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So far I'm finding I like the new Cab models/IR... whatever they are...more than the PC speaker models. I am setting up my preset with just an Amp block, then a new Cabinet block into the PC set to Flat. I really hope they optimize these for the PC and send that out to us as an update to the PC. Only scratching the surface.

To all who responded, You guy are amazing! I loved reading all the posts and I'd like to respond to everyone because you all brought value to this, now misguided FOMO! But this really captured it.... Ok with that said, now I have more of a Powercab question. One of the nice things about the PC, is that the Helix preset don't need a Cabinet. This saves on DSP and let's the PC do it's thing. But in this case, using the 3.5 IRs seems counter to that. Is there anyway I can move those 3.5 IRs into the PC and run them from there? How does that Helix/PC dynamic work? If I use an IR in the Helix should I set the PC to FLAT? Thank you all again!

I use a Stomp XL and a Powercab 112+. I have not gotten into IRs (yet). I'm feeling a little FOMO. Should I be? Am I really missing out on something amazing? Looking at the new 3.5 version, there seems to be a fair bit of emphasis on IRs, so people must love them, right? Is it not just a "different" way to represent a speaker. And how might that implicate using the Powercab? Are IRs better on the PC or less of an impact? Thoughts??

That's an amazing rig you have. Serious stuff. Good for you. You have a good plan. Let's start easy... You want the CB simply going into the V4 Input. So Guitar --> CB --> V4 Input. You will them connect the HX FX MIDI Out to the CB MIDI Input. This will allow you to use the HX FX to send commends to the CB pedal. That will be amazing. Study up on sending commands to other devises. If you need help with that create a separate thread. For now just get it working.... Now, let's complicate things. What you seem to be after is something called the 4CM or Four Cable Method. I suggest you read up on that with a Google search your have days of reading...basically this will allow you to route certain effects such as compressors and overdrives to the FRONT your Sheriff while at the same time direct effects to the Sheriff's effects loop, mostly all your time based effects like delays and reverbs. Your modulations can generally go either in front or after the "amp". That's more of a matter of preference. Anyway, you don't care about that now, you just want to know how to cable it up! Here is a thread that should help. At a minimum you need to connect the Sheriff with the HX FX using the red and green cables. The blue lines in the image are for a separate "effects loop" You may of may not want this. So if you don't, just ignore it. You will also notice this is showing a Stomp not an HX FX, but the concept is the same. In your case the extra effects loop is made even easier. Good luck! EDIT: when you look at the diagram, replace the Stomp with your XH FX and replace the combo amp with your Sheriff.

What in the F is that all about!!! I've been running HX Edit with no problem, well since I installed it a long, long time ago. All of a sudden it will not open? Tried everything. Nothing worked. Then I came to the forum and see lots of people talking about this problem. I read your post about an SD Card issue....I just downloaded some files from my camera to my computer this morning. The card was still in there. Pull the card and all is well... What the heck kind of bug is that and WHO on earth figured that one out!! I am grateful for smart and observant people and even more grateful that you posted your response. I was JUST about to start getting pissed and throwing F-bombs...LOL. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

I think this is a good question and a lot of people face this dilemma....4CM vs Effects Loop. IMHO, if you just have 1 amp you are using with the Helix I suggest the 4CM. It's just going to let you have the most flexible setup possible. Things get more complicated if you have an amp you really like AND a Powercab. In this case, it might make more sense to simply the use of the Helix and your amp and just have it in the amps effects loop. This will allow you to switch back and forth more easily. Another factor that might drive you towards having the Helix in your Amps loop only is your collection of physical drive pedals. Say you have it all and you're happy with your compressor, overdrive, distortion, boost and wah. In this case, who needs the Helix front end, just use your amp's loop and you're good. So it's more about what you have and what you want. In your case 4CM is a sure winner! Good luck.

Good memory. And yes I have had my previous setup uning the 4CM you described to me some time. So, I figured I had it wrong.... EDIT: I moved the Return R into the Return L position and it works correctly now with only one block.

Can someone check my work.... I'm trying to place a TC Electronic Plethora X3 into the effects loop of the Stomp XL. I've got it working, but I'm not sure if this is "correct". Ok....so I have to use an Insert Cable (with Tip and Ring). That plugs into the Stomp SEND. The Tip side then goes into the Input on the X3. Then I have the X3 Output plugging into the Stomp's Return Right. To get this to work I need to add an FX Loop L AND an FX Loop R block. With those blocks on, the X3 works great. So my question is, do I have this set up correctly? And is that they proper way to set up my blocks? Well it has to be because it's to only way I get any sound out of it. I can say, if I replace the FX Loop L block with a SEND L block, that works too. Any help out there? Thank you.

