Kilrahi

I seem to recall experiencing this very phenomenon too when i was trying to do a few crazy dual amp setups one day. I was just as confused as you are. My only assumption was that he mixer must first combine the signals and THEN pan them, which seemed . . . odd. It seems like I was able to fix it though if I did it earlier and kept them panned at the merge. Have you tried hard panning them first at the split Y block and then keeping them panned at the merge block? I recently tried that with a dual instrument setup and it worked. Also, is it possible to use the FX send instead of the left main out? Or is that already taken?

No, if you're using a real amp (so it already possesses the coloring of an amp) then you would not want to add an amp sim, or an amp cab. Mapping out the signal chain would look something like this: 1. HX's Stomp effects (distortions, compressors, etc.) >>>> Real Amp/Cab Tone >>>> HX Stomp effects (delay, reverb, etc.). You typically would not use an HX amp or cab. Now, there is another option here. Some people really like doing a variation that, for lack of a better term, could be called "The Two Cable Method," and essentially skipping the first part of their real amp and plugging directly into their effects return. Then they use a pre-amp model from the HX Stomp to further color the tone, put HX Stomp effects after that pre amp model, and then let the real amp's take their tone the rest of the way home. So, a user doing this would plug their guitar into the HX Stomp's left main input and then plug a 1/4 cable from the HX Stomp's left main output to the effects loop return of their real amp. 2. HX's Stomp effects >>>> HX Stomp pre amp of choice >>> HX Stomp effects >>>> Real Amp (FX Return only). This second idea is a neat option that personally I haven't played around with much.

Yes, Helix Native is compatible with Helix presets, so you can store them first in Helix Native. Now, compatibility with the HX Stomp is a little bit trickier. Once in Native you have to copy and past each block individually into your HX Stomp. In theory this could be a tedious process since the Helix can have so many blocks depending on DSP usage. However, for once the Stomp's 6 block limit is a boon because each preset can only have up to six blocks for you to copy and past over. Ugghh . . . not necessarily my strong point either, though my first full blown midi controller arrives tomorrow so I hope to get better at it. I think the starting out point would be for you to share the midi switch that you bought and then people here can weigh in if they're familiar with it.

Largely, yes. It would be like chaining two amps together. Maybe there's a great tone in there somewhere, but it would be really hard to find it. That's why usually if using with a traditional amp, players use only the effects with no amp or cab, and connect it to the amp with the four cable method. The four cable method allows you to have effects of your choosing before the pre amp, and effects of your choosing after the pre amp (this is exactly what I do when I use the Peavey Bandit 112).

OMFG that is one of the simplest (at least UI wise) and yet most brilliant ideas I've ever heard. It doesn't require any complex visual processing on the part of the device and yet it quickly communicates to the user what the problem is. If I was some fancy shmancy department head I'd be pushing for your idea and giving you a raise right now. Too bad I'm just an average Line 6 shmuck.

I re-read your original post today and I do have some additional thoughts: 1. You already know you loved your 11R. If you know you loved that, and you know you're struggling now, how much time did you spend researching Headrush? It seems like the perfect natural evolution for you. My first thing I would look at is to return the HX Effects and examine the Gigboard which sells full price for $650. If you liked the sounds but need more IO and switches look at the full Headrush. 2. Helix Native sounds identical to Helix, Helix LT, HX Effects, and HX Stomp. 3. At the same time, if you tried IRs and they're working for you, that likely means you don't like the style of mic'ed cab that Helix emulates which puts you in the vast majority of the population as far as I can tell (I like them - but I seem to be a smaller group). If you want to keep the HX route, make sure you research IRs further since that's probably where you'll find your joy.

There are tons of alternatives to the Powercab. Myself, I use a Line 6 Firehawk 1500, a Boss Acoustic Singer Live, a Peavey Bandit 112, and a Line 6 Spider V set to flat mode. If you do a search on this forum you'll find lots of FRFR recommendations (a popular one is the Headrush 112). You can pretty much plug it into any flat response speaker or traditional amp setup you can dream of. However, if you're referring to plugging it straight into a cab itself (no amp head). . . you would need some kind of work around because the Stomp can't drive a passive speaker cabinet.

Yeah . . . sure wish I was at 5 o'clock though. Love Mondays.

I think he's referring to the fact that as long as the Pitch Wham is not bypassed, even if the settings would seem to indicate it shouldn't impact the tone (because the pedal is completely floored and the pitch setting at floored = 0) it still impacts the tone. He is correct that that's how it works. I've never owned the older Digitech Whammy that it's based on, so I can't speak to whether this is how the original works (though I assume it is). However, you're correct that if the pedal is activated in the Helix, even if the alleged amount of pitch bend is 0, it still colors the tone. The solution to that is to bypass it when you aren't using it. If you would rather not use up one of your stomp boxes to do that, then I would assign the footswitch to activate the pedal once it moves past a small position (like 5%) and see if that works for you. In the mean time you can pray to the Helix Gods, as I do every day, that someday Line 6 releases a model of the newer polyphonic model (though it may still have this behavior - I want it because it tracks better).

Well, a little bit earlier than that. as I understand it they debuted the first real world usable example in 1996 with their Flextone amp product. They've been refining their techniques ever since, and of course, many other companies have jumped on the bandwagon.

Yes. That should be all you need. The old H9 and DL4 were center positive devices, hence the need for a reverse polarity cord for those.

