HonestOpinion

Yes as long as you are on one of the more recent versions of HX Edit. Every version of HX Edit since and including 2.30 has had full state backup which includes your IRs.

Interesting to know that works. Wonder if it might do damage eventually though to the Helix's headphone amp by making it work too hard. I know the headphone output expects more than 4 ohms of resistance. Any electrical engineers want to weigh in on this?

Another tip on getting clean sounds. Keep an eye on the 'Headroom' parameter if your effect, e.g. delay block, has one. Turning this parameter all or most of the way up can clean up the sound considerably.

I hear you. RTA standalone apps and plugins are available for your DAW and do provide the core functionality needed. It makes sense to me for Line6 to de-prioritize feature requests that are available via other avenues or would require too much development time or DSP. This is to some extent an ease of use issue, no doubt there are other alternatives available. For me there is just no substitute though for an RTA that pops up right behind the controls of a PEQ or a GEQ. Having for example an RTA that displays behind the 31-band graphic EQ(s) is a feature I look for in any mixer. Even though we are not dealing with 31-frequency bands I can see how useful it could be with a Helix. When the RTA appears directly behind the graphical curve of your parametric or graphic EQ it becomes child's play to precisely nail the frequencies you are trying to adjust. I find this much easier than trying to flash back and forth visually between, for example, the editor and the marked measurements on a DAW's separate RTA plugin. Having one right on the Helix screen or Editor would be very informative and helpful for shaping tones and finding problem spots. That and my ears. Not expecting this any time soon. Just one of those things that I think is coming to guitar modelers eventually, if not in this version of the Helix than maybe a later one.

The Helix can easily reproduce this tone though, even when it is turned off. Click here --> :). ..............did you hear it? I call this tone DminorInfinitelyDiminished. "Quietest of all tones". "Sustains" forever!

Chuckle, I see what you did there. My Helix "bytes" too and sometimes instills "tera" in passers-by. ;)

Btw, as others have mentioned, even if some of this functionality can't be placed directly on the Helix there is no reason it could not be placed in the Editor. There is no reason the editor has to have exactly the same functionality as the HX devices it serves even if there is a tight linkage. I am not proposing a standalone editor which would introduce issues regarding synching and latency between for example the Helix and the editor. There are also the ever-present DSP limitations when you add something on the device. Just talking about using the editor to add some capabilities that at least initially might be more difficult to place directly on the device and might be much simpler to deliver given a computer's potential resources. This additional functionality would be mighty welcome even if it was only available via HX Edit. Especially since as has been noted elsewhere, most of the tweaks done to a preset are executed before hitting a stage and often done when an editor is available.

I think the problems that the PODHD forum as well as the other forums including this one were having was exacerbated by browser caching. I found I needed to clear my browser caches even after partial/total functionality was restored or I kept getting a 502 error or a message saying the page was unavailable. Surprised this did not get more mention on The Gear Page. ;)

I think you're right with a clipping indicator being lower hanging fruit and more likely to be implemented. I don't see any reason though why at least a simple indicator of when the compressor is kicking in and in operation couldn't be added as well as adding the same graphical curve display to the parametric EQs that already exists on the Global EQ(which after all is just a PEQ applied globally). The RTA is probably the most pie in the sky item on the wish-list as it might be the most difficult to implement and I don't know how much DSP it would require. Sure would be handy though.

Hear, hear! Would like more visual feedback in general. Would also like to be able to see when the threshold on the compressors is engaging and for how long as well as see the parametric EQs display a graphical curve which the Global EQ already has. A Real Time Analyzer(RTA) would be icing on the cake.

I personally don't like carrying my Helix and instead walk it on a leash, can be a little slow sometimes because it feels it needs to pi$$ on every bush, mailbox, hydrant and other modeler we pass by though. :P

:D

The Helix would benefit from the addition of some metering.

Hilarious, that is just a complete and cavalier disregard for security by the manufacturer. I wonder if they have beefed it up since videos like this started coming out.

