ricksteruk

Good Question! I would have thought your first and second examples would sound identical (unless you'd adjusted any settings on the merge block) If they sound different I wonder why???

100% agree that you will ned to cut the bass (use floor mode) if you put the speaker on the floor if you want it to sound like the FOH pa

I'm getting ground loops using my Helix Amp switch sockets and wondered if this CV solution would also suffer from ground loops? I suppose the answer is yes - this will still cause ground loops, as there is still a direct connection to Helix ground, which a relay based switch would not have... but is it possible to drive a very small relay with the CV output?

This was one thing that was annoying about my old analog rig - on some songs I wanted the volume pedal before the dirt so I could fade in from clean to gain (like using guitar volume knob) and on some songs I wanted after the dirt so the signal could be really dirty and fade in like that. The great thing with the Helix is you can put the volume pedal wherever you want on each song.

It is ingrained in my head since I started using tech gear.. as a matter of course - you really should NEVER EVER make connections when 48v phantom power is switched on - with any gear. A simple switch for 48v on Helix and an indicator would be useful - but as we don't have that if I were going to use phantom power on a mic on Helix I would go for a simple solution... Only plug in or unplug the microphone if the Helix is totally powered OFF. (Of course - the problem you guys had may be nothing do do with this - but it's good practice for the future!)

Cool - go with my first option then - it will give you the most versatility. Of course if you just want to use the Helix's preamps and never the Plexi preamp then you could just do this. Gutar to Helix Gtr in -> Helix SEND1 to Plexi Return -> Plexi speaker out to Reactive Load speaker in -> Loadbox jack out to Helix RETURN1 There are just so many options with Helix routing :)

Hi Marrisey. What are you using to listen to the Helix? Headphones? FRFR? Studio Monitors? If you use a Reactive load box, then you will get no sound at all from your guitar speaker cab of course as it replaces the cab! Does your Plexi have an FX loop that you want to be able to use? If YES you could set two separate FX Loops on the Helix, one for the Plexi Preamp and one for the Plexi Power amp. Guitar --> Helix Guitar IN --> Helix SEND1 to Plexi input --> Plexi FX Send to Helix RETURN1 --> Helix SEND2 to Plexi FX Return --> Plexi Speaker Out to Reactive Load Speaker in --> Reactive Load Out (Jack) to Helix RETURN2 Or If NO amp FX loop: Guitar --> Helix Guitar IN - Helix SEND1 to Plexi input --> Plexi Speaker Out to Reactive Load Speaker in --> Reactive Load Out (Jack) to Helix RETURN 1 then after that what ever your normal listening set up is... either XLRs or Jacks to FRFR or whatever... If you do want to use your existing guitar cab you will need to use a power amp after the Helix 1/4in (or XLR) outs first to amplify the signal.

Not sure how much of a precautionary tale this is but here goes... "Never plug in or unplug a mic from an XLR socket while 48v phantom power is turned on. You may blow up the mic preamp." I can't remember where or when I heard those words of wisdom.. but perhaps this is what has happened to you folks? You all seem to mention that 48v is on.

Anyone else try this one? The Ultimate Support USS1-25/37c I quite like the look of it - and It is just $49

Glad you're sorted with the footswitch assign :) As for the volume problem - it sounds strange to me... but I wonder if this may help... - Select the Volume block that is acting weird with the Joystick, hit menu and choose "Controller Assign". Normally the min is set to 0% and the max is at 100%. - If your pedal is somehow working backwards, try setting min to 100% and max to 0% Good Luck!

Ahh i see! My H&K Switchblade does not accept MIDI cc commands (unless it's some secret and not in the manual) - as far as I know you can only use MIDI to select a preset (or do Tap Tempo I guess.. which is a cc). The Grandmeister is more sophisticated :) There is a TRS socket I could use on my amp to switch between channels.. but when you do that it also remembers the last thing that was used on that channel and switches to it's settings... kind of like switching preset but not quite.... might be worth a try I guess! Options are good.

How on earth do you make it switch between two H&K MIDI presets with one Helix Footswitch? Please Tell :) It's interesting the many ways it's possible to use Helix - you certainly have been exploring a lot of options there!! I really love using the Helix and I am almost content with it. There are work arounds for most things I want to do - but when these scenes or whatever are sorted (as Digital Igloo has hinted at..) - I will probably be totally happy :D

Yes - you could set up 3 footswitches - each sending a different MIDI channel.. each also set to toggle some FX. But we don't want to toggle the FX. We want them to either come on or off when we press a switch. Sure you can. Set up a footswitch to send a midi channel change to the HK and also turn effects on and off at the same time. I have a few patches where I have 2 or 3 different verbs or delays on the same patch specifically for this. In some cases I have the same delyor verb 2 or 3 times to make this work, but i works great. Doing it that way to get from sound 1 to sound 2 you should just have to press the second foot switch - not press the first one again to turn off the the FX and then press the second one. Is that what you are doing? If so are you telling me you are happy with that? You wouldn't prefer having to press just one button?