And here's the thing. I agree with you on everything you're describing here. When it comes to figuring out how to sound like you want to sound on a new unit ABSOLUTELY. Especially with Helix, I think it has a very high learning curve. If someone comes on here and says, "Just bought Helix . . .LOVE the possibilities but feel completely lost as to how to get there . . ." That I can understand, and that can be handled. However, when someone goes, "Helix sounds like fake music and my modeler doesn't." That doesn't sound like a reasonable position to address. I don't think that position has been viable for a long time now. Helix, Fractal, Kemper, Headrush, Boss . . . they all produce solid units that don't sound like fake digital recreations at this point. So when I hear that position stated it always feels like there's an underlying human prejudice that I'm not going to be able to address.

Hmmm . . . I haven't bought tons of them myself, but I found them very useful for getting ideas. Especially when you first jump in, at least for me, there was a lot of stuff I didn't know. So those presets became template and practice ideas. Almost like studying a textbook in school. In the end though, I always end up making my own.

What you want to do is possible by doing split paths. One with a cab, one not, and messing with the ratios between them. Granted with the Stomp you do have limited blocks, but you might still get pretty far with that approach. If recording is your huge need for this, then I personally can't recommend Helix Native enough there. You can have a bajillion blocks and up to 4 split paths so it's a lot easier to balance to your liking.

I tend to be a sucker for the expensive Mission Engineering ones. They're built like a tank. I wouldn't pay full price - buy it on special. With that said, there's cheaper ones that people say work. So if you find a review out there where people loved their pedal and it's a lot cheaper, it will probably work. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/mission-engineering-ep1-l6-bk-expression-guitar-pedal-for-line-6#productDetail

Huh . . . interesting idea. I guess that makes sense, though if that's what he was after I clearly misunderstood.

I realize you're probably an honest to God guy who bought the thing and is trying to find solutions, but check out the thread below that we all dealt with this week. Just to be perfectly blunt, at least in my case, I'm exhausted with this type of question. Again, being blunt (and there are people on this board who I know disagree with me) I do not believe that it should be hard to get a great tone from the Helix that feels "real." In fact, I think any person ought to be able to pull it off in about 30 seconds. What this means is, for people who can't - I struggle believing they ever will. I'll also link you to a series of YouTube videos that are great for training people how to get a great tone from the Helix. If your journey is sincere, then follow those as a path to sucess. Again though, I tend to believe if you're struggling that much already, it's time to return it and run like hell.

Sadly, no. That is beyond the capability of midi.

Actually, you're reasons are not logical. I get that they're compelling to you . . . but they don't pass as logic. Break them down quickly: 1. All the bands I like use Axe FX - none use Helix. So what? Let's imagine I hate all the bands you like. Lets throw another one on there. I happen to know my fave band DOES use Helix. By your reasoning, I have evidence now that the Helix is BETTER than the Axe. So clearly we once again have subjectivity - logic would argue that your observation could be chance, confirmation bias (you see what you WANT to see), or that it really IS better, but because it can mean all of those things, it is largely meaningless. There are whole lot of other possible explanations too, but I won't bore you with them because the above makes the point. 2. The Axe costs more. Again, this CAN mean something - but it can also be complete garbage. Human beings literally pay vast sums of money for bottled water that was taken from a county tap. Apple iPhones cost significantly more than some of the best Android phones but claims to better are difficult to support. Apple PCs cost upwards of 4 times their PC competitors, and yet usually the far cheaper PC eats the Apple for lunch on performance. People literally blow a fortune on alternative medicine that never shows any sort of improvement in double blind studies. In other words, Axe could largely be a really good unit (and it is) that has managed to gain a significant amount of hype. Price is not a scientific reason to claim superiority. 3. I don't think it's the best option. There is the one thing that does matter. If you believe it is - then it IS. Pure and simple. I personally think the Helix IS the best option, and so for me, it is. This is sound we're talking about, and the love of it is no different than me preferring seafood to steak. There is no objective truth over what sound is better. The ONLY scientific truth to be found here would be to analyze which modeler comes CLOSEST to the device it is modelling. To my knowledge, no such scientific public test exists. However, even IF that test did exist and it conclusively demonstrated that the Axe was closer to a Vox 30 than the Helix, that wouldn't actually mean it's BETTER any more than the fact that a Vox 30 is closer to a Vox 30 means it's better than a Marshall. They are both legitimate sounds. If the Axe player's models are more spot on - but I don't give a damn . . . then in my world it doesn't matter one freaking bit.

It IS stereo out. Are you sure you're headphones aren't damaged or that the plugs are all securely in place?

I definitely agree that the Mission Engineering pedals are extremely sturdy and nice. If the expression pedal jack on the LT really is a TRS, then it should just be a matter of programming to allow for it to be used with a toe switch pedal like the Mission Engineering one. I can only guess they haven't done it because they assumed that there was no need with the inbuilt, but if so that seems to be a lost opportunity. I mean, wouldn't it be even MORE awesome to have a dual footswitch with a toe pedal? Maybe it'll happen. Maybe there's an ideascale for it already we can vote for.

I really don't think you need to reverse the polarity. Just use the doubler. The Stomp is center negative, so as long as the Voodoo Labs output is (and they usually are because most pedals are center negative) you're set.

Well, again, IF you like that, you can. However, I would do it this way more often than not: Guitar > compressor > overdrive > volume pedal > amp/cab > delay > reverbs.

Keep in mind, Line 6 is unlikely to ever see this idea here. You should post it on Ideascale.

I believe this function only works for the Helix Rack and the HX Stomp. It will work as a sweep expression pedal, but that's it. Just curious, why don't you just use the Helix's pedal for this purpose? It has a toe switch.