So I am currently using my HX Stomp headphones output to drive the studio monitors. It works just fine. Yes it's not as "hot" as other outputs, but given I'm only using that in my room, it's totally fine. I figured that if the PC had the output I should use it. Maybe not in my case...So now, if I just use the headphones out, I no longer need to worry about getting the PC a stereo signal even if there was a way... Now I need to find a way to set everything up to quickly and easily move back and forth from running out the the PC and over to the Vox and back again. I think it's going to be a total pain...

Hi. Thank you for the response. I am looking at the 112+. I can get a used one on mostly add trade. So if I connect the HX Stomp Right Output to the PC, and my last block is a stereo block, AND my studio monitors are connected to the L/R outputs from the PC....my thinking is that the sound coming from the PC speaker itself will be mono but the stereo signal will be sent to to the monitors. Does this "sound" correct?

So after it's all said and done, I think I'm going to abandon the JC-40 option and go with a Powercab. That's a whole new set of cabling issues to learn!

Can anyone please help me understand the best way to hook up my HX Stomp XL to a Powecab Plus? I am currently using the 4CM with an amp and I guess that all goes out the window with the PC...so is this correct way to do it? Guitar --> compressor pedal --> Overdrive pedal --> HX Stomp INPUT. Then HX Stomp L/MONO OUTPUT --> PC Input 1 So first off is that correct? If so, let me complicate things..... I also have a TC Electronics Plethora X3, so this should simply connect into the XH Stomp's effects loop right? I'm not sure how the Blocks will work.... Assuming I have that correct, here's where things get more interesting...I want to then connect my studio monitors as well (think of them as Mains). So in this case I would simply connect the PC Output L to my left monitor and the PC Output R to the right monitor. Is that correct? Then, if that's all correct, this STILL would not be true stereo it would be two mono signals regardless of the the stereo block I might use. So if that's correct, then.... How can I get the stereo signal to the studio monitors? I imagine i will need to get the XH Stomp Right Output involvedpossibly to the PC Input 2?? Oh boy.....if you have hung in there with me this long....thanks for playing!

silverhead, Yeah I think my post is confusing. You are correct. What I'm simply trying to do is feed an all stereo signal into the JC-40/120. How would that be done? Considering the L/MONO output is, well mono, doesn't that mean the signal is always mono even when connected to the amp via 4CM? Or does using the 4CM actually change that? If using the 4CM and the preset is a made from stereo blocks, it seems that all it would do is duplicate the same signal on the left and right channels.

Hi all, Does anyone know how to connect the HX Stomp to a Roland JC-40 using the stereo inputs on that amp AND also be connected using the 4CM? The 4CM part is pretty straight forward and easy, but then to utilize the second input on the amp thus enabling stereo in, I'm not sure how that would work. Would you just run the Right Output of the HX Stomp to the second input of the amp? Then if your preset was built on stereo blocks, would that do it? Thanks for the help here....

Oh yes. It's all good. Everything works... This conversation inadvertantly has created a new set of tone options. See before this conversation, I would either move my Amp block before or after the FX Loop L block. I find most of the high gain amp models sound better before the L block. Most of the clean Amp blocks can go either side. But now I'm finding still some Amp models sound even better with the FX Loop L block bypassed. It's really interesting. Most of the time a little EQ here and there is all it needs to sound great. So....back to the Catalyst. If I understand this correctly, if you have the Stomp connected in 4CM to the Cat and with a totally blank preset, the amp selector on the Cat amp would do nothing. Is that right? You can spin it around and the tone will be super clean with no "color" to it. Then I'd you activate a FX Loop L block, suddenly the Cat amp selector knob with work. If that's all correct, my guess is that most of the Helix amp models in the Stomp would probably sound better as a general rule with the FX Loop L block bypassed. Is that correct? And if that's correct, then effectively, the Stomp/Catalyst combo will give you a two channel amp where your Helix model is say channel A and your Cat model is channel B. And if that's correct, you can add another Helix amp model and have a 3 channel amp arrangement, right? There's enough DSP in the Stomp to support 2 Amp models and still have a few blocks available. I'm I understand the power of the Stomp/Cat combo??

Na, we're good. You were talking about the FX Loop L all the time and every makes sense. Funny, you mentioned I should check my cables..... you're the guy who drew out my wire diagram! Haha. So yes, it's good. What has surprised me the most is there are no set rules or the "only way" to do things. You have shown me that you really do need to play around with the difference blocks and where you place other block that interact with the tone. Pretty cool. Back to the Catalyst integration with the Stomp.... I am thinking the best option for me is the Cat100 and run the Stomp XL into that via 4CM. I have spent a bunch of time tweaking my Vox amp models to match the actual Vox AC30 that I hardly use the actual amp anymore. But I think the added benefits of the Cat will make it worth having.

