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Johnny2Shoes

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Posts posted by Johnny2Shoes

  1. 44 minutes ago, mocella said:

     

    Of the two, I'd lean toward Modern Essentials for the type of sound I prefer.  I play mostly 80s Metallica type stuff, so that's the general tone I'm after.  I enjoy the Soldano and Frideman presets mainly, the others don't do a lot for me. 

     

    For reference, in my Glenn presets, I almost always gravitate toward the Splawn S Comp from his High Gain collection.  That one preset basically made the Helix really work for me. 

    Thanks Mocella.  That's a great help =)

  2. 52 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said:

     

    You've answered your own question... there is but one way to find out if you'll like any IR...roll the dice and buy it.

     

    Look at it this way... those 3 Sigma packs are what, 15 bucks? Down at your local watering hole that's 2 beers, with a tip. You dumped $1500 on Helix... it's 1%, lol... go ahead and splurge.  ;)

    I understand you're trying to help but I don't find these sorts of comments helpful.  The cost is more in Australia with ridiculous shipping prices (for the helix i mean) and the exchange rate.  When I've splurged $3000 I don't want to splurge more to have more options I wouldn't use.

     

    Also I was specifically asking Mocella, hence quoting him or anyone else who has purchased both packs to let me know if they had to pick one which one would it be and why they like it more than the other.  I'm asking for opinions from those who have experienced both to inform a better purchase.  And I'm only asking in this forum because in this thread there are those who have purchased both.

     

    Being told I'll only know once I get it myself, well ....  Cartesian Rationalism at large here as that's true of all experience even if you're in the same room listening to the same stuff.

     

    It's counter productive to the question that was asked. I'm not asking which they think I'd like, rather, which product the people who have purchased both, preferred of the 2.  Hoping to get answer from Mocella =)
     

    P.S. I'm not trying to pick a forum fight - just wanting an answer to my question =)

  3. On 18/03/2018 at 10:59 PM, mocella said:

    I tried out the Modern Essentials and Hi Gain Essentials, and have only gotten to mess around a bit with them so far - liking what I've heard so far.  My only "complaint"/feedback is that each amp is 4 separate presets and they didn't include a snapshot type preset with all 4 rolled into one (as is the case with Glenn's presets, for example).

     

    Hey L6 fam,  I'm thinking about pull the trigger on one of these bad boys but just one for now either the Modern or High Gain essentials pack.  Any advice for which you'd recommend of the 2 if you had to pick one over the other?

     

    Bit of back ground - 

     

    I go for an almost metal (same gain structure) but without the heavy scooping in trying to achieve a modern prog sound.  (this is a bad example - lead tone more than the comping tone, but with less highs and a little more mids)  Don't have a recording of myself sorry. But it should give you guys an idea

     I currently achieve my version of high gain - crunch tones with the Angl meteor, gain assigned to exp pedal, maxed for lead min for crunch. Fender twin for straight clean tones.  Both have the Engl XXL v30 cab mic-AKGC414 3" distance low cut 80Hz High cut- 5.0-6.0 kHz.  This was the most usable cab IMO in HD500X and when I went to helix found it to be the same.  I've been happy with it.

    It does a good job.

     

    With the bundles I don't need or want the presets, I'm just after the IR's.  I had a listen to Paul Glover's vid demo's and on this one I hands down love the 3SA IR's

    The 3 sigma Audio (3SA) samples online sound a little more 3 dimensional like a double tracked guitar.  It adds some harmonic content that people rave on as being the difference between the Fractal AXE sound compared to the Line 6 sounds. To get an IR that has those sweet harmonic overtones would be awesome.

     

    However, on this one though in the mix I was leaning more towards the helix cab.  He plays the new cabs and the 3SA and the 3SA sounded good but with too much scooping and high end.  the HX sounded great for the most part


    I don't want to double up or buy something I won't use.  I like the Engl HX cab and without trying the 3SA version I won't know how much better it is with my set up without trying it.  Will I get the same harmonic overtones I hear in Paul Glover's high gain samples?  I've liked the High Gain Essentials samples but think they may have to much high content in a mix and then think that getting the Modern Essentials which roll the highs off a little with more mid presence to have the 3SA version of the ENGL, is doubling up what the HX cab already does.  I just haven't seen many samples of the ENGL cab or amp.

     

    So getting different IR's to the ENGL I commonly use may open up amp models that I wrote off in the first place, because the 3SA IR makes it sound so much better (at least in the online demos).

     

    Anyway that's my thought process.  The main Q is if you had to pick one to start of the 2 would you have picked the High Gain or Modern and why?

