HonestOpinion

3 hours ago, bandwich said:

Hi I tried the search. New HX stomp user here, just learning the ropes. I have one foot controller. Can I assign it to, say, a delay in one snapshot, and then change it to control parameters of a reverb in a different snapshot? This would be a really useful way to get the most out of the foot controller. Thanks for any help!

27 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

The assignment is on the preset level. You can't change the assignment per snapshot.

Rd2rk is correct but if you didn't want both blocks on simultaneously I believe you could assign both blocks to the expression pedal and just bypass the one you don't want operating in that snapshot.  If you needed both blocks active at the same time you could set up a second instance of one of the blocks that was not assigned to the expression pedal.  Not the most elegant of solutions and a waste of a precious block on the HX Stomp but perhaps doable. Don't own the HX Stomp but that is how I might do it on the Helix where there is more DSP and max allowable number of blocks available to throw away on the duplicated block instance. Frankly though I would probably just opt to add another expression pedal.

25 minutes ago, ts14064shred said:

Another fantastic update (and simplified update process)- thank you!

I was wondering about the HX Edit version. My existing HX Edit still seems to be version 3.01, not 3.10.

I did perform a successful Firmware update to 3.10 to my Helix floor unit using the 3.01 Edit with no issues per the update instructions,

but do I now have Edit version 3.10? How do I know?

Also, could you please start including in your "restore backup" directions to unclick the Factory 1 and 2, as well as the Templates,

to not override our new version updates in those areas?

Thank you for a great product and great support.

You can check both your editor and firmware version in HX Edit by going to 'Help' --> 'About HX Edit' in the menu.  Totally agree that there should be a message regarding the Factory and Templates setlists.  There should probably also be a message to update Native if you own it as well, until and if Native becomes part of the HX Edit update. If I were Line6 I would work the Native update into HX Edit not only to enhance the update process but also simply from a sales perspective. If there were a checkbox to update Native it would actually provide an incentive to some people who did not yet own it to take the plunge and purchase it.  People have a natural tendency to want to check all the boxes. :-)

Btw, did you use the Line6 Updater rather than HX Edit to update your firmware?  If you used HX Edit 3.0.1 it now guides you to upgrade the HX Edit version before it allows you to update the firmware.  Same will apply to the 3.10 version of the editor and probably all subsequent editor versions for the foreseeable future.  The only reason the Line6 Updater should be used at this point is if there is no other option because the update directly from HX Edit is not working.

18 hours ago, codamedia said:

Just updated to 3.1... and decided to run a few tests regarding this post. 

• Updated and nothing else.... 
  My presets worked, my variax settings did not, my tuner settings were gone and my global settings were all lost. 
• Then I restored "GLOBAL SETTINGS ONLY".... 
  My presets worked, my Variax settings now worked as expected, my tuner settings returned and all my global settings were back to normal
• I then followed the 3.1 "final instructions" and did a full reset of the Helix then restored everything from my backup. Everything is working as expected. 

It appears the "global restore" is taking care of the Variax settings, tuner settings, as well as all global settings. I don't own a Powercab so I can't comment in that regard.  

So perhaps the global setting restore now takes care of both of the Powercab+ and Variax remote settings? That would be great. Thanks to all the users on this topic who jumped in and did some testing. For me the takeaway here is that if you are having problems with remotely controlling your Powercab+ or Variax these settings are good to be aware of. Whether the issue is that you never ran a global settings restore, didn't know they existed and therefor never set them up properly, or that you changed them in one preset not realizing it would impact all of your others.

At this point I just think of these two parameters, 'Powercab Remote' on the Output block  and 'Variax Settings' on the Input block, as global settings that happen to be located within the presets instead of the global settings. Unusual but not an issue as long as you know they are there and how they operate. Even better if they are now quite possibly being handled properly in the global settings restore process.

33 minutes ago, sctwoodworks said:

Thank you for the link! Just gave it a quick read and will likely double back on it later.

