ric1966

I could be wrong, but I think the closest to this you can come is to map the internal pedal as a controller to more than one parameter. For example you could set up a preset with an OD block and map its gain or level parameter to the pedal. Set the min value so it is essentially off when the pedal is in heel position. You could also map the amp block’s gain and mid parameters to the pedal and set appropriate values. Then map your reverb block’s mix, your delay block’s mix, etc. This way you could use the pedal to morph from a rhythm sound (less OD, very little reverb and delay, scooped mids) to a lead sound with lots of reverb and delay, more OD, boosted mids and more amp gain. You would also have sounds in between the two extremes. I can’t recall how many parameters you can map to one controller, I know the snapshot controller can map up to 64. I have not actually tried this yet, but the other guitarist in my band and I were discussing it in our last rehearsal and I’m planning to experiment over the weekend.

For me, snapshots and IRs are the main Helix game changers. I love my Helix LT and would highly recommend it! I use four main presets, mainly for different combinations of amp models. These presets use serial routing paths and each has one dirty amp and one clean amp. My snapshots are configured so that only one amp block/IR is live at a time, with the other amp block/IR bypassed. With snapshots you can set each block’s state (on/bypassed) and the value of up to 64 different parameters within blocks. I have only scratched the surface of that capability! For example, my workhorse preset has a noise gate, a distortion pedal, a Plexi Brt, an IR for the Plexi, a harmonizer, two delays, a chorus, a US Double Nrm, an IR for the double, two reverbs, a volume pedal and a parametric EQ. Four main snapshots provide 1) a clean sound with chorus and a spring reverb, 2) a cranked Plexi with a touch of plate Reverb, 3) a cranked Plexi with OD in front and 4) an OD’d Plexi lead tone with plate reverb, short delay for doubling and long delay for effect.

Since your budget doesn’t support an LT, I won’t espouse the advantages any further. I do think you would enjoy the Firehawk; I certainly have. It is a great value and with a working knowledge of the deep editing parameters the HD models can produce tones almost as good as the Helix. That said, its Chieftain model (non-HD) won’t give you these deep editing parameters. I used my Firehawk for a few years in rehearsals and gigs and I learned to anticipate the preset switching lag and work around it. While it was clearly slower than my RP, I didn’t think it was a deal breaker. When I first tried Helix snapshots, I was pleasantly surprised by the complete lack of any delay in switching. So by comparison it was very noticeable.

I think we discovered the “controversial†part of the update!

As an owner of both Firehawk and Helix LT, it sounds to me like you would be happier with the LT if you have the budget. Snapshots eliminate Firehawk’s problem with switching lag and are really well suited to live performance. The routing in Helix is much more flexible, which will allow you to run a cab/mic sim on one set of outputs and not on the other. It works well with 4CM, although I find that FRFR monitoring unlocks its full potential. Helix loads IRs, which can be a powerful tool for the cab/mic part of the equation. It provides numbers of effects blocks that are limited only by DSP availability, and it has two DSP chips! Blocks can be placed in any order. Now that I have my LT, the Firehawk has been relegated to my gigging backup. It is still a worthy piece of gear, but in my humble opinion has been clearly eclipsed by Line6’s flagship processor! Helix runs the HX amp and cab models, which are very realistic. I used to run an RP500 into a Mesa 2:Fifty with two 1x12 Thiele cabs... that rig is collecting dust!

Good news! Thanks for the update.

I’m a huge fan of the Celestion brand of impulse responses. My favorites are the Redback 4x12 mixes using three microphones. The “high gain mix†really shines on a Plexi Brt or 2204 Mod amp model, naturally taking out some of the fizz. The “low gain†mix is a little brighter and sounds great on a US Double Nrm model. I’ve recently been using the 2x12 open back Blue “high gain†mix IR with an A30 Fawn Nrm amp model. Awesome with the Teemah OD for getting a sweet U2 Vertigo tone!

I did the XLR vs unbalanced 1/4†comparison on my JBL EON. Tone-wise, for a 12’ cable, I couldn’t tell any difference. However, the unbalanced cable had a barely noticeable background hum that the XLR did not. It wasn’t enough to hear when playing, but I could tell it was there when not playing. I think longer unbalanced cables would accentuate the hum even more.

Any update on the resolution?

Master at 10 and channel volume at 8.8 do not necessarily equate to playing loud. Master generally controls how much power amp distortion a model emulates, and it is highly interactive with the deep editing parameters such as bias, sag, etc. For the most realistic simulation, master would typically be set at 10 for an amp model whose real world counterpart doesn’t have a master volume control. Channel volume can be used very effectively to match perceived loudness across presets. I have presets with similar settings and I don’t typically play very loud... just use the big volume knob to control signal level to your monitor (or use the monitor’s volume control).

Here’s my Marshall crunch recipe: Brit Plexi Brt - drive 10, bass 9.5, mid 9.9, treble 7.2, presence 5.7, Ch vol 7, master 10, sag 7.5, hum 5, ripple 5.5, bias 6, bias x 4. Add a Scream 808 in front for OD if needed. A Celestion Redback IR “hi-gn all mics†from their 4x12 closed back collection will finish it off nicely! I run 80 Hz low cut and 12.5 KHz high cut in the IR block. Monitor is FRFR - JBL EON 612 in floor wedge position with “monitor†EQ setting engaged.