     

    After a little further reading I'm also confused about what you actually get in the helix pack.  Do you get IR's for the stated CABs i.e. Modern=Archon, Friedman, ENGL etc or do you get presets to emulate with only the variations of one CAB (x2 solidstate and tube driven) with different mic placements?

     

    Thanks in advance =)

    -J2S-

  4. 12 hours ago, plexi71 said:

    I use a FV-500H with a standard TRS cable from EXP out to EXT2 on the Helix.

    The trick is to set the side pot "minimum volume" to MAX on the pedal and reverse the Controller Assign parameters, set Max Value for the minimum et Min Value for the maximum.

    I worked this out a while back. lol  and forgot this thread existed.  So confirming the above ^^

    There is also an option to change the polarity now on the helix with expression pedals rather than swapping the min to 100 and the max to 0 of the expression pedal parameters on the Helix. Not sure it would work for another EXP pedal but it certainly does with he BOSS FV500H with of the min max dial on the side of the pedal set to max and the helix paramater set to reverse polarity.

  5. Hi.  I've had the Helix for a little over a year now was a little disappointed that it didn't have an step sequence FX like in my HD500X and these filters haven't happened in any updates:

     

    - Seeker (seek wah)

    - Obi Wah

     

    Also disappointed that there aren't any high gain Distortion pedal models.

     

    I really liked the L6 original Drive and Distortion Models on my HD500x and the M and Firehawk series.  It should be an easy port over.  Or something with that much sustain and distortion without Fuzz dist type colouration or metal zone super mid scoop tone colouration.

     

    The Compulsive V4 is as close as I can get but its really not enough to get that sustain and I don't want to use the delay trick for low gain drive to extend sustain - because I use the delay for other things and I don't want 3 delays running the DSP down.  To get around it I have to use a full amp+cab model Angl +XXL with the presence and treble down - the preamp and amp models are too fizzy through front of an amp/ FX loop to power amp without the cab sim so I need the cab sim in the absence of any good high gain Dist models. It really runs the DSP down.

     

    Back to step seq based FX not featured in L6 prior models but would have been nice to match competitors of the same price point.

     

    Also was hoping for some of these features that are in all the Fractal units including their cheaper unit the AX8 which utilises an internal 16 step sequencer to create:

     

    - Step Phaser (boss PH3) (this wasn't in the HD but I though the "Random" Waveshape with a high peak might work)

    - Harmonising arpeggiator (like the Eventide Pitchfactor, Korg AX3000G ESS triggered arp or Zoom 3000G sweep effect [all note triggered arpeggiators]).

     

     

    So I tried using the EHX 8 step program with varying results through the expression jack to create some of these FX - problem is the sequence runs all the time and isn't trigger by playing a note.  The bigger problem is that  with the constant recallibation of the exp pedal by the Helix Auto-Callibration the paramater controls constantly shift.  I have to adjust the EHX unit's depth output voltage and adjust the values of the step sequencer everytime I plug it in and sometimes even in the same session it as the helix calibrates it.  This means the values I program and save on this sequencer need adjustment every time I plug it in.  It just doesn't stay static.  So the helix doesn't work with a 1/4" exp (CV controlled? I assume) lead sequencer properly.

     

     

     

     

    So here is my question -  Is it possible to do the below with the Helix using it to trigger start and stop the midi step sequencer and sync tempo??

    I was thinking I could possibly do the same thing with an external MIDI 16 or 32 step sequencer to create a sequence triggered when the helix senses a new plucked note which then triggers the sequencer to start.  When a new note is plucked, the Helix sends a trigger to the seq'er to reset to step 1 and start the sequence again.

    I want to use this with:

     

    Dual Pitch - to make a note triggered arpeggiated sequence (so it starts when I pluck the string and stops and resets to the first step on the seq when the sound stops) with the ext step sequencer controlling the pitch values.  So every time I pluck the string it restarts the seq?

     

    Note triggered pattern tremolo while input sound is playing and reset to step 1 until the next input audio?

     

    Note triggered wah where the seq values control the freq of the wah to make a seek-wah/obiwah or step phase type sound?

     

    Many thanks

    -J2shoes-

  6. I came up with another work around though.  Setup the Tremolo patch (I have it before my drive [Engl-Meteor amp+cab]).  intensity - 10.  Rate set at 1/32 dotted or 1/16 at about 80 BPM.  Set footswitch to momentary and then hold it down when you want trem and take it off for the long notes.  It's manual and requires a balancing act but still.  A very clean result.

