HonestOpinion

Interesting that you chose the Vermin with the '3 OSC Synth'. I posted a couple of days ago that the 'Vermin' was my favorite distortion sound with the synth block after experimenting with all of the drive/distortion blocks. I don't usually use the 'Vermin' so I would not ordinarily have employed it but it sounds just right to my ears with the synth.

Hmmm, the hardware, at least the DSP chips, on the AX8 are the same as the Helix. I wonder why the Fractal's ability to handle IRs is so superior and ultimately if they could improve the IR handling on the Helix?

Make sure you do not have the USB connection to your PC and try some of the reset options on this site, particularly the 9&10 reset: http://helixhelp.com/pmwiki.php?n=Main.ResetOptions Once and if you get the Helix to boot properly do the following: Uninstall the Helix software on your PC Install the latest 2.01 Helix app. This will install the latest Editor, driver, and Updater. Use the Updater to reflash the firmware to 2.01 Run the global reset option (FS 9&10)

Sounds like someone needs to listen to 'Almost Cut My Hair' again on CSNY's 'Deja Vu' album (not related to "Name That Riff").

I did try the '3 OSC Synth' block after the amp/cab block and it does seem to track much better there for me. Putting the synth block after the amp does of course change the tone quite significantly from placing it before. Going to have to experiment more with this one. I think the main drawback at this point is that it is monophonic. It is certainly a lot of fun to play with.

Hate to sound critical because it could something I'm doing wrong but I would say right now that 'ordinary' would be an extremely generous estimation of the tracking on the '3 OSC Synth'. I am interested in other's impressions and usage tips for this effect. I don't mean to imply that the tracking is horrible because it is not. It reminds me a bit of the first generation of the Roland GK pickup except it is monophonic. It works but is a bit glitchy and quite picky about your playing style. Update: Placing the synth block after the amp/cab block rather than before made a significant improvement in tracking.

I really liked it, had a 'Techno/Electronica' feel to it. Nice to see all kinds of genres being played with the Helix, particularly ones I don't ordinarily listen to or hear on the Forum.

Absolutely you want to use the VDI cable! The included cable is not ethercon but really just an ordinary Ethernet cable intended strictly for use with the USB adapter connected to your computer for updating the firmware and using Workbench. Although you could use an ordinary Ethernet cable the VDI cable includes locking ends on the collar rather than tabs on the cable which prevent inadvertently ripping out the electronics on your Variax or the Helix.

I have played with the '3 OSC Synth' a bit. I agree the tracking which appears to be strictly monophonic is a lot less than impressive right now, at least with my rig. Perhaps my preset is not set ideally for this block but I have certainly used synth effects that were friendlier, easier to use, and tracked better from the git-go. Generally this is the type of effect I would think would track better toward the beginning of my signal chain but I found that I got dramatically improved tracking by putting the 'Deluxe Comp' compressor in front of it with some direct sound in the mix in the compressor block to retain the guitar's attack. Release settings above 1 second (quite long) helped to provide enough sustain to keep the synth from glitching or dropping out quite as much on the tail end of the notes. Your settings may vary depending on playing style and tempo but I recommend playing with the compressor's attack and release settings. I also liked a hard knee setting to encourage rapid engagement of full compression but this requires more experimentation and again may vary depending on other variables. I have not experimented yet with putting this block after the amplifier/cab block instead of before but I wonder if that might help enormously with tracking as well. Adding distortion (I particularly liked the 'Vermin' model) as well as some post synth processing blocks (reverb, delay, mod) helped with the overall tone and getting a 'big' rock sound although I was able to get some acceptable tones without distortion. I think this is one of the models that could bear improvement (or perhaps just some specific recommendations on usage, could be pilot error) as well as desperately requiring some documentation on the parameters, there are quite a few of them. This is probably the most complex effect on the Helix. Glad they added it though, it has mega potential and I hope they continue to improve it. As WickedFinger has pointed out, this would be a prime candidate for polyphonic processing if that is in the cards for Helix. Btw, I found it particularly helpful to turn off the level for two out of the 3 oscillators and to tweak each one separately and then tweak them together by adding back in the levels one by one. I also found that if you use an oscillator voice that is set to one or more octaves up that turning down the level on that voice helps to get a better blended sound (Fletcher-Munson) and keeps it from overwhelming the lower pitched voices. Tweaking the three oscillators individually without the other two in the mix, and then together, assisted me both in figuring out how each parameter affected the sound as well as refining each oscillator voice as I am not a keyboard player and synth adjustments at this level do not come naturally to me.

Wow, first off what an incredible story. Glad you made it through and you certainly picked a great way to heal. I also love chess and Bach and they will definitely stimulate cognitive function. I think some other folks can weigh in on other elements of your setup but I would recommend a Variax especially if you get one without the piezo 'plink' problem that many have complained about. It is not the best made guitar but it will suffice (I dig mine) and it brings a world of additional fun to a Helix setup with the ability to control Helix parameters from the guitar as well as giving you multiple guitar models and more importantly multiple alternate tunings. I would highly recommend getting one from a retailer that allows returns or exchanges and giving it a try. Given your incredibly moving recovery story I would try speaking directly to a representative at GC, Sweetwater or maybe even Line6 and seeing if perhaps they can either give you a major discount or perhaps even a free guitar as a tax write-off to a worthy cause. Good luck and good healing to you!

