SteveFrance

I think it's a huge strategical mistake from L6. I had a firehawk with my variax before and i've bought a Helix LT to improve my rig. Those solution were coherent to work with a Variax, it's able to feed it, but more than that, it can provide to command the model, the tuning etc.... When i gig i can play the rythm on a spank model capo 3 and clear tone and change it by one click for solos with a gibby P90 normal tuning and tone knob on 5.... With the stomp, nothing attracted me more than another brand, i loose all those benefits (i don't even speak about the midi command or L6 link abscence). If i want a backup, i will meet the same matters as another device, today i would probably go to MOOER G200 to do this......

To go on with my last message, i played again with Helix Edit yesterday. At first, i wanted to disable all the cabs on presets. The fisrt advice that i can tell is to do so with the computer editor. I've noticed that if you do it directly on the Helix, you have to go back on the amp section and all the parameters start from the default settings. On the editor, you just have to click on the "amp" instead of "amp+cab" and all the amp's parameters are kept. And you have just to save your preset after.....MUCH more simple !!!!! Finally, i've found the midi programming section, it's not a tab that you have to click like bypass/controller assign as i imagined but you have to click on the menus up to find it or the shortway is "CTRL+Maj+M".....

IMHO, there are so many light laptop on the market that it's not an enough improvement for L6 to create a new app to use with the HX and, for me, the interest of a tab or a smartphone is to be cable free....

Thanx a lot for those explanations !!!! It's really helpull ! I've just received my PC+ last wednesday.... I've programmed following the first method (i've seen on you tube) but i was asking myself how to go on the Flat mode and Raw voice for instance.... Today, i wanted to programm with Helix Edit but the menu is not the same as the device. Have you some pictures or advices to program this way ? I find that L6 would have done a better manual to explain how to play with midi stuff (with a Helix for exemple) or they could make a vid tuto.....

I had a firehawk FX before a Helix LT. I really loved it (the first step that makes me stay with Line 6). I believe that for your needs, this is really the best solution. It's a simple device, you already know the ergonomy of the app and you've got a pedal. It's sounded a bit less good than the Helix and it's limited but the Stomp is too (much more on some specs) .

I had a firehawk FX before and it was a good stuff to change the parameters with the device (it's the only way to tweak things in fact) even if some have some matters to connect their devices. Unfortunately, the Helix is not provided with bluetooth or wifi so, it won't be able to have this implementation..... I think, the best way would be to have a computer on a stand with a long cable......

I've just received my PC+ yesterday evening, i could try it at low volume but this is really the "feeling" i was looking for !!!!!!!!!!!! Very very pleased !!!!!!!!! I just have to do some setup and work on my presets now !!!

Digital Igloo has already answered to this : Can HX Stomp load Helix Floor, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT, or HX Effects presets? As long as the preset has six or fewer blocks, you can use HX Edit 2.70 (available soon) to access both devices at once and copy and paste blocks back and forth. Rebuilding a Helix preset in HX Stomp shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds.

I've read that Live ready sound seems to have done so : https://livereadysound.com/product/powercab-ir-pack/ (but i see nowhere that they aren't mic'ed simul) I'm about to receive mine and i've bought the plus one for those reasons : on the plus there's an USB port that wil provide to make upgrades (there wil may be more models from L6) and that you have a midi and L6 link you can command the model change with the Helix.....

It can bring a good solution for a backup. Nevertheless, i use a variax and i am just about to receive my powercab+.....There's no variax input and midi controler so this is really an important drawback for me. Beyond the fact i can't feed the variax, I won't be able to change the guitar model, the tone and the cab model speaker on PC+ just by pressing one stomp......

Not entirely, in front, you should suppress all your amp and cab models but all effects are before the preamp. Theorically, it's better to have times effects after this one (delay, tremolo, phaser, reverb) and compressor, disto, wha before. In the return, you have to simulate a preamp, you loose your combo one. In 4CM, you keep all that you appreciate in your preamp (sound, response, etc...) but instead of having everything in front of it, you can place FX before and after it.

On the powercab plus, i've seen in the manual you can adjust your input level in the global parameters. I think you have to turn the output of Helix on "Line" level instead of "mic/instrument" too...

Thank you. That corresponds to what i was thinking but i've read a lot of poeple still going on using their IRs instead of jumping on the powercab's models so i was intrigued by this fact....

Yes, this is theorically what you have to do. There's another possibility with the 4 Cables Method....