  7. I gave tagmusenmagnus1and Duncann's approaches a go.

    It actually kinda worked at least for me but the overlap of the 2 trems became crackily like a bad lead,  so not a clean pattern tremolo (of the HD/M series) as such or the step sequence trem that the boss slicer is - at least not when I tried.  Not a bad work around though.

     

    Can't wait til L6 develop a step sequence algorithm for the Helix with a bunch of sequence patterns and apply it to a bunch of their existing FX.  They could apply it to a wah or the Mutron to make a seeker (Seek-wah or Obi-wah) or a phaser for a step phaser like the Boss PH-3 or a step seq arpeggiator like the H9 Harpeggiator and a pattern trem like the slicer.  It would make a much cleaner pattern/trem as well as other filter/mod FX.

  8. Hi Johnny2Shoes, sorry I didn't mean to come off as dismissive of your situation. I was trying to ascertain your situation and share a bit of my experience in similar situations.

    I think you misunderstood, I'm not suggesting a venue rearrange it's PA for you, I'm suggesting they run a single XLR from Helix to the PA as it is. It's a virtual equivalent of plugging in your pedalboard to a mic'd amp on stage. I understand this is not a solution if direct monitoring or PA size is a problem. 

     

    I do find stacking pedals (often with one set heavier, and one set to almost a clean boost) in Helix helps me get good fusion-y lead sounds out of a real amp, you may know and have tried this already. I'm a Guthrie and Holdsworth fan myself, and I've found to achieve their lead tones less is more in terms of gain. 

     

    "Heavy transparent distortion" as you put it, is hard to quantify and perhaps counterintuitive. If you want transparent, to me that means the pedal helps the amp achieve its own natural distortion/breakup without little to no coloration and no eq change from the pedal itself. Transparent drives and distortions really push the amp and will only give as much as that particular amp has. Distortion naturally compresses and colors a sound, and to achieve heavier sounds you are going to need more gain (which will color the sound) and even some EQ.

    If you are at the will of whatever amp the venue has with very limited time to setup/ dial in and possibly no access to the EQ on the amp, then you already have quite a few disadvantages working against you getting the tone you want irrespective of what equipment you have. 

     

    I agree it would be nice to see some more Line 6 developed OD's and distortions in Helix, and hopefully in time we do! Best of luck with your studies.

    Thanks for the quick reply and the suggestion.  I reread your response and realise I did mistake the tone.. so sorry about that.

     

    By transparent high gain I meant as you ascertained, increased clipping at the input side before hitting a high headroom of a power amp.  The transparency being without the fuzz colouration  of Fuzz distortions types like Muffs or face fuzz or that super mid scoop colouration of that high freq attenuated shreddiness of a metal zone type sound.  It's more gain than the Govan and holdsworth I'm after to drive very low output of Alnico 3 humbuckers of a super 58 pups so it's more like Caligulas horse going from clean to super high gain to vol pot roll off for the Govan/holdsworth tone.  But thanks for that tonal advice.  I have a play with it and see if I can make a less is more for tone clarity etc.

     

    I haven't tried stacking 2 dist pedals so maybe the Ts808 + Compulisve OD onto one footswitch will work. I'll try it.  Thanks for the suggestion.

     

    I got what you meant by the XLR to mixer.  I've found if the engineer have spare DI boxs set up to the mixer they're happy to do it but if they don't they don't want to have to run extra cables to in front of the stage.  Also these circumstances they just don't have the PA size or foldback loud enough to be monitors for the guitars.

     

    Again the double stacked dist pedals might do the trick.

     

    Thanks again =)

    • Upvote 1
  9. I'd be curious to know what single channel amps you are trying to drive with Helix?

    Also, if you're gigging I am kind of surprised that a sound person would continually make you use a single channel backline amp.  Most sound guy are happy to have less volume coming off the stage from a physical amp, not worrying about mics getting moved, and then have it all controlled and mixed through the PA. I have had some sound guys be a little grouchy about having to run Helix direct to the board, but once they hear it and get the simplicity, they are all for it.

    (just had a mishap with a touch screen laptop - brushed away some dust and sent through a reply =/  Please ignore it if you get it.  Here's the real one)

    Hey ADBrown.  Thanks for the reply.  To answer your question which amp I try running the helix through it depends on the situation presented to me so I'll try and give you context.  I'm in Sydney NSW, and I'm not sure whether the lockout laws of the State (Baird) Govt of the last few years have made the news in social or mainstream media but it's reduced the number of local venues with many closing down over the last 5 years.  So the once thriving underground metal and prog/post rock scenes/venues are now much smaller and confined to very few venues with reasonable PA's often swapping live music for poker machines and guaranteed money makers.  Most places that have large enough PA's want bands that pull crowds so they often have poppier music types or cover bands not new upstart originals.  Jazz venues have started thriving though so it's not all a loss.

