Kilrahi

This. In my opinion, you're not boosting the gain. In HX Stomp it's popular to use the basic microphone pre-amp to boost the sound of an acoustic guitar, but with that not an option on the HX Effects you'll have to go it another route. Fortunately, you do have a lot of options. Once you do that it should be fine. While not required, if you really want to make it sound good, you'll then sculpt it as suggested above. EQs are the basic musts, but you'll be shocked how much throwing a IR on top of it will do, and there's tons of free ones out there. I can point you to a few if needed.

I know some of this may seem like a duh, but I just want to be clear: 1. If you go instrument into the amp sounds great. 2. If you add regular effects pedals in the effects loop of the amp does it still sound great? What about Helix ONLY as an effects loop (so bass straight into amp but Helix exists in effects loop either on or off)? Would it be possible to share a preset so people can look at it? The idea that a DI box made it sound good on the old HD500 sounds weird to me.

Cool. Duncann largely explains it above, but just to get more detailed, I believe the default option is for a block to be on as soon as you insert it. Nevertheless, you can tell if they're on or not because they're brighter than bypassed blocks. 1. Select the reverb you want and place it in the signal chain. With that block still selected, press the "bypass" button which toggles it off and on. Once you're certain the block is on move to step 2. 2. Press the menu button (the button at the top left of the Helix, to the right of the save button - it has three parallel lines). 3. Press knob #2 (the row of six knobs under the LCD screen). (This opens the controller assign screen). 4. Use the joystick to select the reverb block (or ANY block that you want to assign a parameter to a specific controller). 5. Turn knob 1 to select the parameter you wish to control (i.e. decay or mix would be choices). 6. Turn knob 2 to select the desired controller (everything from expression pedals, to footswitches, and even snapshots). 7. Turn knobs 4 and 5 to set the max and minimum values that you want the footswitch to toggle between. At this point you're pretty much done, you just have to exit out which automatically saved. I think many buttons take you out of there safely. It's kind of instinctual to me but I think I just tap another footswitch.

Wait . . . what? I don't know of anyway to do what it sounds like you're asking. Just to give an example of what I THINK you're saying, you add the legacy plate reverb to your signal chain and connect it to FS4, but leave FS4 Off with the reverb STILL on - and then when you stomp on FS4 it ups the reverb more than already exists. That . . . sounds impossible. However, I do know of plenty of ways to essentially do what you want to do. So for example, you create your signal chain and it includes the plate reverb. You turn it on in your signal chain. Then you connect FS4 to a specific aspect of the plate reverb (i.e. decay, pre delay, tone, mix) and when you stomp on the switch it ups the amount of that particular setting to an established amount (so for example, when the switch is off mix is at 14%, when you stomp the switch it jumps to 75%). The key distinction here is that the FS4 switch never turns off the reverb, it just changes parameters on the reverb. You can also do that with either the attached expression pedal or to an additional expression pedals. So you choose the range the pedal covers (default is 0 - 100% - I usually go narrower) and it moves with the pedal. Coincidentally, outside of snapshots this is my favorite way to do it. The final way I know of is snapshots. With snapshots (which the Helix can have a crap full of - 8 I believe) each snapshot can have a different readout on the same block, so you can have one snapshot have a mix of 14%, another can up both the mix and the tone, another can increase delays but drop tone . . . etc. Honestly this is the most powerful way, in my opinion. Does any of the above sound like what you want to do? If someone else knows a third way chime in, 'cause I'd like to know about it too.

Thanks for sharing that. Yeah, my heart skipped a beat in that moment because to me that would be just about the coolest damn thing ever, but I didn't want to hang too many hopes on it. Still, I'll admit it. Fingers are crossed.

If done correctly, there is no way that it can be sucking the tone of your amp or the signal itself. It's hard for me to diagnose though because the problems could be any number of things. How many times have you done a traditional four cable method without the Helix? When you did that, what did you use and how did THAT sound? The first thing I would want to do is to see your signal path and make sure that: 1. The cables were all corrected correctly. 2. The Helix signal path is done right. I mean, on the Helix itself there are tons of things you can do to fatten up the signal if you don't like how it sounds. Essentially what I'm saying is I know there's a way to cut the mustard here.

It might help if you shared a preset . . .

