Digital_Igloo

Because it's really busy here today, I'll repost this madness from another thread, which is only peripherally related to this thread: There are many reasons why we chose to go with a flat design and sliders instead of skeuomorphic panels with knobs: Sliders allow for much easier parameter control on touchscreen-based PCs (and eventually, touchscreen-based Macs) Sliders have much higher granularity (both visual and control-wise) than knobs Slider length can easily scale when resizing windows; knobs could conceivably shuffle their order when resizing, but then it's harder to find the right one Sliders allow for better and cleaner application of sub-indicators, such as min and max values, snapshot values, or meters There are instances where parameters may disappear or be renamed, depending on the settings of other parameters; sliders make this behavior much more transparent Helix models often have different parameters (and number of parameters) between the mono and stereo versions; sliders make this disparity much more transparent The studio-to-stage-and-back promise of Helix hardware and Helix Native plug-in is immensely important to the platform; there's an intrinsic advantage in maintaining visual consistency between the two Perceived preset switching delay in Helix hardware is partly due to redrawing components on the screen; redrawing huge custom panels would exacerbate this The knob position of some amps are much harder to ascertain quickly compared to a slider—especially Fender knobs Accurate panels that reflect the real amp and pedals often require radically disparate panel dimensions, meaning the plug-in size would blow up Accurate panels require the user effectively re-learn the UI and layout of every amp and cab, along with their quirks (UA plugins drive me completely bat$#!% insane because of this—Yes, I know that's how some API EQs are laid out, but why do the plug-in's knobs have to be upside down?!) Some people mistakenly equate quality of panel graphics with quality of modeling ("Oooh, did you see the fingerprints on the metal there? It's gotta sound the best!"); chasing that dragon is a lesson in futility and we'd rather spend our resources on system architecture and sound design Accurate panels imply to the user a specific rev of a particular piece of hardware, even if the plug-in supports switching between multiple revs or may represent an idealized amalgam Accurate panels require dozens of knob positions (and if you do it right, multiple versions at different viewing angles) which take a lot of time and redraw resources. Not an issue if you have five amps; definitely an issue when you're adding more all the time Accurate panel aesthetics often subconsciously sway users toward (or away from) specific models instead of trusting their ears ("Oh, I won't use this model because it looks like a metal amp") Accurate panel aesthetics require legal involvement to determine if any trade dress might be violated Individual panels often take up the majority of a plug-in's overall download/install size Accurate panels with knobs often require dedicated graphic designers or outsourcing to design firms, if only because our designers have a lot of other stuff to do (fun fact: one particular GUI design firm in Germany creates the panels for dozens of MI companies, which is why so many look alike) We'll often tweak and re-tweak models right up until release; it's also not uncommon to swap in a different model or add/delete/replace/rename parameters at the last second. Since accurate panel iteration takes a lot of time to get right, it could literally delay firmware updates (or hardware releases!) by weeks Everyone else does hyper-accurate panels—even super cheap iOS amp sims—and skeuomorphism doesn't hold nearly as much weight as it once did Several other reasons we can't talk about because they deal with future features Conversely, there are only two reasons to go with skeuomorphic design with knobs: Subconsciously, people think the plug-in might sound better because it looks like a real amp or pedal; for example, a few mistakenly believe Logic's compressor sounds better now, simply because of new skins "Ooooh... pretty." I won't claim any of our decisions are objectively correct—this is design, after all—but this might provide some context as to why we landed where we did.

Updated thread to 2.50 (released Feb 7, 2018).

One guy there accused me of two things in the very same post: Being a paid shill for Line 6—that is, it must be part of my job to promote Line 6 on gear forums (it's not, at all) Not shilling enough on Line 6's own forums (wait, what?) The truth is that Line 6's forums are largely utilized for tech support, which is wholly appropriate. But because I'm not a paid shill, I get to spend time wherever I want. Weird and heady conversations—especially with others acting like armchair product managers—are way more entertaining than answering tech support questions, so... TGP. (I do like MIDI-based tech support questions tho'. Go figure.) TGP threads get WEIRD; it's amusing and fun. If people want me to post here more often, they should get weird. Believe me, if Line 6 added forum ambassador to my job requirements, I'd quit immediately. It's not fun when it's your job, and besides, the community can see through that crap from a mile away. I'm 90% sure there are two or three clandestine shills on TGP right now and it's just a matter of time before their cover's blown.

