ramirezdan

I've had this issue for a long time, but always attributed it to running too much stuff in my live set(plugins, softsynths, etc.) The glitches were annoying, but I figured I'd sort it out before taking the board on stage. I finally decided to rebuild a more minimal setup and am super disappointed that my clicks and pops haven't gone away. Ableton's CPU meter shows around 3-4% utilization. Activity monitor shows Live using around 40% or so. My sample buffer size is currently at 256. When using an Apogee Duet, the same project can easily handle a 64 sample buffer size. I've had this issue with 3 different Mac laptops. They're all Retina Macbooks with a clock speed of around 2.8ghz, 16GB ram, and a big SSD. A sample buffer size > 256 is probably unworkable for me, but in the meantime, I'll see if I can reproduce with a buffer size of 2048.

You'd get a higher quality signal path. Whether or not that makes a difference in your setup is an entirely different thing. I compared a MOTU audio interface with the BLA mod vs. the same model without and I was pretty surprised at the difference. They do really good work. All that said, if you wanted to stuff $500 into the Helix, you're probably better off doing it before the input or after the output.

Weird car analogy aside, using a preamp in front of a high headroom amp isn't a weird modeling edge case. I've done this in the past with a Mesa Dual Rectifier's pre-out running into an AC30 or Twin. My buddy used to run his deluxe reverb with the preamp section of a JCM-900 in the return. "But if I want a Fender Twin sound, then I want a Fender Twin sound....don't see much point in front-loading it with a Marshall." If that's the case, why would you even use a pedal in front of the Twin? That changes the sound. Dillenger Escape Plan plays with a Fender Twin and something tells me you wouldn't call their sound "a Fender Twin sound", but it works for them. People push "whatever works" a bit much. There's a reason for conventional wisdom, but preamp models are basically no different than a distortion/gain pedal and anywhere you'd consider using one of those, you can use a preamp model.

"for example, one of the Marshall preamp-only models in front of another full-amp model....that's gonna get ugly." Depending on the full amp model, I don't think that's necessarily true. i.e., a marshall preamp in front of something like a Fender Twin should be usable.

I use the Helix preamps exclusively because I output the blocks to Dr. Z mini combos. Technically, this leaves me with 2 preamps, one power amp, and one cab, but the Dr. Z's are really simple(one knob), so the two preamps don't get in eachother's way too much. Look at the Helix preamps as a regular guitar pedal. They do things like distortion, gain management, and tone shaping. They sound thin/lame on their own because they're intended to be used with an amp, just like any other guitar pedal.

That's me. The scribblestrips are instrumental for controlling software with MIDI. The only alternatives that I found were things like this: http://www.famcmusic.com/store/liquid-foot?product_id=72 So, for an extra $200, you may as well get a bunch of effects and/or ampsims. I also use the audio interface capability of the Helix, but if I wasn't the HXFX would be pretty ideal and half the cost.

I'm running into this too.

I ended up ordering one. <$200 to get 3 inputs with variable preamp gain into the aux in seems like a pretty good deal. I'll do a shootout between the guitar input and the aux input with various guitars/basses when I get it. I might throw the mic in with a DI too just to mix it up a bit. I hope I can send the Aux in to USB in 7 like I can do with the guitar, otherwise I just bought a $200 impedance matcher.

I'm using all 4 of my returns. After a bit of research, this 321 device from thegigrig seems to be a viable option if I need access to the BassVI and the Jazz bass, overkill if I only need the Jazz Bass. It would also accommodate an extra guitar, so I could have 4 instruments connected simultaneously with two being accessible at any one time. https://www.thegigrig.com/three2one

I'm nailing down my live setup and have a passive Jazz Bass connected to the Aux Input of the Helix. It's working fine, but I'm guessing the impedance mismatch is giving me a low audio signal and probably killing the tone a bit. Due to how I'm using the rest of the Helix, I'm committed to making this Aux Input work. Can someone recommend an active DI that would help bring the Jazz Bass up to the right level. While the Jazz Bass is the priority, I also have a Bass VI that's SUPER quiet and it would be awesome if the same DI could bring that in line with the Aux Input.

