Wondo100

I am trying to integrate one of my Grandmeisters with a Redbox into the Helix. Not quite sure the best way to go about that. I used to have two Grandmeisters hooked up in 7CM and while really nice...quite a PITA with all of the routing and MIDI. I want to use the Grandmeister in a preset and use the Grandmeister into my PC 212 with IRs. Grandmeister has a Redbox direct that could be used to capture both preamp and power amp. I also have an IR of the Grandmeister 212 which sounds good. Not sure how I should hook this up. Normally I would use FX loop on Helix and Grandmeister but the Redbox seems like a cool option to take both preamp and power amp section of the Grandmeister through the Redbox and into the PC with IR but still want to integrate the effects on the Helix Any ideas on how to do this?

I know this topic has been addressed before and a lot of mixed answers and of course it is all a matter of preference. I had to move in to my studio as an office b/c working from home. I have been using the Helix with my two H&K Grandmeisters in 7CM. I have also used 2 PC+ in stereo. I like the tone of all of these options but the space now is just not practical. I have a nice set of Yamaha HS7 for mixing and listening to music, but for guitar, I really like the sound of a cabinet pushing some air. I am wondering if space wise, if it might be better to get a PC 212. It would have less footprint than the two PC+ and less footprint of the two Grandmeisters. Plus, a lot less cables. I would only have to run two XLRs to my mixer and one L6 Link cable from Helix to PC. Just not sure if the 212 is overkill for a space that is about 12x11. But, it certainly would save some space and clean things up a bit. Thoughts?

Thanks for all the help. The conclusion, this pedal only comes alive straight into the amp or in front of the Helix. So wanted it work in the loop.

Ok. So, I am going to use this signal path with Noise Gate off>FX loop with TI Boost >FX Loop for amp>delay>reverb second path without TI Boost> Dual guitar effect with slight delay>reverb. I will use snapshots to send MIDI to amp to go from clean to dirty and to turn boost on and off.

I did not get the chance to try some of these things yesterday, BUT, I did hear back from Laney that the TI Boost input is 1M ohm. So, how would I handle that? Should I, like rd2rk said, set up a preset where I will be using this boost where the IN-Z is 1M when the boost is on and back to 230K when it is off for the benefit of other blocks in the single chain? This with the global IN-Z set to enabled??

Good ideas. I will try this tomorrow. Lots of things to try out. I will let you all know and thank you so much for all of your help. I am determined to figure this out.

Nope. Not using wireless in this particular configuration. I do have wireless, but I use it with my Les Pauls. For what I am using the TI Boost for, you guessed it SGs and I hate having the wireless L6 Relay sticking up out of the top of my SGs. I have not had a chance to try rd2rk's preset yet, but I will give this a try. If it does not work, I will probably use it in front of the Helix, but that limits me being able to hit a switch on the Helix and have it change settings on my amp and turn the pedal off. Fx Loop for this pedal is set to instrument. My amp Loops are set to line via Hughes and Kettner that told me to use line for their fx loops.

So, in the preset I am building, change the IN-Z to auto and with global at being enabled it will pick up that setting in the preset? Or should I figure out the impedance of the pedal and set it to that?

Hey rd2rk, I have tried the onboard boosts. None of them do it like the TI Boost in to my amp. I kind of wanted to be able to have the Helix turn this loop on and off as I select different presets on the amp. I guess my only other option is to try the global settings thing you are talking about. I guess if I do this in global, then all presets will be like this or just the one I am building with the TI Boost?

I was kind of figuring this was the issue. Damn. I need this in the chain. It sounds so good when in to the amp direct. I am wondering if something like the Boss MS 3 would be any better? I still use the Helix but for the heavier stuff, I just need a boost in front and a good reverb pedal, my Grandmeister does the rest.

I have a Helix Floor that I use in 7CM with two Grandmeisters. I added a Tony Iommi Boost pedal in one of the FX loops at the beginning of the signal chain and it sounds lifeless. When I put the pedal straight in to my amp it sounds like it should. I am wondering why this is. My other two loops are used for my two amps and I really do not lose much tone in that set up but the boost sounds horrible. I really need to use this pedal in the chain. Any thoughts as to why this is? Is the buffer in the Helix just squashing it?

