steveheroan

Okay, so I have my answer, and it is both embarrassing and infuriating. I’ve always had good luck and good service from Redco in the past, but they have completely dropped the ball on this one. I had them build me a custom slim-line send/return cable for this purpose, and one side of that cable has failed after about three uses. Add to that, it took them over a month and three or four phone inquiries to finally send it. So to answer your question, yes it is a hardware issue, just nothing to do with Helix. The reverb problem is still a thing though.

I added an FX loop in a few presets for the purpose of placing an eq later in my chain as opposed to the front end, where it would have more effect. The eq is really just to adapt one of my guitars for a few of the songs we play. My entire show is in 8 snapshot mode and controlled via MIDI, so I’m trying to use the eq without having to reinvent the wheel as far as how I’m running my rig, and I just want to be able to kick the pedal on when I use that particular guitar. I set this up and have used it successfully on about three shows. At the most recent show (during sound check thank goodness) I realized that every preset where I added the FX loop was silent. Not at the wrong level, but silent. Absolutely nothing had been altered from the previous show, and I am showing signal on the Helix send/return block meter. The input/output is marked and is definitely correctly wired and the same as when it was working. While editing presets in the past, I’ve noticed that occasionally after a few changes sometimes whatever reverb block I have on that preset will stop working, despite being “on”. This is obviously a bug, because I can fix by copying the block (to preserve settings), deleting the block, then pasting it back in. It immediately starts working again at that point. It seems the FX block may have a similar bug, but unfortunately not the same fix.

Did you ever get this resolved? I have suddenly started having the same problem out of nowhere. Thanks for any info!

Apologies for a long post in advance, but it may help anyone out there who is considering using the Helix as a " virtual guitar tech". If anyone is using Helix to receive MIDI CC for preset and/or snapshot changes and have updated to 2.11 already, have you had any trouble? Are Command Center values saved when backing up setlists? Has anyone ever had an update change/corrupt their Command Center settings? This would cause me a world of pain if it were to happen, but I really want to do the update if possible. I recently started using Ableton to control my Helix, and it has been amazing to leave behind the old "tap dance" routine, to say the least. For a little background, I am playing in a band which uses a click and tracks for practically our entire show, and Ableton is changing my preset/snapshots via MIDI at the appropriate times, so I can simply roam around the stage wirelessly. It took forever to get my patches dialed in for each tune, and just as long to figure out how to get Helix to transmit MIDI CC in order to have Ableton record my switching automations. The thing I'm most terrified of is losing all of the MIDI CC send/rec settings for every patch. If you've never used Helix to send/rec MIDI CC before, this may not make sense, but I'll try to explain. When recording my automation into Ableton, I have to go to Helix command center and "find" a footswitch to send notes to Ableton to record. The settings are MIDI CC, MIDI CH 1, CC#69(pedal hold), and footswitch values 0-7 for snapshots 1-8. For whatever reason, this information is sent via different switches for different presets, and this seems to be at random. At any rate I just have to trial-and-error the process for each footswitch until I figure out which one Ableton is "seeing" for that preset. I then save the preset to retain my command center setting and record my automation into Ableton by playing in real time along with the track we use for that song, simply changing snapshots whenever I normally would while Ableton records the changes to a midi automation track. Of course, then all I have to do is switch my send/receive settings for Ableton and Helix and presto, automatic switching! Automation has allowed me to do much more complicated switching for each song, including complex intelligent harmony, etc. The problem is if this system fails, I am left having to do all of this switching manually, which means I will never be able to stray from the Helix, and I will likely have more tap dancing than I can keep up with. Sorry again for such a long post, but I wanted to thoroughly explain the process that I use, so anybody who may be doing something similar could chime in. Especially if one of you guys knows an easier way to do this type of automation. The whole "random switch" thing for sending CC is still bugging me, and is a huge part of the reason that I'm so scared to update. Thanks for any help!

I figured if you have the exp pedal in full toe down (or full heel down, or at halfway or whatever) that the Helix could still recognize that that's where it was last saved? Maybe I'm missing something, I'm probably not tech-savvy enough to be commenting on this forum, lol.

Probably been mentioned, if so, apologies. Seems like an easy, no DSP problem to me. I wish each patch would remember its "initial state" so that when I tweak something, or highlight a block, or turn on a footswitch, or whatever, and the little "E" comes up beside the patch name, that the little "E" would disappear when I get the patch back to its most recently saved state. I would like, in essence, for the Helix to tell me "Yeah, this is where you started when you loaded this patch" if I haven't actually CHANGED anything. Otherwise, the little "E" next to the patch name is pointless, isn't it? "No kidding, I turned on the Minotaur, now when I turn it back off the patch isn't really "edited", is it?"

Holy info! Thanks a million. One fact that I failed to include was that while I've not listened to the "new" presets, in scanning the list I didn't see anything new. I assume this means that the "new" presets are just upgraded tweaks of the previous versions? My Helix did show "Firmware v 1.10" at startup so I assume it installed correctly. I just thought there would be some presets I hadn't seen before. If not, no biggie, I am not really using them anyway, I start my patches from scratch for the important stuff. I just like to play through the new stuff out of curiosity mostly. Either way, can't thank you enough for the help!

