Wondo100

All of that was very helpful. I now have good gain staging set up. Dialed in some FRFR stuff with IRs in the Helix. Used the different FR settings for the PC. Used some IRs for the PC, especially the LRS powercab pack which is good. Got some tones that are pretty usable. However, made the mistake of bringing up my 7CM preset in the Helix into my two Grandmeisters, bypassed all amp models and cabs. Used only effects and routing in the Helix, and sounded so much better. I think my conclusion is that the power cabs are good for using as monitors for your Helix presets. The speaker sims in the PC are nice, but does not take you to that same place as a real amp and cab and if you have great presets in the Helix with internal IRs, PC works best as FR speaker. So, since I have a great set of studio monitors, Yamaha HS7, I will use the Helix modelers and cab sims through the HS7 with my DAW to record and create ambient presets. But, for most of my other guitar playing, I will be going into the Helix in 7CM to my two grandmeisters. That is a much more organic tone. I might actually play out with another ambient player who has had some ambient gigs and if I do, I might just get an FRFR stereo cab for that. I don't think I would use the speaker sims since my ambient presets will all be dialed in with the internal IRs on the Helix. Although, since I have both PCs at this point, I may work with them a bit longer and actually keep them around because they do serve a good purpose. If ever I wanted to get FRFR cabs again, the PCs are probably a really good option.

Got to save that write up. That is exactly what should be in the manual. And, some of the techs on the customer service hotline could use this too. Thanks!

I have been coming here a lot lately and do my best to show respect for those that have knowledge in using the gear at a level that I do not have yet. I have been playing for over 30 years. Played small rack systems at one point, but mostly tube amps with either effects processors or some stomp effects. Took the dive with the Helix because of all of the possibilities with modeling, effects and connectivity and now trying to figure out best set up for Power cabs. I often get discouraged with the steep curve to learn all of this, but I have given up many times before only to come back and try to figure things out. I am determined to learn because I know this gear can deliver, but it is not as easy as plugging into a tube amp and a couple of pedals. It takes time and work and I am grateful for those that can help. Maybe I can help others as I learn more.

I think the loudness thing is not really an issue. It is getting the input to the PC set correctly so that I only have occasional push into the red now that I took the Global setting off in the Powercab output section of HX Edit. The only other parameters I need to make sure I work with properly is do I add input gain on the PC or leave it at 0 and only then use the output block on the Helix. Also, each speaker in the PC has a volume. It is usually around-18db for most settings. When I turn that up I get more gain as well and it drives the input level on the PC. I think once I figure these things out, I may be well on my way.

I think I might have figured something out here and it may help point in the direction of what is going on. In the Powercab section on the Helix, it was set to global. When I went to preset, the light was going from green to orange and seemed like what it should be of course, now it is a bit lower in volume, but no clipping indicated. However, now I am wondering what in the global settings would cause this, since I never really did much by way of the global settings other than change XLR outs to line for my studio ins. I am not running the powercab in XLR and am running in L6 Link. If you guys could think of what might need to change in global, that would be a help. I am also wondering now that I have more head room with preset where I should turn it up to get more out of the signal to noise ratio. Do I turn it up on the Helix and leave the powercab at zero, or do I turn up the powercab? Thanks

Thanks. When I strum it goes from green to whatever color immediately, no flickering. I am not really noticing any clipping, but want to make sure that I am doing this right. I am using L6 Link with brand new Mogami AES cable. I have not even taken out the other cabinet out of the box yet. I wanted to get the one all set up first. At one point this morning when working with all of this, a terrible hiss came out of the cab. It just appeared out of nowhere. I turned it off and turned it back on again and it was gone. I have left it on for a few hours now, and it has not happened again. Not sure what that was.

So now I am confused. I think what I am seeing with these presets is orange and not red, but I cannot really tell. I am somewhat color blind and maybe I am not noticing the difference. Wish the colors were something like blue, green, and red. However, if it is red I am seeing, it happens really easily in a lot of presets. If it is orange than there is not worries. However, I cannot push anything into the red and I have tried a lot of db increases to do so. This is very frustrating. Powercab Settings: Input 1 Gain 0 Input 2 Gain 0 High Frequency Trim 0 Using Speaker Setting - Vintage. Low Cut 100 HZ. Hi Cut 12 kHz Level 0 Helix Settings: Using Digital out into Powercab Output leve is 0 Big knob max Guitar pad is off. I do not have active pickups and this setting does not make a difference with what I am seeing. Attached is the Helix Preset SEEK DESTROY.hlx

Hey rd2rk. Thanks again for being such a help. I appreciate it. Getting late here. System shut down. How about, I attach the preset I am using tomorrow and you can look at it and I will also list the settings I have on the PC. Thank you!

