ian_90

I purchased the official power supply (Line 6 DC-3H) but this didn't make a difference. So I looked into the ribbon cables as suggested: Remove both plastic side panels using T10 screwdriver. Remove PCB screws on exposed sides using PH2 screwdriver. Remove screws from back plate and bottom using PH2 screwdriver. Remove plastic washers on jack inputs using spanner. Place unit upside down and lift of back panel (photo 1). Remove hot glue from large ribbon cable using tweazers and pull ribbon cable gently out using flat bladed pliers, and rotate bottom PCB out the way (photo2 ). Remove smaller ribbon cable connecting top scribble strip PCB to the power / I/O PCB (photo 3). Clean ribbon cable connections with isopropyl alcohol and re-insert firmly. Reverse process to re-assemble, using hot glue gun to secure ribbon cables. This had the immediate effect of improving the boot screen; previously this had always shown static. Unfortunately the scribble strips started playing up again once I started changing presets and digging into menus. I did another factory reset (turn unit on holding FS#6 and tap tempo), and another firmware flash to 3.11 using Line 6 updater. I have used the unit for about 6 hours since then over the last 3 days and so far I have not seen the problem again. So I will call this a tentative success. Many thanks for all the assistance.

Thanks for your advice. I just tried: Hold right and turn on to boot into manual update mode Connect to PC Run Line 6 Updater Flash firmware to 3.11 Turn off Disconnect from PC Hold 6 and tuner and turn on to perform factory reset Turn off Turn on Unfortunately this didn't resolve the issue.

When I said "I've fully reset and restored my backup several times" that included full reset (hold 6 and tuner) and restoring my own backup. I tried doing this 3 times just to be sure. Thanks.

I have happily been using my HX Effects every week for the last 2 years. Today the display started playing up. I am greeted with white noise on the scribble strips during boot up about 50% of the time, and odd graphical corruption on an intermittent basis. I've fully reset and restored my backup several times; this hasn't fixed it unfortunately. Has anyone got any insight into what may be causing this? Otherwise the pedal works fine and I even played live with it today and used the tuner despite not being able to see the screen. The power supply I've been using for the last 2 years is a Voodolabs Pedal Power Digital. Unfortunately I bought a discounted HX Effects that didn't come with a power supply so I can't swap it out. I am willing to purchase a Line 6 DC-3H but would appreciate any feedback first in case this is a waste of money and the corrupted display is a sign of permanent damage. Many thanks.

If you want something modern, small, programmable and with LED display look into the Morningstar MC6. This is superior to the FCB1010 which is very old!

It sounds like your aim is to maximise intentional signal and minimise unintentional signal (noise), i.e. achieve a good signal-to-noise ratio. I would recommend having a strong signal to start with and I wouldn't intentionally lower the signal on your wireless system. Your Shure can output -20 dB to +40 dB. I would have it on unity gain (0 dB) and aim to manage instrument level through the signal chain since the HX Effects and DSM Preamp are designed for that kind of level. Let the PA do what its designed to do and do the power amplification. You might be interested in my post on how I integrated my HX Effects with my Preamp. I go straight to PA too.

On the board Preamp: Two Notes Le Clean Power supply: Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Digital Audio cables: Van Damme XKE 6mm unbalanced Audio jacks: KMMK SPS5 SquarePlug. Straight Mono Jack. 1/4", 6.35mm Audio jacks: KMMK SP550-S SquarePlug. Pancake Style Jack. TRS Right Angled 1/4" 6.35mm MIDI cable: One Control OC-MHC-30 Power to helix: Voodoo Lab Current Doubler Adapter PPAP into Voodoo Lab 5.5mm/2.1mm centre negative DC cable trimmed to fit 5.5mm/2.5mm straight barrel push fit power cable plug (rated for 5A, 12V) Power to preamp: Voodoo Lab 2.1mm centre negative DC cable trimmed to fit 5.5mm/2.1mm straight barrel push fit power cable plug (rated for 5A, 12V) Pedal board 18mm marine plywood Cable Tie mount 12.5x12.5 3M dual lock 20mm aluminium extrusion (1mm thick, 18mm inner). 18mm inner dimension is actually slightly tapered, so it was banged on with rubber mallet and is not going anywhere. StarTech.com 1-1/4in Dia. Self-Adhesive Rubber Feet for PC Cases Case SKB iSeries 2015-10, 3i-2015-10BC Notes on pedal board The power supply is rated for 1.6A, and currently draws all of it (1.1A from HX Effects and 0.5A from Le Preamp) so it runs very hot. To be replaced with CIOKS DC7 or Eventide Powermax eventually. Notes on Two Notes Le Clean preamp The MIDI cable sends a program change from the HX Effects to the preamp to put it into "cold fusion" mode automatically when a preset is loaded. This command is sent as an instant command on each preset. The Le Clean has two channels and can combine them in series ("hot fusion") or run them in parallel ("cold fusion"). I originally believed that Le Preamp could produce 4 channels of increased gain staging - clean, crunch, "cold fusion" and "hot fusion". However this is not the case, since getting "cold fusion" to work with "hot fusion" is impossible - when the gain and fusion knobs are setup to allow a natural increase in gain from clean, crunch and hot fusion, these settings cause the cold fusion to become incredibly loud and unpleasant. I also found that the settings required for getting "cold fusion" or "hot fusion" to sound their best required pretty odd EQs, compromising the sound of the clean and crunch channels when used on their own. Therefore, the options I had were: clean and crunch; or cold fusion; or hot fusion. The HX Effects has so much gain staging options that it just wasn't necessary to bother with multiple channels anyway, so I use the Le Clean as a single channel preamp and base everything around the "cold fusion" mode which I think sounds the best. Cold fusion allows for a rich clean that is just on the edge of breaking up, and therefore takes pedals from the HX Effects very nicely. It requires a very non-intuitive EQ to sound its best though. Notes on tone/presets The preamp is EQ'd to sound great clean without any drives. Rather than getting lost in all the IR options, I opted to audition the the Line 6 Allure pack, which all sound very different. I settled on the 90's Cali V30 (Mesa 4x12). I use 5 different presets, the only thing different between them is the distortion pedal. I auditioned lots of combos and eventually settled on the Timmy as the basis, using the Pete Cornish method of putting higher gain before it. The theory didn't always work though since some distortion pedals have very strong EQs: Timmy -> Zendrive (both sound good but this order sounds less muffled) Timmy -> King of Tone (lots of mids this way round but other way removes all the bass) Carvin legacy -> Timmy Tube screamer -> Timmy OCD -> Timmy (lots of mids but other way is too mid cut) Screamer and KOT sound the best. KOT has very subtle gain build up which is great for clean playing (e.g. at church). Screamer just sounds very pleasantly balanced and not distracting - not too bright, muffled or boomy, and can get really heavy when the gain is turned up, which is what I use snapshot 2 for. Snapshot 2 contains different settings for the Timmy and distortion pedals. Generally I drop the level of the overdrive and distortion pedals and turn up the gain to compensate. This enables snapshot 2 to function like a gain boost. The Xotic EP boost on footswitch 6 provides a volume boost, and I can combine them both if required. Notes on snapshot toggle By assigning a HX Snapshot command to my footswitch to change to snapshot 2, I can push footswitch 3 when I'm snapshot 1 to move to snapshot 2, then press it again to go back to snapshot 1. This enables me to toggle the gain boost on/off using a footswitch just like the volume boost. HX snapshot command is a 2.90 feature, so isn't in the manual. Toggling between snapshot requires setting "Global settings>Preferences>Snapshot reselect" to "Toggle prev". This is a 2.80 features so not in the manual either. I also ensure that "Snapshot bypass" is "off" for all my blocks, which is configured under the "Action" menu. This ensures that toggling between snapshots doesn't mess with any block on/off settings. This is a 2.80 features so not in the manual either.

