HonestOpinion

Could not agree more. A meter or an indicator light at the least would be a fantastic addition to the compressors. The lack of them makes it harder to set the threshold properly as there is no visual indicator of when the compression first starts kicking in. A meter would also help with attack and release times as well as it makes it easier to see which parts (e.g. string hits) of your signal are activating the compression, how quickly, and for how long. Even if we cannot get a meter on the Helix screen it would be great to have one on the Editor that acted and appeared like any of the meters on a variety of available DAW compressor plugins. In general I would love to see Line6 be one of the first to combine an editor with the advantages of the refined graphics/GUI which include metering that we see in many DAW plugins. I think those two worlds will collide at some point. Perhaps not on the Helix Editor but at some point down the line. It might take some years to happen. I think the potential for what an 'Editor' can do is probably vastly under exploited right now by all the major MFX vendors (Kemper, Fractal, Line 6). I suppose one of the challenges that will be present for the moment is how many developer resources you want to divert to the editor (not too many). You almost need a third party company that works on nothing but plugin type editor enhancements and is able to interface with any of the major vendors editors. Maybe another route to getting there would be to develop the equivalent of a universal interface like the Mackie Control templates (not necessarily using MIDI though) so that a device like the Helix could leverage at least some of the visual and functional aspects of existing DAW plugins. Eventually I think we will see a hybrid of standalone MFX/modeling devices like the Helix that leverages code that lives solely on the computer right now like VST/AU plugins and others found in products like S-Gear, Guitar Rig, or in DAWs like ProTools. Imagine being able to load a plugin to your Helix much the way you load an IR right now (you don't want to have to cart a computer around, products like that exist already and they can have portability, latency, and reliability issues). You would instantly have a world of effects and guitar sounds at your disposal that would serve double duty on your DAW and guitar modeler. You can see some devices moving in that direction already. The trick is getting plugins that are optimized and configurable for your standalone device. Maybe we need to expand and enhance the protocols for plugins to make them even more universal and addressable by a variety of devices such that for instance you could load up a VST plugin and be able to easily address its functions to assign parameters to the various knobs on your device (e.g. L6, Kemper, Fractal), display its graphics on your screen, and have the footswitches doing their thing. You know, much the same as the functions currently performed on a plugin by your mouse, keyboard, or a control surface. The key is once again to be able to load and run the plugin natively on your MFX so it does not need to run on the computer. Seems like the technology is 90% of the way there already.

Thanx! :)

As rvroberts indicated reading up on Snapshots in the manual is a good place to start. I remember having some of the same questions as you when I first started working with snapshots until I gave the manual a good read. Here are some quick instructions if you want to leap right in. If you want a parameter to vary from snapshot to snapshot use one of the following techniques: From the Helix: The Quick shortcut - From the Helix select the effect block and briefly push in the parameter button and turn it slightly. If you do it correctly brackets will appear around the parameter. If you hold the parameter button too long before you turn it a screen will pop up. That is ok as you can assign the parameter from that screen as well by turning the knob marked 'Controller' all the way until it reads 'Snapshots'. Either of these methods will assign a parameter to a snapshot. From the Edtitor: First select the block for the parameter you want to assign to vary with a snapshot. Select the 'Controller Assign' screen link from the bottom of the Editor screen. Select the parameter you want to adjust and then select scroll down all the to the bottom of the assign drop-down menu (second bar down on 'Controller Assign' screen) and select 'Snapshots. Once you return to the 'Home' screen you should see brackets around that parameter. IMPORTANT: The blurb below from the manual is very important as the setting you have selected for the 'Snapshot Edits' parameter under Global Settings determines how you need to save your edits in order for them to be retained. Until you get your head wrapped around this parameter a good rule of thumb is to save before you change to another snapshot. Of course, no matter what you have selected for the 'Snapshot Edits' parameter you will have to save at least once before exiting the preset if you want your changes to be retained. From the manual regarding the 'Snapshot Edits' Global parameter: "When set to "Recall," any snapshot edits are recalled when jumping from snapshot to snapshot, and appear as you last left them. When set to "Discard," any snapshot edits are discarded when jumping from snapshot to snapshot, and appear as the preset was last saved. If you want to save changes made to a snapshot while Snapshot Edits is set to "Discard,†press SAVE twice before selecting another." UPDATE: Just noticed phil_m essentially provided this information earlier. He is right on target. Stick with it and the process will become readily apparent.