Had Helix a while now, but I purchased it right after 1.06.5 came out. Back then I received the unit, then updated the firmware, THEN started playing. I have the patience of a saint, lol. The problem is that back then I didn't have to worry about backing anything up, UNTIL NOW, and I'm terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and lose all my hard work. Today I did "export bundle" to a folder on my computer, then downloaded and installed all the newest software from Line 6 (1.10 firmware, 1.10 application, 1.78 driver (bug fix for Windows 7), 1.08 updater, and 1.11 application) per the instructions. I then did the "hold down footsitches 5&6 at power-on" thing, which evidently doesn't affect your current patches, setlists, or IR's. What does this procedure (the 5&6 footswitch thing) even do? After that, I (stupidly) proceeded to work on some patches for ergonomic reason (basically just moving some footswitches around and relabeling a few) and also reset my global eq to my liking. I assume at this point that the changes I just made were for nothing if I do the "hold down footswithes 7&8 at power-on" thing, in order to get the new factory presets that I don't have yet. Losing my most recent changes is not a huge deal, since I can easily redo them in a few minutes, but I'm terrified of not importing my bundle correctly. What is the procedure for this? Was export bundle even the right thing to do? How do you backup IR's? I did overwrite an existing bundle from when I first got the unit, cause I hadn't really created anything yet and was just curious as to what would happen, what the file name would be, etc., so I think I'm ok there. I just don't want to lose my patches that I have been tweaking for the past couple of months. Hope this all makes sense, and I'm so sorry to burden you tech-savvy gents with my meatheadedness. HELP!!!!

Just an update. Sorry for the long post. I took the Helix on a cruise ship gig in the Gator LGW hard case and it survived Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and a TSA inspection. I was sweating bullets! I have the case pretty heavily modified however. I made some blocks to fill in the spaces on the left and right side of the case out of styrofoam wrapped in duct tape, and I actually did cut down the interior foam posts on the bottom of the case so the Helix would sit more level. I regret that slightly, but it leaves me room for all the bubble wrap. I tried as best I could to apocalypse-proof it, but I still noticed that my styrofoam pieces were dented when I opened it on the ship. Flier beware, lol, the baggage handlers could break an iron dumbbell! As for performance, I ran through a Roland keyboard amp cuz that's what was available, and also kept my guitar out of my wedge, which is just my preference. With a little treble attenuation, it was great. Unfortunately, our FOH "engineer" (and I use this term lightly) could not be convinced that running a direct line was the way to go, and insisted (in typical cruise ship "language-barrier speak") on using an SM57 on the keyboard amp. Frustrating! I was, for the first time, in tone heaven in "guitar world" on my side of the stage, but everyone else, including the theater crowd, was getting the SM57 feed. I will absolutely stick to my guns next time and insist on a direct feed, and I would suggest all you other guys do as well if you encounter a FOH knucklehead like this guy. As the drummer said when he stood next to me while I was warming up, "Sounds great right here, in my in-ears it sounds like s*#%!"

Indeed, no negativity here, I get where you're coming from. I don't wear a watch (that space is reserved for all my poser jewelry), and my phone doesn't come to the stage with me, so I've had a clock until Helix. I will find a cheap, small clock of some sort and Velcro it somewhere, maybe to my FRFR if it doesn't rattle. Every once in a while you may get a gig where time REALLY matters, so you have to be prepared.

I just realized I gave pedalboard advice on a HELIX forum, and ended it with "word to the wise" to boot. Man, I'm a dork!

Tip from the road (maybe a series?): If you fly to gigs with a pedalboard and use a clock, remove the clock from your pedalboard before checking it with the airport. When security x-rays your bags and sees a bunch of boxes, wires, and a clock, they get very curious. I opened my bag at a gig with 14 minutes until a very rigid start time (Country Thunder in AZ opening for some big country star of some sort) only to find a PILE of things that USED to be my pedalboard. I had to frantically rebuild it, realize I had bad backline amp, find another backline amp and literally start playing the very second I got my last string in tune. By the time my nerves settled the show was over. Remove the clock, word to the wise.

I had to download the firmware flash memory and the drag/drop it into the Updater, but it worked so I'm off and running. I had not created any sounds yet so I know at the next update I will have to do a backup before installing it. That would be achieved by the "Export Bundle" option, correct. By the way, thanks to all you guys for all the tips. Headphones are still giving nothing but effects return, but I don't intend to buil patches with headphones anyway.

Thanks so much for all the tips and advice. For the record, I believe I had two copies of the Updater installed on my computer. I didn't realize that one was bundled with the application. I believe that they may have confused each other. When you go to the "all software" option, it has the Updater listed as a separate choice. I guess it is not necessary to download that one since it is bundled with the application. Regardless, I am now rocking the new firmware and can't wait to hear the new models. Thanks so much! I haven't tried the headphones yet but hopefully that issue is resolved as well. It may be a topic for a Nother thread if it is not.

OK, so I just received my new Helix. Love it so far, but I have a big problem. Two actually. I downloaded and installed the Helix driver and the Helix program before I received the unit. I also downloaded and installed the Updater. My intention was to immediately update to the latest firmware (V1.06.5) BEFORE I started experimenting and building patches, etc. So, The Helix program recognizes the unit, but as far as I can tell the Updater does nothing. I double-click it, but nothing happens. I went to the download page and downloaded what I thought was the firmware update. I noticed it was a flash memory with an extension of .hxf, and when I tried to open it I got an "application not found" message. I also noticed that the older firmware (1.04) had an extension of .exe, like what I'm used to seeing. Has anybody else had a similar issue? I am on a PC running Windows 7. Is there some secret "order of operations" that I should be following? Any guidance would be unbelievably appreciated. Problem number two: When I use the headphone output, I am getting tons of effects relative to the amp. When I plug the unit via XLR L out into my FRFR, it sounds correct, but the headphones sound mostly like an effects return. Help!