brue58ski

I would say if you don't hear it in the studio, you won't hear it live.

Personally I would like Don't Force to reflect the settings on the Variax and not the previous setting's. But that's just me. I have a support ticket I turned in about this at the beginning of May. It's still open and I have received no response other than an initial "thanks for bringing this to our attention" message. I have had issues like this through all of the firmware updates although slightly different and inconsistent. This upgrade was the first one where it has behaved consistently. I wonder if your results are because of the earlier Variax firmware that your's has. Thank you for spending the time to check this out. Not sure if this would be an issue but I created these patches after the 2.90 update, not the 2.92. Although I have found the same behavior occurs in both versions for me. I did find the Volume reacted the same as you. I found that Don't Force for the tone knob reflects what the Variax is set at and Don't Force for the Volume reflects the position it was in for the last patch like you did. At least it proves I'm not totally crazy (a little, not totally). Thanks again.

Get ready for the it won't work responses. Only because it's pretty true. i got lucky and have a pair that any patches I make using them (so far), translates to the PA we have well. I have not tried this with any other PA. The headphones were fairly cheap. I'm not at home so i can't tell you what they were. Still it's better to create your patches at performance level or, as has been stated on this forum, 80dB (I think that was the number).

Have you tried an EBow? https://ebow.com/

What about this. Professional Audio line level is +4dBU. So, a signal at +4 dBu is equivalent to a sine wave signal with a peak amplitude of approximately 1.736 volts, or any general signal at approximately 1.228 VRMS (Wikipedia). Could they find a sine wave signal generator. Make sure the output is 1.736 volts. Put it into one of the returns (the only input that has a line level option). Create a patch with only the return block in it. Make the output line level and keep the output level at 0dB. Adjust the return signal level until the sine wave at the output is 1.736 volts. Where ever the meter winds up after that, give me a line there on the meter. That would at least give me something that would be useful to me.

The output block makes no difference. My Helix does reflect the volume and tone changes dynamically so I suspect it's because I do have the latest firmware on my JTV part of which was to increase the JTV/Helix compatibility. Mainly to be able to use HD Workbench through the Helix. So you didn't say but I'm assuming you didn't have the issues I have with the Vol & Tone preset set to Lock. I will definitely try that at home. Did you see the issues I described with them unlocked although it's possible your JTV is reacting differtently than mine because of the firmware difference.

Here's an issue that I'm wondering if anyone else experiences. When I go from one patch with the tone knob at one setting to different patch with a different setting, the tone knob's position remains the same as the previous patches tone setting. For example if I go from a patch with the tone knob at 10 to patch with the tone knob at 1, it stays on 10 even though the Helix Editor and Helix screen indicates the tone knob is at 1. HOWEVER, if I select the patch with the tone knob at 1 again (either from the Helix or the HX Edit) it then will switch the Variax to the saved tone knob position. If the tone knob is saved as Don't force it goes to whatever position the tone knob on the guitar is at. So that does seem to work. I've tried this with the volume. Volume works like it’s supposed to when specific numbers are selected. BUT when Vol Don’t force is selected, it stays on the previous volume. And selecting the patch again doesn’t correct it. I thought DON’T FORCE meant it goes to where ever the volume knob on the Variax is set. Which the Tone knob does. So how is Don't Force supposed to work? I thought it meant it will stay where the physical knob is set at i.e. not force the Variax to do anything. Not that it stays on the previous setting, whatever that might be. I have included the tone patches I used to experiment with for this. They are just a Variax input with a compressor to boost the level to listening levels. Tone 1.hlx Tone 10 .hlx Tone Don't Force.hlx

Stable is better. Forget the laptop.

Cerwin Vega. Ah, the good old days. Anyone remember TAPCO mixers? The brand is still around but the company (it's main office/manufacturing was near me) is gone. I believe Mackie now owns the name.

I use the noise gate when there's noise as well. The reason I put it at the beginning of the chain is I found when the gate used the clean guitar sound as opposed to putting it at the end of the chain where it has been processed by whatever, it worked better. Interesting that you've found it seems to mess with the compressor. Maybe try a gate directly after the compressor. It means using another block but I wonder if that would help.

Nice

To me it sounds like the tone knob on the guitar is turned down or a mellow wah pedal set in the middle somewhere. If you try the way, play with the wah's mix parameter. Just a couple of thoughts. I'm not at my Helix.