I don't blame you for a second for responding to yet another cheesy dated pop culture film quote but I think you know exactly what the relevance of that quote was in response to the context of your latest post in a series of progressively escalating attacks on the quality of the effects in the Helix. I have to admit I am entertained by your response but I don't remember singing any gospel in my post (not that I know any other than what I've seen in 'Sister Act') or making any reference whatsoever to anything having to do with 'church jams'. Neither 'righteous' nor 'hopeful' necessarily imply 'religious' unless you lean in that direction, look 'em up in the Oxford dictionary. The quote I included is verbatim from the 'Oddball' character played by Donald Sutherland in 'Kelly's Heroes' and I don't think anyone would have mistaken his role in that film as being that of a pastor. I respect the fact that you have reservations about some or many of the effects on the Helix and would prefer to use external pedals. Just starting to feel like you are using the forum to bludgeon us with that opinion in a fairly negative fashion on a regular basis. I am far from a Line6 fan-boi, like seeing constructive criticism, and I am a big believer in free speech. I have made my own share of posts along the way that could be considered harsh or critical. I respect a forum where the Admin is very good about not censoring posts that are not exactly conducive to enhancing Line6 sales. I hope you keep posting your observations as I think they represent a valuable if in my opinion somewhat extreme viewpoint. If it were me I might take it down a notch but that is up to you. I have no right, power, or intention to dictate to you how to express yourself. I am just responding to your posts and trying to convey my opinion that you have judged the quality of the effects on the Helix too harshly and with what appears to be excessive and increasing regularity. What compelled me to respond is that it started to feel like rather than inviting L6 to improve on effects you were entreating them to abandon them altogether. Now that's just crazy talk and would negate a big part of the reason I purchased the Helix. If L6 wants to make an amp & cab modeling only device for users who feel the same as you, great, but that was not the intention of the Helix. I agree with some of the points you have made and you have been helpful to other users on technical issues. Nothing wrong with encouraging L6 to improve effect quality, especially if you can make concrete and specific suggestions (as you have on occasion). Some approaches just probably work better than others. Like I said before, no offense was intended.

Definitely looks like a viable backup unit. The only obvious drawback I see is the limited number of footswitches but I like the relatively compact size. It does include MIDI inputs for more switching but that would be one more thing to carry.

Again, probably stating the obvious here. First make sure you have your presets and IRs backed up. Run the global reset process (FS 9&10), it sounds like you already reverted your firmware back. Next, reduce things down to the simplest signal chain possible. I would start with just a guitar to the input and headphones. Gradually reconnect pieces and try to identify when things break down. Good luck, I hope it is just a firmware or settings issue or a bad cable as some here have found to their dismay after checking everything else under the sun.

Added a link towards the bottom of the large compressor document above for various compressor settings for different instruments and scenarios. http://anythingpeace...tings/comp.html

Could this be the volume on the expression pedal spontaneously dropping to 1% bug? Probably suggesting the obvious but check your preset routing, input/output blocks and of course any cabling. Did restarting the Helix fix the issue?

Thanx! :)

I am on my second Helix. The first one had a footswitch that failed ab about one month old. Thankfully my retailer swapped it out with no problem.

It seemed as if you were initially advocating for Line6 to model the best examples of current effects with features like polyphonic tracking but this post sounds as if you are now suggesting they stop modeling effects entirely. Maybe your standards are more demanding than my own but I strongly disagree with your dire and overwhelmingly negative assessment of the quality of the effects on the Helix. I certainly don't think your condemnation of the quality of the effects according to your perception (which I find entirely erroneous) in any way justifies junking the effects and their development and turning the Helix into an amp, cab and IR only device just because that is the way you would prefer to use it. No offense intended but I usually think it is a bad idea when anyone tries to dictate that there is only one acceptable method with which to use the Helix, especially when you have used what is in my opinion a much less than factual blanket indictment of what seems to be the majority of the effects on the Helix as your incredibly shaky rationale. If you prefer to only use your external pedals then by all means, have at it, but that in no way should make you feel as if you have to convince everyone else that most of the effects on the Helix suck. Quote from Oddball in 'Kelly's Heroes': "Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?"

