zooey

Are you sure about that? I haven't tested, but I thought people said the first block ALWAYS affects input impedence, whether it's on or not.

The key is that when you save a preset, it remembers which snapshot was active, and each of its snapshots remembers which blocks are on and off. When you recall the preset it loads that active snapshot, which activates the blocks that snapshot was saved with. Each preset also remembers the current value of all parameters that aren't controlled by the snapshots controller. Note that that means that a preset can recall one value for a parameter, and a footswitch can toggle it between two OTHER values. In that case, it works just like you'd think -- recalling the preset gets the saved value for the preset, pressing the footswitch then gets you first one of ITS values, then the other one if you press it again. And soblivion has it right about the global setting for what happens when you modify a snapshot, then switch to another one and back without loading another (or the same) preset. It can be set to either always recall the snapshot like it was saved (discard edits), or to keep any changes to that snapshot that were made with footswitches or other controllers. I do like soblivion does, and have it keep them. Among other things, that lets you modify each snapshot in a preset before the song starts, if you want it different for that song only. If you're having trouble with any of that behavior not working, I'd suggest some careful saving and retesting. If you have a scenario that doesn't work, post it here.

Standard thing would be to use amp(s) w no cab, but you can do anything you like the sound of -- preamp only, overdrive only, preamp > overdrive > preamp > amp, whatever's good for you. I haven't noticed one channel louder than the other, always run stereo, but don't do much with it beyond a few stereo fx. What about your patch is different between the two stereo sides?

If that's true, IMO it's Not A Good Idea, seems way less intuitive to use, even if you know that's how it works, which is also not intuitive.

Also https://alexdotguitars.wordpress.com/helix-presets/. He also has videos on preset building, and is very involved in worship music, I think.

If it was sold to you as new, a reputable dealer should be able to fix this. If it's used and you knew it, hopefully you got the original purchase receipt, that can be used to transfer the warranty and the reduced price on Native. If not, it is what it is. If you get really pronged, reach out to Line 6, Frank Ritchotte in particular, see what they can do.

I don't usually go that low, but real reverb isn't very wide bandwidth, on either end. Anyway, whatever you like is good :)

Studio One here, good mix of power and user friendliness.

Of course a difference is audible, between nearly anything and anything. As to "better", much harder and more ambiguous.

They perform the same function -- imitate the response of a mic'd speaker cab -- but the tech is different, which means they give you different adjustments. The built-in cabs let you pick a mic, and adjust how far away from the cab it's supposed to sound like it is. Each IR file is a "snapshot" of some particular mic at some particular position on some particular cab, which you can't change. The only way to "change" an IR's mic or position is to use a different IR, and for that reason, most commercial and some free IR packs include different files for the same cab, covering multiple mic and/or position choices. Note that each built-in cab is a different block, so you can't change to a different one with snapshots or a footswitch. You can have more than one in a preset, and enable or disable them or change their settings, but not change which one(s) are there. That's different from an IR block, where which IR file it's using is just another parameter, so it can be changed on the fly by a footswitch or by snapshots.

At the risk of being obvious, if it's too "harsh" (I assume you mean too trebly), try turning down treble and/or presence in the amp, and/or adding a lowpass filter and/or an eq after the amp to cut some highs or boost low-mids (I like the mesa). Other people's presets may well sound really different when you play them, due to differences in guitars, playing, playback system, global eq, or other settings. The question is, can you adjust things to sound good, to you, in your environment.

No, because there are no separate power amp blocks. It's been requested.

My impression is that that's way less universal than you're making it out to be. The only poll I'm aware of is split about 55% IRs to 45% stock cabs, not what I'd call an obvious and indisputable truth that applies to everyone.

I do all of the above -- overdrives, gain before the amp from an eq and/or compressor, amp gain, mixtures, all worth checking out, with different amps and other blocks. Yu can turn down the output at the same you add gain elsewhere, in the amp or any post-amp block, with a level control including the final output block.

On the Helix itself, you can assign a footswitch to bypass any block by selecting the block and touching -- not pressing -- the desired footswitch until that option appears. I'm not at my computer to check how to do that in the editor, which I don't use enough to know that by heart. You'll learn a bunch if you read the manual :)

Traditionally, modulation pedals were before the amp -- they were pedals -- and studio modulation effects were after the cab, because they were applied to the mic'd and recorded amp/cab sound. In the 80s, well-equipped guitarists started emulating that studio chain, using a preamp or an amp with a load box or mic, then applying reverb, modulation, and maybe other rack effects to that signal. Helix and other modern modelers let you build processing chains in any of those styles, or pretty much any mixture you dream up. Try everything, and keep what you like, which doesn't have to be the same for different presets, even different snapshots.

I'd do the legwork to figure out how to set your speakers more or less flat. Anything else isn't giving you an accurate picture of what you're sending to the PA (if that's even a thing for you). If the amp(s) you're using are running clean, you may have them set up for "sparkly", meaning lots of highs, which may not work well with an overdrive in front. If you want, you can change the amp tone controls (and/or a separate pre- or post-amp EQ) with the same footswitch that turns on the overdrive. You can do the same thing, and a whole lot more, with snapshots too. Also try the tone controls on the overdrive, some have more than others. It is possible to get both clean and dirty sounds sounding good in the same preset. Pretty much all of my presets are built that way, whether it's with an overdrive or just more amp gain.

As you've probably figured out, there are different opinions as to the importance of IRs in getting good sounds with Helix :) It's your call, obviously. Many people use only the built-in cabs, because they're built in, free, adjustable, and you don't have to mess around with which IR goes where so your presets work right. (Presets store only the IR location you selected, not the actual IR.) Others use only external IRs, because they tfeel they can get better sounds with them. Others, like me, use both, because I like to see what my options are and how they work out. I've gotten sounds I like a lot from both. Some of my presets have a footswitch to pick one or the other, since I haven't decided which I want for that sound yet. No wrong answers! Have fun! If it sounds good it is good! There are lots of free IRs out there if you want to check them out.

Agreed on all counts HO.

Just to say it, as a programmer myself, that's an example of poor error handling. Seems like the code assumes that the only reason the IR data would be truncated is that the program was out of memory. Oops.

You really just have to build your patches so they sound good an a reasonably "flat" system, and trust the FOH person. You can't be out front to listen in the heat of the gig, so what else could you do?

How close is the AA3 to having all that?

Interesting. Reported to Line 6?

Genuine apologies if my comment came across as hate or disrespect, I meant neither, whether we hear the same things or not. Rock on, however works for you :)

Was there, nothing "Legacy". Doesn't matter, I was just curious.