Yes. confusing. Not sure how to proceed. I dialed in a really good tone and the light on the PC was only clipping into the red periodically and I heard no clipping, but the volume knob on the PC was about halfway up and it was loud, but could tell it would not keep up with a band. But, many have said the PC is plenty loud if you dial it in properly, which I am afraid I am not doing

For IRs on the Powercabs would you recommend the same starting points of around 100Hz - 5kHz?

I know I would technically be better served over in the power cab section, but two posts several days ago and no answers. I just received my two112 PC+. Starting with just one. Made sure the PC edit software was up to date and then did the firmware update. Plugged in and started to play. Tried some of my Helix patches through FRFR first to get a feel for it. I had these before and sent them back, but got them again, because I think I gave up too quick. I know this set up can be good, so I want to do it right. In looking at one video on youtube, they say to adjust the global settings on the PC. On Jason Sadite's video he says to leave that alone and use the settings in the Helix. I want to be able to get a good setting for volume to start building my presets. Loaded in the LRS powercab IRs, my God these things are excellent, but still want to make sure I am setting all of this up volume-wise first. Thanks for any help you can offer.

As Dunedin Dragon says, IRs really are quite awesome. Once you dial some in, you will be surprised at how the Helix comes alive. Not that the stock cabs are not good, they can be but once you have found a couple of IRs you like, you will tend to use them almost all of the time because they are what you found to bring the amps alive. I love using them and am always thankful to the developers to make the Helix that much better.

Make sure you have updated to HX Edit 3.0. You probably want to do the update through the Line 6 Updater. Even if you have already updated, open up Line 6 Updater and have it check for updates. If you are already on 3.0, then still click on the 3.0 update to read the directions. You will see very detailed information about how to load the factory presets. They did it this way to preserve your own presets through set lists and not overwrite them. Follow the directions closely as it will ask you to export and save your set lists before resetting the factory presets in 3.0. Then you can import your set lists again. Hopefully, you did a back up before the update, that way after doing the factory reset, you can bring back your global and IRs while preserving the new factory presets or you can just do a complete restore from back up if you wish.

With receiving emails of great discounts from Redwirez and Alex Strabala and being in the market for some IRs for my incoming Powercab + what IRs would you recommend for the Power Cabs? I like the classic Metal/Hard Rock tones but of course like some nice clean tones as well as heavier metal tones. I got the free G12M Pack from Redwirez and was impressed. I can load those in to the PC. I have some Ownhammers, but unfortunately got those from the marketplace where you can only load those in to the Helix. Some of those were pretty good. I also got some Celestions, again only for the Helix not the PC and the same for the Sigma V12s, only for Helix all of them have their good and not so good points. I know it is all a matter of preference. I have good things about the Live Ready pack for the PC, but no Black Friday discounts that I am aware of. Let me know what you guys think, so I can get some good IRs for Black Friday sale. Thanks.

This is what I heard as well. I had some info that they had the Strymon Big Sky and Blue Sky on the benches working on the verbs. I thought they would be out in 3.0, but maybe you are right that they had to get the Polys done and then put that in with the verbs.

So if this is the first time you had to do this because L6 was behind. Let's look at it scientifically... what could be the third variable problem here? In other words we are trying to look at the usual variables to determine cause... new computer operating system, new firmware updates, lazy, incompetent techs at either company, etc. However, if this time it seems a bit off than before what could it be? A third variable must be at work here. Maybe the pandemic? Oh, okay that would make sense. People are not operating at full capacity, products are hard to come by and on and on it goes. Give people a bit of a break this time around. Things are not what they used to be until we can get things under control they will not return to normal for some time. For some reason, we got hit with an appliance gremlin here at our house where our refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher finally started to kick the bucket. We ordered new ones and everything is on back order until next year sometime because of lazy techs, poor run business, etc.? No, because of the pandemic. Companies are not fully staffed and supply chains are slowed down along with production. It is just how it is right now.