     

    A lot of the places new upstarts get to play are little cocktail bars not made for a bands but rather acoustic duos.  There are music licensing restrictions as well.  Usually nothing bigger that a cocktail drumkit if at all with no mic'ing. A VERY small PA for vox and not for anything bigger.  

     

    They are tiny venues but are willing to give different music a go if the musicians make it work.  So I still go for the same heavy saturated distortion to create a fusion type sound that a la Guthrie Govan solo's or Caligulas Horse "All is quiet at the wall". or Allan Holdsworth (not as good as these guys but for tonal reference). Some are pubs that aren't that have a stage where you are just shy of sitting on the bass drum of the kit and all the members of a 3 or 4 piece are standing on each other because the stage is so small... the sound engineer has already set it up and mic'd up the venues amps - you just have to plug your pedal board in.  They don't want to rearrange the set up for each band.

     

    I may have read the tone of your reply wrong, but it seemed to dismiss the situation I'm describing which is very common and just because you're surprised to hear a PA doesn't want to rearrange a setup they already setup in a tiny venue with a tiny stage and a tiny PA doesn't mean it doesn't happen often.  I've gigged since 1998 on and off so I know the setting your describing and I've watched it disappear here in Syd for the one I'm describing. 

     

    Also the problem is monitoring of a direct signal. Because of the small stage size or PA size they don't have monitoring for a direct to PA.  The amp is your monitor.  This is a very important point.  The have often 2 very small foldback speakers for vocal monitoring if at all.  Sometime you have to turn one Front of house speakers sideways. So again no direct to PA for guitarists, just vox.  In these scenarios the sound engineer doesn't want to change what has already been setup and works for the small venue.

     

    At Uni we have a particular unit where we're assessed on a performance where we play the larger venues (so not in a studio) with 30-40 min set at the end of the trimester with very fast turnovers between all the other classes that are doing the unit.  So usually 3 or 4 nights of 8 bands a night with 5 min turn overs. To answer your question on amps, sometimes VHT tube, sometimes Roland Cube. So sometimes larger Tube amps, sometimes solid state never a footswitch, often the knobs turned to flat eq and taped over with gaffa tape. We get on and everything is mic'd so again all we have to do is plug in our pedal board and away we go.  The sound engineer doesn't want to re mic new amps and there is nowhere to store 8 bands worth of amps in a pub - too laborious, time consuming and an uneven platform for assessment.  Some of these a two channel amps but no footswitch to switch between clean and gain channels.

     

    I know the context you outlined in your response which was typical but isn't anymore in Syd. Anyway a little context

     

    But my main point is still a short coming of the Helix that is simple to fix and well within L6 reach which shouldn't have been there in the first place. Again maybe I misread the tone of your response but it didn't address it and seemed to dismiss a very real common scenario saying more or less... 

    "... well I'm surprised you can't do it my particular way...".

    My point is that I could do it my particular way before with your previous flagship model (HD500X) and expected that the new flagship could do the same and sound better considering it's 4x $$$$.  The expectation with L6 and software based units like the Helix is that with constant up firmware updates they release an update which rounds out the dist pedals to cater for all gain structures not just emulations of boutique pedals from the 70's and 80's. They're all good and well but also include the high gain pedals to round it off.  All the reverbs are L6 original.  I don't think an update that includes the L6 original dist models will throw off the marketing.

     

    So all it needs is a good heavy transparent Dist pedal model to cater for high gain players.  L6 have 2 at their disposal that are original algorithm designs that are featured their lesser models i.e. HD and M series and Firehawk all have the best one's which are the L6 original "L6 Drive"TM and "L6 Distortion"TM models.  That is all the Helix needs and problem solved.  A set of dist pedal models to cater to the high gain player who runs through a clean amp platform to make the Helix a more flexible tool.  The lower budget units have had it and the new release lower budget units have it so why is it denied to the flagship model?  Everything else is good on the Helix.

     

    It would also be nice if they included the seeker (seek wah filter or obi wah or if they want to make something new a step phaser like the BOSS phase 3 or the slicer) again since the M and HD and firehawk has it and the Helix doesn't.  Just put it in an update.  You have the algorithms ready, just put it in.  If you want to improve it - fix them as you go and then update it.  It's really simple - make the Helix replace the M and HD for those willing to spend 4x the $$$ and have the HD and M for the lower budget versions.  The HD got all the X3 models in some updates.

