HonestOpinion

Just to address your question in general terms if you previously used the big volume knob to control your XLR out levels, chances are that once you switch over to having the XLR outs not controlled, which defaults them to max output, this will absolutely necessitate reviewing and editing your patches and probably having to reduce block levels, most typically the 'Ch Vol'. The only users who will not need to do this are those who ran their big volume knob all the way up before switching over. I know when I switched over to this configuration I had to ratchet back the levels on many of my presets. If your experience mirrors mine plugging the Helix into several different boards over the years, be prepared for the input/gain levels on the channel for the Helix to be set quite a bit lower than most other channels on the board and to potentially have a pad engaged if your mixer provides one.

As codamedia indicated you will want your Drive turned down and your Master cranked up, not necessarily all the way, but the Master should often be set at 6 or higher to get clean tones. A good method for many clean amp models is to set the Master at about 8 or 9(although for some models the sweet spot is 10 or elsewhere) and gradually bring the drive up from zero until the tone has a nice clean punch without getting too gritty. You have two posts that make references to the Master volume in your amp blocks being turned down and right off the bat that is going to make it difficult for you to get a good clean sound on many amp models. You have probably already done this but try swapping out cables/guitar and making sure you are plugged into the "Guitar" input. A compressor placed in your signal chain in front of the amp model can often help to get a good clean tone. I can't speak to how the particular impedance of your Sennheisers sounds with the Helix as I don't own them but try setting your L3t's volume up at about midway and then adjusting your Helix's 'Ch Vol' and large volume knob to get the overall volume dialed in. If you have the volume down too low or too high on your L3t this could also contribute to a poor tone.

Have you downloaded and installed HX Edit? As soon as you open HX Edit it is pretty obvious how to use and access setlists.

As has been mentioned already Native IS the offline editor for HX devices. If you really want that functionality just pony up the bucks for Native and get a whole lot of other use out of it as well. You just have to import or drag & drop the Native presets into your HX device rather than run a synch operation. Not to say I wouldn't use an offline HX Edit, I would, but I agree with Silverhead. I don't want to have to worry about synch issues. Several firmware release have had bugs in the editor operation, known or otherwise. I could see an offline HX Edit actually substantially slowing down firmware releases due to the much more rigorous QA process and error-handling that would be required for bullet-proofing the synching of firmware and hardware to an offline editor. Not to speak of all the users new to their device who would complain that a bunch of their presets got mysteriously modified when they started up HX Edit, unaware that it was due to changes they made while they were offline. Line6 could provide a screen as a lot of mixers do to mitigate this to some extent by prompting the user with "Synch editor to device" or "Synch device to editor" but this also has inherent risks including the ones detailed above. Now, unlikely but watch L6 prove me wrong and add offline functionality to the next release :-)

I agree, Helix could really benefit from the ability to save and select from customized blocks; hope this makes it into the 3.0 firmware version. You can do this now by saving a few presets as Templates and copy & paste from them but that is pretty kludgy compared to being able to pull a customized block from a select list. The ability to "reference" them is also a no-brainer and would be excellent. A method some folks here have used in the past is to directly edit the JSON code in their exported presets and and then load them but that is definitely an approach for the meticulous and computer savvy only as you run the risk of corrupting your presets.

I use a Line6 L2m as my primary stage monitor with my Helix. I also have the smaller Headrush FRFR-108 for grab and go jams. Both of them work well although I agree it is trickier to dial in presets using an FRFR. At some point I will probably get a PowerCab+. I prefer the FRFR approach because my results on stage are closer to what the audience is hearing through the FOH and the amp/cab models are truer to the originals. Using a guitar amp/combo though is a perfectly acceptable alternative and there are plenty of players like yourself who prefer that sound and feel and the fact that it often requires less tweaking. There is no "one" way to best use modeling technology, at least not yet. It is largely still a matter of personal preference.

As in your setup my Volume knob only controls the 1/4 inch out, XLR defaults to max signal level. I also set my XLR out to mic level for exactly the same reason - the signal level is more manageable at the mixer. That is contrary to the recommendation from the Line6 video above which advises you use the Line level output. Perhaps there is one but I know of no compelling reason when the XLR out is delivering the max level, to use "Line" level out for most mixers as the mic level signal is already so hot going to the board.