Search the Cloud for “BJ Clean 1†Use the exact text string, including spaces. I see three presets with that name.

Low cut at 80 Hz and high cut at 12.5 KHz in the IR block. I’m using Celestion mix IRs, which seem pretty well “pre-EQd†at least to my liking. They were produced with three mics - SM57, R121 and MD421, which results in a darker IR than most I’ve tried with a single SM57 mic. The “hi-gain†mix IR has even more high cut built in. Highly recommend their Redback IRs to cut fizz, particularly the 4x12 closed back cabinet version.

I’ve only used 2.30, since my new LT was pre-loaded with the latest firmware. It works OK, but does seem a little finicky compared to other Line 6 processors I’ve used (AMPLIFi and Firehawk). The other guitarist in my band uses a Helix Floor he has owned for over a year and just updated to 2.30. He complained the other day at rehearsal that the tuner seems different, and not in a good way!

Your Archtype tone sounds really good in the mix. And great playing, BTW!

Sounds great to me! Lots of mids and not too much gain, especially when compared to Joe’s scooped tone. BTW, I would love to wake up one morning and be able to improvise as “mediocre†as Paul or Joe!!!

I’ve never owned an HD500, but I do have a Firehawk and now a Helix LT. The Firehawk has many of the same HD amp and effect models that are in the 500, so tone-wise it is roughly equivalent. I agree with cclement that HX modeling and the Helix user interface are revolutionary. A big step up from the Firehawk! Snapshots and IR loading were the main selling points for me and I have not been disappointed at all. Worth every bit of the ten Benjis it set me back!

EVH even holds a pick differently than most of us. He will typically have it between his thumb and middle finger. I’ve tried this and not only is it difficult for me, but it produces a much heavier attack and seems to be a characteristic part of his tone. Regarding gain, there is a noticeable difference in sound and feel between pre-amp gain and power amp distortion, both in a real tube amp and in Helix. One thing I really like about Helix is the way it can reproduce power amp distortion at a low volume. It does however require some knowledge of the deep editing parameters (master, sag, bias, bias X, etc) and a willingness to tweak for hours on end!

Can you see it all? There is a global setting for turning it on or off (manual p.52). If there is no light at all, I would check that setting.

For some reason I can’t load the sample noise you posted. When first connecting Helix to my Mesa 2:Fifty stereo power amp, I had a loud hum. It stopped when I plugged both units into my rack power conditioner, a Furman. Maybe a long shot for fixing your issue, but sharing my experience nonetheless.

Ultimately whatever works best for you is what’s right. That is the beauty of Helix, it’s flexibility. I prefer certain IRs only because the recording engineer who made them apparently has an ear for tone that happens to be in line with my personal tastes. His “all-mic†mixes sound very balanced and full to me and don’t require much additional EQ to achieve the tones I like. They just sound good “out of the box.†I can get a dual cab block pretty close but haven’t been able to quite find the “three dimensional†fullness of the IRs. That said, I would be perfectly okay using the tones I’ve dialed in with dual cabs. Both flavors sound great, just different. When asked for a preference, my wife says “they both sound like you playing an electric guitar.†I’m willing to bet 99% of my audience would say the same thing! For me the cabs and my short list of IRs are close enough to each other that my style, pick attack, dynamics, etc. come through just as well either way. At that point I default to whatever I think sounds better, which is an IR, by a small margin. I can also hear the difference between the 1024 and 2048 sample IRs, with about as small a distinction as the Cab vs. IR comparison.

Your tone in the first vid sounds a lot like one I made using the Brit Plexi Brt amp model into a Celestion Redback IR (4x12 closed, high gain-all mic). This IR turned out to be the secret sauce for me to achieve the warmth and complexity I was seeking. I run a crunch tone, which is just the amp with Drive and Master on 10, and a higher gain snapshot with a Scream 808 overdrive block in front. Deep edits are also key to getting simulated power stage distortion... I run Sag at 7.2, Bias at 6.0 and Bias X at 4.0. I’ve not found the reverbs and delays to be lacking, typically using the plate or spring and a simple delay or two in mono. I did read on this forum that HX reverbs are on the way in the next planned update, so that might help your situation.

For FRFR, try a Brit Plexi amp block with the bass and mids cranked and treble/presence rolled back to taste. Use a Celestion Redback closed 4x12 IR with 10k high cut. I use their “high gain - all mics†file. Bump the master up to 10, sag to 7.2, Bias to 6.0 and Bias X to 4.0.

Or more than one amp block in a serial path. Only one is on at a time, per snapshots. I use a US Double Nrm for clean tones, but I don’t really like the sound of it with an OD in front (kinda bright). So I use a Brit Plexi Brt model that sounds great on its own for a crunch tone and great with a Scream 808 in front for a higher gain tone.

I’m a big fan of the Celestion IRs! Especially the Redbacks in 4x12 closed variety on a mid to high gain preset. Alnico Blues in 2x12 open variety sound great for clean tones. If you are having any trouble with digital fizz, give ‘em a try.