     

    Considering the price of the Helix, it should completely replace the HD/M/Firehawk offering everything they do and more. These few pedals shouldn't be part of a legacy bundle you need to purchase.

     

    **

     

    I need to clarify that I do not own a Helix.I own an M13 and an HD500 and a JTV Variax.If you are studying music at a Music University you will be asked to work within many constraints.If you plan on any kind of pro music career you will be asked to do the same whether the task is playing guitar or using your theory and compositional skills. Find a way to make it work with the Helix or get rid of it.I have a 40 year career of recording/ writing/ TV and radio commercials/ club bands/ corporate bands etc...and I am a lead singer.The singer is the focal point of pop music especially these days.The sound guys priority is that. Thats just the way it is. All this stuff is just tools to me.Roland GR55/33/ GP10/ - Line 6 products/ Marshall / Vox and Fender amps.14 guitars.You will learn to use what works and sometimes it is not the latest greatest.Sometimes its a Tech 21 Fly Rig into whatever backline single wnded single channel amp that is provided.

     

    good luck with your music education and know this.The music business after university is a 100 times more difficult than being in school.

    These are tour best days.

     

    Thanks JTSC777, I just wanted to make people aware of a small oversight by L6, where the HD and M are sometimes better than the Helix because of this oversight.  The Helix is meant to be an all in one solution - The HD500X is an all in one solution.  The helix models are better however and more realistic/responsive but they just have left out one thing they could easily fix which is part of the basic platform for tone creation gain level with a clear high gain dist pedal.

     

    The Helix is great except for this absence from tonal/gain range in their suite of Dist pedals, It's an oversight that could be fixed in an update with a pre-existing original model they already created 'the L6 Drive or Dist model from the M and HD. Other than that it's a great tool and it was something that should have been there from the start and could be easily fixed in an update.

     

    Gain structure is part of the staple starting tone/sound and to exclude an entire tonal demographic that they've ctaered to in all other unit releases, the easy option of a high gain dist pedal is a bit silly with every other multiFX unit having some transparent high gain dist pedals in their suite of dist pedal models. L6 and other brands.  Everyone except the $2800 Helix... despite their lower budget HD and M series units having them.  It makes little sense.

     

    The current suite go from low to medium gain.  the closest they have is the compulsive OD, the fulltone OCD which the real pedal was never more than a medium gain.  

     

    It comes across like a marketing ploy where they only have dist models that are emulation of 70's and 80's boutique pedals and yet their reverbs are all L6 originals so even that philosophy doesn't make sense.

     

    With expected updates I don't think I need to sell the Helix, just need L6 to pull their finger out, and update the firmware to include something as basic as a high gain dist pedal which they should have had in their first release.  But it's been more than year since I bought it and longer since the first release so they should have had a solution by now.

  10. The M13( I have one) The HD500(X) and the Helix all will do effects only with a good tube amp.If I am Line 6 I am looking at this and thinking thats enough for that segment of the market. My competitor Roland / Boss only currently offers one model the GT100 that will do 4 cable/ effects only duty.Thats the end of that.I use an HD500 these days more than the M13 only because tube amp/ 4 cable method gigs are fewer and farther between these days. I like to put a Palmer speaker simulator after the HD500 and run it either direct or split between direct and run a thru to one of my tube amps. Absolutely kills!

     

    Hey all firstly I read a lot of these but rarely post.. anywho

     

    I agree with the above ^ that the HD500(x) and M series work well with a good tube amp for effects BUT... I disagree with the Helix only on the point of a good distortion tone for high gain sounds through a clean amp platform. (I own both Helix and HD500x currently)

     

    Hear me out on this because I love the Helix and I'm patiently waiting for the update that finally delivers this feature that is in both the HD and M series and Firehawk... but not the Helix...!!??!!  (I've posted this and have seen many other people post this request on ideascale..... and....... nothing).  Also got the Helix on the first run to Australia before the official Yamaha take over of L6 so it's been a while and I know the unit very well to the point of explaining it to guitar store staff who so far haven't known how to use it properly.

     

    A bit of gear background: I've gone through numerous pre-modelling mutli-fx's, the one's you had to counter intuitively turn ON the speaker emulation even through you were going through a cab or combo e.g. Some zoom stuff, Korg AX1000 and 3000G which were great with the the cab emulator on, but they broke eventually. Went to a GT-100 for a bit and then switched to line 6 with the HD500 then HD500X and now own a Helix.

