bjnette

There are so many variables to changing the levels it can become so mindboggling, many just give up on the HDs., A level meter on the unit would of been good but there are other ways. This one turns up your ears. Shield your instruments pickups as best as can be. Anti feedback cover over sound hole etc. Plug HD into a PA mixer with monitors attached and has metering ideally but best an external Interface to computer to check level into a Audio program and follow below. Set interface levels to +4db. Ensure on the HD the output is set to line and use the pad for active pickups . These toggles are next to the expression pedal. Turn the PA output down to accommodate the HD Master volume knob to the max. (Do not use the headphones on the HD itself) The noise level will be heightened but for now put up with it and turn down the output on the mixer but don't adjust it, leave all faders, EQ etc. flat. Unity gain, and just enough input gain to register about -12 db or -14dbFS on peak meters. Still in the green. but keep it below clip. Let the ears listen. The theory behind this method is you set up the HD at max and run the line outs into a mixer (ideally with metering) and turn it's output down to for listen/ tracking. Now when it comes to setting levels within the HD itself you have ruled out one variable. Your ears will be attuned to what your unit is doing at max output. Adjust all FX, amps and both paths via the mixer block with this stable maximum. Solve levels between FX etc this way within the HD and keep from going into the red and clipping your input level on your PA mixer. Always trust your ears over visual meters. In reality, at a Gig or normal use you can turn the HD output level down to minimize noise but most importantly if you need to turn it up you are not turning up internal distortion not previously heard Shielded electric guitars should be fine with little noise. Resist the urge to lower the Master volume, even for noise and then making tweaks on the unit . Make all tweaks at maximum HD output. If you need to change or tweak at a gig use the global EQ only unless you made a booboo. Mostly in normal use you will back off the volume knob a quarter or so and a half or more for headphones directly plugged into the unit but not ideal for making patches that will be good for live work. Hopefully, you can sketch this out and think with it. Turn down your external monitoring; max out the HD volume knob, listen from there; Check the levels into an audio interface and adjust at the HD to keep from clipping. Before making huge changes make sure the output toggle is set to line level and the active pickups have a pad activated next to the expression pedal; make all level decisions between FX within the HD and only at max output knob volume. If you are going into an amp or some other setup and need to make changes it is best to save these as a preset in a setlist under the name of the different monitoring method and naming it as such.

The best way is to save current bundle and pick a setlist bank and save it. Find a blank patch "newtone" or make one deleting everything and save this patch. Copy paste into another patch of the bank and save. Continue copy and pasting a number of blank "new tones in the setlist untill it is all only "new tones" and save this setlist. You can use this to blank a whole setlist another day. so worth saving. You can also save the setlists and blank patches with titles you prefer if you wish

Yes switching the amp controls off is the way to do it as otherwise any cables touching the knobs will switch it to the amp controls. Cheers

It is quite a marvel, to create a compact Helix, The Black sparkle magic seems like a marketing term for super fragile microscopic components like the ilk of mobile phones.Please expound! Amazing nonetheless!

Capacitors are somewhat like batteries. They hold a charge. Check for any scorch burns or more likely discoloration. If you are lucky it might be that simple but usually requires equipment for electrical troubleshooting past a close magnification of the components and circuit.

Well Done and thanks for sharing!

When two instruments are playing the same instrument thru the same speakers you get cancellations of frequencies. The bottom end disappearing is a symptom of this washing out of frequencies. If it is happening to you it is probably also happening to the other guitarist. It can also be the speaker failing to being able to reproduce the lows for both guitars especially if the bass is in there too. The handling is to play the parts in different positions on the neck then the other, less distortion and different frequencies boosted on one cut on the other to create sonic space. Also try putting one of the speakers on the floor for more bass reproduction.

Turn down the amp. Make sure your combo is not adding lots of gain. Lower the gain in the HD. Use a noisegate. .Sounds like your pickups are polyphonic. Shielding the guitar is worthwhile and will minimize the squeel. Turn it down. Move away from in front of the amp speaker.

Been unable to post for a while till now. Good to know sorted now!

Awesome endorsement from a true master talent!

Awesome talent! And looks like he has stepped to the full Helix with his loved Pearce Pre!

You can use Reaper and for only $60 sticks it to the man on a just as good DAW, probably better then PTs8. But if you are dead set on learning PTs then a compatible one is needed for that version. I think PTs gets more relaxed in later versions. There is PTs free of the latest version but it will cost ya in added extras. M-audio cards are probably the cheapest for it but there are others depending on your Mac. So look at what your Mac will accept too!

Yeah, still finding the HD500 can hold it's own when compared to a few amp sims I have tried since the HxNative demo ran out. Too expensive. I not long ago bought a whole DAW with a ton of effects and instruments 70 gig sample library and instruments plus a great amp sim especially on bass. Vandal from that crazy $149 Samplitude ProX 3 Suite sweet deal with SoundForge 11 and Spectral Layers integration. Heaps better bang for the buck. I was on Sonar X3 before that with TH2 and I upgraded to the Pro version for the same a week before the announcement. They kindy gave me a refund. Anyway I use the HD as a clock source for s/pdif and record either on amp sims of from the HD right into Samplitude. The HD is still got it though. Perfectly adequate

From the Editor when send the patch to the device to save you have to really make sure you have that patch selected and highlighted before sending especially when saving the name of the patch. It is easy to make a patch but not have it send correctly.

Does the crate amp have an FX loop? Just with the headphones lower tunings will make things flubby use the Amp Cab cutoff near or about 120hz. For metal you want to decrease the gain a bit and use EQ FX before and after the Amps. Around 300 hz and a fairly wide Q will handle some tubby whilst keeping the low end punchy. A high shelf roll off will emulate the cabinet response better and make it less brittle as digital can go much higher than a tradition amp and cab in it's response.