rvroberts

Have you experimented with the pitch/synth modules like Simple Pitch? And adding either AM Ring (if you want a tad of ring modulation) or some Mutant Filter on low mode? Not a bass player, but I can get a lot of classic octave sounds right there.

That is probably because there is no more DSP available to process other blocks. If you have everything on one path - say path A - you need to join path A and path B so you then get more DSP (signal processing). Each path has its own DSP so if you need more, you need to link the paths and move some of the blocks to path B. I quickly put "dual path in Helix" into youTube and found this and a batch of other videos - didn't look through the whole thing, but I saw the basic setup there, so chances are he knows the system - if not do the same search and pick one of the other videos - you can have 4 paths in fact, but watch the videos!

The only reason anyone uses the 4 cable method is that they are using a real amp for their main tone and only want to use the Helix (stomp in your case) for effects, When using an amp sim you can use a helix cab or an IR - not both. The amps are entire amps - but don't get confused about that - the best place to put effects you don't want in front of your amp so they interact with the preamp, is at the end of the chain. That's what happens in a studio - so after the cab and mic simulation. The only reason anyone puts it between the preamp and power amp in a valve amp rig is that's the place you get the least amp effect and your reverb or delay can be as clean as possible in that type of rig - placed after everything is the way you do it in a studio and gives the most beautiful delays. (and a lot of the delays and reverbs have controls to roll off the highs etc to make the effect less hifi if that's what you want) So if you plan to use the HX Stomp with a batch of real effects pedals and you are mostly looking to the stomp for amp sims and clean effects - you would put all the things you would generally put into the front of your amp before the Stomp. You would then start in the stomp with an amp and say cab or IR and then you would have delay, reverb and anything else you wanted to use post amp (maybe leslie say in stereo? - whatever), This is not the only way to do it, you can use Helix sends and returns but the idea of using the preamp out on a traditional amp is not very useful when you have the full chain in the digital world and uses up blocks. The preamps are probably not much use in your scenario - with a limited number of blocks in the Stomp, I don't think I'd be using them. You have everything from the full Helix, but that doesn't mean you have to use them in the striped down world of a Stomp. You should not need a DI to feed FOH.

It is generally assumed that Helix users have some experience of a variety of Valve (tube) amps and a wide range of conventional pedals. As the Helix does a pretty good job of simulating these devices, and the IRs do a very good job of simulating cabs, that you just plug together modules based on that experience and you pretty much get what you'd expect. However, it's a digital age, and as you read this forum, it becomes very clear that there are a lot of younger players out there for which the above doesn't apply. This gets a bit more confusing because Line 6 avoids copyright problems by calling them something slightly different. A lot of what you want is here - https://helixhelp.com/ But the broader question - what does every knob do - including the intention - so gain might just increase volume, but it might also be a distortion control for example - no one has tried to do that. With the above link, you could do a lot of that for yourself - once you know what that amp is actually modelling, you could google the manufacturer and possibly download a manual. You can also look a YouTube videos of the real devices to get a better idea of how they should sound and what the controls do. The Helix often gives you controls the amp does not though - like Sag - this lets you get under the hood in a way that only really good amp techs once did. Again you could google it. So it's not all in one place - and it would be a huge job if it was - but there is the 'how to' you might be looking for.

I'd be taking it back instantly - assuming it's almost new and clearly faulty - it should be replaced on the spot if they got stock. Don't know where you are in the world - laws vary, but in most places failure on new goods is the responsibility of the shop - it's up to them to sort it with Line 6 not you.

You might find this interesting -

DI box is a simple fix, most soundies already carry a batch for bass and keys anyhow. Regarding the Friedman, I’ve never heard one, but even at a reduced price it’s not cheap! There are the line 6 power cabs and a pile of seriously good speaker systems, many of which are designed specifically for a more “guitar” sound out there at or below that price. Yes, Friedman is a good name, but that box came out a while ago, and it’s hardly the only kid on the block these days. Personally I’m still needing to be convince some really good PA boxes don’t do the job every bit as well. You’d be able to go stereo ( which I find to be a real treat) for similar money with 2 1000w boxes. I’d fun 1/4 inch into my monitors and save the XLRs for FOH. So my basic message is try some options before jumping in. Be aware that you will need to EQ your sound for any box, and I personally find it more logical to be EQing for something that more closely emulates the FOH.