     

    Firstly the Helix effects and amp sims are awesome. The dynamic response to pick attack and fret-hand pressure is amazing. If you're using their Amp/cab sims for a high gain distorted tone into FRFR or direct to PA there's no problem.  If you're using the modulation, delay, reverb, pitch fx through an amp, no problem. 

     

    BUT.. If you want to hard clip/drive a single channel clean amp using the Helix for modern prog rock to metal tones.. no dice.  This is the scenario I find myself most in.  You go to a gig, they say use our 1 channel amp.  This is your foldback.  The PA is for singers so you can't go direct to PA.  You don't have a Dist model that's clips a nice tone for prog rock/metal and can't use the amp/cabs sims through a physical amp because of either too much tone stacking or terrible and unpredictable sound.

     

    I've tried using the preamps into the amps but they always sound harsh and I've tried full amp/cab models but there's too much tone stacking for reliability when you're at the mercy of the amp of the venue. The argument of use your favourite pedals with the Helix is moot as the point of buying a $2800 AUD unit is to have it all in the one unit, especially when the $700 AUD unit and the cheaper M and firehawk series all have excellent high gain dist pedal models.

     

    Unfortunately the Helix only caters to the boutique low gain overdrive pedal demographic or highly coloured fuzz dist pedals at the moment.  The Compulsive OCD Fulltone is the thing that comes the closest but doesn't have enough gain to match the original L6 Drive Model from the M and HD series let alone the original L6 Distortion Model – both are excellent high gain transparent dist models.  It's a shame really because all the other features and effects in the Helix are really amazing and it would be great to have the 4x $$$$ flagship unit being able to replace everything its lower budget L6 counter parts can do.

     

    My HD500X is set for direct to PA using one of these 2 models - L6 Drive or Dist (depending on the tone needed) before a clean amp/cab sim and it works great. Switch off the amp sim and set the output to combo or stack and you're instantly ready for running direct into any real clean amp. And the tone on those 2 L6 original Drive and Dist Models are crisp and awesome.  The L6 Drive Model could go from "light crunch almost clean" to " soaring prog almost metal lead" and the L6 Distortion Model went from a slightly heavier crunch that cleaned up with a rolling off the volume pot, to crazy insane metal gain which I dialled at about 80-90 depending on the amp provided.  They were always crisp and transparent gain stacks. Better than the other modelled dist pedals and the Drive was excellent for light jazz crunch on low gain and a neck pickup. They're both L6 original models so they can load it into the Helix in an update anytime.

     

    You should be able to have the same setup with the Helix if they included those models. Even the option to go direct to PA should be as simple as a only 1 dist + 1 amp/cab block.  The Helix's lack of good dist pedal models doesn't allow for this. I push the DSP in the Helix to it's limits with ambient, modulation and pitch FX in my prog band because I have to use 2 amp/cabs in a direct to PA set up rather than 1 dist 'with expression assigned to gain' + clean amp/cab.  And as mentioned before I don't have the option to run through a real amp because I can only get the level of gain I need out of the amp sims – which don’t sound good through a real amp even with the cab sims off.

     

    At my University where I study music the amps are provided and we aren't allowed to use our own amps, or bring our own FRFR due to set up times and we can't use direct to PA as the amp acts as our monitor, we're required to play through a clean amp with flat eq and colour it with our effect units. The HD500x did this well with the dist models on offer but the the Helix's poor selection doesn't so I have to keep my old unit while my $2800 unit gathers dust even though it sounds much better through FRFR. All because L6 won't upload their own original Dist models into the new unit.  IT would be good to be able to sell off my HD500X but I have to wait til L6 upload the features they have in all their other units but not their flagship before I can.

     

    And all the demo vids and talk is of creating high gain tones with amp with maybe a touch of TS808, or using the Helix FX with a real amp's footswtichable clean and drive channels, or external analogue dist pedals. but that doesn't work in this scenario. What about driving a clean amp to metal gain tone using 1 dist pedal model on the Helix?! IT's a very common scenario for high gain players into various forms of heavy prog and post rock (I hate that term/genre but people use it so there it is).

     

    There are a few other things left out of the Helix from the HD and M series that are fun and very useful like the seek step wah or step phaser that I used on my HD500X for my modern prog band but that's less important than a good original L6 Drive or Dist type pedal model.

     

    As I said, all the other FX and Amp/Cab sims are much better on the Helix compared to the HD500x (which are very usable just not as good) with the exception of these Dist models and the a few extras like seeker (seek' wah) and Obi-wah step wah filters that the HD and M series and Firehawk have but not the Helix flagship...??!  It shoudn't be hard for L6 to include them in an update and that would fill an important gap in the Helix's suite of pedal models especially as important as t Distortion tone and make the unit perfect and more flexible.