This may have something to do with the issue that for example Helix Rack users have been reporting regarding the so called "HX Stomp Drivers" driver that makes up one of the check boxes being displayed when HX Edit is installed. The "HX Stomp Drivers" driver actually, according to some folks who have examined it in depth, assuming they are correct, is a driver for other HX devices not listed in its description such as the Helix. The other possibility is you did not check the Helix driver when you did your HX Edit 2.81 install. My suspicion is that you have the correct ASIO driver; it is just displaying the wrong name. This may have something to do with the move to the CORE codebase and the addition and/or requiring driver operation for the new keyboard functionality added in the 2.8* release. Just speculating based on other posts regarding this subject. You shouldn't need to rollback as long as everything is working. Hopefully Line6 will get the naming convention and description of the driver sorted out for the next upgrade. Btw, this is why if you have installed or are intending to install HX Edit 2.81 you should just check all the boxes. Ignore the driver names/descriptions and install 'em anyway.

If you go on CustomTone and search on "Metal" there are a ton of presets. You can also sort them on number of stars to start with the highest rated ones. What codamedia said applies tenfold over in CustomTone. Be prepared to customize them to your own rig and preferences. Starting with an amp known for its heavy tones and adding your own selection of pedals and settings is where you will probably find yourself ultimately though.

Security breach, there's a beta tester missing an LT. Activate the tracker. Scramble the team. We're going to need a full listing of the models, effects, and available global settings to confirm your version :-)

I have had them fail as they heat up. In my experience using JBLs that has usually been the symptom of a failing board/power supply , usually it gets worse but maybe you'll get lucky and it is something else. You can try playing recorded music through it for a while to see if it happens again. Might not be a conclusive test if is just starting to fail though.

Because the Helix defaults the Volume block to 'EXP 2' and wah block to 'EXP 1' and despite the fact that I agree with everyone who thinks that the Volume block should have defaulted to 'EXP 1", I think it is easiest to use the Helix expression pedal's switch assignment defaults when you set up presets; this includes when you are using external expression pedals or whether you are using only a Wah block or using both a Vol and a Wah. Seems to lead to fewer issues and less work for me as Helix takes care of the assignments. Helix Default Assignment Volume block = 'EXP 2' Wah block = 'EXP 1' Just had to mention that I realize my preference if not my practice for the Volume block to be on 'EXP 1' is somewhat arbitrary. Just used to it being set up that way on some other devices. On the Helix my Volume block does come after my wah pedal in my signal chain so at least from a sequential perspective it makes perfect sense for it to be 'EXP 2'.

I also fine tune my levels at rehearsal per your point #6, as well as making a mental note when something isn't leveled right during the gig. At that point I may do a quick save of my adjustment during the show or address it afterwards depending on the circumstances. My point was more in response to your point #7. No matter how much I prepare my levels ahead of time I still find I need to do some on the fly adjustments via my volume/expression pedal when playing live. One of the things that I can't always predict ahead of time is how loud the other instruments in the rest of the band may be. Sometimes the adjustment is in response to others in the band being louder or quieter than anticipated. I am one of the folks here that believe that the more tools available for setting levels the better. Using your ears is critical and if there was good metering available I would use that as well. I always find it easier to have some visual feedback in addition, but not instead of, using my ears. I feel the same way about for example compression. I use my ears but I love an interface that has the ability to show when the threshold has been crossed and the compression is in effect.

This is pretty much exactly how I approach things. I use the XLR outs to the PA with the Volume knob set to control only my 1/4 outs to my guitar monitor on stage. One exception is you must be doing a better job than me leveling all the presets ahead of time as I do find myself using my expression pedal(volume block) here and there to adjust the output levels to my liking.

If the above proves to be correct it confirms my assumption and suggestion that the best way to proceed when installing HX Edit is to just check all of the boxes instead of picking and choosing.

It is possible you could be hitting a bug with certain presets but I wanted to throw this out there in case it helps. It was unclear to me from this post whether you loaded presets backed up with your prior version of HX Edit and firmware, e.g. 2.6, or if you made backups with 2.8 and reloaded them? Which version of HX Edit backups did you import after you upgraded to 2.81; your backups from 2.6 or 2.8? My suggestion if you have not tried this particular combination yet is: Make sure your Helix has been restarted since you last loaded any presets. Create backups with your current 2.6 firmware. Also backup the setlists individually. You can also individually export all the presets in a setlist at one time by highlighting them and hitting the 'Export' link. Download 2.81 and install everything. Run the Updater and update the firmware to 2.81 Run the global reset to load the latest and greatest Factory and Template setlists(will also clear your user presets). Load your setlists individually from your 'HX Edit'/firmware version 2.6 backups. Note: You can restore all your user setlists at once from the restore backup menu by expanding the setlists in the HX Edit restore screen. Uncheck the Factory and Template setlists so you don't overwrite them with the ones from your prior 2.6 firmware. Restart the Helix and let your presets rebuild.