Support does not think there is a problem. I have been back and forth with them and their position is that there have not been any users complaining of any issues with the power cab especially the issue with the two cabs linked with L6 Link. Oh well.....

Just heard back from Line 6. They said they are not seeing this with other users, so they are not seeing this as an issue. This is why we all should put tickets in. This looks like this will not get resolved. I tried my best with them to explain everything. I am just hoping it does not happen again. If you follow the steps I mentioned, you have a good chance of it working most of the time. Over 95% of the time. Would suck to be in a gig during the other 5% though.

What type of file are you trying to import? .wav or .hir? If it is .hir, they will not load into the the PC+. Those will only work in the Helix. We all found this out the hard way. Market place does not tell you this.

Well, a lot of people here will tell you different things about this. There is no absolute answer. The Helix with the PC is a different animal, bottom line. It will be different than a tube amp in some ways and similar in others. I think the biggest plus with the PC is that with the Helix, it is extremely versatile and you can pretty much do everything with just those two pieces of gear. That is what I like about it. When compared to my tube amp with 2x12 V30s, the Helix and PC sound just a bit more thin at times. However, this is because my 2x12 cabinet has much thicker birch wood and it is a 2x12 vs my two 112 PCs. But, they sound very close and I can dial in something that sounds almost identical. I find myself playing mostly through my Helix and PC now because everything is just so versatile. I can have HX edit open on my computer and dial everything in here since I am using L6 Link with the two PCs. Can't do that as easily with the tube amps. Even when I was using 7CM with my two tube amps, things sounded really good, but then the level of programming was much more involved with dialing in two amps, setting MIDI controls to do channel changing and presets, etc. A lot of work. With the Helix and PC, pretty easy to do.

Heard back from Pete today. They are looking into this. Keep sending tickets.

Came into my studio this morning and this is what I found. He wants the PCs to and Helix to stay.

Seems like at the same show or maybe same tour, he figured the mic was not necessary?

Don’t get me wrong. I am a big fan of Steve Howe, but why would you do this when you can send direct outs from the PC +??

@rd2rk can probably chime in on the 212 issues. I did not have my 212 long enough to experience that. I preferred the 2x 112s

Just submitted another ticket about this. PLEASE, of those on here with same issue, do the same. They do not think it is an issue. I sent them the link to this thread (although there are other places this is posted on the forums). I love the Power Cabs now that I really understand them, but this issue sucks! A lot of people may not be experiencing it because they do not daisy chain two cabs, but this was the beauty of the L6 Link set up and Line 6 Edit being able to control both cabs. I really think if they fix this bug and the problem with the HF Driver issue that pops up on the 212, that these Power Cabs will be their best thing yet when added to the Helix.

Ah, you got me bro. I play everything. Just got done playing Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Maiden. But last night, playing some ambient stuff with pads and looper. Might venture in to some old Rush later tonight. Fly By Night album. I still have to change my Hemispheres setting that I was using in 7CM with my two Grandmeisters (think you helped me build that patch along with Josh at L6). and translate it to full modeling with the PCs.

One thing that gets confusing is with 2 PC 112+ in HX Edit, in the Powercab section when using IR and set to preset, you have the choice of 1, 2 or 1+2. I bring up 1 and put the IR I want in there and then I bring up 2 and put the IR in there, then if I choose 1+2 it defaults to IR number 0. If I want to put the same IR on both cabs, I have to choose 1+2. I hope that is right because the ear can play tricks on you sometimes thinking that there is a difference in what you are hearing when choosing 1 or 2 because technically you are hearing both cabs but just editing 1 or 2.

Actually, also meant to add that of course you can bring up the volume of the internal IR on the helix to match what the IR does when loaded in the cab, but I find just a small bump then on the Flat level brings the FRFR to have a bit more presence. Louder is not always better, but for the IRs it tends to bring them into a more present state and not too harsh or not too dull.