     

    Thanks for reading my rant and maybe we can get those models in the next update =/

    L6 Drive L6 Distortion, Seeker (seek wah) or a step phaser (I've posted these in ideascale already and have seen many others post on getting these missing M series and HD FX into the Helix too from the before 2016 and there hasn't been much traction on these ideas in over a year.  The product should have been released with these models TBH considering newer cheaper models have been release with them IMHO.)

    The forum is great for getting gear related questions answered, but for product suggestions and ideas check out https://line6.ideascale.com/

     

    On ideascale end users can post and vote on ideas/suggestions they would like to see happen with Line 6 products. Line 6 product managers do frequent ideascale, so it is the best spot to get your voice heard.

  11. Not to thread jack, but I agree that there are some fx on the hd which I find better than that which is on the Helix.  I've been slowly boning up on the whole MIDI thing to use the HD as a slaved unit off of the Helix.  I've had a couple of successes, and I suggest you give it a try.

     

    That said, a couple of the updates in the 1.06 FW update sound promising. We shall see.

    I didn't want to carry around 2 units to gigs. I have little pedal board made from a ikea chopping board, rubber feet, rubber sheet and 2 door handles which has my extras I used to use with the HD500X (mxr noise gate, mooer yellow comp, smallstone phaser, tc reverb strymon reverb) and that was annoying enough to set up and eventually worked out a suitable way to get my HD500X to have all my usual fx in one patch. I just thought with the greater capacity of fx in a chain, the helix would be an all in one. It certainly has the potential as soon as they put some of those cool fx into it. I do look forward to future updates. I think they may have caught vintage fever where nostalgia took over and they thought only fx from the 70's are appealing. I like a lot of that stuff but I like a lot of modern, and even digital sounding fx (not all) but I like options.

     

    Hopefully a return to manual Exp pedal calibration. Or an override choice between manual and auto. With a powerful unit like the helix, variety is the key.

    • Upvote 1
  12. Yeah.. The BOSS volume pedals I'm using have sealed jacks so you can't access the wiring. Also being volume pedals I'd be worried to rewire them as I used them as volume pedals as well as expression pedals. One has the exp jack which links it to the 10k pot but again it's a sealed input jack so I can't access the wires. Thanks though.

     

    I think these BOSS pedals operate pretty much the same as the Ernie Ball Viper Jr with 250k pots and the fv 500H has the 10k pot exp jack for a TRS cable. People seem to be more familiar with the ernie ball range so maybe that'll help if anyone with one of them has found a solution. I guess my disappointment is that they worked with the HD500X no problem.

     

    Also having a manual calibration process in the helix so it remains fixed after its set would solve some of my problems.

     

    Closest thing I have gotten is using the TRS Y cable on the FV30H (250k pot) tip - input, ring - output (this is the reverse of normal and worked better than with a TS cable in the Helix) and reversing the min and max values I. The Helix's controller assign. Problem here is that the Toe position starts at 100% but after a sweep or 2 it starts to recalibrate and doesn't go all the way. This approach is much worse on the FV500H, with Toe position maxing out at 80%. In both cases the Toe position keeps shifting like the helix is constantly re-calibrating.

     

    So a fixed manual calibration rather than auto calibration should fix that.

     

    Using the exp jack (10k pot) on the FV500H and a TRS cable (doesn't work with a TS) reversing the min max values on the helix in "controller assign" & then dialling up the Heel dial on the volume pedal til the value reads as 0% is the only way I could get that to work as an exp, but the min - max dial on the FV500H after it is used to achieve the 0% Heel won't work to increase it passed 0% rendering it ineffective as per normal operation. It's a work around but not the best scenario. It's also more stable than the Y cable method in terms of the Helix trying to recalibrate constantly. Not 100% but more stable

     

    It'd be great if they brought back the manual calibration process so it remained fixed once set. Also I guess I don't understand why it worked fine with the HD500X and not the Helix since the same mission pedals are supposed to work with both.

     

    If anyone has any more answers or suggestions I'd appreciate it. I don't want to buy another set of exp pedals since I have these 2 a D the Helix emptied my account.

     

    With the exception of that and my wish list for some greater variety of the fx it's a great unit. Amp sims are amazing and responsive.

     

    Wish it had:

    Phaser with 4, 8, 12, 16 stage parameter.

    Seeker or a phase step arpeggiator

    The original Line 6 Distortion and Overdrive

    that were in the M series and HD series. They were great quality fx and versatile. I digress. Any more help with these exp pedals would be great.