Some Background: I own a Helix Floor and I had received a set of Powercab 112+ a few months back. I was trying to run them in stereo. Something was not working quite right in that set up...daisy chaining the two cabs through the L6 digital signal path. I ended up sending them back because I was so busy working from home in the pandemic that I was not able to spend the necessary time to troubleshoot all of it within the return policy time. Since that time, I had been working with my two H&K Grandmeisters and their respective 2x12 V30 cabs with the 7CM. I was able to get the 7CM to work quite nicely. I have a guitar with Humbuckers and Piezo and was actually able to get a third signal chain on the Helix to be fed through the XLR outs into a Fishman Loudbox for the Piezo. However, as you can imagine dialing in the tone on such an elaborate set up was challenging let alone all of connections running in and out of all of the equipment. But suffice it to say, the Helix performs beautifully in managing all of those connectivity requirements. I found myself bypassing the 7CM and just working with the Helix through my Yamaha HS7 Studio Monitors. It was so much easier to sit at my computer with the Helix on the floor with HX Edit and some nice third party IRs. I was getting some really good tones and not having to do all of that extra routing and programming of the 7CM knowing full well that in a live situation I would never be running 7CM and driving the sound guys crazy. In a small gig, I would just bring a 2x12 and a Grandmeister anyway. In that scenario, I am thinking of investing in a BOSS MS3 to make life simple. Or if the Powercabs prove to work good in a live situation, I could just bring one or two of them for stage monitoring and send the XLR outs to the house. Where I am now: So, I just ordered another set of Powercab 112+ to run my in-studio stereo set up. After spending much more time with the Helix and not using the Grandmeisters, I have been convinced that I can get pretty damn close to the tones I am after right in the Helix with some IRs. So, I figured getting back into using the PC+ would be the way to go. I know I can run those in FRFR with some of my favorite IRs loaded in to the Helix and then use some IRs into the Powercabs and instantly switch between the PC speaker tones and FRFR and my set up will actually be much simpler. Achieving stereo sounds will be way less complicated than configuring all of that through the 7CM. The Advice I need: I want to make sure that I set everything up right from the start and could use some help. Here is what I plan to do. Set up both PCs Make sure the version of PC Edit that I have is current. Put that aside for now Hook one cab up to computer, via USB... update any firmware that it needs. Do the same for the other. Power down both cabs. Hook the First cab up to Helix with AES cable to L6 Link Take L6 Link out of first cab and into L6 Link of second cab Power up Helix Power up First PC Power up Second PC Open up HX EDIT and make sure I can see the option of both cabs in a preset. Start using Helix with PCs Put IRs on Powercabs - here is where I might need help..... I am assuming that I will need to do one cab at a time because if I have both connected to the computer via USB, things might get crossed and the PC Edit will not know which one it is editing. In this case, I would load IRs on to one cab through PC Edit. Then do the other cab in the same way. Then I suspect everything should run smooth?? Some other questions I have is how to get good stereo signals with the PCs. I know I can run just a simple one-signal path and use stereo effects at the end. Or I could run two paths and pan hard left and right using mono effects at the end. I could also do one side dry, the other side wet and use some doubling effects, etc. Not sure what is best for a nice wide stereo effect and also not sure what is the best way to get something like a ping pong delay to work in stereo with the ping pong bouncing from cab to cab. Thanks for taking the time to look at this.

I think if you need to use the Helix, bounce back to Catalina and use it until it is safe to go in the waters with Big Sur. Did you give thought to the fact that they wanted to get 3.0 finished and out to then finalize their testing with Big Sur so that it will be a smooth transition for everyone? They were very clear in their emails and announcements to wait. I went in and disabled all I needed on my Mac to make sure I did not download Big Sur, until such time as it is safe to do so.

Where can I get some good IRs that will work in the Power Cab?

You are going to get rid of the PC 112+?

Hi rd2rk, Thanks for putting this in perspective. You had helped me out with some stuff before on here. So, I thank you. Running the 7CM is great, but honestly just way to many moving parts for it all to come together. I am liking just working with the Helix more these days. It is a deep dive sometimes, but overall the accessibility and the ease of use is just great and the tones are just getting better. I may pull the trigger on the PC+. I would like to hear what others think, although I know it is a matter of preference.

