dickbanks

This thread was better when it was about lawn mowers....

I'm pretty sure with Helix and its competitors that we are at the "you can't tell the difference in the mix" stage with the high end modelers.

Very soon we will be at the "you can't tell the difference, EVER" stage....

I do know that for some sounds, I much prefer the Helix to ANY of my amps and effects.

The Line 6 StageSource speaker turn down to low volume very well.

I have two L3Ts in my studio, and I can play through them at 5am with my wife sleeping one room over--obviously WAY low--excellent fidelity.

As to why I'm up playing at 5am, well I guess that's for a different sort of forum....

I have the MB Mk V and the Helix floor with two Line 6 L3Ts (FRFR).

The Mark V model, on the Helix is VERY CLOSE to the Mk V. I use the Lead channel with Drive set at 4.7 for overdrive tone, no pedals.

So if you have an FRFR speaker setup, you should try it.

Best backup to a Helix is another Helix. It's a computer--what if it doesn't boot?

The show must go on.

Plus, how pitiful would that be? "I can't play because my pedal won't boot."

Bought my second one a year ago, MF, 24-month plan.

I gig just about every weekend, and I don't wanna learn another pedal. Too lazy to even learn a Stomp, which must be VERY similar. The learning curve for this thing was just TOO LONG--ain't doing it again!

I consider it a $63/mo "insurance plan" that has vanishing payments in about a year. 

Of course, all of this means that I will never need it.... 

On 4/14/2019 at 3:09 PM, Propower said:

...Near the end the unit shut off (only then did i realize how hot it was!)...

The most likely scenario is that the processor or one or both of your DSPs executed a thermal shutdown. If that's the case, the unit should return to normal after cooling down, and likely not have any further issues.

As stated above, there is really know way to know for sure short of returning it for service.

The recommendations described here will likely get you the best results. However, the beauty of a digital modeler is that you can experiment. 

For example: I don't know too many others that do this, but I like some of the amp models, mainly Fender, as amp only, with NO cab or IR in the chain. Came upon that technique by just trying different things.

Also, if you use compressors, you can try placing them LAST, instead of at the front--so you get more of a "studio compressor" effect.

Might find an L3T at 400 quid used--very good, noise-free tone via L6 Link; don't forget to budget for a 110 ohm AES/EBU cable.

I try to attenuate as little as possible on the Helix. Master volume knob cranked, volume pedal fully engaged, volumes on amps pretty high. Tone is best that way. Of course the FRFR has to be DOWN to avoid serious injury, but since it's FLAT, it's not contributing to tone anyway.

Also, never underestimate the power of the mix to wash out any "trailing-off" effects!

When I first unboxed the Strymon Big Sky, "man, this is just too much!" Really wanted to dial a lot of it back.

But the rest of the band loved it, and the mix really took care of it anyway.

On 1/14/2019 at 3:25 PM, DammKid said:

...They say that more than 50% of current-day millennials not only classify themselves as "socialists", but more than 80% of them believe that America is not currently a 'great' country, and fully 90% of them, don't believe that it EVER was!  That statistic tells it all. At age 67, and as a combat veteran of Vietnam, I think all of this is just the "old schooler" in me...

To contrast, I'm 58 but I work mostly with 25-35s, and the huge majority of them really love our Country, and really respect us Vets and thank us for our service regularly.

Your story was GREAT, thanks for that, and thanks for your Service! I guess that the only guilty feelings us later vets have is that our Vietnam-era "big brothers and sisters" really got the shaft, while we were treated as heroes from the beginning.

However--to stick with this thread--an open box means that someone probably tried it out. I try not to be too picky, since I'm gonna take it out of the box, throw it on the floor, and start stomping it straight-away! That, and the 2-yr warranty--I feel pretty good about these things--I own two of them--one for the stage, and one as a backup.

My early method was to modify the existing patches on CustomTone, Glenn DeLaune, etc.

My latest approach is to do it like you just walked into a music store.

Guitar, amp, IR/speaker cab, get good tone that way, compressor to shape the front end, effects/'pedals (if you need them), EQ for specific amp or PA. That's pretty much it.

This sort of thing is why I have two of them, one as a backup. Nothing against Helix, but DSPs in general are always susceptible to this sort of thing.

That being said, in two years of gigging almost every weekend, never have needed the backup. Converse of Murphy's Law, I guess...

