soundmodeler

brue58ski - got it. Thank you.

I did create a support ticket for the tuning problem. Didn't realize that something similar was going on with the tone parameter. When you advise "try clicking on the switch a second time," which switch are you referring to? Thx.

Yep, silverhead - that works too. Thx.

Thanks HonestOpinion and Waymda. Your advice works. Too bad there's no automatic return to standard tuning, but I can certainly live with custom tuning each preset (or snapshot, for that matter).

Hi, I've set one of my Helix presets to tune my Variax JTV69 down 1/2 step. When I go to other presets, most of which are in standard tuning, this detuning won't change - the guitar stays frozen in it. In these other presets, the Variax tuning page incorrectly indicates that the guitar has changed to standard pitch ("0"). It's actually still 1/2 step down. I do have one clumsy workaround: regardless of which preset I'm in, if I go to the Variax screen's tuning area and click "Custom" (it's usually set to "Don't Force"), the guitar suddenly reverts to standard tuning - it wakes up or something. But this move aside, there's no getting out of the alt tuning. In the preset in question, I've set the tuning to per preset (not global). I'd be grateful if anyone has a suggestion about how I might fix this. I realize that the problem could be the Variax, not the Helix, but since I'm detuning in the Helix (I'm not using Variax onboard alt tunings or Workbench), I figured I'd troubleshoot the Helix first since that's where I'm making the adjustments. Thanks for any help.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll give them a shot and see what works.

Thanks for replying. It's a tone buzzing.

Hi, When I use the Helix’s cab sims through my PowerCab 112 Plus, I get a lot of low-end buzzing, especially when the volume or drive is raised. I've got the PC in FRFR mode and I’m connecting with a Line 6 cable. I’ve done some EQ tweaking, but the problem remains. Using IRs loaded in the Helix - checking to make sure Helix cabs are turned off - or the speaker selections in the PC itself doesn’t produce any buzzing at all. So I guess the PC speaker itself is okay. I ran the Helix through my combo amp, using just the power section, to see how the Helix amps/preamps interact with a different speaker. No buzz. So the buzzing only happens when I use the Helix cab sims through the PC, but I can’t think of what might be causing it and why shifting to the PC speakers or Helix IRs (I don't have any IRs loaded in the PC) eliminates the problem. Does anyone have a suggestion?

I, too, couldn't change the volume via 'Digital Out Level' when using an AES/EBU cable. Thanks, HonestOpinion, for the explanation.

Thanks guys. Having used HX edit mostly, I forgot how to save parameters on the Helix itself. That refresher advice really helped - shout out to SteveFrance! After following it and saving PC+ speaker selections to snapshots, I rebooted my computer and the HX edit is also saving these selections to snapshots. Was some kind of glitch, like SympohicDischord suggested.

Although I'm able to switch PC+ speakers (and edit their parameters) per preset via L6 Link, I'm unable to select a different PC+ speaker per snapshot. I'm in preset mode in the Helix PC+ editor. When I hit "save" after choosing a speaker for a particular snapshot, it applies that speaker to every snapshot in the preset. I never had a problem pairing PC+ speakers with snapshots using midi. Am I missing something? Thanks for any help.

Thanks PierM

PaulWilliamson - totally agree with your assessment. My issues exactly!

Thanks, Phil_m. Unfortunately, the red light does go on a majority of the time. The PC+ sounds fine, however, so the situation has me puzzled.

Thanks for chiming in. I asked LIne 6 customer support if I should be concerned about the high frequency of a (red) clipping signal and they told me not to worry. Here's what they said: "In regards to the PowerCab clipping indicator, this will not damage the amplifier. The Cab was designed for full monitoring so you can ensure your signal is as clear as possible." This remark is a little ambiguous - the second sentence doesn't (to my mind) explain why the first sentence is true, which seems to be customer support's intention. But perhaps I'm missing something. I don't think that I'm sending a signal that's too high . No matter how little db or gain I'm using, or even how low the volume is (except when it's whisper soft), the clipping indicator goes red if I strike the guitar strings with some force. Curiously, I don't usually don't hear any distortion when the PC clips, except of course when I'm really overdriven.

