Digital_Igloo

Maybe I'm missing something. Pressing FS6 (MODE) toggles between Preset mode (no pressing BANK necessary) and Stomp mode. You can also run hybrid, with presets on the bottom row and stomps up top (or vice versa). You can also switch BANK UP/DOWN to PRESET UP/DOWN (hold both switches for two seconds), and can sequentially increment/decrement through your setlist while in either mode.

Thanks for the review, HonestOpinion. The scribble strip above the treadle displays values while in Pedal Edit mode and it can be customized to label what the pedal does (as shown in a handful of presets). We also have future plans for it. An earlier Helix design employed a touchscreen. We showed it to people—they overwhelmingly hated it. Were worried about spills. Didn't want "a tablet on the floor." The UX breakthrough came when we pulled the focus from the potentially confusing signal flow to the familiar environment of stomps/footswitches. Instead, the user treats Helix like a modular pedalboard, where if something needs to be edited, it's only a touch away, but it otherwise stays of the way. Cap touch footswitches over a touchscreen (or even over both, which was discussed at one time) was a very purposeful design decision. Cheers!

The update should be available sometime early next week. This particular issue will be fixed.

We found a couple extra things that need immediate fixin'. Maybe tomorrow; if not, early next week.

USB 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8 can be selected as Input blocks, but not in the middle of a path, like an FX Loop.

If you need to split the click and backing track into Helix, that's fine, but it'll take one or more of the four paths. Only USB In 1/2 bypasses all paths. Another path will be needed to route in, say USB 3/4 for a separate stereo feed. Alternatively, if your playback system isn't stereo, you can always pan the tracks hard left and the click hard right and then USB 1/2 is all you'd need. There isn't currently a way to build cue mixes with different levels per input per output, but your question's got my brain running...

Yes, and it's pretty simple: 1. Set Global Settings > Ins/Outs > Page 1 > USB In 1/2 Destination to either 1/4" or XLR (whichever one you're NOT using for FOH or stage monitoring). 2. Set Global Settings > Ins/Outs > Page 3 > Headphones monitor to the same setting as Step 1. What's happening here is your computer is being sent to the XLRs (for example), and you're telling Helix's headphone output to monitor what's being sent from the XLRs. Yes, we purposely designed this for guys monitoring clicks and backing tracks.

If one has the money, Kemper in the FX loop of Helix would be ridiculously powerful.

Yes. Each preset can actually have up to 11 switches, including the EXP toe switch.

Yep, it happens only after rebooting and snuck past us in the last rev. We're releasing 1.02 tomorrow (hopefully!), which will fix it.

Even though Helix cabs started out as IRs, they're not treated like IRs. Helix cabs are a part of the preset, but the IR files are not. As a bonus, however, you could have a ton of presets all use the same IR file if you want; you just want to keep that IR at the same location in the IR list.

Yes, the end user has to have the same cab in the same location (1-128). Helix's IR blocks point to a specific index. There are legal reasons why we can't allow users to embed and share IRs (commercial or otherwise) into presets, at least not currently.

Right now, Helix Control only works with—and is powered by—Helix Rack, but we didn't want to paint ourselves into a corner. As TheRealZap said, both the DC In and USB jacks on Helix Control do nothing, although if you want to run extremely long CAT-5 cable lengths (TBD), you may have to power Helix Control via DC. Until then, ignore it.

We designed Helix to also be used as just an effects processor if desired. Both DSPs can be dedicated to effects and only effects (with or without 4 cable method), and without amps and cabs blocks, you might even get as many as 32 simultaneous effects, depending on what models you choose. One of our guys who loves M13 started calling Helix "M32".

Yes. From Global Settings > Footswitches, set Preset Mode Switches to "Bottom Row." The effects can be left where they are, but as each preset may have completely different effects (in a different order), you'll have to assign them manually. Each assignment takes about three seconds.