It's a museum (or library, or parthenon), not a house. A house icon is silkscreened onto the HOME button. Do all of you have huge marble columns in front of your mansions? Maybe we should charge more! :D

That's not how we see it. Sustained development (R&D, sound design, feature design and implementation, etc.) on Helix is paid for by sales of future hardware. For example: Snapshot development in Helix Floor/Rack/Control was part of Helix LT development and therefore paid for by Helix LT users M-Class model development was part of Helix Native development and therefore paid for by Helix Native users The next big features and models will be paid for users of HX Effects The features and models after that will be paid for users of the next box And so on Because all Helix and HX hardware/software shares a common code (or at least it will in a few months), our development dollars go a LOT farther, because everything gets rolled into the previous hardware/software. So in a way, updates are free, because someone else is paying for them. However, it is true that if we just hacked another company's code—or licensed an engine instead of creating one ourselves—we'd be able to charge less. World-class engineers and sound designers need to eat too. But Helix would not be less than $1499 if there had been no plans for updates.

HX Effects' 2.40 production firmware isn't buggy as much as it's not quite where we wanted to be. For example, IR loading, HX Edit support, the new HX reverbs, and certain Action Panel functions are missing. The manual reflects 2.50 firmware, so it's important to update to 2.50 to ensure you have the latest toys. "B-b-b-but Digital Igloo! Why would you ship a product that's not 100% complete?!" That's a good question. Mass production and international shipping for a product this complex can take months. Would you rather: Have HX Effects now and update it to 2.50... OR Wait two months to buy it with 2.50 already baked in? Fortunately you can choose, so if you'd prefer to pretend that HX Effects was merely announced at NAMM and that it won't officially ship until this spring, and that it'll ship with 2.50, you're welcome to do so. The blocker bugs that pushed 2.50 FW/1.50 Native to next week only apply to Helix Floor, Rack/Control, LT, and Native.

"Tempi" is plural of tempo, so if your song has multiple tempi in it, you would press TAP repeatedly. :) They do. At the time, I said one aspect "might" be a "bit" controversial, and it was blown way out of proportion. One guy posted "rehashing the same ol' crap, typical Line 6" which is exactly the type of comment we expected. Truth is, we hired a new DSP guy (not on the normal Helix team, so it didn't take away from sustained development) and he needed a project to learn our tools. Porting M-Class models to HX was the clear winner. This is important: We never have release dates for firmware updates. We keep fixing things until there's nothing of note left to fix. We don't know when that point in time is until it happens, and then you guys get the update a couple hours later. That's all there is to it.

HX Effects has a single 450MHz SHARC ADSP-21469, so exactly half the DSP of Helix Floor, Rack/Control, and LT. Two big reasons: HX Effects is designed for your pedalboard, and S/PDIF doesn't really apply there Size was really important and it's exactly wide enough to accommodate the ins and outs most commonly used by amp and pedalboard guys

Updated to v 1.50.