On 10/3/2018 at 10:52 AM, DigitalDelay7 said:

I bought my Helix about a month ago and I'm really really loving it. The depth of tone and the amount of FX and customisation is insane. However, I'm having a massive problem with it. Whenever I take it to a gig and click on almost any amount of distortion is just absolutely screams feedback. I've tried adjusting the gain settings on both the amps and the distortion effects themselves, but it still happens whenever I play live. The volume discrepancies are also pretty insane. I can't seem to reproduce the problems with my home setup no matter how much I crank it - it only seems to happen live, but it's at different venues and it happens every single time. 

Anyone else experienced this? Any insights?

Without seeing your settings or knowing about your other gear, I can tell you that if you WANT feedback, you can certainly get it with this pedal. Some things to think about:

(1) Make sure that you are not multiplying your drive. i.e. pedal O/D plus amp set to drive hard--try one or the other

(2) 4CM method? check your signal levels going to the amp--try inst rather than line

(3) On your amp--try channel volume down and master volume up, and vice-versa.

On 9/6/2018 at 3:49 PM, DunedinDragon said:

Nothing is really particular to a snapshot since a snapshot is just a specific specialized view of a single preset.  But as far as a preset is concerned I think the most general approach is the one that's used  most commonly in regular setups in the real world.  Something similar to:

 

input block -> compressor -> modulation -> overdrive -> amp -> cab/IR -> pitch effect-> delay/reverb -> EQ -> output block.

 

Of course there's lots of ways to vary that and many people insert delays/reverbs and modulation effects between the amp and the cab/ir, or moving the compressor to the final block in the signal chain.  It would probably be worth your time to watch a few of the Jason Sadites videos on YouTube and familiarize yourself with how he lays out his presets and then applies presets to them.

Yes, this ^^^ plus a volume pedal at the end.

I look at it like this: I've spent A LOT of time creating my sounds with this thing, and I'm not about to do the same for any other processor in the event that my Helix croaks. Also, there are a number of retailers (MF, others) that will extent me enough credit to buy a new one, and have it to me in 48 hours.

So that's my main backup plan. And if it croaks inside of 48 hours to the gig, I have a Katana head I can use as emergency, or my local GC has one I can go pick up.

So my advice is to have some very low cost processor available to squeeze in in an emergency.

But the best backup to a Helix is another Helix.

If at all possible. keep your "real" stuff until you have the Helix for a couple of weeks.

When I first stated using the Mesa Boogie Mark IV models (Cali IV), I thought, "these don't sound anything like the real amp."

And then I bought a used Mark IV--and promptly realized that the models sound EXACTLY like the real amp, with some EQ tweaking.

Have you tried the 5 new ones. They are pretty good. Maybe not a replacement for the Big Sky, but pretty darn good. 

Briefly. But I think now that tonight I will take a closer "listen." I have a song to play this weekend that really BEGS for a Strymon Big Sky "shimmer."

I have actually considered adding the the Big Sky, but it's a LOT of money, and what's worse--foot-space that my gig does not afford. 

Just wanted to state it. There seems to be much love for the Freedman, but the lonestar should have its own thread. Great addition to have a medium gain USA flavored amp. I feel like this one is going to replace my standard worship patches for driven sounds (used to be a pushed matchless channel 2 with Klon for drive).

 

Tnx for adding it

I own the Mesa Boogie Mark IV, and the Helix Cali IV Clean and Rhythm channels are spot-on. I DON'T own a Lonestar, but if it's as good as the Lonestar patch on Helix, it must be quite an amp!

The Boogie amps, clean or dirty, just have this quality of "climbing right up your fingers" and really getting inside your pickups to draw out sounds. Somehow the Line 6 people captured this nicely with these Mesa Boogie amp patches. 

I have to say as a guitarist I'm grateful, and as an Electrical Engineer, I'm envious...

http://line6.com/support/topic/31789-helix-models-definitive-cheat-sheet-all-model-names-with-descriptions/

Thanks to 

Also, probably WAY too much to ask for, but...

Strymon Big Sky Reverbs!

^^^ This.

Granted that Line 6 has greatly reduced the "backup-install new editor-install new firmware" chain down to just 2 steps (and I AM eternally grateful for that), but the next logical step would be a one-step "update firmware" that would do all three. Just sayin...

Hi I'm thinking about buying a helix but not sure if it's for me?...

You DO realize that this is a bit like walking into a bar and asking everyone if you should have a drink...

Just sayin'  :D

Love it with my strat. It has low output pickups. you'll not be disappointed :)

...I should have my Helix Wednesday.

My advice to you--sleep well Tuesday night....

Because Wednesday night--you may not sleep at all... :D

All kidding aside, I have found Line 6 to be pretty good about supporting their products with updates to FW and SW. Other companies, not so much. Yamaha/Roland comes to mind as a company that doesn't.