 

my last pedal board comp, after the sp, was an analog man bi-comp. I always dig the simplicity and what it did for my sound. Basically I ran it with very light compression at the front of my chain. I pulled it from from my board a few years ago in an effort to shrink my foot print and just got used to playing without. But, now that I can add one without adding to my footprint I figured I’d start messing around with one again. 
 

I am using the LA comp at the end of my path per the Jsad rec’s... 

 

ps, I’m only playing in a P&W environment these days though I don’t tend to directly copy any of those “tones”.   Always been a big fan of Trey Anastasio, John scofield, Wes Montgomery... 

Some great players there. I would add you may also want to try adjusting the bias but especially the sag parameter on the amp for a change in feel and compression.  Also worth trying are some of the less over the top overdrives like the Teemah. With the level up and the gain down they can provide some  compression without the distortion. Maybe posting up a video of a specific sound you are going for would assist some of the preset design wizards around here to make a suggestion or two.

5 hours ago, sctwoodworks said:

Hey everyone, I'm new here but I've been reading a bit since picking up a Helix LT a couple months ago. I'm really digging the unit! 

 

Any body have any suggestions for settings on the Kinky Comp? Guitar is a PRS Hollowbody 2. amp model I'm trying to stick it with is the Deluxe reverb normal channel, using the 2x12 C12N cab block (or a YA dlx reverb IR)...  I had an SP a while back and it was easy to set up based on the DIP switches. I have a basic knowledge of threshold and release but I can't seem to get it right.    Any suggestions would be appreciated.  

 

(PS, i'm not near my Helix at the moment so I don't remember exactly what my settings were when I decided to scrap it and see what y'all might suggest)

 

I'm not looking for major squish, just something to smooth out/fatten up the tone. Happy to send any other info that might be helpful. 

For the threshold setting you can select the compressor and use the built-in gain reduction meters to ensure it is kicking in as frequently and with the level of reduction that you are shooting for. If you can't get your sound with the Kinky Comp try experimenting with one of the other compressors with more controllable parameters such as the Deluxe or Rochester comp. The LA Comp is great for adding a more subtle compression or a sort of "mastering" compression at the end of a signal chain. The sound you are going for, good as your description may be, is rather subjective. The link below might be helpful in experimenting with the various available compressor settings.

https://www.masteringthemix.com/blogs/learn/the-secret-to-compressor-attack-and-release-time

14 hours ago, timeblock said:

Well... i don’t think it is “null” because as i said i hear differences; if you are saying that my test could be done in a better way you are absolutely right

13 hours ago, zappazapper said:

No, I'm saying do a null test and then you can analyze the difference. Humans are terrible at detecting differences in audio, but have boundless talent for claiming that they can. Doing a null test and posting a response curve would set the record straight. 

By "null test" I think zappazapper is referring to taking two signals you are comparing and flipping the phase on one. If they are identical then they cancel each other out and you essentially get silence. This is a good way to test if two signals are actually different from each other. Don't know how useful this would be in forming an opinion on whether the increased oversampling has "higher fidelity, fewer aliasing artifacts, and smoother decay trails" per the Line6 release notes. I would think a null test would be a better tool to confirm that there actually is a difference between the audio in 3.10 versus prior firmware versions although if the null test results were analyzed by someone fairly skilled with them you might get some hard data that would assist in more accurately but probably rather technically documenting the differences.

I do agree with zappazapper however regarding how subjective or flat out incorrect these comparisons can be given the changeability and unreliability of human hearing and perception.  But hey, I am always welcome to incremental improvements to the sound. Even if some of them are not immediately or substantially easy to perceive, over time those improvements can have a positive cumulative impact that can be clearly discerned. And maybe this improvement is more substantial. It will be interesting to hear other people weigh in on it(if they do).

11 hours ago, waymda said:

 

I can confirm restoring globals does restore the variax setting as well. 

 

I used to only restore globals - though am now doing full factory reset and restoring all - and have only had one instance where just one set list lost the Variax changes that were linked to snapshots. Unfortunately I only noticed after relevelling the whole set - so that was a bit of a pain, but a on-off.

Did you restore only your globals or the user setlists as well?  Properly testing the current restore process with these variables might be a bit arduous. First you need to determine if the restore is resetting both the Powercab+ and the Variax settings. If it is this would be a change from previous firmware upgrades.