Updating your Mac to a more recent OS is free. To not be able to update to a supported OS version, your Mac would be more than 9 years old. You can update late 2012 models to the latest OS. If older, you might need to use one of the other compatible versions. If you cannot do that, I think it is unreasonable to expect latest technology to be compatible with technology more than 10 years old.

Yes, but us southern Hemisphere types like to keep things simply - 1st March -----very simple! Not that the temperature is often below 26c that's 79 degrees F for you non metric types.

Try to save to your desktop. This sort of message is unlikely to be a Helix issue, but a computer permission issue. If saving to the desktop works - that is your problem. You can change the permissions on the folder you are trying to save to or just set up a new one. Google changing permission on a mac folder for instructions. Be sure to be logged in as the same user all the time.

Hi. The Helix LT is an amp modeller. If you are sure you want to continue using a guitar amp maybe you should investigate the HXFX. But to answer your question, you can assign your outputs per patch - so you would build a patch (well you might build 10!!??) for one guitar with specific combination of output and use different output for the other - by assigning that as part of your patch. I think the HXFX can do the job if you never want to go into amp modelling and FRFR. It doesn't have XLR outs, but you could use the sends to feed to the PA. You'd probably use a DI as it also doesn't seem to have a ground lift. The Helix LT does have it all - but at substantially more expense. If you might be considering FRFR in the future then the Helix LT will do everything you want - just don't expect the amp sims to work into your guitar amp.

You didn't say what amp you are using? Try to connect the send and return without the helix - one simple cable - to see what you get. That's the first test of your send and return. Then try the next cable - that will test your cables. So you are trying to eliminate all the possibilities. If all is good then connect the HXFX - just with a send and return - no effects in that loop using those same cables. It's just like sorting your pedal board - if it is still fine problem solved - if not you have something useful to report.

I actually suspect this person is a troll. But I do find many people failing to get great sounds from the Helix while they get good sounds more easily from some other gear. This has nothing to do with the ease of use of the device - the Helix is pretty easy to use providing you get the whole idea that you are modelling real devices and if you run a fuzz into a HiFi unit it sounds "harsh!!!". It is more about tailored sound libraries. If you select a Fender Deluxe amp and strum a chord and it's what you like to hear instantly, you might be inclined to think that's the best device you ever heard. We are all familiar with talking people through FRFR and high and low cuts etc. You have to understand some basic concepts - even Fletcher Munson curves. Truely to exploit any modeller well the same applies, but quiet obviously a lot of users don't. Then you also need to have a good idea of what the real effects that are being modelled are meant to sound like. I imagine without any of that real world experience, it's a very frustrating experience using the Helix. Yes, if you get all that, the Helix has a great interface to allow you to tweak to your heart's content. If you don't - there's a lot to learn and so many wrong turns its no doubt very tempting to just think you need some other device. If you are a player - in a band or recording - you know your job requires you to make sounds that sit in a mix -almost as much as playing the correct notes. Sometimes that sound might be produced by a $50 guitar through a old radio.......... There is no best - just what works to support the music. I chose the Helix because it gave me a great tool kit in a very convenient form factor. It still works for me.