Hi hallissyc, Welcome to the forum. I have played guitar since age 14, so I get where you are coming from. I am 55 now though. I had played in many bands over the years and cut back significantly when my career was taking up more time and helping my bass player load his gear in his truck at 2am after a gig was getting old. I am asking kind of the same questions. I have two Hughes and Kettner Grandmeisters to run stereo. Each go in to their respective 2x12 cabinets with V30s. This was kind of a downsize since I previously had a Hughes & Kettner Triamp with a 4x12 cabinet and it was just too heavy and too loud for my needs. I had a small rack of effects with that amp set up and sold all of it for the Helix. Now, I am getting some pretty good tones with the Helix, but running into the two Grandmeisters is bringing up the same issues of all of this extra gear that I really do not need. So, I find myself just running into my studio monitors from the Helix these days and love the tone I get with the IRs in the Helix. The Grandmeisters are great and have true tube tone, but I just spent some money re-tubing one of them and it reminds me of the fickleness of tube amps and with the Helix, I can have a pedal on the floor and two cables running to my studio set up. I am also considering selling one Grandmeister and putting the other in storage and just using the Helix with studio monitors but am thinking of getting two PC+ 112s to run in stereo. Not sure what others think about this. I started a post about this earlier today and hoping to hear some ideas. To answer your question. I do not think this technology is going anywhere. The only thing I see happening in the future is that the Helix might get a hardware upgrade with more DSP power and that would mean people selling off their current Helix and going with a new one, but most would stay with the Helix since they are familiar with it. I would think the Power Cabs would stay the same and would only get software upgrades and should be around for a while. I have been around this scene for a long time and I have been a tube snob for years, having gotten really frustrated with the POD XT Live and the Vetta, but when I tried the Helix, I realized we were in to new territory. Now a lot of people that I know that were true tone purists are playing Kemper or Helix and some are eagerly awaiting the Quad Cortex by Neural DSP. That will have four DSP engines compared to Helix's two. A much smaller footprint than the Helix. Some great effects, good models and the ability to do amp profiling. But, does not have the routing power of the Helix yet and is limited in a lot of areas that Helix still rules on. Plus, all of the companies that are moving in this direction have used Line 6 as the template because they were the first, so no... this stuff is not going away. I will stick around because the future looks really bright for some amazing things. Remember, just because Helix has a lot of things it can do does not mean you need to use it all. A swiss army knife is usually good for the knife, but the screwdrivers and can opener do come in handy now and then.

I know this question has been asked a lot and I have not read through all of the possible scenarios, but I am wondering if I should go with a Power Cab. My set up currently is that I go from the Helix with a 7CM into two Hughes and Kettner Grandmeisters for stereo and sometimes wet/dry mixes. (These H&K heads each go in to their own 2x12 with V30s) With this set up, I can use the H&K preamps or some preamps or amps in the Helix. (Had some great help from some stellar people here on the forum getting that set up to work great). I also will run XLR out to my studio monitors (Yamaha HS7) to play along with music or for recording. I like what I am getting with going in to the monitors especially now that I have installed various IRs. I did have two Power cab+ here a few months back and could not get the stereo thing going on successfully with these two cabs. I gave up because I was running out of return time to send them back and had to make a decision. However, I am reconsidering this option again. I know I could probably have figured out how to get these to work, although some here said the 212 was easier to work with than two 112s. The reason I am giving this thought, is that running in 7CM takes a lot of work where not only do I have to program the Helix, but also have to program two other amps and lots of connections and cables. I think running the Helix into Powercabs with the L6 Link cable is just a very neat and easy set up. My question is, would it be worth it to get either two 112 Powercab+ for stereo or a 212 Powercab+? Or, to just run in to my studio monitors, and maybe rely less heavily on the grandmeisters? Or, maybe get two really good FRFR cabs? The other option would be to run the Helix in to a stereo power amp like a Matrix 800 into my two 2x12 V30s. I guess what I am really going after is that with all of the internal routing capabilities in the Helix, going out to two separate amps for stereo has become a lot of work. When I keep everything internally in the Helix with IRs, I am getting some really good tones without all that added gear and the added risks of tube amps which already failed on me once at a gig (tube went and took a capacitor on the board with it, had to go into the shop). I guess I should add that I am not playing out that much anymore. I was in a Rush cover band for years then my own original band of Prog Rock stuff. We released two CDs and have since gone our own ways. I have a friend who owns an Ambient label and has asked me to record some stuff for him and there is the prospect of playing that stuff out live in small to medium venues. My studio is kind of small (12x12 with standard ceilings). two PC112+ would fit nicely but might need to remove the H&Ks if I want more room. PCs would have a nice 5-6 ft spread. I know there is a lot to consider here and would appreciate any insights people could offer.

This is great. First time I saw the site. What a beautiful piece of work.

Yup. Drove me crazy. I have had some problems before with an XT Live that was not my error, so I get a little squeamish around updates. Also, is it me or is the 12 string pitch kind of blah?