  13. Hey guys. I'm still having trouble getting my external exp pedals to work properly. I have a Boss FV30H and an FV500H.

     

    I get the same sort of issue spiderone described when using a TS cable from the output on both. At Heel it's 0% & it sweeps fine to a point around about 70ish% on the pedal but the helix reads it at 100% and then as I keep pushing the toe down it starts reversing the values going down to 16% on the helix when I have the Toe right down. That's with the FV30H. With the fv500h it's the same but at Toe down the helix reads it at 28%. From heel to toe on the exp pedal it sweeps from 0-100-16%(FV30) or 28%(FV500H) respectively.

     

    Using a Y TRS cable on both I can get so e better results but I'm not sure if that's normal operation. I have to swap the tip and ring cables into the opposite if what I normally do in other devices like my HD500X or my Tc electronics nova system - with them the tip goes into the output and the ring to the input of the exp pedal. With the helix I need to plug it the other way and then the Heel is 100% & Toe is 0% for the FV30H only. Then if I go to controller assign and set min to 100% and max to 0% it works for the FV30H only. It also doesn't seem to be normal operation but the only work around for that pedal.

     

    For the FV500H I tried the same thing but at Toe it won't go passed 80% unless I put all my weight on it and bend the die cast metal. When I get off it bends back and goes to 80% again. Having a calibration option would be good in this case.

     

    The last option I have for this pedal it the dedicated exp out (FV500h) connected to a 10k pot. Using either TRS or TS cable the Heel to Toe sweep is from 0-100-0% reaching the 100% about halfway through the sweep. My work around is to set the values in the helix of the controller assign from min =100% & max = 0% making the sweep from Heel to Toe 100%-0-100%. Then I use the min max dial on the FV500H and bring the first half of the sweep up til at heel it reads 0% on the helix. Then pedal sweeps more or less normally but I can't use the min max dial on the FV500H to bring the Heel value up as is normal operation. As I bring the dial up the helix slowly goes from 100% to 0% at Heel position but then continuing to bring the dial up to max doesn't start increasing the value a regular sweep with the min max dial at min, would if you take my meaning. Basically it's a work around but it's not normal operation.

     

    So am I doing something wrong or is there another way? I didn't understand the strymon link re exp pedals achieving a resolution.

    Anywho, help please =)

    • Upvote 1
  14. Hi. Just got my helix but there seem to be a few bugs. I'm running the latest firmware 104.3

     

    1. The amp sims have a master control on page 2. This is set to different setting on each amp when you dial it in. On most that ive tried it works fine but not the calirectifier. The master is set on 3. Dial it down and it goes down -great. Dial it UP and it and the volume goes DOWN.

     

    2. The script phaser mix parameter. It's a pretty soft phaser and the only available one to start with. As an aside - The HD500X script phaser had a more pronounced phase shift. The HD500x "Phaser" with phase "stage" parameters of 4, 8, 12 and 16 was perfect or close to - i tried to emulate my old 4th gen smallstone with colour switch (increases the number of phase stages) & got excellent results with the "phaser" in my hd500x.

    Anyway back to the Helix - the mix parameter when dialled up from 50% to 100% actually reduces the amount of phase. Although i read the earlier comments (firmware 103) and understand the concept of mixing a shifted signal with the direct signal thus yielding most pronounced phase shift in the center (50%), considering the weakness of the only phaser in the helix it might actually be a bug. In the TC nova system they have a separate parameter for polarity which travels from -100% to 100% and the helix mix parameter seems to do something like that, but in my experience most fx pedals, 100% mix will usually mean 100% wetness of the effect. Considering the weakness of the phase i think it needs to be that way or some of the M13 fx need to be added to the Helix.

     

    I guess this last thing isnt a bug but I'd really like to have the Line 6 Overdrive and Distortions (as from the HDx) included in the Helix. I find the others though authentic not usable to get a crunch to metal tone as i could with those 2 pedals. The compulsion drive is as close as i can get but i can't run as heavy a metal tone through a clean amp using the current dist pedals. If I'm running the helix into the front of an amp which I'm forced to do in my B music course, then i dont really have any good simple dist options like that which i do have with my HD500x. Considering how much I spent i dont think i should have to be going back to the HD500x to for anything esp for workable dist pedals sims. (I tried using preamps as well into the front of an amp- no dice)

     

    There are many things i like about the helix but i think that in getting caught up in recreating authentic fx, they may have forgotten about some of the great original line 6 fx they already have in their no longer flagship products that they excluded from the new flagship product.

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