So you bought a full Helix to use as s pedal board? Not a HXFX? And you are certain you are not a troll? I'll give you the benefit of doubt. I've owned a lot of AC15s and they are very bright amps. You may know they don't work well with all drives and distortions because of that. They also don't have effects returns - well mine didn't anyhow. Are you using the amp clean or edge of breakup? Typically, what you need to do is manage the top end of most distortions. Those with a good mid bump and not too much high end work best. You can manage this with EQ. But first, make sure your levels are sensible. Get a good cleanish sound with guitar direct into amp, then adjust level through be Helix to be similar. ( With no effects) Then use EQ to tailor the top end. Don't be concerned if you have to cut below 5K. You won't get hifi delays like this and don't even think about using amp or speaker Sims in your effects chains

Hi, I'd be very surprised if it was the HXFX. Known noise issue - I don't think so - you just show yourself that you can put the unit in other noise crucial applications without noise problems. It's either something about how you are connecting the devices, or the BluGuitar that is faulty. Just for interest you can see an interview with Jennifer Batten where she does exactly what you are trying to do.

I'm inclined to agree with the above from MusicLaw. But I'm going to point at a couple of other potential maybes! Have you had a fiddle with the input impedance? Back in the early days you needed to set this - then auto seemed to work fine and everyone seemed to forget about it. So it's designed to match up to your pickups - but the Helix is not now seeing your pickups - it's seeing the Giggity. Maybe that's a potential problem? You may well need to drop the input level overall - till it reduces the Humbuckers to the strat level? Otherwise you will need to adjust all your patches individually. Personally. I'd never be plugging a humbucker into the exact same patch as a Strat - I'd be wanting to adjust gain and EQ at least specific to the guitar - so I'd have different patches for each guitar - but that's up to you. Hope some of that might help?

and another - https://barefootbuttons.com/product-category/version-1/

I don't agree this is the wrong place to post this! It would be if the only solution were a change in software/firmware - but have you considered a physical change?? There are risers and extenders for foot switches. If you were to make all the footswitches that you want to hit easier to hit than the patch up down switches - might that fix your problem? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbgJOVDGmhY

Have you tried pulling the high cut all the way down to 5K? My first few weeks were painful till I realised 5K is pretty normal for guitar.

Make sure you use the same version of HX Edit as the firmware version of your Helix

I see your problem! No one can guarantee that the Helix - floor or rack - will make you as happy as the Kemper. If you had the Kemper head with the built in amp, I'd just use the HX FX as an effects unit and patch changer in front of the Kemper - then you'd have all the smarts like snapshots and still get your tone from the Kemper. That you need a power amp and speakers starts to make this a messy setup for live. I like the Helix floor - I don't see why anyone wants the rack except if it's built in a studio setup. But the floor is instead of the Kemper - you would need to try it for enough time to get past the initial learning curve - not so much the learning curve of programming - that's pretty simple if you have experience with amps and pedals - but the EQ that's needed to get it sounding good. And I'd really suggest that the DT50 is a bad choice for that - you plug your Kemper into that?? i suspect you are EQing around a setup that is not really doing your Kemper justice - but then maybe it's the limitations of that system you like? after all, low and high cuts are the first thing you do with an FRFR system - the DT50 might be doing that for free! To make the Helix sing, you need a good FRFR system. You then need to EQ it with suitable low and high cuts and potentially some mid kick depending on your speakers. When you got that happening, you would know if you could live with the Helix or not. I personally can - but I'm not you. Try to find someone who has musical tastes that aren't a million miles from yours and who uses a Helix and get them to work with you to get some sounds - then you can make an informed decision. Don't stuff around with the HD500 and the HX Stomp - it's just getting into more mess and less clear path to your sound. If nothing sounds as good as your Kemper (even if you have to run it through the DT50!} then get the HX FX and use it to control everything else through snapshots and midi.

Have you considered that you can run the looper into the front of the Helix or after the helix? You don't have to put it in a loop. The loop might work well for you though if you wanted to use it in some patches live.

Well you need to connect them side by side and check - cause one's faulty if you have that kind of difference.

I'd bet the tiny variation in AtoD and D to A is so slight you wouldn't notice without test gear. And the digital stuff in the middle - 100% exact. Get more variation changing your cables.

I'm surprised no-one has suggested the obvious. If you are planning FRFR in the future, or thinking a lot of recording, the Helix is a good choice. However, if you plan on using it for FX with the amp, and want to keep using an amp, the HXFX is the better choice. It's all the effects without the amps and cabs.