njglover

That makes sense. I think I'm slowly figuring it out. Really digging the options. I wish there was a way to turn the Variax back off automatically, though. I use the magnetic pickups most of the time (they are really quite good).

No, I am looking specifically at the Variax input block. The Variax settings can be applied as global or per preset.

What is the difference? I cannot find this explained anywhere in the manual and would like to know what each actually does.

Alright, taking all this info and submitting a ticket.

I've done testing on that, too. It does not seem to matter whether or not it has multiple assignments. It happens on presets with split paths, single paths, single assignments, multiple assignments... but so far, only presets saved to setlist 3. For what it's worth, I have completed reloaded that setlist and rebooted the Helix so it would rebuild it, same problem.

Hmmm, it also only seems to happen with presets in setlist 3. I can't seem to get it to happen in other setlists (I use 3 for the band I play guitar, 4 for the band I play bass, and 5 for some general purpose presets). That seems to be the only common factor.

Yes, but that's fine. I don't set them THAT different - they are made to compliment each other. Panning to one side without a second amp just means half the audience doesn't hear you at all, which is far worse than hearing a slightly different tone.

I have a Helix Floor, but yes, everything otherwise operates normally. It's odd and not particularly repeatable. For example, I might load up one preset and the first time I switch something, the icon changes, but from then on NONE of the icons will change state. But if I switch to a different snapshot within that preset, even if I am not actually taking advantage on snapshots on that preset, I can then switch effects and the icons will behave normally. I though maybe this would behave similarly to the EXP 2 glitch from 2.10, so I saved the preset again after switch through the snapshots a couple times (though, notably, I did not save each snapshot as I wasn't really using them) and it seemed to go away. But then I came back to the preset later and it was bugged again. Similarly, other presets that were behaving normally might now not be. Upon further testing, it seems simply hitting the Mode button to switch to snapshots mode is what fixes it. After doing that, even if I don't select another snapshot, the icons behave normally again.

That was what did it for me. I was never all that excited about the Variax, but my bandmate got one to go with his Helix and I was very impressed with its playability and general good tones. It's not perfect, though. The low E string has a weird, metallic resonance to it when using the modeled sounds that many people have experienced. I suspect it is easily remedied, but haven't dived into it that much as I only use modeled sounds for one song so far and it hasn't been that big a deal to me. It's integration with the Helix is a really killer feature, though. Can switch between models and even volume/tone knob settings at the push of a button. It's pretty crazy.

Some people hear the same problem on the A string coming through the output of the guitar. Others, like me, do not. That means it is a mechanical problem that exists on some users' guitars and not on others. No two guitars are exactly identical, thus what is rattling or vibrating on mine may not be doing the same on yours. On top of that, we are also comparing several different models of guitar that are also equipped with several different types of bridge. Thus, the cause of the problem cannot possibly be the same on all these guitars. If we were all using the exact same model and all of us had the exact same problem, that could potentially indicate it is a firmware problem, but it could also indicate that it is just bad hardware design. The fact of the matter is that we are not all using the same model and we do not all have exactly the same problem - some experience it more than others or even not at all - so it cannot possibly a firmware problem since that is the one thing that IS exactly the same on all our guitars. Further, if you listen to the sound that comes out of the string with your ears instead of with a frequency analyzer, it just sounds like a mechanical noise. It sounds like a metallic vibration or scraping. Again, I was a professional guitar tech. This is a sound I am familiar with and it does have a mechanical cause. You can MASK it with firmware, perhaps, but that does not actually fix the problem, which should be the goal. If all the guitars are using the same gauge of string and those strings are the same age, the same composition, and all the hardware on the guitars in question are the same, then this could potentially be true. But the mass, composition, and age of the string as well as the composition and mass of the various components of the guitar the string are connected to will (must) alter the frequencies. That's just physics. If the frequency was actually exactly the same in all cases, that would seem to indicate that the firmware is adding a noise that is not there, which seems incredibly unlikely. This is not some grand Line 6 conspiracy to be unhelpful and leave you with bad guitars. I think they have simply given up because no one is willing to accept the ideas they have suggested.

Updated the OP to include some closing thoughts on having used the Helix for 9 months as my only piece of gear.

I've started using stereo recently, but only for doubling so that we can have a bigger sound. It's never a good idea to do much beyond that for live for most of the reasons above - live mixes are generally going to be mono to make sure no one is left out. Doubling gets around this because it is more or less the same signal going left and right, so it's effectively still mono (even though I am running it through two different amps so it doesn't sound mono).

That wouldn't work at all, you can't have trails from one preset to another and if you did it wouldn't be any different. You can solve the problem by just using a different delay, though that will use more DSP. It's just the way it is. If you want to change the tempo of the delay, it's going to sound like you are changing the tempo.

Technically I suppose. I think of controllers as physical buttons, but you are correct.

I'm not sure that it will be possible. Trails work by allowing the effect to continue for a time even after it has been switched off. If the parameters change on the effect, then of course you are going to hear it because the effect is still active. You could potentially program it so that if trails is set to on and the next change is bypass that it waits until after it is fully off before switching parameters, but I'm not sure if trails are a fixed length or determined by the delay settings, so this might not be feasible.