Secondly is it the globals or user setlist restore that is resetting them?  One would think if they are indeed being restored it might be the user setlists restore as the settings are contained within the presets, but maybe not. Otherwise, every time someone imported for example a Customtone preset with either of these two settings set differently it could potentially change the setting in every other preset on your device; so perhaps the settings would have to be part of the globals restore. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, if you are set to for example "Per Preset" and the CustomTone preset you import is set to "Global", I wonder how come it doesn't affect the rest of your presets? It is a "set once, sets everywhere" setting. Did Line6 modify these settings' behavior upon import such that the new preset inherits your existing parameter settings for the Powercab+ and Variax? Maybe these two remote operation settings, PC+ and Variax, are not even contained in a preset's backup file.

Lastly, you need to determine if they are being set to a factory default or your previous firmware's setting,  In the past Line6 has changed some of their factory defaults from firmware to firmware. It might take a couple of test runs through the firmware upgrade and restore process to make sure your previous firmware's settings for these two parameters don't just happen to coincide with a factory default.

All these variables that need to be controlled for would probably be required in addition to rd2rk's and your test results in order to reach a more clear conclusion on how these parameters are working upon restore in 3.10.  PITA, I think for now I am just going to recheck these parameters after a firmware update :-)

1 hour ago, rd2rk said:

Just for giggles I re-flashed my Floor. Although my presets were still there, the Powercab REMOTE setting had changed to OFF.

Restoring my backup returned everything to normal though.

Don't know about the Variax thing, not a Variax guy and I didn't check it before and after the test.

Wonder if that's at least one of the reasons for the specific instructions to backup before and restore after the update?

Anyhow nice catch. I don't know why I'd change the Powercab setting from PRESET to OFF or GLOBAL, but nice to know that if I did it would affect ALL my presets.

Thanks for going to the trouble to test this. So perhaps the Powercab+ setting is being restored with a full globals or user setlists restore from backup? I will try to remember to watch for this next time I upgrade. I know, as codamedia observed above, I have had to reset the Variax setting every firmware update although I don't remember if I had to with the 3.10 update. I also don't recall whether I needed to reset the Powercab+ setting as I started testing these two parameters after this firmware update without taking note of their initial values. As you pointed out, even if Line6 modified the restore process to include these two parameters in 3.10(not sure) it is a good thing to be aware of their unique "hybrid" operation and behavior among all other settings at the preset and global level.

Dealing with an issue in another topic it occurred to me I should bring attention to the now two global settings I am aware of that live and are set within presets instead of the global settings. These parameters need be changed only once in any preset and that parameter's value will be reflected in all other presets. Due perhaps to these parameters' somewhat unique and special status I do not believe they are currently being reset to their former values after a firmware upgrade. Even after the global settings and/or user presets are restored from backup.  If this is indeed the case Line6 should probably eventually modify the firmware upgrade process such that these settings also be included with a global settings restore from backup.

The two settings I am currently aware of are the Output block's Powercab+ setting 'Powercab Remote' and the Input block's Variax parameter 'Variax Settings'. Even though both of these settings are located within a preset, once they are changed, a single time, any preset will do, their new value is automatically reflected in every other preset without requiring it to be set there as well. They are essentially global settings hidden within a preset!!!

So if you are seeing problems with remotely changing settings on the PowerCab+ , or similarly if your Variax settings are not changing properly, the above parameters' settings may be worth checking.  There is a good chance that many users, depending on your setup, may want to change one or both of these settings to "Per Preset" (rather than "Off" or "Global" depending on your use case).

Until and if Line6 changes the global settings restore process  if you are a Powercab+ or Variax user you may need to check and reset these parameters after every firmware upgrade.

2 hours ago, ajb1965 said:

I performed a full reset and before I even bothered to restore I built a new patch and PC+ does not respond over L6 Link.  Turned PC+ off and on, checked cabling yada yada.  I guess the next step is to open a ticket with L6.

