
There are 16 MIDI channels. Channels allow you to send messages to specific devices in a MIDI setup. For instance, you could have your KPA "listening" on channel 1, a synth on channel 2 and another synth on channel 3. By using "Instant Commands" in the Helix Command Center, you could select a different preset (voice) on each by assigning different PC (Program Change) or CC (Continuous Controller) messages as needed. Channel 1=PC#032;Channel 2 = PC#079; Channel 3 = PC#002; etc.
 
Program Change
 
Used to select a specific preset or voice on the device listening on that channel. There are 128 PC#s available. Some devices respond to PC#s 001-128, some respond to PC#s 000-127. Helix/KPA uses 000-127.
 
Continuous Controller
 
Generally used to turn something on or off in a device preset, and/or to assign a value. CC#s and values range from 000-127. For instance, a specific CC# could turn a reverb on/off (usually, a CC VALUE of >064=ON and <64=OFF).
A MIDI expression pedal might be assigned to a volume control with a certain CC#, and send values of minimum 000 to maximum 127.
 
The KPA can use either PC#s OR CC#s to select presets, depending on whether you're in browse mode or performance mode.
 
The Helix, by default, sends a PC# on the "Base" channel when you select a preset. 01A sends PC# 000; 02C sends PC#006. You can turn this behavior off in GLOBALS/MIDI, MIDI PC SEND, in which case only the PC/CC#s assigned to Instant Commands will be sent (and CC#61, don't ask why, nobody knows). Helix will also, when selecting a preset automatically send any toggling CC assigned to a button (not normal CC or NOTEs). At this time, there's no way to turn that behavior off, though that capability has been requested on Ideascale.
 
There ya go, that's the basic basics as applies to the Helix/KPA. There's lots more, especially when you get into Synths (the TMI I spoke of), but this should get you started.
 
HAVE FUN!

With Windows, you can use one or the other, but not both. I've heard you can use two on a MAC (composite?), but that doesn't help you. If you'd like a long-winded discussion of the pros/cons of using one or the other, try this:
 
http://line6.com/support/topic/31613-record-dry-signal-and-wet-signal-at-same-time-with-separate-interface/
 
I don't use ProTools, but in Reaper and Sonar you can go into the Options or Preferences page and choose which driver to use, and HX Edit should continue to work regardless.

Replace "H9" with "Strymon"
 
If you want the H9 to RECEIVE on the Helix Base Channel (default CH1), go into GLOBAL/MIDI and set MIDI PC SEND to OFF. That prevents Helix from sending the default PC# for that Helix Preset, and sends ONLY the PC# you set in Command Center as an Instant Message (don't forget to save the preset!).
 
OR
 
Set the H9 to receive on a different channel than the Helix Base Channel, and set the Instant Message PC# to send on that channel.
 
ex: if Helix Base Channel = CH1, then set H9 to receive on CH2 and Instant message to send on CH2.

OK, how about this for $199?
 
https://smile.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-DacMagic100Silver-DACMagic-Silver/dp/B0078Q4FEG/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1513636933&sr=1-6&keywords=ad%2Fda+converters
 
Product description
DacMagic 100 is a mini marvel of digital engineering. Designed to significantly improve the sound quality of your existing digital music devices, DacMagic 100 is capable of extracting real hi-fi sound from all manner of gadgets. By simply connecting any device with a digital audio output - like Blu-ray players, Apple Macs, PCs, TVs and set-top boxes - DacMagic 100 digitally processes the audio signal, dramatically improving sound quality and reducing distortion in an instant. The result is greater detail, sparkling clarity and a real sense of scale and drama.

Never mind...don't know why I thought that the looper volume would be ON by default..... there's probably LOTS of people want to record silent loops.....just wish I hadn't undone all the silent loops I recorded while I was figuring this out, there was some great stuff there!

About 15 minutes later I did just that, everything imported just fine, it just didn't feel like telling me it was done!

You can use the looper switches to send MIDI, but the type/CC#s are fixed. See Advanced User Guide Appendix B.2.
 
Thanks to jamsden for the following:
 
There's no magic. Using the HD500 Editor app, you can assign MIDI messages to the 8 footswitches. But you'll also notice in the HD500 doc that when in Looper mode, the 7 of the 8 footswitches send a fixed MIDI message. FS4 is the only exception, it sends the same MIDI message in either mode and I suspect this is a bug because FS4 is suppose to turn the Looper block of and on, but doesn't. You can't change these Looper MIDI messages, but you can use them in apps like MainStage to control the MainStage looper or anything else. Just map the fixed MIDI messages to the controls/parameters in the computer app.
You enter Looper mode on the HD500 by pressing the dedicated Loop footswitch. There does have to be a Looper block in your patch for the Loop footswitch to put the pedal in looper mode. So you need to turn the looper volume all the way down so it doesn't conflict with whatever you are using the extra footswitches for.
This works great and gives you a total of 15 footswitches for MIDI messages.
jamsden
 

Save the preset ON THE HD. Then switch presets, switch back, and then check the settings ON THE HD.
 
Some people find HD Edit indispensable, I find it annoyingly quirky.
 
Also, if you're going to send output from MidiOx, please go to OPTIONS/DATA DISPLAY and un-check MONITOR OUTPUT:HEX so that we can have human readable data to look at!

Thanks, Realzap. I couldn't get it to work with f2, but figured out that it works the same way as renaming a preset - click pause click again, type name, press enter. When I made this bundle (my first), I'd used a lot of presets from customtone, saving and naming the set lists from the FILE Menu as I went, then bundling them. When I got the new amps I wanted to start fresh, so I tried to figure out how to "Clear" the set lists I didn't want. I wound up writing over all the presets in a set list with "New Tone", saved (from FILE Menu) the set list as BLANK SETLIST, then opened it in each of the set lists I wanted to clear. I saved it with a new bundle name, then loaded the new bundle. The save/bundle process renamed all the cleared set lists Set List 1, Set List 2, etc.(maybe it truncated the BLANK from the name and added a number?), which was OK by me. But when I sent it to the POD, although the presets sent fine, none of the set list names overwrote the names from the upgrade. No idea why that happened, but when I changed the names manually in Edit, they changed on the POD and were saved, no send process required. Anyhow, it's all good now, thanks for your help!