waymda

Maybe - Unity means exactly what you've said no gain added (or removed) the maybe is because different elements of DAWs may add or remove gain at what appears to be a 0 setting. They shouldn't, but....... This might be a useful reference for recording and levels https://mojosarmy.medium.com/recording-and-mixing-levels-demystified-151ec65705fa

Some observations: the I/O with Native vs the Helix as described is fundamentally different so I would expect different sounds the Helix is being fed an unamplified instrument level guitar signal, your DAW is recording a line level signal which is then being 'reamped' this is not the same as recording the dry output from the Helix via USB - those levels are very low and often a cause of consternation for new users hence, the input levels for the hardware and software versions is not the same - at the very least you'd need to match the input levels you mention setting parameters and gain leveling to 0DB, but this has nothing to do with the recorded level - you should be aiming for -13dbu (if not less, many aim for -18dbu@peak) for any digital recording to ensure no digital clipping in the recorded signal - the digital signal can be increased without increasing the noise floor so no need to record hot there are both input and output gain settings on native that are independent of the patches created on the hardware - these will be your friend is there a single simple rule/approach to use across all DAWs and hardware/DA scenarios? No, you're adding complexity/hardware/driver/software layers so the solution will be complex and bespoke.

This is the only way I can think of as changes to the Variax model on either path are applied to both input paths (the Helix is forcing the Variax to apply settings not processing the Variax within the Helix). No idea how precedence is achieved but you can't (for example) have Path A having a variax with every string at full volume and Path B with just the 6th string at full with an octaver applied.

Have you adjusted the Hum and Ripple parameters of the amps to zero? They both introduce modelled 'noise'. I hate them and always make them zero. From the manual Hum & Ripple: Controls how much heater hum and AC ripple interacts with your tone. At higher settings, things get freaky.

Just on this, if you get your patches sounding great for in-ears they may not sound good in FoH (any in-ears). Unfortunately the compromises of each reproduction system means you need to target patches for a primary source and live with what you get in secondary sources. Having EQ over your monitor send may help.

OMG mime is more than money, its a life suck. Can you tell I'm not a fan :)

My modelling journey has been long and everything is a compromise. I came from a multi-amp/cab and effects rig and was loud on stage. I moved to modelling and tried: SS amps to guitar cabs Tube amps to guitar cabs Combos Wedges FRFR PA speakers Powercabs Various iterations of IEMs Any use of guitar cabs limited the palette as speakers and cabs are so fundamental. Using tube amps meant I was inherently loud for them to sound good and to hear myself as I want. Cheap IEMs, are just that. Good IEMs are molded, seal well and are expensive and you need to tune whats sent to them to work well. My (current) ideal is a quiet stage, not silent, (good edrums, and bass through wedges to the others) and my guitar and vox (and full mix) in high quality IEMs. I don't miss "moving air" at all and hear a better mix than the audience will. Its a highly portable set-up, easy to set-up, consistent and I'm not fighting to hear what I want/need. And I know what the audience will hear, and can verify it through multi-track playback.

Morerer, biggerer, fastererer, newerer, braggierer, soonerer!

The above all apply. Another thing to consider is starting with one or two basic patches that he tweaks at practice. Yes it will bore the pants off everyone, but: they will be heard in context (ie with the band) which makes a huge difference they'll be heard at volume in using the play back system to be used live he will be able to save the new versions seperately and compare what sounded good at home with what sounded good with the band and get better at building patches Ultimately they have to sound good with the band, not stand alone and thats very different.

This makes me wonder if you think Snapshots allow changing of the effects in each slot - they don't. This provides the basics on what snapshots are and how to use them

Put your pedal in a loop - thats why the Helix is designed with all that IO, to allow you to use existing pedals that are not modelled yet, or that you love more than the modelled version. I can't see how an IR will help -

This is not intended to be snarky, but if you like what you got from your friends quad cortex then why not get one and sell the LT? You would already have another user locally that could help if nothing else. The issues you have described with the LT are not fixable with a zoom session or two in my view. As you're using an amp, and want splits out for IEMs/FoH, and leveling across several patches/effects someone needs to be in the room with you, helping you tweak and learn at the same time. Ideally at a band practice as what really matters is the sound in the mix - not just the backline sound. With no info on where your located you might find someone nearby with one of the Helix user groups in facebook - such as "Line 6 Helix Family User Group OFFICIAL and ORIGINAL"

The integration of the Helix with the DT series of amps is not the same as with the HD500x. Likely as the DT series are now legacy hardware (unfortunately). However, there is still pretty deep control available from the output block including the poweramp settings via L6 Link. I no longer have my DT amps, but you will find the parameters you can control in a tab on the output block. From what I recall you can change paramters at a preset and within that snapshot level (with the same thump you could get with the Pod with certain changes). These changes are NOT mapped to the amp models like they were in the HD500. I also recall others here having deeper control via midi. If you enjoy the DTs persist, its an even better set-up than the HD500 when you consider the substantially better amp models in the Helix.I do recall preferring the full amp models over the pre-amps in the Helix. Unfortunately, my desire for an easy, replicable, controllable workflow and outputs led me to using powercabs, and then ultimatley direct to PA and high quality in-ears, with a full mix back at me on a silent stage. My days of living for amp in the room sounds have passed.