Ok for sure....the S/R block does absolutely nothing. So my setup must be different that what you have. I'm thinking it has to do with my split SEND (top/ring). With a totally blank preset the ONLY block that has any effect on anything is the FX Loop L. That being said, I do like your bypass idea connected to the added amp model on the same foot switche. Some amp models sound better directly into the power section, while others sound better into the Vox preamp before or after the FX block. Like you said, if it sounds good, it is good. But those Send blocks have to impact on anything for me....

No. That can't work.... What preset will demonstrate what you have in mind?

Yeah pretty much.... What I'm not understanding is the FX Loop L block that you have not talked about. See, if that block is either missing or bypassed, the Vox tone is 100% power amp sound. So can you suggest a test preset for me to tryout what you are suggesting? Block 1: ? Block 2: ? Block 3: ? It seems like you might be suggesting this.... Block 1: Mandarin 80 amp model Block 2: Send L Block 3: FX Loop L Block 3 needs to be always on and the Block 1 and 2 should alternate Thoughts?

I'm a bit confused by this. "HXS Amp in the signal chain alongside a Send/Return Block".... I assume you are saying for instants, the first block might be a Helix amp model and the second block would be a S/R block. Is that correct. Assuming so, what is the S/R block doing when ON? Maybe I need to back up. I have my HXS set up using the 4CM and the the SEND is split using a Tip/Ring splitter. So the left side goes to the front on my Vox amplifier and the right side creates an external pedal effects loops and returns on the Return R. With that possible caviot out of the way, what is the S/R Block actually doing?

What I'm not 100% clear in is... When you use a Helix amp model with the Catalyst, how does the amp know not to use the internal Cat amp as well? Kinda the same thing for an 4CM into a tube amp. Is it that if you place the Helix amp model BEFORE the HX Loop L block, it will replace the Catalyst preamp selected model and bypass the selected Cat selected amp? And if the Helix amp model is placed AFTER the HX Loop L block, the Helix amp model will be combined with the Catalyst selected amp? is that correct?

Thank you as always... I'm not looking to replace my Vox but I am looking to have that Vox sound without the Vox volume. Also, I just sold my Mesa Boogie so in order to get that Boogie vibe, I'd need a Catalyst or something similar. These Boogie tones don't need to be perfect, just really good and I'll be happy enough with that. I love the idea of the XLR out to my monitors. I assume I'll need a splitter of sorts to get a 1/4" male into the back of each monitor. That's another story... Ok cool I think the Catalyst 100 makes the most sense with Stomp integration as compared to the other options out there. I like the sound of the Cat, so why keep looking.... Thanks for the tips.

Ok question for you Catalyst and HX Stomp users.... I'm thinking I want to give the Catalyst 100 a try and integrate it with my HX Stomp XL. I'm currently 4CM connected to a Vox AC30 but more often I'm not using the amp, but instead outputting the sound to studio monitors via the headphones output. Is the best sounding setup to use the 4CM with the Catalyst? I'm not sure it matters, but I also have external pedals in the Stomp effects loop as well as overdrive pedals in front of the Stomp. Is everything managed the exact same way with the FX Loop L block and FX Loop R block using the AC30 vs Catalyst? Any other tips or tricks you might add to this thread? Thx!

In my experience using external pedals can be hit or miss. And that goes for in front of the Stomp or in it's loop. Unfortunately you just need to try it out. I've used a TC Spark Booster in front of the Stomp XL and it does a nice job boosting and coloring amp models. I've also used a Mesa Boogie Flux Five and it seemed to suck a bit of tone texture from that pedal. It sounded "good", but when the Stomp was bypassed, the Flux Five sounded amazing. Also, I use a Vapor Trail delay pedal with no problem but my amazing Redwitch Medusa is weird. The Chorus side sounds perfect, but the Tremolo side sounds terrible. I don't get it. That being said, try out the pedals you want and bypass the Stomp and see if you can hear and feel the difference, if you do, send it back and try another. I do also use my old Line 6 M9 with the Stomp controlling the M9 via MIDI. It works perfectly. This allows me to create Stomp presets with dual amps and offload the effects to the M9. I have since ordered a TC Plethora X3 to do the job of the M9. We'll see how that works. IMO, the Stomp, by design intent is intended to be used with external pedals. Being the Stomp is DSP limited, external pedals allow you to have the best of both worlds. It just might take some trial and....trial until you find good mates. Good luck!!

BUT, now that you have disabled the Helix volume knob, you no longer have that built-in attenuator. So, without that, how are you able to get low volumes/are you able to get low volumes and do you even care about low volumes? I have a Stomp, and I've never tried to disable the Stomp volume, but now I'm curious how my Vox would sound. Thing is, when I bypass the Stomp, the Vox always sounds much louder and well, better. Its not at all bad with the Stomp on, just different. Sometimes things that are louder inherently sound "better", but I think there's more going on. Good question...good answer...now I have questions! LOL