tikimug

The Spider V amps are really cool, and a great bargain- but still crucially need a few things as far as the back panel goes. #1 - they REALLY need a stereo effects loop. This would be a game changer for the the Spider line, and i hope they include it in the next line. This would allow you to simply put the POD through the effects loop and use either the POD or the amp for the modeling. You could also use a Helix or any other kind of effects unit. #2 It would be helpful to have L/R 1/4" AUX in. The "most successful" method you are using with the 1/8 stereo aux-in does work fine. But I get nervous with that tiny jack. Anything bumps it with a cord in there and its going to break. Would be nice to have a more sturdy option. #3 Option to add or remove to signal from the AUX IN to the direct outs. I still haven't gotten an answer whether the AUX IN signal shows up on the direct out (xlr or 1/4") signal from this forum. I finally ordered some xlr cords so I can test it myself and I will post the results. The reason it would be nice to remove the aux-in signal from the 1/4" outs.. but then keep it at the XLR outs is that you could then use the 1/4" outs as a stereo effects send and the AUX-IN as the stereo effects return, while having the final mixed signal output show up at the XLR outs. This would not be needed if the amp had a good stereo effects loop, but it would still be a nice option to have. Hopefully, they include these feature in the new Spider Amp line, whenever that may materialize... (another thing that would be nice on a new line of amps is bluetooth control, and also the abiility to add new effects to the amps memory. I would be willing to buy new effects ala carte and upload them to my amp if the option was there)

anyone ever tested this?

On my Spider 240hc amp (pre new firmware) the Hiwatt model is called "Hiway 100" ..on a Helix they call it something like "WhoWatt", because they can't use the real names of the amps :) I think the Hiway 100 is a little ways down the model list, after the "citrus" model (ie: Orange) The guitar and pickups in it are going to play a big role in the proper sound as well. An SG with Duncan PAF pickups is what Angus uses. You're probably gonna wanna watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5C7GKGxICg

Thank you for the replies, all. Here's mine: brue58ski: yes, this is basically what I'm thinking sortof- except I'm unsure of one thing: using the direct outs back into the Helix as an "effects return" and then into the spider amp's AUX IN. the reason I'm not sure about is this: do the direct outs on the spider amp INCLUDE whats coming into the amp at the AUX IN? if so, then we have a feedback loop.. spaceatl: not a bad idea. Still, I think it will run into the issue with unmodelled effects going back into the spider's AUX as I mentioned in my 2nd post, as the only path with modeling would be the one inputting into the amp. the delays, etc would be based off a clean dry guitar signal, and that would create delays that were too clean vsthe modeled sound. Might actually be cool.. but wouldn't be "right" jwoertz: I hear you- it is certainly a PITA. Spider should have included an effects return on this amp- no doubt. It would be perfect in that case. Not going to do the Helix/powercab option- too expensive, and heavy. (they really need to make a small, light and portable Powercab that runs in stereo like the 240hc- THAT I would buy, as would a million modellers.) The 240hc I have now runs FRFR in stereo and it is super light and portable. As an option, I also own the 4x12 cabinet that runs in stereo. the whole 4x12 cab is lighter than one powercab and much less expensive. That setup gives a ton of volume in stereo. (I actually don't like the 4x12.. because a "half stack" is too big and cumbersome. I wish they made a "quarter stack" version with 2 12's or 2 10's - that would be ideal) Basically, I'm just wanting the newer Helix effects to play around with. Minotaur, the new Strymon reverbs, etc. Wish they would give the Spiders some effects updates. I've been A/B ing the amp models between the Helix and the Spider 240hc and honestly, the differences are very subtle on the ones I use. In fact, on a few, I prefer the Spider's model. So to pay $2500+ to move to a Helix/powercab setup for just a couple effects isn't worth the money- I've got most of it in the Spider already. That's why I was thinking of somehow working the Helix HX effects into my current setup. I think at this point my only option is to look into those direct outs and see if they will create an AUX signal feedback loop or not. I'd love to do spaceatl's idea of " You could modify the power amp section to get an insert (FX Loop)...if you did that, then you could 6 cable it stereo... " but that's way beyond my skills.. I might have to wait for the Spider 6 line to get what I'm after

Angus basically plays using the amp being driven hard. He uses Marshalls, but in my experience with the Spiders, go with a different model. Try using the HIWATT model, as this is basically a good tube amp that you can push using the drive on the amp, and then push even further using the Spider's BOOST/EQ in front of it. for even MORE push, put ANOTHER BOOST/EQ in front of the hiwatt model. I like to put the hiwatt model at about 7.5 drive, 5 on the bass, 7.5 mid, and either 7.7-9 treble based on taste/ambiant room. Overall level at about 8. This is your basic amp. You can roll your guitar's volume down to clean up a bit. If this is not enough distortion to get the sound you want, add a BOOST/EQ. (forget the distortion effects. That's not how Angus rolls- he just pushes amps hard.) Set the gain to about 79. bass/mid/treb to taste, but I find that a mid frequency around 35-45% is the sweet spot. This will drive the already driven amp model even more. You can add a 2nd boost/eq to push it even more. Having two boosts in a row sounds good- better than using only one that is maxed out. Anyway, that's more of Pete Townsend's setup, but it is the old school basic loud/driven amp sound, which Angus uses as well. A good starting point, at least :)

Here is a pic of the back panel..