Here is a document I have been working on but is not really ready for prime time yet. It is drawn from a variety of unquoted sources (my bad) and as I mentioned not yet fully edited but in the interests of giving you some general knowledge to work with I will post it up. There are probably other users on the forum who can provide more explicit settings for the compressors on the Helix and there are also user provided presets on CustomTone (good luck sorting through them) that serve as great examples. Anyway, here goes, a completely deranged and disorganized guide to compression that is designed to give you a working knowledge of compressor settings and operation rather than provide you with the settings but may nonetheless shed some light on the subject. There is a great link to suggested compressor settings for a variety of instruments as well as some other sample settings towards the end of this post. There is also a section further down on how to use the Helix 'LA Comp' compressor as well as a general section that applies to the Helix's 'Deluxe Comp'. For those of us who use compressors in a preset, most of us probably have it on all the time (and that is ok), or perhaps have it setup to switch off when we want more dynamics, for instance when we kick in a distortion pedal or heavier sound on a solo via a snapshot or pedal assign. I think however that the compressor is a prime candidate for assigning parameters to snapshots so that you can change the values on the compressor to match your tempo, attack, or song part (intro, verse, chorus, solo, bridge, outro) instead of just switching it in and out or leaving it on all the time. The HX line of devices added a gain reduction meter to the firmware at some point. You can use this by selecting any compressor block and look to see when the threshold you set is being crossed, and also how long it is being engaged until it is released. The gain reduction meter is extremely helpful for setting the threshold and release settings. I have gathered a bunch of notes together over time from various websites regarding compression so this work is the result of others much more well versed on the subject. My apologies in advance for any inadvertent plagiarism. I would be happy to cite sources or remove text if anyone sees their text here. Some notes may be redundant as they came from a wide variety of sources. I hope this assists some folks in getting their heads wrapped around compression parameters and their usage in different scenarios with the guitar and bass but also with vocals, drums, etc.. Why use compression?: Reduce sudden peaks/spikes. Smooth and make levels more uniform and less jarring on guitar, bass, drums, vocals or other instruments As a boost Add sustain, particularly on clean presets, but can also sound great with distortion and overdrive Articulation, dynamics (incorrect settings can squash these) Push an instrument more out front Make an instrument sit better in the mix 'Chicken pickin', funk, and other particular genres or styles Special effects (sometimes pumping or breathing can be a good thing) Suppressing microphone feedback, 'ringing' out a PA Leveling overall recording output in the mastering process Reduce masking of overlapping frequencies between instruments by sidechaining (description further down in document). First a brief description of common compression parameters (the 'Deluxe Comp' on the Helix has all these settings): Note: On some simple, for example two knob compressors, two or more of these parameters' functions may be collapsed into one knob. For example, turning up the ratio may simultaneously turn down the threshold. (contributor: njglover) Threshold is how loud your signal has to get before the compression kicks in. This is essential because you may not want your entire signal to be compressed. Some units have no threshold knob- for them, the threshold may be "fixed" and can only be adjusted by changing the input level of your signal. In other words, increasing the level of your signal by turning up the guitar volume or adding a pedal with a boost, etc. before your signal goes into the compressor. Alternatively on some two-knob compressors, as mentioned above, turning the compression knob may simultaneously raise the ratio and lower the threshold. Ratio is how much your signal gets compressed once it passes the threshold. Ratios are figured in decibels (dB); a dB is a unit of how much a signal increases or decreases relative to where it started. With a ratio of 4:1 for example, the idea is that for every 4 dB your signal goes over the threshold, the output level will only go up by 1 dB. Generally, ratios of 2:1 to 4:1 are considered light or moderate compression, and ratios of 10:1 or higher are considered heavy compression or limiting. A hard "brick wall" limiter has a ratio of infinity:1, meaning that once your signal crosses the threshold, the output will not increase more than 1 dB no matter how high the input signal spikes. Attack controls how quickly the compression reacts to your signal, and Release controls how long it takes to "let up" and stop compressing after it's triggered. These controls are interactive, and the right settings for them will vary depending on the music and your playing style. You'll have to experiment, but for some compressors (not all) a decent rule of thumb is to start with the attack and release knobs in their