 

Thanks all

It just occurred to me what setting might be impacting your operation with the PC+.  On your LT's preset, select your Output block. Page right to the second page of parameters and change the setting on the parameter 'Powercab Remote' = "Per Preset".  Now if you go to the output block on any of your other presets you will notice they will all have their Output block's parameter 'Powercab Remote' = "Per Preset". 

The Output block's 'Powercab Remote' settings is similar in behavior to the Input block's Variax parameter 'Variax Settings'. Even though both of these settings are located within a preset, once they are changed their new value is automatically reflected in every other preset. They are essentially global settings hidden within a preset!!!

From the 2.8 firmware release notes but still applies to 3.10:

"Powercab Plus Remote

Helix Floor, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT

IMPORTANT! You must also update Powercab Plus! It must be running firmware 2.0 or higher.

Helix can now remotely adjust parameters in one or two L6 LINK-connected Powercab Plus modeling speaker cabs. When one Powercab Plus is connected via L6 LINK (110-ohm AES/EBU cable), it receives a mono signal from Helix; when two Powercab Plus amps are daisy-chained via L6 LINK, the first cab in the chain receives the left signal and the second cab receives the right signal.

TIP: Just like with any amp, cab, or effect parameter, Powercab Plus parameters can be quickly assigned to footswitches or Snapshots.

1. Select the Output > Multi or Output > Digital block and press PAGE > once.
2. Turn Knob 1 (Powercab Remote) to select “Per Preset” or “Global.” If you don’t plan on changing Powercab parameters along with Helix presets, choose “Global.”
3. Turn Knob 2 (Powercab Mode) to select the desired type of Powercab mode: Flat, Speaker, or IR. Note that certain parameters will gray out depending on the mode chosen.
4. Turn Knob 4 (Speaker Select) to specify which Powercab you want to control Powercab 1, Powercab 2, or both Powercabs simultaneously (“1+2 Link”). Normally, you should leave this set to “1+2 Link,” which edits both Powercabs simultaneously, to maintain phase coherence.

• Flat Voicing when Powercab Mode is set to “Flat,” determines the type of speaker voicing
• Speaker Type when Powercab Mode is set to “Speaker,” determines the current speaker model
• Speaker DI Mic when Powercab Mode is set to “Speaker,” determines the mic model used on Powercab’s XLR output(s)
• Speaker Mic Dist when Powercab Mode is set to “Speaker,” determines the mic distance used on Powercab’s XLR output(s)
• Speaker User IR when Powercab Mode is set to “User IR,” selects the impulse response used
• Speaker Low Cut applies a Low Cut filter to Powercab Plus for minimizing low end rumble
• Speaker Hi Cut applies a High Cut filter to Powercab Plus for minimizing high end harshness
• Speaker Level applies a level trim
• Speaker Color lets you choose the LED ring color on any connected Powercab(s)

NOTE: For more information on Powercab Plus, see the Powercab Plus Pilot’s Guide."

43 minutes ago, ajb1965 said:

I performed a full reset and before I even bothered to restore I built a new patch and PC+ does not respond over L6 Link.  Turned PC+ off and on, checked cabling yada yada.  I guess the next step is to open a ticket with L6.

 

Thanks all

Although you stated you already did it, it is worth rechecking your cabling as well as swapping it out.  Make sure they are firmly seated and plugged into the L6 Link jacks on both the PC+ and the Helix. It is easy to plug into one of the other XLR jacks on either side by accident. 

Although off the top of my head I can't think of a global setting that would impact your L6 Link to PC+ connection you should do the restore, as it will restore your old global settings and is a very explicitly recommended part of the firmware update to 3.10.  It is certainly a step I would execute before contacting L6.

Btw, when you go to 'Help' --> 'About HX Edit' in the editor menu is it showing both HX Edit and the firmware at 3.10? 

4 minutes ago, RChatfield1977 said:

Thanks guys for your help with the update. Now when I turn the helix on I have to wait for it to build the presets..... Any help?

This is normal. It will only do it once. Let it finish.  Btw, if this firmware version is anything like the others you may see this rebuilding upon restart behavior from time to time when you import or copy and paste presets. It will only rebuild those presets however, not all of the user presets as it does after a firmware upgrade. Again, totally normal.