That makes sense. Later versions of the editor are supposed to be backwards compatible. I prefer keeping my firmware-'HX Edit'-Native versions matched up to minimize potential issues but if this is working fine for you great.

Thank you very much for all the great work you do to support this community!

Maybe this has already been mentioned (this topic has a lot of posts) but I think one of the simpler ways to level out presets is often overlooked. Don't gain stage your signal path so hot. Consider what will happen with your signal when it hits your monitor when setting unity gain - I know a lot of people love the sound they are getting when the 'Ch Vol', volume knob, and everything else is cranked and the output is set to 'Line'. When the signal feeding your FRFR, guitar amp, or board gets hot enough or your monitor itself is set too loud even relatively small changes in the levels between presets/snapshots can become wildly exaggerated; multiplied exponentially many times when it hits your FRFR or guitar amp's amplification section. You can still have the heaviest distorted metal tone imaginable, just turn down the output level somewhere in your signal chain before your monitor or even turn down your monitor if necessary. . You will still have to make some effort to level your presets/snapshots but you may find the volume differences between your presets and snapshots way less jarring, dramatic, and problematic. Slamming your monitor with high output levels is really easy to do with a modeler, especially one with no output metering. Too hot a signal requires more frequent, more fidgety and precise, and more unnecessary adjustments to patch levels.

I am also in the camp that has never had an update fail. I follow upgrade instructions carefully, and happen to have multiple PCs, all of which I keep up to date on OS revisions. My hardware so far plays well with Helix on all my computers. I use my Helix in a relatively simple setup and that also spares me some of the more exotic bugs. I recognize there are some folks who have executed all the right instructions, made no errors during the upgrade process, and simply have a hardware setup or problematic drivers from other devices that do not lend themselves to a smooth upgrade. I can see how for them it is difficult to believe that so many others have not had any issue during multiple upgrades. I would probably feel the same way, especially if I was not having problems with software/firmware installs from other products. For anyone having upgrade issues frequently on multiple different firmware revisions it is probably first and foremost time to find another computer(with an up-to-date OS) to do the upgrades with. If that doesn't fix things you probably want to look to improve your process when upgrading, you may be missing a step. If the issue is HX Edit connectivity after updates, barring a bug causing this you may have to troubleshoot drivers and USB port connectivity. While addressing everything you can on the user side Line6 probably is and should continue to work on streamlining the upgrade process and making it compatible with as wide an array of hardware and current or recent operating system versions as possible. Ironically getting gun-shy about updating might increase your odds of having problems with old presets or functionality - a bit of a 'Catch-22'. Don't know if it is the case with Line6 software/firmware, their presets may be perfectly compatible no matter what version they are upgraded from but in other software I have owned jumping from a low version directly to an update many versions later can sometimes introduce issues with old user code(in this case presets). I have always been a fan of keeping my software/firmware up to date in the event that newer versions aren't quite as backwards compatible as one would hope when they are used to upgrade versions that are several revisions behind. That is one of the reasons it may be a good idea whenever someone gets a new HX device that the first thing they do is after ensuring it is working properly is to upgrade to the latest firmware so that their preset design starts on the most recent stable firmware and editor version.

There are a bunch of links for free IRs here as well:

For example the 3Sigma acoustic IRs - https://www.3sigmaaudio.com/acoustic-impulses/

You can either press the "Quote" link at the bottom of each person's post and then write your question. This will be posted publicly in the topic and also pop up a notification in the recipient's forum menu. Alternatively you can click on the mail icon towards the top right hand corner of the forum menu, enter in the person's forum name, and you can send a private message.

I suspect that barring some problem with the upgrade the issue is both pressing the switch down hard enough as rd2rk mentioned as well as something funky in the assignments for the wah. As recommended clear the volume and wah blocks and start again. First create a 'Volume'(NOT a 'Gain') block and then create a wah block. Don't do anything with the assignments and just accept the default (EXP 2= Volume and EXP 1 = Wah). Also in case you have one, don't plug in an external expression pedal for the duration of the test. I don't think he is hitting a bug or hardware problem although it is possible. It sounds more like a problem with the expression pedal assignments such that the pedal is not controlling the block and therefor not reading any percentage change.