middle position, and adjust from there. Keep in mind that on most compressors the 'Attack' setting gets longer, aka slower as you turn the knob clockwise. That means when the knob is at its minimum, all the way counter-clockwise, the attack will be at its fastest(e.g. 1ms); this means that the compressor will almost immediately start applying compression to your signal. Somewhat counter intuitively too fast an attack setting on the compressor can actually squash your guitar's attack and dull the transients at the front of the picked note. Turn it all the way up and your attack will be its slowest setting with the compressor taking the longest time possible(e.g. 1000ms) to engage. "So the fastest attack will be the knob at 1, the slowest attack will be the knob at 10. (contributor: optimist)". Extreme min/max settings on either attack or release can cause pumping or breathing. Output Gain controls how much the volume of your signal is increased coming out of the comp, and this is necessary because compression lowers the overall average levels of your signal. Increase gain when using higher ratios and lower thresholds to maintain your output level. Almost all compressors have a booster at the end, which provides "makeup gain" to bring your signal back up to the level you want. This is what accounts for both the increase in audible sustain and harmonics, and also the increase in the noise floor. Knee - Set on hard-knee, the compressor waits until the signal crosses the threshold, then it reduces the signal at the specified ratio for a punchy sound. With soft-knee compression, the ratio gradually increases as the signal approaches the threshold, resulting in a more natural feel and a wider dynamic range. So here goes, some general information and tips on using compression in no particular order: Note: Sometimes 'pick attack' or 'string attack' is mentioned in this document and refers to how fast or hard the string is being plucked. This is not the same as the 'attack' setting on the compressor although 'pick attack' may influence your choice of the compressor's 'attack' setting. Use increased sensitivity(lower threshold) on slow attack times to make sure compressor engages. Use a higher ratio for more pronounced compression. The more compression (higher the ratio) the higher the makeup gain needs to be set. Compression ratio and threshold are related, since both increasing the ratio and lowering the threshold will result in more compression being applied to the signal. Use a fast release for faster return to normal level. Tempo as well as string attack can profoundly affect compression. Set attack and release settings shorter for fast pick attack or fast tempo otherwise you may hear pumping or the compressor may not kick in properly and miss notes that are above the threshold you set and should have been compressed. Slow attack times allow the transient and initial attack of the note to come through. Setting attack too fast/short may cause the initial attack on the string to be squashed and result in a loss of dynamics. If release time is set too long, it may compress a quieter note that rapidly follows an above-the-threshold note. Medium release allows a quieter note that is below the threshold to not be compressed. Longer release times can add sustain and sound more natural on acoustic instruments like the acoustic guitar where a note or chord may ring out for quite a while. Electric guitar ratios are often 4:1 or even 6:1 although lower settings work fine as well. You may want a lighter compression on overdriven or distorted tones as there can already be a fair amount of compression from the amp and distortion effects. A ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 may be sufficient here. Mastering and busses often uses slower attack times depending on the source material. Pumping, breathing, and distortion: Attack time settings affect the sound quality in terms of overall perceived brightness or high-frequency content. If you use very fast attack time settings, the compressor will activate very quickly, reducing gain instantly at the waveform level of the sound. However, too fast an attack or release can cause distortion or unwanted artifacts like pumping or breathing, particularly on bass or low notes as the attack and release are actually faster than the cycle(hz) of the note being played. Since transient information at the front or attack portion conveys brightness character, especially with percussive sounds, immediately reducing it with the compressor will dull the sound. Selecting a slower attack time will allow the transient portion of the sound to pass through before the compressor starts clamping. However, if the attack time is too slow, ineffective and tardy compressor action may result. Low frequencies (e.g. bass guitar, detuned or just low guitar strings) can be distorted by too fast a release time. Super fast release times, along with a fast attack time setting, will distort low-frequency sounds, as the compressor is capable of gain change within the period (the 360-degree cycle of the lowest fundamental frequency) of the sound's waveform. Likewise, over-long release time settings are another form of distortion, since gain reduction is "stuck" clamping the sound down for an unnaturally long time period. "Pumping" and "breathing" are engineer jargon words for obvious compressor artifacts or side effects with