In your situation, the advantage might not be so great. I'm an HX Stomp user, so I don't have the full power of the Helix - what's nice about Helix Native for me is I can effectively experiment in the full Helix realm when I'm at home with my PC, which is honestly the majority of the time. Pretty cool. Here are some things that still apply in your case though: 1. If you have or do purchase a smaller audio interface than your Helix (and I mean, there are some decent ones for between $100 and $200 like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC204HD-BEHRINGER/dp/B00QHURLCW/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1549040406&sr=8-15&keywords=guitar+audio+interface&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011) then you could essentially have the power of the Helix on your PC without lugging your Helix over there. 2. In the upcoming update (2.8) Helix Native is supposed to allow you to take full advantage of however powerful your PC's processor is, so if your PC can handle more blocks than the original Helix, you can do it. Now admittedly all of this is kind of first world problem stuff. Honestly, there are a lot of advantages to just hooking up the full Helix to your PC, especially since in the upcoming 2.8 update you're supposed to be able to control the PC somewhat with your Helix. However, at $99 . . . kind of tempting regardless of just how useful any of the above is to you. As a Stomp user I know I'm going to grab it, but unfortunately I blew all my money during the Christmas holidays (when I was aching for a $99 deal on Native - DOH!) but it's going to happen eventually. That's a bummer. I assume that yes, that's correct, though it might still be worth confirming with Line 6. For a moment I wondered how they'd know it's used unless someone else had registered it before, but I wonder if they don't grant you access until after you upload your receipt. As you can see from what I said above, and what you probably already know, there aren't HUGE advantages to a full Helix user in having it . . . but it is kind of cool and is a very powerful plugin.

If you're trying to do it on the main unit, go to save it like you would any preset, but before you do the final press you can twist the knob to select a different save location. This effectively copies the preset.

You can save all of your custom presets to your PC, then once they are overwritten drag and drop them back on to your stomp. It's pretty easy.

Just keep in mind, these suckers aren't like annual releases with smartphones, or even PCs. To me the big question is does it fit your needs now AND/OR do you need something like the Helix now. If you need something like it now . . . why wait? It does exactly what you want.

To me more options are always cool. My hope is these guys release more IRs of different types and that they offer on the Line 6 store itself. Clearly they're priced on the higher end and the question will be if they can convince people they're worth it. Some on here feel they're priced too high. Are they? Honestly that's what markets figure out. If these guys are asinine crazy to ask such a high price they'll find out soon enough. As a guitarist though, more options is always preferable, even if I never buy it. I'm never (well - I think never) buying a Kemper, but they keep Line 6 on their A game so I love that they exist.

In terms of becoming a pro at the Helix (not saying you're not - I really don't know your level) Glenn Delaunne was one of the first ones who really caught my ear, and he was the first one I ever bought presets on. Also, I'd mucked around with an HD 500x for a few years and felt like I was decent, but something about the Helix stuff felt harder to me. I really started to feel I could dial in something pretty well after watching even a few of Jason Saddites' videos. This is by no means an exhaustive list - I've since watched TONS of tips from many people, and bought a few other group's presets too (just bought Peter Hamm's acoustic stuff to get better at that angle). While I still feel like there is way more I can crank out of the HX framework and it can be daunting sometimes, but now I feel like I am on the right track and know how to keep improving. At least in terms of the Eleven Rack and the Headrush, the claim from them is that the ability to take the measurements for the models when the original Elven Rack was created were extremely accurate, but that the processing power limited what they could do with it. When they made the new software, they kept those accurate measurements, but built the software from the ground up with the power to more adequately model it all. True or not? Who knows. For sure there's probably some truth in it. Is it comparable to Helix/Axe/Kemper? Eh - as I said, I'd agree with you they're not, I just wouldn't dare test myself. Ten years ago I would have confidently tested any of them. I also think the Boss GT-1000 is inferior to all of them, but there are Boss fans who'd clock me for saying that.

I don't own one. However, I do know that according to the FAQ, HX Effects was not designed as an audio interface, so my understanding is no. Sadly.

So it IS working now? I just want to make sure I understand you correctly 'cause I was about to dive in and try to troubleshoot. If so that's great news. If not, I'll crack my knuckles and get thinking.

That's my go to rig but . . . I mean it depends on what you're asking. If you're asking about the sound quality, the Stomp kills it. If you're asking about functionality, the HD500x has a VDI input, the Stomp does not. The consequence of that is that you lose a great deal of the flexibility of the Variax provided by the Pod. Changing to any tuning conceivable on the fly and stuff like that is greatly diminished. Practice using your Variax with just the battery, and then ask yourself if you're okay adopting that approach in order to receive better sound.

Mine works great with 2.71. To clarify: 1. You're using the official Mission Helix Pedal, not the L6 pedal (this one: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/mission-engineering-helix-rack-expression-pedal-black) 2. When you say isn't working, what do you mean? Does it just not respond at all? Or does it just do crazy unintended things?