No, i want to mean the IR wich are included in the Helix vs the cabs models in the PC+

Thank you for your responses ! Joe : I've learnt that a lot of poeple say there's a real difference between an active speaker and the PC+. But on vids, it's difficult to have any idea about this (because it's always through mics). I've heard very beautiful sounds on vids that i couldn't reproduce so kind even if they told every setup they've done, then i'm a little suspicious. Your comment seems to be very positive for the PC. In fact, this week-end, a friend of mine has asked his best friend (who is a guitar seller) what he can do to ransom my device and buy the PC+. I wait and see..... Lewis : I think i'm gonna use the PC+ this way. Do you hear a big difference between the non and the mic'd sim ?

This helps a lot, thanx for your answer !!! I've read it elsewhere and i'm estonished that many use IRs and LF Flat mode instead of the inside models. I thought, 'cause they don't simulate the mic'd, they were the closest "amp in the room" that we can have.... You have been lucky to be able to try one in a shop, it's impossible here.... So, you advise me to buy one ?!

You need an "ACTIVE" speaker. The one you have is done to be boosted with amps.

I think that an update should coming soon. But i don't know if there will be a lot of new sounds and effects.... The main add i see is a way to program powercab (plus) speakers changing without a midi cable but just with the L6 link. There are many users who ask for this improvement. I think it would be a mistake from L6 if the next update don't bring that. It could bring us other good surprises !

Thanx a lot ! I'm gonna load it and try that as soon as possible ! Which one did you take ?

Hi, I ask myself the same questions. I've posted a message in the powercab section (you should have done so) to know if this brings really what i search. I play at home with helix and a yamaha dbr10. At rehearsal, i plug the helix in FOH. I have pretty good tones. But last time, i've lent my amp to the other guitarist for a gig. He gave me it back two weeks ago and i've restart playing with it. I really want to find this feeling of the amp in the room. The other thing is that i don't want to use my helix with the 4CM because i'll loose the flexibility of tones that i want (i wanna pass from a fender to a marshall tone) and i would have bought a simple effect pedal like a HX FX than a Helix LT..... I had no response there but i've read a lot of posts in "the gear page" topics about the powercab. The comments seems to be very positive. It really brings this amp's feeling. Some of those comments seem to tell that the sound is good even with a low volume (i believe you must need a minimum one to feel something, of course !) Our drummer's got a friend who has a guitar shop, i asked him to see what he can do to take my device and sell me the PC+. The main problem is that there are very few shops (in the world) to try it (none around me) !

Hi all, This is a deliberatly provocating title but i ask myself if it would be a good solution for what i want. So, i've got a helix, a variax and a yamaha DBR10. It sounds pretty good and i can obtain good results but i always miss something. I've tried my other rig (a fender into an amp) and i think this is the "amp in the room" feeling i miss... I don't have any seller here to try one (they prefer selling common amps). I find the price not so cheap and don't want to be disappointed...I can add, at first, i thought this device is unnecessary, you can't plug directly a guitar like in another combo, it only brings a better feeling...I've allready got the Full range with my speaker.... I think if i buy this device, i'm gonna sell my amp (i don't use a lot) and the DBR10, so i don't want to do a mistake. The question is/are : does it really feels like an amp ? Is there really a real improvement from a PA speaker ? Does it sounds good with acoustic ? Thanx !

Where did you have it ???? Please !!!!!!!!!

Your Rig seems to be correct to obtain a good result. You've got a PA system and a helix. I've got simply a variax, a Helix and a Yamaha DBR10 speaker. I won't have time till next week to see the patch's name that i prefer but i found it in the helixs' custom tone after reading a post in the Helix forum. I'll give you it next week. To have a good sound, be sure there's no amp simulation and you have a FRFR (it seems the case), the high cut has to be upper than an electric guitar (14-16KHz). Start with a 6 strings (not a 12 strings) and don't use the alternative tunings (it can disturb and personnaly i'm not convinced by them). Start with the tone knob in the middle position and play with it to find the good position (i like it between 4-6 following the guitar) Have you tweak something in worbench to change the sound ? Do you play loud or not ? Have you tried an electro-acoustic guitar in your rig instead of the variax ?

What do you find bad in the variax's acoustic models ? I'm about to let my variax too but it's not for the acoustics models, it would be the opposite.... I find them really good and convincing. At the begining, i was troubled because there's no noise coming from the instrument itself like a real acoustic guitar. If this is your problem, i think the silent guitar won't be the solution.