I don't believe it has to be set to "per preset," though that may still be the better way to use it. It will work just fine set to global. You also do not need to assign it to a controller. Just press and turn the model knob and that enables it for snapshot use, then you can swap models however many times you want. If you are NOT using snapshots, then you will want to assign it to a controller, but then you can only toggle between two models.

Yes, I always follow the instructions to the letter. It has already rebuilt my presets. Hmmmm. I will give it another couple times and see if things "settle," then reflash. Everything still works, and I don't normally use the screen for reference when playing a gig anyway, but it would be nice to have things working.

Since updating to 2.11, I am noticing that blocks that I have assigned to footswitches to not display their bypass state correctly. What I mean is that it will still bypass/engage, but the icon for it on the screen stays bright. This happens in, as far as I can tell, all of my presets. When I load the preset, everything is displayed as it was saved, but I step on a switch for, say, an overdrive and that switch becomes bright, as normal, and the block icon becomes bright, but if I press the switch again, the icon stays bright even though the effect bypasses and the footswitch LED goes dim. I updated following the normal procedure, as I do every update. Have never had this happen with previous updates. Anyone else?

I cannot believe Miroslav is still arguing so many pages into this thread. I just picked up a JTV89 that also has the 6th string problem and I am determined to fix it. As a former pro guitar tech myself, I am confident that I will be able to. Having only had one day with the guitar so far, here are my two cents: -It is not a firmware problem. Saying it could be fixed with a firmware update is not only unrealistic, but that isn't even a true fix. That is compensating for a mechanical problem and not truly fixing it. Since the problem is undeniably mechanical in nature, the exact compensation needed may vary from instrument to instrument, so one firmware "fix" to rule them all is likely impossible. Maybe my guitar needs a notch filter at 2.1 kHz but yours needs a notch at 2.3 kHz. One should always fix the root cause, not mask it with filters. -The noise is almost certainly due to some kind of sympathetic vibration (which may in term be causing a rattle). Potential sources - strings behind the nut (in fact, I know that contributes, but it is not the only cause), string behind the saddle, and potentially an improper fit of the string to the saddle. Strings behind the nut and behind the saddle are... annoying, but easy to fix (even expensive guitars have this, I had a lot of irritating noises like that on my Music Man Luke III) - I have used adhesive window insulation before (comes in a roll) that worked great, but will likely need something smaller for the bridge portion. The saddle fit is also easily remedied, just need a file as previously suggested. I agree that it's annoying that Line 6 is not better about fixing the issue in house, but there are only so many things that could be causing it. To answer the question of "Why doesn't the A string do it?" if it hasn't already been answered - well, the A string is less thick, it probably sits in the saddle like it's supposed to. Additionally, it has less mass and does not vibrate as much. There may be a lot of fancy electronics in this guitar, but it is still just a guitar and guitars are not complicated things.

It sounds to me like something is set wrong on the Helix. I always use XLR out to my K10, but you should also be able to use 1/4" just the same. Make sure you don't have your paths split and running one to the output and the other only to digital or something.

Glad to hear that the EXP issue is fixed. Just picked up a Variax and haven't set it up with Helix at all yet, so I guess I am fortunate in that my old Variax settings won't get messed up since I had none.

I use mine with a passive guitar and an active bass and I absolutely love it. Haven't had a single problem with it. And I'm super lazy, I don't charge it very often. I should, but... truthfully, I have gone probably 2-3 weeks without bothering to charge it despite several 2-3 hour practice sessions in there. Still kicking. Which reminds me, I have a gig tomorrow, I should probably charge it...

I have run in-ears directly off the Helix. It works pretty well. If everyone else has stage volume, then there's not much reason to put anything else in your ears, honestly, as you can turn yourself up and down to compensate. But if you want to, I have used a path to run a mic into the mic in on the Helix and send it only to my ears for a more natural balance. I have moved away from that so that I have full DSP for guitar and am instead using a small mixer that can take a stereo feed from the Helix and a mic in (or line in) for monitoring everyone else. For one of my bands, we use our own X32, so I can run a feed from the mixer, but for the other band, direct from the Helix and maybe the mic in is what I always use and it works well.

I usually save as bundles, but this time I think they suggested to have them saved as setlists, so I did. While I can see the benefit of having individual patches saved as just-in-case backups, I don't see much other use for doing it that way. Setlists can contain a ton of presets and they are easily reordered, so I use one setlist for each band/function and then a different preset for each song, reordered for whatever the current gig's actual set list is. I have not had problems outside the snapshot expression pedal issue, which was easily fixed.

I doubt they will ever do that, the idea is to let you know it's a snapshot as opposed to a regular switch. I have not had any problems with the pedals other than the expression pedal glitch, which is very easily and quickly fixed, especially if you don't have a lot of presets made already (even with the 20 or so I have made, it took maybe 10 minutes). I am not sure why the person above said "as long as you don't need snapshots," the snapshots work fine once you fix the expression pedal glitch.