HX EFFECTS FAQ Ugh, I don't wanna READ. Can't I just watch some videos? Paul Hindmarsh's Intro Video (5:57): https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=bTZ_f6wzJaw Learning 80% of HX Effects in less time than it takes to listen to "Never Gonna Give You Up" (3:23): www.line6.com/meet-hx-effects FAQs are for unwashed plebeians; can I just have the full manual? HX Effects Cheat Sheet (PDF): https://line6.com/data/6/0a020a3f3f175a6a1b1c440a2/application/pdf/HX%20Effects%20Cheat%20Sheet%20-%20English%20.pdf HX Effects Owner's Manual (PDF): https://line6.com/data/6/0a020a3d3f4a5a6a1897ecdf6/application/pdf/HX%20Effects%202.50%20Owners%20Manual%20-%20English%20.pdf Is this the new M13 or M9? Not really. HX Effects is much more powerful and flexible (and way deeper!) than M-Class processors. So then... it's an effects-only version of Helix? Closer. HX Effects is designed for the guitarist and bassist who embraces traditional amp and pedalboard rigs. What effects does it have? HX Effects has all 117 effects models from Helix. In addition, we've included a Legacy library of 77 effects from M13, M9, M5, DL4, MM4, FM4, and DM4. It does not have any amp or cab blocks; however, it can load impulse responses (IRs) for parallel stage+FOH routings and acoustic guitar body resonance. Aww man, why couldn't you give us just one amp model block? This box ain't for you, my friend. It's for your bandmates who love their real amps and pedals (like many of those who work at Line 6!). Will HX Effects have the new reverbs (and Multi Pass delay) from the Helix 2.50 update? Update it to 2.50 and it will. As 2.50 wasn't finished when the first run of HX Effects was manufactured, initial shipping units may still be at 2.40. Download the latest version of Line 6 Updater here: www.line6.com/downloads How many effects can HX Effects run at once? Up to nine, DSP permitting. Can the effects be in any order? Yes. There's a special Signal Flow menu for moving blocks around and routing them to parallel Path B, but for day-to-day operation, you just plug in and play. Could I throw this in the loop of my Helix to add additional DSP horsepower? I suppose you could—and with a single MIDI cable the presets would sync by default—but you probably won't need to, as the Legacy effects in Helix firmware 2.50 use notably less DSP. Could I throw this in the loop of my Kemper, Fractal, or Atomic modeler to add a ton of new and classic Line 6 effects? Hmmm... That's actually a pretty neat idea. Want a job? Hold up. Six stomp switches, nine blocks. Why the disparity? You can assign multiple blocks to the same switch and even toggle between them. Plus, you don't have to waste a footswitch on any wah, volume pedal, or FX Loop-as-4-Cable Method blocks. So HX Effects supports 4-Cable Method? There are two mono effects loops (or one stereo effects loop) for inserting your favorite pedals anywhere into HX Effects' signal flow and/or connecting to your amp(s) via 4CM or 7CM. There are even templates to get you started. How do I swap footswitch assignments? Touch-hold two footswitches and press OK. Footswitch assignments can be made independent of effects order. I see only three edit knobs. Press < or > for more parameters. Touch an effect switch for one second and parameters spill across the switches so you can see them all at once. What about some of the cooler Helix features like snapshots, Pedal Edit mode, and assigning controllers in 3 seconds? Yes. How many presets and snapshots are there? HX Effects has 128 preset locations, each of which has four snapshots. Does HX Effects have true bypass? Yes. Press MODE and TAP to bypass HX Effects completely, either via analog relays or DSP with reverb and delay trails. Does HX Effects have a looper? Yes. The same looper from Helix can be added as one of the nine available effects. Does HX Effects have amp control outputs? Yes. Each of the two expression pedal inputs can be globally switched to act as a dual amp control output. So a total of four amp controls can be accommodated. Or two amp controls and one expression pedal. Or two expression pedals. Or neither, if you're into the whole brevity thing. Can I use HX Effects to control other pedals? Absolutely, as well as Mac/PC/iOS* software over USB. Stomp mode switches or connected expression pedals can send a variety of MIDI messages and selecting a preset or snapshot can send up to six buffered commands. Just like its bigger brothers, HX Effects wants to be the command center of your guitar or bass rig. *iOS control requires the Apple Camera Connection Kit Can I customize the scribble strip labels and LED colors? I suppose since everyone else and their mom is doing it now <cough>, yeah. Is there a Mac/PC editor? The same HX Edit application works with Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT, and HX Effects, but when HX Effects is connected, it appears as just a librarian and IR loader for now. Just update it to version 2.50. We expect to update HX Edit with full editing capabilities for HX Effects later this spring. Does HX Effects have an audio interface? No—it's designed for your pedalboard. It will send and receive MIDI data over USB, however. Can I power HX Effects from my DC pedalboard supply? Line 6 only officially supports operation with the included DC-3G. However, we have tried HX Effects with a number of third-party pedalboard power supplies and it can work, with the caveats mentioned below: IMPORTANT NOTE #1: HX Effects has a lot of stuff going on under the hood and its six scribble strips and initial boot process pull more than your average pedal. Hence, we used a DC IN jack with a larger center pin to sort of disincentivize people from throwing whatever at it. The stock DC cables that come with the power supplies listed below will NOT fit. Note that Eventide does the exact same thing with their H9. IMPORTANT NOTE #2: YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. Feel free to use this FAQ as a starting point, but Line 6 is not responsible for any damage incurred when using HX Effects with any third-party power supplies. That is, if someone writes "B-b-but Line 6 said I could use [power supply X!]," someone will hopefully refer them to this post where I make it perfectly clear that we only *officially* support our DC-3G. That said, here's the far-from-comprehensive list and their tested noise specs: Strymon Zuma R300—Appears to work fine when doubling up TWO 9V outputs (-140dBr) Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 4x4—Appears to work fine when doubling up TWO 9V outputs (-124dBr) Godlyke Power-All PA-9D—Appears to work fine, but there is a bit of additional noise (-116dBr) Truetone 1 SPOT (NW1CP2-US)—Appears to work fine, but there is additional noise (-103dBr) What's the meaning of life? Be excellent to each other. San Dimas High School Football rules. Dimensions/weight? Is it smaller than M9? 10.8"w x 7.9"d x 2.8"h; 4.75lbs HX Effects is about 1/4" wider than M9 and maybe an inch deeper. It's as small as we could possibly make it. What's the price? HX Effects sells for $599.99 US MAP. When's it shipping? Now. Remember to update it to 2.50!