maximum compression. Sudden and usually unwanted deep gain reduction is called pumping, while a slower return (release) to operating level with a noticeable rise of the noise floor is called breathing. For a more transparent sound you may prefer a release time that has the shortest possible time that does not produce a "pumping" effect, caused by cyclic activation and deactivation of compression. These cycles make the dominant signal (normally the bass drum and bass guitar) also modulate the noise floor, producing a "breathing" effect. For more sustain you may opt for a longer release time. As previously mentioned, fast release/attack times may create distortion, since they modify the waveform of low frequencies, which are slower. For instance, one cycle at 100 Hz lasts 10 ms, so that a 1 ms attack time has the time to alter the waveform, thereby generating distortion. Compression settings especially for guitar: This is an interesting blurb regarding the Rockman compressor. The problem to solve, when you want to design a compressor for the guitar, is a double problem: Act as a limiter during the first part of the note - a strong peak (think fast attack) Act as a sustainor during the second part of the note - a slow decay (think slow release)" Side-bussing compression: You can side-buss the compressor with an EQ block to selectively compress frequencies or provide both a direct signal and a compressed signal to the mix. Sidechaining compression: You can sidechain the compressor such that for instance a kick drum hit will momentarily compress the bass guitar in such a way as to reduce the masking of the kick-drum by certain frequencies in the bass guitar. Sidechaining is essentially used to cause the trigger instrument to cause another target instrument to be momentarily compressed. Ringing out microphones and feedback in a system: A compressor can be used to aid setting up a system when it is being ringed out, i.e. its main feedback frequencies are being removed with an equalizer or a feedback elimination type unit. The compressor will have a low threshold level and infinity-to-1 ratio with hard knee characteristics. With no signal present, we will gradually increase the volume until the first feedback frequency rings. The compressor will catch it and keep it at a constant safe level, making adjusting the equalization an easier task. The process will typically be repeated until the third or fourth feedback frequency has been ringed out. Sample Compression settings (source citations needed): First a great link for compression settings for various instruments: http://anythingpeaceful.org/sonar/settings/comp.html Note: You may want to try an attack setting of 20ms-25ms or more for electric guitar. This will allow more of the initial transient of the guitar note through and make for a more articulated sound with better attack and dynamics. The recommended value of 7ms in this chart for electric guitar is fairly low although good for fast picking or catching and suppressing loud sudden peaks/jumps. An interesting article on how to set different compressors http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/setup.shtml 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. Increasing the resistance of this potentiometer on the original device by turning it counterclockwise 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 compression to the high frequencies. I suppose in some respects similar to a two band "multi-compressor". I don't know exactly at which frequencies Line6 or the original effect applied that additional compression; on the original maybe around 15khz as that is where FM broadcasting signals were boosted. I am not sure of the answer to that question. It is worth noting that on the original device turning the 'Emphasis' control counter-clockwise (down) 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. A few sample settings for different instruments: If you want to use a little compression to bring the electric guitar forward and give it some punch or sustain, try these settings. You may have to experiment with the threshold setting in particular as various compressor models use threshold differently: Threshold: 1dB Ratio: 2:1 - 3:1 Attack: 25-30 ms Release: About 200 ms Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain. To get a handle on the potential muddiness of the amplified bass guitar use a little compression. Compression can also help control uneven levels that result from overzealous or inexperienced bass players. Remember too fast an attack or release on bass because of the lower hz cycle can cause distortion as the compressor is cycling faster than the note. Try these settings for a start: Threshold: 4dB Ratio: 2.5:1 - 3:1 Attack: 40-50 ms Release: About 180 ms Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain. These are good settings for strummed or picked acoustic instruments: Threshold: 6dB Ratio: 3:1 - 4:1 Attack: Around 150 ms Release: About 400 ms Gain: Adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don't need much added gain. The release is set very high because of the amount of sustain that acoustic instruments such as a guitar or dobro can have. If you play an instrument with less sustain, like a banjo mandolin, or even a ukulele, you may find that a shorter attack and release work just fine. Excellent video on compression - more general and less guitar-centric:

