doughadfield

After waiting a VERY long time we finally have an update to Pod Go, which is extremely welcome! However, the one key feature I was really hoping for (and with all the hints around a re-written cab engine, we had good reason for hope) is still missing - no stereo cab block! This means that the Pod Go can't be used for stereo effects into the PA if you still want to hear those effects on-stage - the pre-cab tap point for on-stage monitor would be really useful, but all stereo capable effects have to be placed AFTER the cab block, so you can't hear them on stage!! - this is a huge limitation of the Pod Go and should have been fixed in 2.0, with the re-written cab engine - is there any hope at all that this feature will come soon in an update?

I'm really hoping and expecting that the next update for Pod Go fixes it's fundermental weakness! - that is, you can't run any kind of stereo effect in a live context, because the last effect in the chain - the cab - turns everything to mono!! (the cab has to be the last effect, as the tap off to the on-stage amp is just before it). Either stereo cab or IR - don't mind which, but PLEASE give us the ability to run the Pod Go in stereo!!!

Hi, This is becoming a major issue for me. whilst I appreciate and am grateful for regular firmware updates, it's a REAL PAIN having to reset everything to factory on every firmware update, then try to remember all the global setting changes I've made when tweaking my helix over time for live performance. It can be very damaging to a performance to suddenly find a setting not set, when it should have been. Therefore I need a way to save and restore global settings in the same way that setlists are saved and restored, so I can be sure the helix is back to where I left it, after the upgrade. Line6, if you're working on a fix for this, please let us know so we can stop fretting and simply hold our breath for the update! Doug

Hi, I'm flattered at the kind words on this thread - thanks all. The diagram that a2dconverterguy posted is truly impressive, and illustrates the solution beautifully. As for the issue of ground loops, as you suspect, the CV/FET solution is unlikely to make any difference, as the ground loop issue is due to the common ground between the Helix and your amp, which is still present with the FET solution. However, it may be possible to think of a creative solution to your problem. If a resistor is inserted in the common ground, the ground loop current is reduced and your problem may go away. The beauty of the FET is that it's a voltage-controlled device - it requires almost no current at all at the gate. So, we could put a large resistance in the ground circuit and still generate the gate voltage necessary to turn on the FET. Try that - in the excellent diagram above, put a 10K resistor in the ground line between the Source of the FET and the Jack connected to the Helix. Give it a go and let us know how you get on :-) Doug

I'm guessing the reason isolated relay contacts weren't implemented was that an additional jack socket would have been required (each switching output would require it's own TRS output, with tip and ring being the relay contact, and screen being ground). There was no room on the Helix rear panel, I presume...

Minor correction - the FET I used was a "2N7000" not "SN7000" (typo in my previous post). Also yes, it's only a single channel solution. I did toy with the idea of switching multiple channels when particular CV voltages were set, but abandoned the idea as it would be fairly complex (involving an analog comparator and stable power supply regulator). I only needed the one additional channel, and I liked the simplicity of just modding the cable - no other alterations necessary :-).

ANSWERED!!: I'm currently using the CV output of My Helix to drive a relay input on my AMP. I measured the properties of the CV output and it delivers 0-5V at an output impedance of approx 660ohms. This is far too weak to drive a relay coil directly (which my AMP uses) so I've embedded a Field Effect Transistor (FET) into the body of the Jack plug inserted into the CV output socket of the Helix (I used a 2N7000 FET - cheap and easily obtainable). The Gate of the FET connects to the CV output, the Drain connects to the AMP switching line, and the Source connects to ground. I then set up a Helix footswitch (from the control centre on the Helix) to toggle the CV between 0 and 100. This drives the Gate of the FET and turns it ON and OFF (the Gate saturation voltage of the 2N7000 is around 2.1V). When on, the FET effectively shorts Drain to Source, so acts like a mechanical footswitch or relay contact, shorting the AMP switching line to ground. Simples ;-) Doug

Helix CV Output Impedence Measured!! - My Helix arrived at the weekend and I've just got around to measuring the output impedence of the CV output..... and the answer is..... 695ohms (allowing for inaccuracies in the measurement process, assume between 600 and 700ohms). This is nowhere near enough to drive an external relay directly (it will source around 7mA into a short circuit - far too little for relay coils). I'm guessing the output circuit of the CV is an op-amp (output impedence around 100ohms) in series with a 560ohm resistor (nearest standard value to 600ohms) making around 660ohms. Also, the CV output is 0-5V, not 0-10V, as I'd assumed!! (I was thinking of old lighting controllers, with their 0-10V signals). So, now we know ;-) Doug PS - this output can still be used to drive the relay input of an external amplifier, simply by putting a FET into the jack plug body, as I mentioned above (I'm doing this now, with my own amp).