Thanks. This puts my mind at rest.

Are you talking about saving a PC+ speaker model to a Helix preset/snapshot?

Okay, thanks for pointing this out. Since I don't plan to get another PC+ anytime soon, the L6 Link won't help me there. But I see the convenience for stereo users.

SteveFrance, I now understand what you're talking about. I didn't realize that there's a global 2-channel XLR gain parameter in the Powercab 112+. I thought you were talking about the Helix outputs, XLR or digital (L6 Link), both of which have gain parameters. Thanks for shedding light on how the Powercab can be tweaked, including that fact that each speaker model has a volume level adjustment of up to 6 dB. Like you said, the Powercab inputs are factory-set rather low, 0dB or lower. Naturally, since yours was at -18db, your XLR cable connection was NOT as loud as the L6 link. So you increased the XLR input gain until the volume from that cable equaled the volume you were getting from the the L6 Link. Makes sense. Maybe you noticed this too. If you increase both Input Gains - and especially Input 1 - to 12 dB (their maximum), the XLR volume greatly exceeds that of the L6 Link. At least, that's what happens when the Powercab is connected to a Helix. So why use L6 Link with a Helix? I'm getting less bang out of the L6 Link in terms of volume and it doesn't offer any other functionalities, like control of Helix presets, etc. This is a "lose, no-win" proposition, especially for a $60 dollar cable (the medium-length L6 Link).

Did you ever get an answer to your question? My Powercab clips whenever it gets a little loud, which is often. This worries me b/c I've read that repeated clipping can destroy the speaker voice coils. I'd like to know how to play through the Powercab at high volume without clipping. Or, at the very least, to prevent clipping without having to play at a whisper. If you've learned anything - or if anyone has any suggestions - I'm all ears. Thanks.

SteveFrance, thanks for your comments, although I'm not sure that I follow you. Both XLR and L6 Link (digital) outputs have a volume/level parameter, as far as I can see. I've boosted both to 20db and the XLR is louder. I'd be grateful if you would say what you mean by adjusting my Inputs 1 and 2. I'm only using 1 input (set to Multi), where the Helix receives my guitar signal, so I don't yet see why making adjustments there (Input Gate/Guitar In-Z) would influence the volume coming out of the Powercab. Are you talking about channels 1 and 2 on the Powercab itself?

Thanks for chiming in, gtr1. Just after I posted here, I decided to send Line 6 a support ticket about the issue. They responded with some advice that helped a little, but didn't really solve the problem. It turned out that I wasn't using the "digital out" from the Helix output block to the Powercab, which meant that I couldn't adjust the "level" parameter to raise the signal. When I did this, as Line 6 suggested, I got an increase in volume, but even at maximum level it still wasn't nearly as high as when using XLR. So I'm switching back, like you did.

I recently bought a Powercab 112 Plus, which I use with a Helix. Although for a while I was using an XLR cable to connect the two, I decided to buy a Line 6 Link cable as a substitute, mainly so that the Helix could control the Powercab without using Midi – something that I realize can’t be done right now, but which might be possible down the road. Unfortunately, when I connect the L6 Link to the Powercab, there’s an approx 30% volume drop compared to the XLR cable. I connect the L6 Link from the Helix “Out” to the Powercab “In,” as I’ve read that I should, so I don’t think I’m using the wrong outlets/ports. Both cables are 20 feet long, so the volume drop can’t be due to distance changes. I’ve turned off/on both the Helix and the Powercab and reconnected them a few times to see if that made a difference, but nothing. The L6 Link could be defective, but I can’t see any obvious signs of physical damage. The sound quality is unaffected - no pops, hum, hisses, or intermittent connection. Any suggestions about what the problem might be? Thanks.