1 hour ago, GeeTah said:

So... let's assuming that somebody (me...) wasn't paying close-enough attention and ran the 3.10 update with HX Edit 2.9? 

 

What we know is:

The update appears to operate correctly and the Helix does register with 3.10, but

The new Mandarin Rocker and the new pedals don't make it into the Helix. 

 

So, how do we fix this? Do we need to (i) roll back to the previous firmware, (ii) update HX Edit and (iii) then run the 3.10 Update again?

 

Sure hope there's a way to fix this without rolling back the firmware. 

 

Thanks in advance, 

Bradley GT

 

Take a backup first. Download and install HX Edit 3.10. You can uninstall HX Edit 2.9 first if you want to be extra careful. Then make sure you do the factory reset, and restore per the release notes for HX Edit 3.10 if you haven't already.  You shouldn't have to do the firmware update again.  If it starts acting wonky though I would just to make sure everything went according to plan.

On 4/15/2021 at 11:15 PM, timothygray said:

Hi, I've never had a an issue with any update until now. I backed up everything as suggested and the update failed. "Boot Failure. Entered Update Mode." I'm stuck. I uninstalled and re-installed all Line 6 Software and tried to restart my Helix. It shows 3.10 as the version number, but once POST finished, I get the Boot Failure message. Any advice?

 

I would run a global reset(see options in link below), that will hopefully take care of the "Boot failure..." message. Now uninstall HX Edit and download and reinstall HX Edit 3.10 with all checkboxes checked, and then try to use HX Edit to run the firmware upgrade again.  If your firmware upgrade to 3.10 succeeds make sure you follow the release instructions to the letter for the HX Edit 3.10 upgrade. This includes doing the factory reset once your firmware is at 3.10 followed by a restore from backup. 

If the above doesn't work you can always upgrade manually using the Line6 Updater and again follow to the letter the post firmware install instructions.

https://helixhelp.com/tips-and-guides/universal/reset-options

47 minutes ago, MikeDV1 said:

I've got a couple of different expression pedals, Rocktron Hex and a Mission SP1-R.  I can't get them to work reliably with my Helix rack, plugged into the foot controller or into the back of the unit.  I've tried different cables (both mono and stereo type) with crappy results.  About two-thirds of the way down, the pedal gets to 100% then reverses and goes to about 60% as I push it all the way down.  On my 1,000 year old Lexicon MPX1 G2, both work perfectly - you can calibrate the pedal on that device.  The mission also has a foot switch, and that doesn't work on the Helix unless I pull the jack about a third of the way out, and then it will change values - if I press it twice for each change.  This also works correctly on the Lexicon.

 

I think I've ruled out the pedals - they work as expected on the Lexicon - and the cables - I've switched and replaced them back and forth a bunch of times.

 

What's the deal?  Does my Helix have a problem or...?  I've been hoping with each update there would be a calibration choice, but not to be.  I've reversed polarity, tried all the jacks on the foot controller and on the back with no good outcome.  Anyone have any suggestions?  Helix folks - anyone?  I've got a friend with a Behringer FCB1010 I'm going to try to use, but that's pretty much through the MIDI route, and I expect (?) that will work well - but my hopes have been dashed so far with my other pedals.  Seems a real downgrade if I have to use the Behringer vs. the dedicated Helix controller - no feedback, no scribble strips.

It sounds like you have already experimented with TS vs. TRS cables, various global settings, etc.. but you may want to continue with your efforts to get either your existing expression pedals working with the Rack or consider getting some that others have gotten working with the Helix/Rack, such as those documented in the topic below. There are several other similar topics as well.  I agree, using the FCB1010 instead of the Helix controller would be a huge step backwards and unnecessary. I would replace my expression pedals with ones known to function properly with the Rack before considering that option.  Might be worth contacting Line6 for assistance as well.

9 hours ago, PierM said:

Interesting as the test menu wasn't available in the Rack, before 3.1.

 

Anyway, are you pressing Knobs 5 and 6 (those under the LCD display), or are you pressing Footswitches 5 and 6?