It has been moved to each preset, there is no longer a global setting. You will find it under the Input block within each preset.

Voted!

Nice! What are the limitations on the 'Trial' version? Is it only good for 30 days or is it feature limited?

Most kind of you, I have seen some pretty impressive posts on this forum. I'm just happy to see some folks taking a look at it. It is the result of the knowledge of many other audio and product engineers' knowledge and experience on the subject of compression. I only gathered this information together and organized it in one place, the content is primarily provided by others. I am sure forum users and future articles will make valuable additions and I will try to make an effort to add them in. I already modified the content to incorporate an excellent note from njglover regarding two-knob compressors.

:)

Bring up any video, you need to skip past any advertising or wait for it to finish. Click on 'Settings' (the icon that looks like a cog/gear towards the bottom right side of the Youtube screen), it will have a 'Speed' option. Just select the speed you want and the song will play at that speed but without changing pitch.

Thank you very much!! :)

I don't need a new Helix. How about a 'Firmware' Monday instead where ten new models and effects get added. :D

This was a well documented problem for about the first year after the release of these speakers. I have always thought the fact that they cannot confirm which serial numbers have the new fans was highly suspect or at the very least a substantial oversight in proper tracking of a known manufacturer defect. I am horrified (it's Halloween) to hear that one that was purchased so recently might have the original defect with the rattling fan. I hope this is just a case of NOS or a one-off. Please let us know if your new speakers have the same issue.

Please vote for my Idea to have a one click snapshot assign in the Editor. It is still a very ponderous process in the Editor and could be a lot easier and quicker. http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Assign-parameter-to-snapshot-with-click-in-Editor/833883-23508

You said you tested your cable with your Neumann, I assume you are referring to your mic. Have you tried testing with a 1/4 output or is this only happening when you use XLR out? Also, is your headphone out hissing as well? My first suggestion is always the same after trying alternate guitar, XLR, and 1/4 guitar cables, making sure cables are seated properly, checking global settings, the equipment you are plugging into to monitor, and the rest of the likely suspects. Back everything up (bundle, setlists, presets, IRs) and then reflash the firmware and do a global reset. You can try a global reset first without the firmware reflash to see if this helps. I know this sounds like a standard answer sort of like 'reboot the computer' but it cures a lot of ills. Good luck with this, hopefully it is not a defective unit.

Thanks for bringing attention to the volume issue. This is a great way to get around it.

Thanks! :)

Added how to use the 'LA Studio Comp' to compression doc. http://line6.com/support/topic/23488-compressors-explained/?p=178763 Helix 'LA Studio Comp' Parameters And Usage Tips Note: The 'Mix' control as on most compressors can help by adding back in the initial pick attack as well as potentially brightness or tone to the signal by providing some of the uncompressed signal in your path, particularly on higher 'PeakReduc' settings. PeakReduc - This will set the 'amount' of compression and also adjust the threshold (how high the input level, or the often related, how aggressive the pick attack needs to be, to trigger compression). These two parameters(ratio, threshold) are collapsed into this single control on the 'LA 2A'. The ratio control being the ratio of dbs being reduced you are used to seeing e.g. 2:1, 4:1 and threshold referring to what input level is required to trigger compression. I don't know how or even if the attack and release are figured into the PeakReduc when it is adjusted. The original 'LA 2A' analog compressor the 'LA Studio Comp' is based on did not have attack and release controls (similar to a two knob compressor pedal) but instead used the "combination of an electro-luminescent panel and a photo-cell to determine the attack and release characteristics of the LA-2A". I am not sure how Line6 modeled that circuitry but that is what would set the attack and release in the original effect. Gain - This is referring to the 'makeup' gain knob you see on most compressors. Generally the higher you set the compression (PeakReduc) the more the signal will be reduced and the higher the 'Gain' will need to be set. "This control does not affect the compression. The gain control should be set after the desired amount of compression is determined using the Peak Reduction control. Once the Peak Reduction control is set, adjust the Gain Control to achieve the desired output level." Emphasis - Use this to have more or less compression on the sparkly high end of your guitar signal. "The LA-2A was designed for use in broadcast applications. The audio signal in FM broadcasting undergoes pre-emphasis and results in a 17 dB boost at 15 KHz. Due to this increase in signal level, transmitters are subject to over-modulation. The LA-2A provides a control (R37) which controls the amount of high-frequency compression. This potentiometer is factory set for a “flat†side-chain response (clockwise). Increasing the resistance of this potentiometer by turning it counter clockwise will result in compression which is increasingly more sensitive to the higher frequencies." So, to put it another way, this large 17db bump at 15khz in the original LA-2A compressor meant that they built in an 'Emphasis' parameter that kept compression flat across the frequency spectrum but allowed you to apply additional ("sidechain") compression to the high frequencies. I don't know exactly at which frequencies Line6 or the original effect applied that additional compression; on the original probably around 15khz as that is where FM broadcasting signals were boosted. It is worth noting that on the original device turning the 'Emphasis' control counter-clockwise actually increased the amount of compression applied to the high frequencies. Type - This parameter will adjust the ratio settings used in the 'PeakReduc' parameter to much higher values, generally you will set this to 'Compress' for guitar. Setting it to 'Limit' will change a 2:1 ratio into for example a 10:1 ratio more ideal for limiter use.