Agree with you both to some extent. By the time I hit the stage pretty much everything is dialed in and I do little to no tweaking of my presets during the gig other than leveling where required. I have the Helix Floor though and since I already use an iPad for lyrics and mixing/monitoring when necessary I could see being able to make some on the fly changes to the Helix on an iPad being very convenient. Just would not use it very often. And of course there is always the under-utilized Helix Pedal Edit mode which allows you to edit with your feet. Dare I mention it but the one innovation that the Headrush added when they perhaps "borrowed" the idea from Line6 is that pressing and holding a stomp switch on the Headrush pops you directly into Pedal Edit mode for the selected effect. Would love to see that come to the Helix although the current Helix implementation is more flexible and powerful. Anyway, Bluetooth iPad editing might come in handy for Lazy Boy armchair edits at home as well as during a gig but there are plenty of other options. Clarification required - no I do not use a Lazy Boy at gigs but it would be nice at times. Especially those four set nights. :P

Theoretically you can do this now although it is a little hacky. If you don't mind running a cable from your Helix to a laptop you can actually broadcast the HX Edit app to an iPad. Many of the remote desktop apps available for Windows --> iOS should work. There have been previous posts of people demonstrating this with screenshots. Just can't locate them at the moment. I would love to see the next version of the Helix include Bluetooth app functionality if they can get it working reliably without too much latency. Here is one link for remote desktop but there are several other apps available that basically do the same thing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id714464092?mt=8

Note, had to make a couple of quick edits so if you pulled up my post above already please refresh it.

Update: Just noticed you already have the 2.50 firmware installed so you can ignore the bits of this regarding upgrading the firmware. All you need is HX Edit 2.51 on your new PC and you should be good to go. First get backups if you can. Uninstall any previous Helix software. Download and install HX Edit 2.51 for the Helix and your OS version(Windows 7). This will unpack the 2.51 version of the editor(HX Edit) as well as the Line6 Updater and the Windows driver. You will notice that there is also a 2.52 HX Edit version in the Downloads page but that was intended for the 2.52 version of the firmware which was pulled from the site due to some people having serious installation issues. The latest version of 2.52 may run fine with the latest available firmware(2.50) but that is not what was originally intended and personally I would not use it yet. Whatever you do, do NOT download the Updater and firmware separately. You want only HX Edit 2.51 which you will use the Updater from to update to the 2.50 firmware. Now that you have HX Edit 2.51 installed bring up the editor(HX Edit) and if it can see your Helix try to get a full backup(from under the File menu). If not you can still proceed although if anything goes seriously wrong and you don't have prior backups you might be starting from scratch. The new update procedure does retain your old setlists and presets but if anything goes wrong, well you know the score. Anyway, you can now proceed to closing the editor and opening the Line6 Updater. Update to the 2.50 firmware following all instructions. HX Edit 2.51 currently matches the 2.50 firmware. IMPORTANT Note: The 2.52 version of the HX Edit package includes several bug fixes including one where the external amp switching is not working properly in the 2.50 version of the firmware. The fixed 2.52 firmware is probably coming out today or if not within the next couple of days according to those who are in the know(not me). The 2.52 HX Edit will be matched probably to a 2.52 version of the firmware unless Line6 changes the versioning. If you want to wait until today or even the next few days to see how others fare with the upcoming update(quite possibly coming today) you may avoid a second update in short order by not upgrading yet. However, if you want to get your Editor and firmware synched up right now the strategy listed in the first paragraph will hopefully get you there. As others have said be prepared to reboot your PC(not while the update is running!), switch USB ports, etc., as older computers running Windows 7 usually but don't always play nice with the latest editor and firmware versions. Update: Just noticed you already have the 2.50 firmware installed so you can ignore the bits of this regarding upgrading the firmware. All you need is HX Edit 2.51 on your new PC and you should be good to go.

I was thinking the same thing. Easier sometimes to ask forgiveness than permission. :)

To my U.S. decimal impaired brain 10cm is only about 4 inches. I wonder if a couple of compression straps or bungee cords would get you down to the accepted limit on the backpack or at least close enough to get through the gate. ^^^ This! I think for most flights as long as you could get it through the gate, for anything maybe but a puddle-jumper flight with tiny overheads, you could either put it in the overhead compartment or as VirtualGuitars mentioned hand it off to a flight attendant for placement in the storage compartments towards the front.