Indeed, Helix sounds fantastic downstairs in the Matrix booth, and the weight of the speakers is jaw-droppingly light. Not "jaw-dropping" like how some people throw that insipid "game changer" term around, where it's lost all meaning for eternity, but literally your jaw will drop when you pick up Matrix's stuff. And of course, they sound awesome. Great guys, too. Testify!

Well, to be fair, it may in fact be a Helix bug, but pretty much everyone in the industry is scrambling to fix bugs related to El Capitan. Some companies have gone as far to tell people straight up: "Don't update until we give you the green light."

You can always post links here. :D

Sure, except Helix can also do 7 cable method with two amps, 10 cable method with three amps, or 13 cable method with four amps.

Helix Firmware v1.01.2 Release Notes Helix v1.01.2 is a free firmware update that includes fixes and optimizations. It is highly recommended that all Helix users perform this update. It is also recommended that you back up your current presets by using the Helix application to create a preset bundle, allowing you to install new presets as part of the update process. The easiest way to perform the update process is by installing the latest version of Line 6 Updater. Once you've connected Helix to your computer via USB port (hubs are not supported), Line 6 Updater will recognize the unit and take you through the update process. The Line 6 Updater application may be downloaded here: http://line6.com/software/ Bug Fixes In certain situations, while in Pedal Edit mode only, effects parameters may fail to appear on the scribble strips if an Amp+Cab block was previously selected. This only happens when navigating to an effects block’s parameters after viewing the third page of Amp+Cab parameters. —FIXED Other minor bug fixes and optimizations Other Improvements Minor improvements made to the factory preset bundle Loading the Newest Factory Presets (Optional) IMPORTANT! Loading the factory presets will completely overwrite all existing presets and setlists! Back up your presets before proceeding! Turn off Helix. While holding footswitches 7 and 8 (two left-most switches on the bottom row), turn on Helix. Wait for the message “Will restore stock Presets and Setlists...†to appear and let go. Known Issues While a loop is playing, changing from a preset with the Looper block on Path 1 to one with the Looper block on Path 2 may cause a small portion of the recorded loop to play If the Helix application is open, FS6 (EXIT LOOPER) may fail to work after changing presets while in Looper footswitch mode Minor pops and clicks may be present when Helix is streaming audio from a Mac® running OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) Minor pops and clicks may be present when Helix is streaming audio from an iOS® device with Apple® Camera Kit On rare occasions while booting, noisy graphics artifacts may appear on the main display The underscore character (“_â€) should not be used in Preset names or IR names. Redwirez IR names commonly contain underscore characters; in the meantime, rename these IRs until a fix is available Streaming audio over USB while the Helix application is open may cause it to disconnect In rare cases, pressing the Variax/Mags knob on a Variax (connected via VDI) while the Helix application is open may cause Helix to freeze When using the stereo version of the Looper (almost all factory presets use a mono looper), pressing Undo may remove only the left channel While in Pedal Edit mode, the expression pedal may only select values 0 and above for Pitch parameters; in the meantime, pressing FS10 can manually select negative values The firmware version number will incorrectly appear as 1.01.02 in the Line 6 Updater and Helix applications

One Helix alone can do 13-cable method, so two Helices would give you 26-cable method.

If you ever make it down to LA, I'll buy you a beer and we can talk about the reality of gear endorsement. :) Fractal does market their artist roster extremely well, however. Hats off to 'em.

By comparison, putting down your guitar pick and picking up a mouse is a really crappy experience, and completely destroys one's creative flow. There's a reason why so many people prefer stomboxes and an amp, and it's not always because of the sound. Helix replicates much of this experience. Use one, and then we'll talk.

The full editor portion of the (now available) Helix app is still a month or two out. POD HD500X's editor was faster and easier to use than the hardware, but Helix's hardware is faster and easier to use than any editor, including its own. Seriously. A bunch of us have beta versions of the full Helix editor, and none of us ever use it.

Oh yes. In the meantime, page 9 of the manual is the only setup there is. As far as using the thing, all you pretty much need to get started is the single page Cheat Sheet.