dragonfet

A single volume block is usually placed somewhere in the patch to make the expression pedal work as a volume pedal. Helix takes a rather generic approach there: A "volume pedal" is just one possible use for the expression pedal, so you can use it and place it anywhere you like, but you don't have to. I didn't look at the factory patches, but maybe some have multiple volume blocks to simulate multiple volume pedals that are all controlled by the expression pedal. It would be a possible application at least. I haven't worked with the AxeFX yet, but yes, the Helix routing has a few quirks. It might help to always remember that there are two DSPs, as phil described: You can run a number of blocks on the upper two paths and a number of blocks on the lower two. If you want to use both, you have to figure out a routing (parallel, serial, ...) to do so, so it's a little more effort than with the AxeFX. In my experience, the learning curve becomes flat quickly though, so once you tried a few setups you'll know which options you have for a particular idea.

Let me expand that: Guitar -> Guitar In: Good Guitar -> Aux In: Bad (will sound muffled and lifeless) Wireless -> Guitar In: Good (in theory with slightly more noise, in practical use probably negligible) Wireless -> Aux In: Good The transmitter simulates an amplifier input with a high input impedance and the receiver will output instrument level, but it's output impedance is usually much lower. My Shure GLXD6 has an output impedance of 50 ohms unbalanced, that's many powers of ten away from any guitar. I tried to find specifications for the G10, but sadly Line6 didn't release any. There is just a "Pilot's Guide" and some sites claim the transmitter to have an input impedance of 1.3 MOhm, but no word about output impedance. But I'd be very surprised if it was higher than 1 kOhm, it wouldn't make any sense for the receiver trying to simulate the same impedance a guitar has since all the other components are missing. Comparison is always a good idea, but it would have to be reproducable. I'll try to get my wireless system from the bandroom today and record a few samples.

The Guitar In has adjustable input impedance and defaults to 1 MOhm, the Aux In has a fixed impedance of 10 kOhm. The Aux In would kill the sound of pretty much any passive guitar (and likely many active ones too), so those have to go to the front jack. For wireless, the Aux In is theoretically better suited as the lower impedance allows for a lower noise floor. I haven't measured it yet, but I assume that the practical difference should be almost neglible. So, guitars must go to the front and wireless receivers should go to the back.

On the Helix, go to Settings -> Global Settings -> Ins/Outs -> Page 3. You have two "Re-Amp Src" parameters, those determine which inputs get routed to USB audio input channels 7 and 8. Set one of those to "Mic", then go to your DAW and monitor the level on the channel you assigned while changing the Mic Gain on your Helix. A "Re-Amp Src" channel is always dry, so you'll see the raw input level and can adjust it accordingly. As for the wet level, my approach is to monitor the output (USB Input Channels 1/2 for L/R) while bypassing all blocks but the first, all but the second and so on, until I have the entire chain adjusted to either unity gain or some level where there's no clipping.

The Aux In seems to be the best option, unless you're going to have a long distance between the G10's receiver and the Helix. The XLR out on the G10 to the Mic In on the Helix could also work, but I wouldn't be sure, most microphone inputs have too much gain and a uselessly high input impedance. Also there's the risk of accidentally outputtibg phantom power, so I recommend the Aux In.

I've heard a few people on here say that they tamed high gain shrillness by adjusting the High Cut parameter on the IR. Sweep it down until you can hear a difference, then carefully reduce it even further to your liking. Don't forget to change sounds every now and then so your ears can adjust to the changes, especially when they're subtle.

I very much like this idea, but I'm curious: It seems as if it was an open-back cabinet and you've plugged the hole with that plate. Did that change the sound significantly?

Sorry for the double post, I just noticed the part about the Amp Sim. The easiest way would be to put a Send block before the Cab Sim. That way you can use the 1/4" Send Jacks for a wet signal without cabsim and the XLR and USB 1/2 Outs for wet with cabsim.

a and b are always possible. You would get a wet signal on both outputs. USB 1/2 is the wet signal as well, USB 7 is the dry Guitar In and USB 8 is dry Aux In (7 and 8 might be reversed, I'm not at home right now). Does that answer your question?

Did anyone else try the Octo Reverb from the Legacy section in 2.50 yet? The big FX list says "Line6 Original", I have no idea what it's supposed to resemble circuit-wise, but it sounds amazing for psychedelic patches. Also fully bass compatible. Kudos to Line6 for adding that (to both Helix and whichever previous hardware it had been in).

You can either insert an FX Send block before the speaker sim and use one of the 1/4" Sends and a DI Box, or you could create a L/R path split, place the speaker sim on the left channel, then use the left 1/4" for your amp and the right XLR out for the FoH.