Nope never tried this, but most cool if you have discovered a way to customize scribble strips beyond the usual text replacement. This is an awesome little trick. Now that the idea is out in the wild Line6 may need to make sure these alt codes don't interfere with backup and restore or other editor operations. ;)

Agree, although if you separated release notes I would also keep them in the Updater as well. Release notes and upgrade instructions that were consistent both located separately and also in the Line6 Updater would help to prevent for example the recent calisthenics in the HX Edit 2.52 release where once you begin the firmware update process the Updater requests you to make a backup with your new version of HX Edit. To comply with this instruction you have to interrupt your firmware update, exit the Updater, and then bring up HX Edit to make a backup, exit HX Edit, and then restart the Updater and return to your firmware upgrade. Separate installation instructions would have allowed the user to know they needed a backup with the latest version of HX Edit before proceeding with updating their firmware. This is a different procedure than the old firmware upgrade process that required you to have a backup from your previous version of HX Edit. Not a big deal but I can definitely see where it would be confusing to a new user. I was talking about global profiles and not presets. The advantage of a global profile to a preset or template is that if your monitor type changes you can instantly change all your presets to suit. Granted they may require further adjustment within your presets but I like the idea of multiple global monitor-type profiles(Combo, Stack, FRFR, etc.). I do also like the idea of "additional presets" intended as a template for specific monitor types too. The idea of a preset intended to be the "profile" or template for a Combo, FRFR, etc. would be easy to implement immediately, no development required, and offer the advantage of being able to provide not only suggested EQ adjustments but other adjustments such as compression as well. To some extent, the better presets folks have made out there already serve this function in some respect, especially if they detail whether they were created using a Marshall stack or with an Atomic CLR(FRFR). As a matter of fact when I think about it you much more frequently see CustomTone as well as third-party retail presets tell you what type of pickups they are intended to be used with rather than the at least if not more important detail of what sort of monitoring equipment that preset was designed with. Whatever the mechanism, global profile or templates(I think both would be useful) the intention is to help users get a great sound quickly with their particular choice of monitoring equipment. I agree ultimately there is no perfect solution that is going to suit everyone. Some people will manage to get a horrible sound out of anything and others will simply not be satisfied with "stock" profiles of any kind, global or template. As users get more experienced they might start to move away from either global profiles or monitor-type templates but many would continue to use them with their own tweaks. Global profiles and some good specific monitor-type templates straight from Line6 would be very helpful, particularly for FRFR application and especially for new users as well as the more experienced who want or need to be able to quickly adjust to different types of monitor rigs.

You may have tried all this already but if not, keep the Drive down as much as you require to get a clean tone on the amp and turn up the 'Ch Volume' and Master(not all the way up) to compensate for overall volume. Play with the tonestack on the amp so you are not pushing the mids and particularly lows too hard if your sound is getting too crunchy or muffled. Make sure you are gain staging everything from the Helix such that the channel on your DAW is not overloaded. Also, try adjusting the 'Sag', 'Bias', and even the BiasX' settings, these can make a big difference depending on the amp. Some amp models simply have cleaner sounds available than others, you may want to try another amp as well as a different IR or even a Helix cab. Check your compressor block to make sure the makeup gain is not set too high.

Thanks! :)

The quote below was posted by Line6's Frank Ritchotte on The Gear Page(TGP). It looks like if you are one of the many who successfully updated to both HX Edit 2.52 and also the 2.52 firmware before it was pulled, you will not need to reapply the new fixed HX 2.52 package that is coming out probably Monday according to Phil_m. The fact that they added a test item to their QA process to help prevent this in the future is also notable and laudable. https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/25904747/ Hey guys as you know our hotfix release had some issues for a few users coming from older firmware. We apologize for this and have pulled 2.52 down till it’s fixed next week. To be clear the issue is the updater not the content. If you got 2.52 successfully (most did) it’s fine and you will not need to reload it when the new version releases. Right now it looks like 10 or so users had their units frozen by the update. All of those customers will get new units on Tuesday. We are not going to make you wait for us to fix them...it was our fault. Apologies and we have a new test item for all releases going forward to prevent this in the future.