Digital_Igloo

Where are your backing tracks coming from? If its from a computer, iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Android device with class-compliant audio drivers, connect it via USB. Then from Global Settings > Ins/Outs > Knob 5 (USB In 1/2 Destination), choose the desired output (Multi, 1/4", or XLR). This feature was specifically designed for routing backing tracks to outputs while bypassing any of Helix's processing. You can also set the level from Knob 6 (USB In 1/2 Trim). Aux is mono anyway. If you have a CD player, minidisc player, DAT machine, standalone HDR, or something else, I'd recommend using a pair of the FX Returns and routing it through an unused stereo path. (Helix has four of 'em.)

Emails sent; looking into it...

I worked at Rainbow Guitars in Tucson for six years. Love southern Arizona. And northern Arizona. Basically everywhere in Arizona except Phoenix.

Our biggest goal with snapshots was to make them completely transparent if you don't (yet) have interest in them. The only thing that you'll ever have to deal with is that little camera icon in the upper-right corner. Otherwise, completely ignore snapshots.

I have Preset Mode set to Snap/Stomp and FS1/FS7 set to Preset Up/Down.

Yep—works great, but the latency isn't ideal. Perfect for synth pads or bass parts without notable transients.

That's interesting, and there's nothing that could technically preclude that, but it might only sound authentic with smaller rooms. There's also the issue of users finding an appropriate tail algorithm to match with the impulse. Maybe some sort of matching intelligence is possible. It reminds me of the old Roland D50 synth, which used a PCM sample for the initial transient, and then crossfaded into the synth engine, which provided the sustain. This was when sample memory was prohibitively expensive, so the samples were only a few milliseconds long.

I don't think so. It might be related to the order in which blocks are added to a preset. Or where they are in the signal flow. It's not arbitrary, but I wouldn't expect a consistent procedure. It's definitely something our QA guys saw, but that's because they were trying to break snapshots with parameter changes that are considered way outside the norm. FWIW, this is something that happens with all products with scenes/snapshots. It even happens with iPods/iPhones with SoundCheck enabled.

If Line 6 were to make a new DL4, what would you like it to be? Assume the switches will be built like a tank. What do you like about the DL4? What do you hate about it? What would you change if you could? If DL4 is no longer your favorite delay pedal, what replaced it and why? Do you use an expression pedal with DL4? What's more important—one knob per function and four switches or fewer knobs and fewer switches so it takes up less space on your board? Thanks!

It's rare, but this can happen if blocks have notable gain changes between snapshots. Although it seems like everything is happening simultaneously, there may be a few milliseconds between the first snapshot change and the last one. If one change involves a huge boost in gain, and another change drops the gain somewhere else to compensate, you may experience a very short volume spike while everything is moving into place (or a very short drop if those settings appear in the opposite order). Totally normal; it just requires a bit less extreme settings when going from snapshot to snapshot.

We borrowed one of Sean Halley's racks for the photo shoot. It's a Custom Audio Electronics switcher.

Siamese Dream is still in my top 5 7 albums of all time along with Deftones' White Pony, Mr. Bungle's California, Curve's Doppelgänger, Failure's Fantastic Planet, Massive Attack's Mezzanine, and Radiohead's Kid A.

Huh. We've had a ton of people say our fuzzes weren't extreme enough. Which real fuzz pedals should we add to our list, Paolo? :)

Any specific ones you'd like to see in Helix?

No, it's so those not well-versed in MIDI can daisychain a bunch of MIDI-equipped pedals, select a preset, tweak all the pedals, save their settings, and that's all that needs to happen. You may be right that that setting should be off by default. What say y'all?

New video with Sean playing through 2.0 models: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QuMvzsApfs

You could also do this: Add a gain block between your amp and cab. Press ACTION and move it down to path 1B. Select the Merge block, press ACTION and move it down to create a duplicate Output 1B block. Set Output 1A to XLR and Output 1B to 1/4". Lots of flexibility here, but Peter may be right. You're now tweaking two discrete tones instead of one. If you trust the FOH guy with your house tone, I say go for it.

Helix 2.0 also has a new MIDI Recall display in case you're not sure which MIDI message to use for recalling the current setlist, preset, or snapshot: Press the PRESETS encoder. Above Knob 2 you'll see gray text: The top line is the MIDI CC32 value for recalling the current setlist (000-007) The middle line is the MIDI PC value for recalling the current preset (000-127) The bottom line is the MIDI CC69 value for recalling the current snapshot (000-007) This has nothing to do with how to send that message from a DAW like Cubase, but at least you won't have to dig into Helix's manual.

Believe it or not, there's a Royal Blood-inspired factory preset: 1 FACTORY 1 > 20D Royal Power Duo. Footswitch 8 engages a band pass filter for the intro and Footswitch 9 kicks in the layered bass guitar an octave below. Tones like this work best with low-E string riffs; y'know, like how Mike Kerr plays. Royal Blood is obviously bass-drums-vox, but 20D's designed for guitar so it's gonna sound quite a bit different. For bass, you'll want to place a Simple Pitch block early on the guitar path set to an octave up (and then remove the Pitch Wham block on Path 2). That preset's Path 1 is completely filled up, so you'll have to do a bit of reorg to get it to fit. Even though 20D doesn't have a Split > Crossover block, that feature was added specifically because of bands like Royal Blood and Death From Above 1979. Also check out 2 FACTORY 2 > 15A Low E Sludge, but that's more inspired by Spotlights and Torche.

Updated thread to 2.01 (released July 20, 2016).

We're reverting the pitch algorithm to the pre-2.0 version for 2.01. At least until we can get to the bottom of what people are hearing. Ask and ye shall receive. Thanks, everyone. :)

Can any of you record a sample? Dom did A/B tests today and the Pitch Wham and Pitch Shift models sound completely identical between 1.12 and 2.0 here. Remember, global settings (including levels and impedance) have been reset to default values with the update, so it may not be the settings you're used to.

IdeaScale that sucka' up, amigo! :)

Exactly. :D

Yeah, and I use IRs as well, because there's a huge library of great-sounding IRs out there, many of which are free. Way wider variety than the 30 cabs that come stock in Helix. Who has better movies—Netflix or a small-town DVD rental place?