It sure is. You wouldn't believe all the cool stuff you get!! I'm going to run out to my Line 6 Escalade right now!!!!! And by the way, that would be ...."under your names...SIR"! (By the way, all of this is a joke if it isn't obvious)

I am tired of that screen myself.

Here's a way of doing it offline. It's from another thread. If this is causing you so much trouble, then the easiest thing to do is not try to run the update over the internet and do a local install, by downloading the stuff you need and using the Line 6 Updater Utility. First you will need the HX Edit v2.92 software, then the Helix LT v 2.92 Flash Memory Bundle. O.K. go to the "DOWNLOADS" menu at the top of this page and from "-ALL HARDWARE-" select Helix LT, then leave the "-ALL SOFTWARE-" as is, now select Mac OS X from under the "-ALL OS-" tab. from the next page you can select Helix/HX Firmware 2.92 Flash Memory, then below that you will need the HX Edit 2.92. Now scroll further down the page a grab Line 6 Updater version 1.9. Download all these bits to your Mac( they need to be installed in the Line 6 folder inside your Applications Folder). If as you say this a new Helix LT , unless you have made some presets that you wish to keep then they need to be backed up using HX Edit prior to updating the Firmware. If everything if fine then proceed to next step. Ensure that you have your LT connected to the Mac by USB cable and launch the Updater Utility and select "Offline Mode". Your LT and current firmware version should show in the window, click on the dark green coloured band and you should now have the option to select a local file - point it at the Flash Memory file you down loaded and let it get on with the update. Hope this helps/makes sense It's for a Mac but it should still apply. Here's the thread.

Have you tried a different USB port. Are you using a USB hub? If so, don't. Also have you checked this out? It's long but it contains people for whom the update didn't work. Maybe one of their issues is the same as yours.

Did you use the Updater or did you use HX Edit to update. The updates are now integrated into the Editor now. I'll need to check but I think some people did download the update and were able to do it from the Updater...I think. I'll have to check on that. If you don't have any super special patches, have you tried a factory reset? Also did you follow the official instrucitons exactly...here.

If you are plugging into your VDI on the Helix...BIG WARNING! DO NOT PLUG A 1/4" CABLE IN WHEN CONNECTED VIA THE VDI CABLE TO YOUR HELIX. IT CHANGES THE WAY THE CURRENT DRAWS AND COULD DAMAGE YOUR VARIAX. Read this post

I would say they need to look like knobs 3 & 4. I guessing you've already done this but have you tried reseating any of the knobs? If so, if you take the knob off, does the metal post appear "off"? I'm like you and don't want to be a whiner but it's such an expensive piece of gear (at least for me) if the posts themselves aren't straight, I would return it. Sorry dude, what a hassle.

I have a Sonic Port VX and I've always found Garage Band to be low; with everything that can be, turned up, with no way to fix it in my IPad mini. The slider in the program just stops working and the Volume knob on the Sonic Port is turned all the way up. I'll be curious to see what others say.

I use your site A LOT!!! for reference. Thank you for taking the time to do this kind of stuff.

So something the size of a POD Go or even smaller? https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PODGo--line-6-pod-go-guitar-multi-effects-floor-processor

Well as far as the chain goes. Fender American Vintage 56 strat. Amp is a Deluxe Reverb. My pedal chain is: Polytune 3- TS808 - BB Preamp - J Rockett Archer - TC Electronic Flashback delay! You have a strat, the Helix has a Deluxe Reverb, the Polytune is just a tuner. It also acts as a buffer but you don't need that. The Helix has an 808, the BB Preamp is an Xotic pedal and the Helix's Kinky boost is an Xotic EP Booster, the JJ Rocket claims to be built on the "Centaur" circuit and the Helix has a Klon Centaur model called Minotaur, he says he uses that as a clean/warmth boost so keep the gain low and adjust the output so that it's the same level as when it's not on when you're clean. Adjust the tone to get to "warm". the Flashback emulates many different delays so I'm sure the Helix has you covered there. So I dont' know how close the two pedals Helix has are to the BB Preamp and the JJ Rocket but one of the things I love about the Helix is when I can emulate exactly the chain a particular artist uses in the Helix, it's usually gotten me in the ballpark. Even if those pedals don't come close I would then just start to wander through all the other distortions in the Helix. On other thing to mess around with with your Strat is the input impedance. See how that affects things. The Variax does this automatically so there's no way to do that with the Variax. That's all the advice I have. Good Luck!

Thank you!

I've searched all over and can't find the answer to this. Can I use HX Edit and Workbench HD at the same time through the Helix? Afraid to try it. Don't want to mess anything up.