My rack unit should be arriving this weekend, so I'll measure the impedance of the CV output myself and let y'all know :-) Doug

Unfortunately, the solution suggested by fukuri won't fix your problem, as you've found one of the significant shortcomings (IMHO) with the Helix as "system controller" - with present firmware. This should be very easy to fix with a firmware update, but we need to persuade Line 6 of the importance of this. Just about every other controller board or module I've used, which has relay outputs for controlling amps, has the ability to reverse the polarity of the relay outputs. This is because many (most) "vintage" amps drove their footswitch units this way: The relay coil was connected internally with one end to relay supply (+9-12v typically) and the other end of the relay coil to the footswitch connector. Therefore, when the relay was "out" (coil not energised) the supply voltage appeared in the footswitch line and could drive an LED in the footswitch unit. Therefore, the function would be ON when the coil was un-energised, so the LED would be ON in the footswitch unit. When the footswitch was pressed, it shorted the relay terminal to 0v, thus energising the relay and switching the funciton OFF as well as shorting the LED and turning it off. So, Line6 needs to realise this and add a "relay polarity invert" function, probably to the global settings in the Helix. Until then, we'll be confused by the switch light being ON when the amp function is OFF (not exactly the "world class system controller" yet.... but hopefully will be fixed soon... (please!!)

Just wanted to say how helpful I found this post. I too have a beautiful hand-wired vintage valve amp that makes all my guitars sound amazing, so I'm very skeptical about modelling (having tried HD500X among others) - but I have a helix rack on order (since August last year - should arrive next week!!!) and now I can't wait, after reading this very balanced and relevant post. I particularly appreciated the "preamble" establishing the author's credentials as a "tone snob" so as to understand how the helix was being evaluated and what it was being compared to - very helpful indeed. Doug

Hi again, to answer the reply from HonestOpinion, you can't change the electrical characteristics of the CV output simply by changing firmware, as it's a hard-wired variable voltage output and not a relay contact. However, you can *easily* use it as an additional amp switching output simply by setting the CV value to switch between 0v and 10v in the "Command Centre" section of helix (using a switch or "instant location" setting; not an expression pedal!). The CV output voltage will then "switch" between 0 and +10v as you enter the patch or hit the stomp mode foot-switch. The issue is then how to drive your particular amp. It may be that the CV output can source (or actually, sink) enough current to engage the relay in the amp (typically around 20-30mA). If so, then happy days. If not, you'll need to add a transistor to act as an amplifier - the simplest would be simply to embed a single FET (2N7000 would be ideal - at around 8p each!) into the jack plug at the helix end - Gate to CV output, Source to ground and Drain to Amp relay input. The FET will then switch on when the CV voltage is above about 2v (10V will do it!) and pull the relay line to ground, switching on the relay in the same way that a foot-switch would. So, back to my original question - Line6 guys, what's the output impedance (sink current capability) of the CV/Expression output? Thanks Doug EDIT!! - the CV voltage output of the Helix is actually 0-5V, NOT 0-10v, as I'd incorrectly assumed above!

Hi Dave, thanks for replying. I'm an old electronics engineer too ;-). I was planning to use the CV output like a switched output, by using simply 0v and "Max"v values - clearly you don't want to continuously vary the CV if you're trying to switch something on or off. As you rightly say, loading the CV output with a low impedance load such as a relay coil will change the voltage (depending of course on the output impedance of the CV) but the relay coil won't care what the precise output voltage is, as long as it's high enough to reliably switch the relay. This is what I'm trying to ascertain. I can, of course, build an external buffer amp using a transistor to drive the relay coil, but I want to avoid that complexity if possible. regards Doug

Hi, I can't find anywhere the specification of the CV control voltage output on the Helix - specifically what's the output impedance - in other words, how much current can it drive? I'm intending to use the CV output as another amp switching output (my amp has three remotely switchable functions that I want to automate with Helix) so I'm keen to know whether I can drive a relay coil directly from the CV output, or whether I need to buffer it with a custom-built transistor stage. Any indication would be nice (in fact, a "specifications" section at the back of the manual would be even nicer!! :-))

According to the manual, the AUX input has a 10Mohm input impedence. Frankly I think this is a typo, as this would be insanely high (great for unbufferred piezo pickups from acoustics, but very noisy!!). However, if, like me, you're using the Line 6 wireless (I have a Relay G50) the output impedance of the receiver unit will be quite low - like an active pickup output. So connecting the wireless receiver output to the aux input should be ideal. This is exactly what I intend to do - I have a helix rack unit on pre-order and I plan to mount my G50 receiver in the same (4U, portable) rack, connected to the Aux input in the back, so no messy cables visible at the front. Doug