I do something like this this on my regular Helix without issue. Very easy, just split the path before the cabsim block, then use either different outputs(XLR vs. 1/4) or the pan block to ensure that your signals are separated properly.

I've been trying to piece together a live rig around the Helix, two Eventide H9s, and Ableton Live. I started with an RME Fireface400 on the pedalboard which worked, but it's a bit overkill and I was hoping I could get away with just using the Helix as my interface. It's not perfect, but I've found a pretty good way to utilize the Helix's flexibility. Helix Physical Connections: Inputs: Guitar - Guitar Mic - Vocal Mic Aux - Bass(volume a bit low, probably want a DI of some sort to match impedance) Return 1 - H9 #1 Return 2 - H9 #2 Return 3 - DSI Tempest Drum Machine/Synth Return 4 - DSI Tempest Drum Machine/Synth Outputs: 1/4 1 - Mini Z amp #1 1/4 2 - Mini Z amp #2 XLR 1 - Stereo Mix to PA - L XLR 2 - Stereo Mix to PA - R Send 1 - H9 #1 Send 2 - H9 #2 Send 3 - Shure Wireless Headphone Mono Input Send 4 - Ampeg Micro CL --- Inputs: Path 1A - USB 3/4(Guitar) -> [H9] -> [H9] -> V [Preamp]-> 1/4 outputs Path 1B - USB 3/4(Guitar) - > [Amp] -> USB 1/2 Path 2A - USB 5/6 - > [send 3/4] -> [Return 3/4] -> USB 5/6 Path 2B - AUX(Bass) -> USB 3/4 --- This allows me to use the two H9s on the guitar and bass paths as I see fit. It also allows me to use a preamp with the MiniZ tube combo amps while simultaneously having an ampsim available for FOH and the stereomix in general. It's also convenient if I want to play without turning the amps on. I use Live for looping instruments and this setup allows me to loop the guitar, bass, mic, and Tempest at my leisure. I can also route any of those instruments to the stereomix, either guitar amp, and the bass amp. On top of that, I have the click and a mono cuemix going out to the wireless headphones. 90% of the reason I got the Helix was for the scribble strips. I can name them what I want and let Live do cool stuff with the MIDI capability of the Helix. Anyway, I was just happy it had the flexibility to give me 4 simultaneous instruments, individual outputs to 3 amps, a headphone mix, and 2 H9s available to every instrument except for the mic. And it all fits on a pedalboard and connects to the computer with a single USB cable.

I'm doing something similar and ended up using a separate interface, which totally sucks because now I have another single point of failure on my pedalboard and ground hum I have to sort out. "I want to do the same thing: take the 8 outs from USB and send them to the 8 1/4" send/returns to go to FOH" You can't. There aren't 8 1/4" send and returns.

I'm trying to figure out this answer. To those saying latency doesn't matter because there's direct monitoring... Some of us use the DAW's effects and loop tracks using the DAW. The only way that works is to monitor through the software. Works great with a real interface, and actually, worked fine for me too with the Helix. I just wish I could route stuff in the DAW without using block paths in the Helix. It sucks losing a block path simply to get a click out to headphones.

"1. You have 2 sends going to an Eventide H9, but nothing coming back from the H9 to Helix?" I'm hoping to use two sends and two returns for the H9s. They would be in the middle of a Helix path, so shouldn't factor into either the DAW I/O assignments, or the inputs/outputs for the actual paths. "2. 1/4" outs of helix are going to two different amps? Front of the amp, or loop?" Good question. Front of the amps. With the Helix, I can choose to play amp A, B, or both. It also allows me to record loops into the DAW and send them back out to amp A, B, or both. "3. What are you trying to do conceptually? (tracks and guitar from helix to FOH?)" I need to be able to send post H9 FX guitar signals to my amps both live and from the DAW(recorded loops). I also need to send a click to my headphones and I need to send backing tracks to the FOH over the Helix's XLR outs. " 4. Are you trying to play tracks through Helix to FOH?"Yep. FOH should get my backing tracks.