I have a 240hc stereo head. I'm trying to mickey mouse together an effects loop so I can add a Helix HX into the system, using the 4 cable method- which requires an effects loop (which the Spider Amps very sadly LACK) I can use the AUX IN as an effective Stereo return. The problem is, what can I use as a POST pre-amp (modeled) send? Do the Direct XLR outputs include the signal from the AUX in? If so thats a problem if i use them as a send.. as they will be sending the "return" signal back into the source. Is there an option to INCLUDE OR NOT INCLUDE the AUX signal on the XLR outputs? That would be a great option to have, as you could then use them as "sends" in a makeshift effects loop. I haven't tested if the AUX signal is included in the XLR outputs as I would have to buy some XLR cables to do it. Does anyone here happen to know?

hmm the more i think about this, I'm realizing there is an issue with the setup. the guitar would be plugged into the helix, where the dry signal would then split into two paths... Path #1 goes out to the 240hc amp, where it is amp modeled and played through the speakers. Path #2 remains a dry signal within the Helix, where it is run through various effects like reverb, delay, etc. it is then output from the Helix in stereo, where it goes into the 240hc through the stereo AUX-IN and played out the speakers alongside the Path #1 signal. THE PROBLEM is: Path #2 never gets amp modeled. It is just dry guitar into effects and then sent out with no modeling into the stereo AUX input on the amp. So, for example, if the Path #1 amp model has alot of drive on it (distorted) the Path #2 delay pings will all be clean (no amp model drive) so it will sound weird. There doesn't seem to be a way to do a proper 4-cable method with this amp because it lacks an effects loop. (why would you leave that out, Line 6?) so there is no way to send a dry signal into the amp, model it and then send it BACK to the Helix for further processing. There is no "send" on the 240hc amp. There are speaker outputs L/R and XLR direct outputs L/R - and that's it. What's worse, I'm pretty sure both of those include whatever is coming in from the AUX-IN in their signal... so if I attempted to use the XLR outputs as a SEND back to the Helix, it would be doing a feedback loop with Path #2. (I think) Only solution to this would be if either the XLR outputs do NOT include the AUX-IN signal.. OR Line 6 provides an update to the amp where we can select whether or not to include AUX signal in the XLR outputs. (this could create the option for a poorman's effects loop) too bad they didn't include a proper effects loop on the spiders.. I've got Helix money sitting here burning a hole in my pocket that they will probably never see because of that..

Hello all- I've been a Line 6 user for quite a few years now- I have a Spider V 240hc stereo head and I like it alot.. BUT I recently borrowed a friend's Helix Floor and liked many of the additional effects and options available there. So follow me on this rabbit hole question :) I do like my 240hc head- it functions as a stereo amp, and I (think) the speaker portion of it is actually an FRFR, as it is designed for amplifying the models. (I don't use the newer "cabinet" option- in fact, I haven't even uploaded that update to my 240hc- so it outputs in "full range" mode) The PROBLEM with the 240hc is that there is NO EFFECTS LOOP. When I had my friend's HELIX over here, I used the headphone output and sent that signal into the stereo AUX IN on the 240hc and it seemed to work just fine. (My thought process here was that this was just like plugging the Helix into a powered FRFR in stereo) So anyway, that seemed to work and it occured to me later that perhaps I could somehow use that stereo AUX in as a kind of makeshift effects loop for the 240hc. So here goes: 1) I only use a handful of amp/cab models. Both the Helix and the 240hc have similar models (HiWatt, various Fender amps) they aren't exactly the same, but they are close enough for my needs. - so I don't feel I need the Helix's amp models, as the ones in my 240hc are good enough for me. 2) What I DON'T have in my 240hc but WANT.. is NEW EFFECTS that aren't in the 240hc. Stuff like the Minotaur- various cool delays and the newly added Helix reverbs. the 240hc NEVER gets any effects updates, yet it seems the HELIX line gets new stuff from time to time. So I'm thinking maybe what I need is a HELIX HX (since I don't need Helix's amp models) and to figure out how to properly incorporate it into the 240hc setup. 3) What I want to try and pull off is this: SOME effects in the HELIX would need to be BEFORE my 240hc's AMP MODELS (ie preamp stage, etc) - this would mostly just be the Minotaur. (I'm not really interested in any of the other distortions, as I usually just drive the amp model for that) While other effects (most of them) would need to go AFTER the 240hc's AMP MODELS. I'm thinking, if I could figure out a way to send these into the stereo AUX INPUT on the 240hc, it would bypass the 240hc's amp modeling, and it would simply play the effects, like reverb for example, as-is just like it were some backing track coming from an iphone. So my QUESTION for all the HELIX experts is: How would I set this up in a HELIX HX? Can you think of a way (maybe some version of the "4 cable method") where I can plug my guitar into the HELIX HX.. where it will have the Minotaur added to it.. then split off that signal to send into the guitar input of the 240hc amp, where it would get modeled and played out the speakers as normal. WHILE AT THE SAME TIME taking the same my dry guitar signal (remember the guitar is plugged directly into the Helix HX) and sending that down a different path to various modulations, reverbs, etc.. (whatever blocks I may put in place) and THEN outputting that signal to a different, SPECIFIC STEREO OUTPUT on the Helix.. which would then be plugged into the stereo AUX INPUT on the 240hc, where it would play the reverb signal cleanly (skipping the amp modeling) This is the only way I can think of to avoid having the reverb from being run "PRE-240hc" (ie: through the 240hc's amp model's drive etc.) as usually reverb would be POST amp. (ie no amp distortion/drive being applied to the reverb wet signal) I appreciate any thoughts or brainstorming on this conundrum I find myself in.. I'd really like to add a HELIX into my setup, but would also like to keep my 240hc Thanks for any help!