"Knobs"(or "encoders", abbreviated to "Enc") being the key point to bring attention to there. I can see how that first graphic in the OP's post could have been a potential source of confusion as knobs 5&6 are grouped under the big red block labeled "11" in that image.  To the OP, for the full factory reset you want to use the two knobs to the far right grouped under the red block "11" in your first graphic.

6 hours ago, timeblock said:

Hi everybody, here’s a quick test of all new 3.10 firmware features; no speech, just play!

Ciao a tutti, ho fatto un breve test di tutte le novità del firmware 3.10; no dialoghi, solo suoni!

 

https://youtu.be/VM5l3GAgu6A

Great idea for a video! Would love to see something like this every time there is a new firmware release. Maybe with even more detail on the new effects' parameters.

I think the more important win, as of 3.10, is that Line6 has made major strides towards keeping the editor and firmware versions in sync. Would love to see Native's version incorporated into that process as well. No more, "why can't I see the new effects in the latest firmware" or "HX Edit won't connect" due to version inconsistency questions.

2 hours ago, soundog said:

Wait, you can do tape and vinyl? OK ... I want to model an album left out in the sun, and you have to tape a quarter over your stylus to play it. And the spindle hole was punched off center.

As long as we're hitching a ride on the Wayback Machine then let's go full vintage and add a wire recording effect.  Seriously though the Retro Reel is a great addition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_recording

5 hours ago, datacommando said:

Just updated my Floor and Native and it was smooth as silk.

 

The longest time was spent in making and restoring the backup files - I seemed to have had it full of stuff.

 

Stunning stuff. The Euclidean Delay and Dynamic Hall are the business.

 

Big thanks to Eric, and all the rest of the Line 6 crew, for once again adding all this free stuff to an already amazing piece of kit.

 

A reminder here to everyone regarding Native, there is a new 3.10 version. It appears you still need to export a bundle(equivalent of a Native backup) and download and install Native 3.10 manually. At least I did. It does not yet seem to be part of the new HX Edit automated install process. Did I miss an instruction or checkbox regarding Native in the HX Edit 3.10 upgrade procedure?  If so shame on me. IMHO the release notes for Native 3.10 seem to imply that HX Edit will be part of automating the Native update. I did not find that to be the case. The Native release notes appear to be more of a reference to the HX Edit and HX firmware upgrade rather than Native although they do serve as a reminder to keep all of your software's versions in sync.

Btw, clicking on the little setup cog icon in the bottom left of the Native plugin's screen and then clicking "Check for Updates" will bring up the link for downloading the 3.10 version of Native.

Native 3.10 release notes:

"How do I update to 3.10?

Did you happen to update HX Edit to 3.01 (released on Feb 2, 2021)? If so, just connect Helix/HX to your computer via USB and launch HX Edit. The software will walk you through the entire procedure, including updating HX Edit 3.01 to 3.10, and backing everything up to your computer."

Update: The new 3.1.0 firmware fixed the Bug from 3.0 where the bank footswitch would skip bank 01 and go directly to bank 32 when you were banking down from 02. Easy to work around that one but happy to see it fixed.

Love the improvements to the update process, a quantum leap forward! New bread & butta' reverbs, yahoo! I am also digging the little touches like the "Preset"/"Stomp" designation on the mode footswitch(FS6 on the Helix). Great visual indicator! 

54 minutes ago, CraigGT said:

In case you missed it, it's just been released.

Don't forget to read the instructions!

Especially the part in bold red that tells you to make a backup(make two!), do a factory reset, and then restore your setlists, favorites, IRs, etc..

Fanfreakintastic! Thank you Line6 for continuing to add new features and functionality for all these years. Almost six years now with the Helix and it continues to impress. You folks rock!

3 hours ago, spjunkie said:

On a lighter note, am I the only one who has to play Joe Raposo's Three's Company theme whenever you use the "colorful" wah? I've always wondered what wah he used.. It sounds the same on all the work he did for CTW and Sesame

 

In keeping with the Three's Company theme I will now refer to the "colorful" block as the "ménage à wah".