Come to think of it, I can probably get away without using the Guitar or Bass in my Helix's input blocks since those come across audio interface inputs 7/8. I would need to add a stereo USB input block, but could probably only use one of the 4 paths for both guitar and bass. This means monitoring through my daw, but I do a bunch of live looping, so half my content comes from the DAW anyway.

I had a pretty good system setup with my Fireface400, but I'm struggling to get it incorporated onto my floorboard, so now I'm hoping I can just skip it entirely. Earlier I thought I wanted it because it would be easy to setup multiple outputs so the FOH has more mixing capability, but now I'm willing to lose some flexibility for a simpler setup. Let me know if I can do the following: Helix Physical Inputs: 1 - Guitar In - Guitar 2 - Mic In - Bass via Sansamp Bass DI 3 - Return 1 - H9 Core #1 output mono 4 - Return 2 - H9 Core #2 output mono Helix Physical Outputs: 1 - XLR L - FOH L 2 - XLR R - FOH R 3 - Send 1 - H9 Core #1 input mono 4 - Send 2 - H9 Core #2 input mono 5 - Send 3 - Mono Cuemix #1 6 - Send 4 - Mono Cuemix #2 7 - 1/4 L - Tube amp 1 8 - 1/4 R - Tube amp 2 Helix Audio Interface Inputs: 1 - Wet Guitar(with H9 FX) 2 - Wet Mic/Bass(with H9 FX) 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - Dry Guitar 8 - Dry Mic/Bass Helix Audio Interface Outputs: 1 - FOH L (backing tracks) 2 - FOH R (backing tracks) 3 - 4 - 5 - Mono Cuemix #1 6 - Mono Cuemix #2 7 - 1/4 L - Tube amp 1 8 - 1/4 R - Tube amp 2 --- I think my biggest issue here is I/O on the blocks. I'm afraid I need 6 inputs to the blocks and I only get 4?

FWIW, please don't ever put a wireless receiver in any version of the Helix. I don't want to pay for it, a decent workaround exists, and the development opportunity cost all make it a bad idea from my viewpoint.

Issue was fixed by replacing the RCAs I was using. Then I switched back to the original RCAs and everything was fine. I'm guessing I lost clock sync somehow and just the act of unplugging and replugging fixed it. The Fireface is bulletproof(seriously, RME's drivers are the best in the business), so I'm blaming the Helix for the time being. Hopefully it doesn't lose sync again.

I'm having a somewhat similar issue. Worked fine yesterday, now my Fireface400 isn't seeing the Helix at all. Puzzling. Fireface sending and receiving fine to other devices via SPDIF. I'm on 2.11. I'll update the OS, but I doubt it will help.

You're describing snapshots. It's definitely worth learning.

Could I record my guitar with zero effects and processing, and then feed that sound into the Helix Native? Yes. I'm pretty excited about being able to mess with guitar processing while in bed on the laptop and then later use those same settings live. It also now allows me to share DAW projects with band members without requiring me to record the reamp output.

I'm communicating to both the Helix and the H9's through Ableton Live, so my setup likely won't help anyone else. I need this so I can playback the program changes with my backing tracks. Live triggers the Helix's preset. The Helix's preset then triggers the H9's presets.

I've got the same setup. Helix + 2 H9's. It's a great combo. It's really cool how easy it is to play with different signal paths without mucking about with cables.

Yep, and always tune with your neck pickup. The fundamental is stronger, and by rolling the tone off, you remove/reduce overtones so the tuner is analyzing a simple signal. Makes a huge difference.