Well we don't know your settings, but yes that sounds like a strat through a litigator. Not sure what you mean here - EQ on the stomp, in the DAW, on the amp model? Keeping in mind that mix EQ is about making space for sounds in the mix and helping the right bits 'poke out', what you think is a great tone solo'd is not always an even close to useable tone in a mix. Jason Sadites has a huge range of videos that help getting good sounds, but you might find one of his most recent ones particularly useful

I've had timeouts restoring back-ups before, generaly straight after updating firmware, and thorugh the same cable and USB port that had just worked for the update. The solution has been pulling the cable out of the PC, shutting down the Helix, restarting the PC, starting the Helix. It seems like an intermittent USB driver thing. One other instance involved a corrupt preset, determined by bringing each set-list in one at a time, working out which one and forcing a skip - complete PITA.

So yes, many parameters, so try to reduce the degrees of freedom (available choices). Suggest pick an amp you know in real life and likewise a cab. Ideally somehting you know you like mic'd up and with which microphones. Then change settings for each compnenent to extremes so you hear what they do and how they interact, then make incremental changes from stock to get closer to what you want to hear. Its painstaking and boring, but helps you quickly learn what works for you and what doesn't and becomes applicable across other blocks. And take breaks, because, yes, ear fatigue is very real.

Additional information needed - what is "that quick volume spike when changing snapshots?" I have had one instance of a weird volume spike in snapshots in 150+ maintained patches each with 4 snapshots. Some back and forth with L6 determined that Snapshots change parameters in the order thay are set in a serial, though very fast, manner. Not in parellel. In the case of my problematic pact/snapshot it had been developed/played with over a period of time and one of the stroed changes caused an issue with volume. Tracking it down wasn't feasible, and even if I could, it could not be remediated. So I rebuilt the patch from scratch with only the required changes. If you mean something more systemic, eg all your snapshots have volume changes, you need to reconsider what youu're changing and what you're not. Its unlikely to be a snapshot issue per se, more something to do with not ensuring correct volume levels at for each snapshot by adjusting the various parameters available to you. For example, you can't expect to push the gain of an amp without an associated volume change and a need for a channel volume adjustment. Thinking about the changes for each block and whether the change needs some compensation within the block or elsewhere will help.

You're an Implementation Tech and you can even be bothered to read the second pinned post of the forum about posting ideas in IdeaScale. Must be struggle doing your job if you can't be bothered reading doco. What a painfully pompus post.

Well that will make it tricky, a leslie a speaker with a moving baffle and/or horn - so you're putting an emulated speaker into a real one. In addition, although not strickly stereo its an effect best perceived through binaural hearing (ie might as well be stereo) because of the movement of reflections in the space the speaker (cab) is in. That might explain your perception of it being more like a chorus.

Yes, highly likely. Collapsing the stereo modulation to mono is likely to cause some amount of phase cancellation. As I read through your post that was was the first question I was going to ask. Also with using mono versions, you could consider a parellel path with the modulation effects and mixing them back in later. They will also affect volume differently depending on where they tap the signal in the 4CM arrangement. Conventional wisdom is mod effects in the loop, post amp pre-amp, however many a mod effect works very well pre-preamp and in mono - think the boss chorus pedals designed for guitar and before rack effect goodness allowed use post pre-amp (if not amp and cab in the studio). Assuming youre using the pitch blocks as adding an additional not (rather than detune) then yes they are higly sensitive to overall output volume and need balancing in the mix. My experience has been that as the volume increase I need to add more pitch effect for it to sit where I want it. Sorry I can't provide definative answers, but your end-to-end setup signifcantly impact how it all works for you.

Yep, its a tough one to find https://www.google.com/search?q=helix+amps+extra+controls&rlz=1C1CHFX_enAU1046AU1046&oq=helix+amps+extra+controls&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i22i29i30.9166j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://helixhelp.wordpress.com/models/amps/

Without wishing to be captain obvious, if your settings within the Helix are the same, then the difference is: your guitar or something to do with input - not all strats are equal (not even close) your reproduction method/equipment; or a hardware issue with your Helix But you've provided no additional info to assist diagnosis. Indicating you have no issues direct to amp is comparing apples to igunanas and your descriptions suggests classic amp in the room vs recorded amp sound issues (apple v iguana). Taming the iguana requires thinking like a studio engineer - but your post history suggets you're aware of this so....

Hundreds if not thousands of people - the facebook "Line 6 Helix Family User Group OFFICIAL and ORIGINAL" group will provide you with a huge range of opinions about what works/doesn't and (of course) what is best. I've used my Helix through, Mesa power amps to varous cabs, a JC120 through the stereo send return, different head/cab and combo set-ups, Line 6 DT amps, and Line 6 PC+. Each was a different experience and with different issues around patch creation workflow/management and the compromises associated with the reproduction system. For me, my current setup of high quality IEMs and direct to FoH works best for what I'm doing, and has substantially reduced the compromises I had to make, made patch creation and management easier, and ensured consistency. But that was a multi-year journey to get to that point which included recalibrating my tone expectations away from amp in the room. This approach has lasted the longest with about 2 years on the clock now. Good luck with the journey.

But I do believe there is the ability swap the position of snapshots using the on hardware edit facility. I don't use it and not near my hardware so can't confirm easily. This might be quicker than the (IMHO) somewhat cumbersome and error prone copy and paste in HX Edit method, albeit still requiring each preset to be edited. And yes, standardising your snap order makes a huge difference live - unfortunately I had 100+ presets done by the time I came to that realisation, so now my build template includes some standard snap names/order.

Am I reading this wrong in that you seem to be saying the audio sent to a DAW via USB exhibits the same characteristics as the headphones? If thats the case it really could be anywhere. You say you've done all the troubleshooting you can think of, but I will ask anyway, have you factory reset the device and tested it before loading any back-ups? Software gremlins can be pretty weird. Does the issue occur with streamed audio? If yes to a factory reset with no result then I second a bench test.