Ha ha ha ha . . . I'm just a bloody amateur. MANY of the tone Gods on here are far better sources to learn from than me (and I know - I have bought their presets and IRs to both enjoy and learn from them). I'm just a hobbyist, playing for small groups from time to time. Despite my hours and hours spent playing guitar, I have a hundred times that listening to music in general. That's the great thing about taste though. Generally, it doesn't require outside experience other than the events themselves. I've heard Axe FX (and in case my meaning wasn't clear from the above, I think it's an amazing unit and seriously considered it, as well as a Kemper) and I heard Helix. I listened to both ecosystems very carefully and chose which one to align myself with. At the end of the day, I thought that I preferred Helix (but I wouldn't be surprised if I imagined it), and I knew I preferred its price and routing power. That's the amazing thing about subjective subjects like taste though, as long as you have tried both things you are qualified to determine which you, the user, prefer. Here's a good counter example. I SWEAR by Helix's sound over Headrush. I REALLY think it sounds better. I'm way more confidant about that difference than I am over the difference in quality between Helix, Axe FX, and Kemper. However, I have met many Headrush guys who say their unit sounds better AND also sounds better than Axe FX. A few times I've got caught up trying to argue it with them to no avail. I left convinced they were too biased too see clearly. They likewise thought I was nuts. However . . . if you want in on a little secret . . . if someone put me up to an A/B test and said if I chose wrongly I'd lose $1,000 - dude - I'd run like hell.

Well . . . I think you can glean a little more than that. First, for your car analogy you'd be better off comparing a Dodge Stratus to a Dodge Neon. Keep them in the family. IF you were to test drive a Dodge Stratus, and you loved it and felt it was well built, you could infer that their other cars might also demonstrate some level of quality. If you try an IR for one type of cab and you can tell, even if it isn't your kind of cab, that it is done REALLY well, you can safely infer that their other IRs are too. No analogy is ever perfect though. FOR IRs there isn't much more they can offer other than listening tests and a freebie or two. The only other option is to give it all away . . . and then there's no reason for you to buy it.

I didn't build it or ever gut one of them, but it is my understanding that they are different with the whole design of the V to be more towards a flat response system. Meaning, that the Spider IV cab wouldn't be able to reproduce the modeling as well as the Spider V. BUT . . . You already own the Spider V head and the Spider IV cab. Try it first. See what you think. If you think it sounds amazing maybe there really is no need to buy the new one. Perhaps the difference aren't as pronounced as it seems. This thread has a little more interesting information on it if you want to wade through it:

Based on who? What survey? Just general impressions on message boards? Because if we really break it down, we can prove a few things wrong right away: 1. "I don't think there is a universe where someone can honestly say that the Helix sounds as good as the Axe FX in terms of the amp models." Sure there is. The one you're sitting in. I'll say it. I'm confidant others will too. No one ever polled me on it, nor was I part of any big survey. Now, keep in mind, I'm in no way UNIMPRESSED with Axe FX. Honestly I think we're reaching, or have reached, a point of musical parity on most of these high end devices where it's really coming down to musical snobbery. It's like the question of which is better: A Ford F150 or a Toyota Tundra. I mean . . . there is no truly OBJECTIVE answer to that - it comes down to features and what the user wants. 2. " I really wish Helix would take a look and work on the overall realism of the processing (and more detailed work on certain amp models)." Your original demand is referenced above, but what you're essentially saying is, "I wish Line 6 would make a better amp model." Let's break that word "better" down for a minute. Helix was always intended to be Line 6's PREMIER BEST OF THE BEST modeling system. What do you think Line 6, who pretty much are the pioneers of this entire subject, did all those years ago? Sat down and said, "We want to make an amp model that is ALMOST realistic! We'll get it 90% there!!!" Of course they didn't. They made the very best they were capable of for their best product they could, right down to A and B testing (which is as scientific as you can get). If I were a Line 6 guy having done all the hard work and testing, and then just had someone say, "Do it better," I would try to be respectful, but I'd also have no idea what you mean by that. I'm not trying to convince you that it's your favorite - but I think it's kind of funny you literally admit in your first post that you understand that it's all SUBJECTIVE but then go on to say in the above reply that there is an OBJECTIVE fact here. It's either one or the other. The two can't coexist.

I don't own a Behringer FCB 1010, however, the key thing to remember with any MIDI controller is if it sends the right midi commands to do what you want to on the device you're trying to control. Some midi controllers are only useful for selecting presets. Others allow you to do that, and to turn effects on and off, which is what you want to do. I glanced through the Behringer manual . . . and like all ancient midi manuals it felt like I was trying to drive a nail through my forehead. Nevertheless, it clearly mentions both preset change and effects on/off, and you also said you did it. So my inclination is it will work for you.

I love the stock cabs . . . BUT . . . if you find the stock cabs too hard . . . then use IRs like you do with the Axe FX. Problem solved. I mean, that is what you use with the Axe FX so the point of complaint seems kind of trivial.

I sympathize with your concerns, but ultimately this is a challenging thing for Line 6 to consider, because if they choose to tweak it to get all the Axe FX users happier they'll lollipop off the Line 6 people like myself who think the Helix is better. Tough call.

I haven't found it to be an issue either. Don't get me wrong, if they figure out a way it's just more creativity for the user, but I've always felt like any classic tone with a traditional amp is creatable.