Great points, had not even considered the proprietary technology issue and I also agree with your initial point that perhaps some of these pedals have features that are simply too DSP intensive for the Helix (limitations that are somewhat dubious and unknown however without L6 confirmation). Some effects may also as I mentioned just be too costly in terms of programmer time, at least in the Helix's earlier days, to model without taking away from other critical fixes and features that need to come first. Not trying to be an apologist for L6 just acknowledging that we don't know the big picture. Unfortunately for us due to the usual requirements that any company has for a certain level of secrecy so as not to violate any disclosure rules, give up their competitive edge, or damage their own reputation we will never know everything they are planning or constrained by. Being aware of my lack of knowledge of all the factors L6 grapples with helps temper my approach (most of the time anyway) towards asking for features to be delivered. Especially for features that don't seem 'mission critical'. I would agree with Wicked though that if you miss out on enough innovations on recent iterations of pedals, your MFX, great as it may be in so many respects, starts to be threatened by a certain level of obsolescence.

Lots of valid points being made in this topic. Even though Wicked may seem to be a bit fixated on the polyphonic tracking thing I don't think he is wrong in advocating for the most cutting edge version of effects(polyphonic in this case) to be modeled where possible. Seeing as how L6 has not chimed in on whether this is possible or coming in future firmware I can understand why he keeps pushing the point (maybe give it a rest every few days ;) ). I think there are some more complex effects modeled on the Helix (LA Studio Comp, Trinity Chorus, 3 Osc Synth, etc.) but they may be in the minority. This does not mean the other effects suck, many of them are top-notch. Personally I like having a mix of great rack effects and both simple and complex pedal effects. Perhaps things are tilted a little too strongly now towards the simple pedal world. I would also point out that just because the controls on a pedal are simple does not necessarily mean that the internals that were modeled are simple. Time may allow the development of some of the more complex pedals in future updates. There is a point at which modeling that pedal with 83 knobs and 408 parameters does start to be a little much to ask unless you want the Helix to cost $10,000. Btw, I love a lot of the existing pedals. In an ideal scenario we would have both best of breed effects and amp models. If those two are mutually exclusive in a single preset and I need to make compromises on one to get the other then I would still prefer to have DSP intensive effects available that I can combine with less DSP intensive amps when the need arises (as long as the DSP intensive amps still exist as well, just give me the choice). I think that the Helix can accommodate both DSP intensive effects and amps, even if there are limitations as to which and how many of them can be run together at the same time. I can then reserve the most DSP intensive amps for when I don't intend to use the most DSP intensive effects. Line6 has emphasized how the DSP architecture of the Helix was designed for maximum flexibility. That is why there are not preallocated effect/amp slots or a limited number of a certain effect/amp that can be used. You are free to mix and match up to the DSP limit. Sometimes I need a certain effect, sometimes a certain amp, ideally I can have both. If I have to wait for the next generation of hardware to get the more complex amps and effects simultaneously that is a shame but so be it, but I am not convinced that is the case. DI has pointed out there may always be effect and amp models that can push beyond the hardware limitations, even in future generations, at least for the foreseeable future. It is not impossibe to use up all the DSP on the Helix but currently, at least to some extent, you can get both DSP intensive effects and amps into the same preset. As hideout and others have pointed out I don't know how much DSP polyphonic processing takes up, perhaps that would be the breaking point, we don't know until L6 weighs in on the issue. If it is not possible due to hardware limitations, lack of resources, or programming challenges, then hopefully they will inform us. Until then I think this subject will keep coming up. In the meantime I prefer the choice of great effects and amps wherever possible and I will mix and match and choose my compromises as the available DSP dictates.