I am aware of that thread post, I was wondering about the differences in sound rather than the DSP impact though.

You could try to use the FX returns as additional inputs, but routing and mixing will be a bit unintuitive.

Thanks for the comprehensive list. I've noticed a slight isssue: The first six Legacy Modulations seem to have a 'P' in the background at the start of their name.

While looking at @hefonthefjords' great list of all FX models in the Helix (Thread Link) , I discovered that with the introduction of the Legacy Effects in Firmware 2.50 we now have multiple duplicates: 1. Dynamics: Red Squeeze <-> Red Comp (MXR Dyna Comp) 2. Distortion: Vermin Dist <-> Classic Dist (ProCo Rat) 3. Distortion: Tycoctavia Fuzz <-> Octave Fuzz (Tycobrahe Octavia) 4. Delay: Ducked Delay <-> Dynamic (TC Electronics 2290) 5. Pitch/Synth: Twin Harmony <-> Smart Harmony (Eventide H3000) 6. Modulation: 60s Bias Trem <->> Bias Tremolo (Vox AC-15 Tremolo) 7. Modulation: Script Mod Phase <-> Script Phase (MXR Phase 90) 8. Modulation: Bubble Vibrato <-> Pitch Vibrato (Boss VB-2) 9. Modulation: Analog Flanger / AC Flanger <-> (possibly) Gray Flanger (MXR Flanger) 10. Modulation: Vibe Rotary <-> Rotary Drum (Fender Vibratone) 11. Modulation: 145 Rotary <-> Rotary Drm/Horn (Leslie 145) 12. Modulation: 70s Chorus <-> Analog Chorus (Boss CE-1) This list is possibly incomplete. I haven't updated yet because I have a gig coming up. Did anyone compare those models yet?

Thumbs up to this post. I also wonder why so many people are so extremely nervous about an announced update. It can't be that surprising that a new firmware version will come eventually, the only extra information is that Line6 announced one of its main features. Does that change anything?

It's in most cases not the shielding, but the fact that a balanced connection has the ability to "automatically" filter out most interference. I generally recommend to use balanced connexctions whenever possible. And be aware of fake "balanced" connections. If you have a cable with an XLR connextor on one end and a mono 1/4" on the other, chances are you'll get a lot of nasty hum when using it because it can't be balanced.

I recommend filing a support ticket with Line6.

A generic tip: One tends to dial in too much of everything, mainly because we only hear relative differences when changing amps, cabs or dialing in "a bit more" bass. For the lows and highs, I suggest just using a little less when dialing in a new tone. Also don't doo too much tweaking at once, let your ears rest for at least half an hour inbetween. I can't create new sounds for longer than an hour, after that I don't hear any nuances anymore. As for distortion, I have a few tips: 1. Most distortions are not made for bass. They tend to quickly get get muddy and sometimes exaggerate highs. As with guitar: Less gain is more gain. Bass often doesn't need a real "high gain" effect to sound heavily distorted due to the different frequency spectrum. 2. Many bass distortions actually have a frequency split inside: The low frequencies are sent through unaltered while only the mids and highs are distorted. A good start for a crossover point is around 80 Hz IMHO, but that will vary with a lot of factors. Also see @CallMeNop 's reply, he does the same thing, just without hard distortion. The reason for the split is that the high amount of low frequencies in the bass signal will distort the rest of the spectrum as well, easily leading to muddiness. If you lower the split point you will notice that. If you set the split point too high, the sound will become artificial, likeas there's a clean signal mixed with just noise. 3. 1. especially applies to guitar amps. Most guitar amps in the Helix are unsuitable for bass, at least for what I do. So don't worry if you can't get a good sound out of them. 4. Fuzzes are another hard thing to use. Be very careful with the gain, they rapidly become very harsh and once again muddy. 5. Experiment with EQs before (Pre) and after (Post) a distortion block. The Pre EQ can determine which frequencies will make the distortion work harder, the Post EQ can mitigate a few issues like screaming highs or booming lows. It most of the time cannot remove muddiness though. When the definition is gone from the signal, you can't add it back. 6. I found that there's different distortions for different tasks. If you play mostly on the low strings (especially if you have 5 or 6 strings), you generally need less gain than when playing a solo on the high strings. The same applies if you play the same notes on low strings and high frets rather than high strings and low frets. And then it also depends on the other instruments in your band. Crust Punk bassists need a different EQ than those who want a bit of grit in a Blues Rock band. You may also want to use a different kind of grit when the guitar is clean and when it is distorted. 7. Always use a bass cab (sim or IR) unless you know exactly what you're doing. Guitar cabs can be a nice addition as a secondary cab, but I found that most of the time the high mids and presence just get out of control while the lows are lacking. No combination of mics and amp settings will remedy that, it's simply the wrong tool for the task. I hope that wall of text doesn't make it sound too complicated, it's just meant to give a few options on what to try.