Yes. From a Logic MIDI track, send Helix a CC69 message on Channel 1. Value 0 recalls Snapshot 1, Value 1 recalls Snapshot 2, and so on. If you're not sure what message to send, press the PRESET knob on Helix. Above knob 2 is your cheat sheet. The number after "CC69:" will recall the currently active snapshot. (Bonus: The top line [CC32] recalls the current setlist; the middle line [PC] recalls the current preset.)

You can also just hold the UP and DOWN switches for one second to cycle through BANK UP/DOWN, PRESET UP/DOWN, and SNAPSHOT UP/DOWN. No need to dig into the Global Settings.

Helix Native has no direct MIDI support yet (it will later this year), but your DAW may have MIDI-to-automation capabilities as a band-aid in the meantime.

We did it with Spider V last year. Shouldn't have been very difficult for BOSS, considering how closely they copied our design. Are they pulling from Behringer's playbook now? If so, that's incredibly ironic considering how often Behringer has stolen from both of our companies. :( Also note that Helix is designed for huge tours with huge stages. G10 (and presumably BOSS' wireless bug, as it's nearly identical to G10T) are not. It's the same reason you don't see a VW transmission in a Lamborghini (which is owned by VW). Pro-level modeling solutions deserve pro-level wireless solutions.

The Pan parameters are actually Balance parameters, so if you pan an output all the way to the left, it should only be sending the left side of the stereo signal. XLR and 1/4" outputs should behave the same way. Something else might be up—Parallel paths? Duplicate output blocks?

Helix doesn't really do SysEx. I totally get how it can be immensely powerful and flexible, considering any hardcore MIDI controller could be used to control anything, but: SysEx is beyond the vast, vast majority of Helix users. Even our most hardcore power users still want things to "just work" (I once worked at a SysEx-heavy MI company where no more than two or three of us in the entire building could talk SysEx) Given the myriad routing schemes and completely dynamic DSP allocation, SysEx implementation would have to be deep. This is the same reason we don't hardwire DAW automation lanes to Helix Native parameters; the user has to manually assign them Although it may sound like greed—and I assure you it's not—we REALLY want people to use Helix Control with Helix Rack, because of the seamless user experience. Adding comprehensive SysEx implementation would mean we'd be spending resources on a notably inferior user experience. Like Apple, Line 6 kinda frowns on that sort of thing Our own FBV protocol is much more consistent for us to support and test (and retest!) than SysEx SysEx is still at the mercy of MIDI data rates; FBV lets us easily accomplish communication at speeds that can sometimes choke MIDI

We don't put the software on the flash drive because there's a good chance that by the time Helix gets to the distributor, and then to the store's warehouse, and then to the show floor, and then to your house, the software would be obsolete.

I said Helix doesn't currently have a cappuccino machine.

Helix also doesn't currently have cappuccino machine. :D

There's no Copy All Blocks function because that's what saving a preset into a different location does: Press SAVE. Turn Knob 5 (Destination) to select a different preset location and press SAVE again.

DigiTech's Drop does polyphonic pitch shifting, which Helix doesn't currently have. Try assigning a Pitch/Synth > Simple Pitch block to a momentary footswitch.

Assuming the MIDI screen sends CC messages and everything is connected correctly, it should be really easy: Press and hold the knob for the parameter you wish to control. For example, if you want to control a wah, press and hold the wah block's Position parameter. Helix jumps to the Controller Assign screen. Press Knob 6 (Learn Controller) and then move your finger on the touch pad. Helix learns the MIDI CC sent. If desired, set the Min and Max values accordingly. Press HOME when finished.

Download it here: Mac OS X: http://line6.com/software/readeula.html?rid=7880 Windows 7/8/10: http://line6.com/software/readeula.html?rid=7879

Press MENU and then Knob 6 (Global Settings). Does it say 2.30.0 in the top right corner? Back in? Helix has never had a vocoder. IdeaScale's your friend.

There's a 7CM template preset to get you started: 8 TEMPLATES > 02B 7-Cable Method