Thanks for contributing these! If you ever feel so inspired some Neve EQ IRs for tweaking vocals on the Helix would be great as well. Can this be done?

Get yourself the rolling carry bag and you will really feel good about your decision. Super easy to transport with these.

As others have pointed out, much of what is shown in that illustration above can be accomplished internally with the Helix. Short of an expensive custom made switching system the Helix has more potential for complex routing and control than just about anything else out there, certainly at its price. You have all the internal routing, amp & effect models, a variety of output options, four effect loops, and the ability to setup complex footswitching scenes (snapshots) that include MIDI. I can see someone requiring something like multiple RJM Gizmo devices for more complex MIDI or amp switching with multiple amps as there is only one external amp control output and some limitations as to what can be done with MIDI on the Helix. I couldn't possibly say it any better than cruisonon2, if you need something like the illustration above you either have roadies to hopefully help with it, are looking at a back problem in your immediate future, or you are setting this up in a fixed studio or rehearsal space. I have seen users on this forum post pictures of their setups that are not too far from this with perhaps the exception of having several of the pedals replaced with Helix effects so you are not alone in wanting to set up a rig similar to this illustration. To me the whole point of the Helix is to eliminate these kinds of setups, emulate the rack effects, pedals, and amps, and streamline my rig, but to each their own. You can accomplish this (and much simpler) setups without all the cables, amps, cabs, rack gear, pedals, etc.. However, if this sort of setup is your goal I could easily see using the Helix as its central nervous system, possibly requiring a couple of ancillary devices like the RJMs depending on your switching requirements.

I am not surprised to hear this has happened in the past. Many sites experience occasional growing pains, technical problems, or periodic maintenance, archiving, or cleanup issues. In a year of fairly regular usage however use I have not seen any misbehavior as consistent and pronounced as the issues over the last few days. I would say these last hiccups have been a little more severe and persistent than any in my recent memory. Not trying to be alarmist, I am sure they will get resolved. I am just trying to provide some user feedback to L6.

Sorry to say the Line 6 site is not working reliably with Chrome, Firefox, or IE, even with the cache cleared. The site had several issues just last night, the late evening hours (West Coast time) seem to be when the site is most glitchy . The forums are still clearly experiencing timeouts, delays, and long hangs. The link on the main Line 6 main page for "Support" which contains the links to, among other things, the forums, is not always loading. I am seeing server timeout messages (http 5xx), these status codes indicate an issue on the server side, not the client. I have also gotten 'lists' that essentially look like raw unformatted web page code or content returned in the last few days including last night. This topic should not be marked "Answered" yet, much as I would like it to be. I think they are working in some new code, have a scheduled script or job that has run amok, or are trying to resolve some technical issue. I hope people will keep reporting until this issue actually is fixed. It is performing well right now though.

Still getting strange timeouts on the Helix Form since a few days ago when the site was down sporadically. Reminds me of database issues like deadlocks or missing indexes. Just a heads up, the performance on the website is still poor periodically.

I think this is a bug others have reported. Perhaps related to the automatic pedal calibration? I have not run into this one personally, maybe some other forum users or Line6 can shed more light on this.

Nice find. Several loopers e.g. the Digitech JamMan have some measure of similar functionality in that they can record many hours of .wav files but this device has the advantage of not being tethered by USB and an automatic Bluetooth upload to a phone with your recording. The included app looks like it would make it easy to retrieve and playback remotely as well as manage your captures from your phone without a PC. I was working on some riffs and chord changes for a new tune last night that I am hoping I can recall today (just did not feel like breaking out my old Boss Micro BR or connecting to my DAW). I could see this coming in quite handy.

You may want to try boosting the signal from the wireless (weak battery?). Also check your gate settings on the input block (if the gate is on). If the signal from the wireless is weaker than the signal through the guitar cable, the gate could be kicking in too early with the wireless and killing your sustain. If the gate is the problem changing the "Threshold" value should remedy the situation.

Some great playing in there. Some of the licks reminded me a bit of Steve Morse's style when he was playing with the 'Dixie Dregs'.

Most diplomatic of you sir, actually when I take a better look at your original question you did describe what you were trying to do pretty well. However, as you observed, the instructions provided for getting the switch light to happen in the correct state when you are manipulating blocks on the Helix rather than external amp switching may assist in and apply to getting the scribble strips and LED rings to reflect your amp state properly for you. Every once in a while an effort to lend a hand can be helpful even when we don't answer the right question. Hopefully this is one of those occasions. Good luck!