I also love that Keeley compressor! I know what you mean about users not knowing how best to utilize the 'LA Studio Comp'. This one was a little less obvious to me than for instance the 'Deluxe Comp' which has more flexible user controls and has the compressor settings I am most familiar with. The nice thing about the 'LA Studio Comp' is that it is actually modeled after a very sought after studio/broadcast compressor and I think they did a great job on it. I have also noticed it uses more DSP than the 'Deluxe Comp' as when I get close to the edge on Helix DSP usage I can bring up the 'Deluxe Comp' but not the 'LA Studio Comp'. So, judging by the amount of DSP it uses it may be a more complex and nuanced compressor model despite the fact that it has fewer controls. I found the link to the docs on helixhelp.com for the 'LA 2A' to be really helpful for tips on how to use this effect. http://helixhelp.com/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Dynamics I included a description of the critical parameters on the 'LA Studio Comp' and some tips on using them in the bottom of this post in case you want to skip down to them. Essentially other than the 'Mix' and 'Level' there are two main controls on the 'LA Studio Comp' you will find yourself adjusting most often, the 'PeakReduc' and 'Gain'. The PeakReduc parameter will determine the ratio or amount of compression as well as the threshold and the 'Gain' knob is essentially the 'makeup gain'. Generally the higher you set 'PeakReduc' the more makeup gain you will have to add to account for the amount of volume reduction caused by the compressor. You may or may not find yourself wanting to tweak the 'Emphasis'. The description of what it did on the original 'LA 2A' is below in the parameter descriptions which don't include 'Mix' and 'Level' because they are self-explanatory and most people know how to use them. One thing to note is that the 'Mix' control can help you regain some dynamics and attack as well as brightness or tone as it mixes in a percentage of the uncompressed signal. One final note, I have not experimented with this but as on many 'two-knob' compressors you may find that the level of the input signal going to the 'LA Studio Comp' compressor may change the compressor quite dramatically depending on how the 'PeakReduc' control is set as it includes not only the ratio but the threshold control as well. Because ratio and threshold controls in the 'LA 2A' are collapsed into the 'PeakReduc' control on the 'LA 2A' varying the input level to this block may be preferable if you want the compressor to activate properly on lower ratio settings as varying the threshold by cranking the 'PeakReduc' knob will also turn up the compression ratio (more compression). Varying input levels is often one of the methods for managing compressors without separate threshold controls in the analog world, not sure if the same applies in the digital realm on this compressor. One caveat, I am making the assumption that L6 modeled this effect close to the way the original 'LA 2A' was designed. That is what guided my explanation of how the controls work on the Helix. Here is a link to a rather lengthy (perhaps too lengthy) writeup I did on compression that some may find particularly helpful for using the 'Deluxe Comp'. http://line6.com/support/topic/23488-compressors-explained/?p=178763 Some tips on using the 'LA Studio Comp': Helix 'LA Studio Comp' Parameters And Usage Tips PeakReduc - This will set the 'amount' of compression and also adjust the threshold (how high the input level or the often related, how aggressive the pick attack needs to be, to trigger compression). These two parameters(ratio, threshold) are collapsed into this single control on the 'LA 2A'. The ratio control being the ratio of dbs being reduced you are used to seeing e.g. 2:1, 4:1 and threshold referring to what input level is required to trigger compression. I don't know how or even if the attack and release are figured into the PeakReduc when it is adjusted as the 'LA Studio Comp' original did not have attack and release controls (similar to a two knob compressor pedal) but instead used the "combination of an electro-luminescent panel and a photo-cell to determine the attack and release characteristics of the LA-2A". I am not sure how Line6 modeled that circuitry but that is what would set the attack and release in the original effect. Gain - This is referring to the 'makeup' gain knob you see on most compressors. Generally the higher you set the compression (PeakReduc) the higher this will need to be set. "This control does not affect the compression. The gain control should be set after the desired amount of compression is determined using the Peak Reduction control. Once the Peak Reduction control is set, adjust the Gain Control to achieve the desired output level." Emphasis - Use this to have more or less compression on the sparkly high end. "The LA-2A was designed for use in broadcast applications. The audio signal in FM broadcasting undergoes pre-emphasis and results in a 17 dB boost at 15 KHz. Due to this increase in signal level, transmitters are subject to over-modulation. The LA-2A provides a control (R37) which controls the amount of high-frequency compression. This potentiometer is factory set for a “flat†side-chain response (clockwise). Increasing the resistance of this potentiometer by turning it counter clockwise will result in compression which is increasingly more sensitive to the higher frequencies." Type - This parameter will adjust the ratio curves, generally you will set this to 'Compress' for guitar. Setting it to 'Limit' will change a 2:1 ratio into for example a 10:1 ratio more ideal for limiter use.