I would not expect them to change the amp sim, at least not more than once. They would have the same problem as Fractal: When you change an existing model or the underlaying simulation for all models, what will happen to those users that used it in their patches? They are either forced to live with the new sound (that they may like less) or you would need to store every amp model for every firmware version, which seems very unpractical. Line6 will definitely add more amps, cabs etc. and they may add some tweaks to the sim like additional parameters and options, but I doubt they would change anything major.

1 Meg. I'm going wireless into the AUX input, and should that fail I and I have to use a cable I want my sound to stay the same.

Helix Floor bass player here. I was using a normal bass amp + bass cabs and didn't like that the range of sounds was limited by those two elements in my chain. I tried using a laptop and Amplitube for a while, but it was too unstable - the application crashing in the middle of a gig is something you don't want to experience twice. I was also using a Boss GT-10B multieffect at that time and I liked the idea of having a single unit that I just have to hook up and go. An Axe FX was too expensive and seemed like overkill since I don't want to model any real amps as accurately as possible, but just have a "good" sound and enough options to customize it. Units like the Avid Eleven focused too much on guitars. I thought about building my own rack with a Mesa Triaxis. but the FX and MIDI switching efforts would have made that project huge. I liked the idea of something like a Triaxis though since I work a lot with overdriven and distorted sounds. I also tinker a lot with my instrument. The Helix seemed a natural choice for me: My band needed a PA anyways, the Helix can simulate any cabinet I can think of (via IR) so I'm not limited to a single tone anymore. I can simulate guitar amps and bass amps, mix them, EQ them and switch them all with a single button. And I can take that entire collection of amps and setups home and spend hours finding the perfect gain setting instead of annoying my bandmates with it. So much for myself. Now, I would generally recommend a Helix in two cases: 1. If you don't want to carry and maintain (tube amps!) a real amp. Depending on where you gig you may still have to carry a PA and/or monitor. In a large enough place you won't need that either, instead you'd have a single unit. The FOH guy is also happy because he can right away get a clean DI signal. 2. If you want versatility. If you regularly switch between a vintage Ampeg rig, a modern Mesa into a 4x10 and an overdriven Marshall, this is the right tool for the job. Also if you have FX pedals or rackmount units that you want to keep using by taking advantage of the Helix' FX loops. If you are more happy with an actual amp for whatever reason and/or you don't need that much variety, I would recommend getting something smaller instead to save money. A Helix might also not be ideal for those who really dislike too many options, buttons, knobs etc. - If you prefer a tone knob over a 10-band EQ, the Helix could become annoying. Another aspect is the bass pod you mentioned. I did not have one, but the Helix definitely sounds better than my GT-10B. I would assume it's an upgrade to the bass pod as well. You've already mentioned in your post that you don't have any pedals that could go into the FX loop and that you prefer to not use your own amp, but I thought I'd still list those things for the sake of a complete opinion. I cannot offer any advice on Floor vs. LT though. I got mine when there was no LT available yet, and I would still prefer it for versatility. [Edit] What I forgot: The Helix didn't have many bass amps when it came out, but their number has been constantly increasing. And that's the big difference to most other multi FX and ampsims, at least when I made my decision for the Helix. So don't be tempted to think that the Helix is a guitar unit and also has a bit of bass stuff thrown in because someone at marketing said "it's necessary". I use it exclusively for bass and never felt like I'm not the target audience for this unit. It's something I'd like to give Line6 big credit for, it's one of the few products made for creative bassists.

I do not see how this would be possible at a reasonable price.

I seriously doubt that. It would make more sense for Line6 to establish a common platform (named "Helix"), have different hardware (Floor, Rack, LT, ...) and maybe a few software limitations (no amps in the FX or a similar "Helix Amps" unit). But it would not make sense to split the functionality exclusively across different units. Instead, it seems you will have top-of-the-line units that incorporate everything (Floor, Rack and LT) and at least the FX unit that only has the FX software components on it. Which in turn means that software updates would affect all products. If there's a new FX algorithm, it'll be available on the Floor, the FX and the Native. Why establish a common hardware and software platform and then develop updates individually? Also, I don't think most customers of the "Full Hardware" (including me) would be pleased to see that after spending over 1k we're left without updates and expected to buy new stuff every time Line6 thinks of a new reverb model.

I just had a look at the template, obviously I didn't see anything wrong with it. Are you playing clean or HighGain? In any case, one option would be to reduce the return level of the insert block to even the volumes out. Also make sure that the "Channel Volume" parameter on the preamp block is set to 10.