Phil. Thanks so much for the quick response and clarifying that. I still think it would be better to allow more command parameters to be set on a snapshot level, as currently the command centre is a bit of a mixed economy between preset and snapshot level settings Fortunately I have managed to find a workaround and can now switch between snapshot 1 and 2 with one footswitch by using the snapshot toggle setting added in firmware 2.80: Snapshot Reselect Helix Floor, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT, HX Effects, HX Stomp Currently, pressing the currently active Snapshot switch will reload the stored state of that snapshot. With 2.80, you can now choose to instead toggle between it and the previously selected snapshot. For example, if you're on Snapshot 2 and switch to Snapshot 8, pressing the Snapshot 8 footswitch will seamlessly toggle between Snapshot 8 and Snapshot 2. From the Global Settings > Preferences menu, turn Snapshot Reselect to choose "Reload" or "Toggle Prev." "Reload" remains the default. I combine this with another 2.80 feature: Snapshot Bypass Helix Floor, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT, Helix Native, HX Effects, HX Stomp, HX Edit There may be situations where you don't want Helix's snapshots to control a particular block's bypass state; that is, you'd prefer to turn it on and off manually. For example, you may want manual control of a boost pedal at any time without worrying whether a particular snapshot might turn it on or off. Depending on your type of Helix/HX product, follow the procedure below: Helix Floor/Rack/LT—Select a processing block, press ACTION, and set Knob 5 (Snapshot Bypass) to "Off" to disable snapshot control of that block's bypass state HX Effects—Select a processing block, press ACTION, and press the "Snapshot Bypass" switch to disable snapshot control of that block's bypass state HX Stomp—From Edit view, select a processing block, press ACTION, press PAGE >, and set Knob 3 (Snapshot Bypass) to "Off" to disable snapshot control of that block's bypass state Helix Native/HX Edit—Right-click (Mac: control-click) on a processing block and uncheck "Snapshot Bypass." Alternatively, right-click (Mac: control-click) the Bypass button to uncheck "Snapshot Bypass." By assigning a HX Snapshot command to my footswitch to change to snapshot 2, I can push the footswitch when I'm snapshot 1 to move to snapshot 2, then press it again to go back to snapshot 1. Changing snapshot doesn't mess with any block on/off settings. Exactly what I was trying to do. I can't wait for the 3.0 user manual to tie all the functionality together again. The combination of 2.8's snapshot toggle and snapshot bypass and 2.9's HX snapshot command is indispensable for HX Effects users like me who can quickly run out of footswitches and want instant access to another snapshot.

Helix device: HX Effects Firmware/Editor: Firmware 2.92; HX Edit 2.92 Feature: Command Centre -> HX Snapshot Command Behaviour: In Command Centre, using the new HX Snapshot command, I have noticed that the parameters I assign are shared across all snapshots. This happens in both HX Edit and when using the HX Effects. For example, if I edit the HX snapshot command on snapshot 1, then switch to snapshot 2 and change the "press" behaviour, the setting I've just changed in snapshot 2 overwrites those previously setup in snapshot 1. It is therefore impossible for a footswitch command in snapshot 1 to switch to snapshot 2, and then for the same footswitch to switch back to snapshot 1 (my intended behaviour is attached in the screenshot below - to be clear, by changing the assignment in shapshot 2 the settings in snapshot 1 are overwritten). Expected behaviour: parameters I've assigned in other commands, such as instant commands, can be altered and saved per snapshot. I was expecting the parameters for HX snapshot commands to also be snapshot specific. Question: is this behaviour a bug, or a deliberate limitation that I should raise as a feature request?