That idea might work pretty well - but we can only assign 1 MIDI message to a STOMP footswitch unfortunately. When recalling a preset Helix can send up to multiple messages. "Instant" messages they are called - it looks like 6 from my command centre, but I thought it I remembered hearing you could send 8 as well. EDIT - if you had some clever outboard midi box that you could send one message to from Helix and then it would send back a stream of multiple messages that would work - but personally I just want to carry (and program) things in to the Helix. I got Helix to reduce the number of boxes I have to set up each gig. EDIT EDIT - of course maybe it was worth mentioning right at the beginning - but Preset mode is no use if you are worried about the preset change latency and / or want to be able to do big effect delay/reverb spillover from one sound to the next. If the lack of splill-over and the latency does not bother you then you could just use preset mode all the time and never stomp mode.

It is really simple once you know how. Just press the menu and then the controller assign button (next to the footswitch assign one you know already) Then select the amp block with the joystick (if its not already selected) - and use knob 1 to choose the drive parameter of the amp, and knob 2 to choose which footswitch you wish to assign it to. Then set the max and min values as 4.5 and 2... Done :-)

My Helix sounds fantastic into either my H&K switchblade combo or my old Laney AOR combo (or both in stereo). I just go from Helix 1/4in out into the FX return - and make sure I don't use any cab blocks on that path. You can split the signal path and run it to the PA by the XLRs through a cab or IR in that path. This works really well if you use one cab/IR for the whole of your set and try to match it to the real sound that comes from your amp. Edit. I also use my amp in 4 cable method so I can use the real preamps too.

Could you just clarify what you want to do with the signal path? Is it: 1) Recording guitar - GTR > GTR IN JACK on HELIX > (NO FX oN HELIX) > XLR OUT to Pro tools 2) Reamping - Protools XLR > HELIX XLR (mic) in > HELIX amps and FX > XLR OUT to Pro Tools? If this is the case you will need to make sure that on 1) that the Input block is set to "Guitar" or the multi option that covers Aux and Variax as well on 2) you will need to set the input block to mic (XLR). I have not tried this - you will probably need to be very careful with your level matching!!! I assume Pro Tools will be giving out LINE level... Make sure Helix can cope with the signal you send from Pro Tools.

That could be vey useful - if the song had a unique intro sound, then the saved state could cover that whereas the max and min values could work for the verse / chorus... I will have to store that trick in my brain for a time when it is useful :)

Interesting idea. I had thought of buying a 2x12 cab at one point and installing a solid state power amp to use as a wet cab, but I never got round to it. Also, yeah maybe 2 x 12s is a bit large. 2 x 6 inch or 8 speakers would probably do just fine. I am pretty happy with the sound of my H&K combo - but stereo spread on stage is just fantastic. Maybe I will buy a ground loop isolator box thingy and also connect up into the FX return of my Laney AOR combo for stereo pleasure.

Seems you already voted for it on 21st April :)

I've heard that Helix does not work with the Silver Jubilee (which is a bummer as I really have my eye on one) My old Laney AOR combo from the late 1980s does the same as you describe, with the LED dimming - but it does actually change channels, albeit the normal channel is very quiet - and there is a colossal hum. The problem is caused because Helix does not use relays to switch the amp circuits on and off - a LOT of amps don't work properly with Helix. (including MESAs ... see below) There are two options: 1) buy a MIDI amp switching unit (e.g. the RJM gizmo... http://www.rjmmusic.com/products/switch-gizmo ) or 2) make a box like this with relays I'd go with the second option as I am handy with a soldering iron and it's a lot cheaper

A simple way to do this is just to pop a "SEND" block just before your cab / IR block. The you just plug your stage amp into the SEND socket you've chosen. The only down side to this is that you can't then use the Big Helix volume knob to control the volume of your stage amp - but as long as your amp has a volume control you're fine. I have posted an idea scale for allowing the choice to direct the SEND block to go to more places like the 1/4in out (or USB) which would allow use of the Big Volume Knob. http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/SEND-Block-to-more-places-e-g-1-4in-for-easy-IR-bypass/818624-23508

It's just a little irritating to load 100 patches in quick succession if you are looking for a preset somewhere.. on a set list somewhere. Unless you are at your computer using the editor you will have to use the Preset/Setlist button... try it.. you will see!

It must be to do with stereo width, as scale does not appear at all in mono delay blocks.

Yeah that would be good. As far as I know you can only use the bank up and down buttons. I happened to be looking at the Preset/Setlist page and tried to scroll down the list to a preset near the end and the poor Helix Editor that was connected via USB had a mental breakdown bless it. It totally crashed. Had to relaunch it.