PierM

On 6/7/2023 at 8:08 PM, Mareckiwt said:

Why do you think it wont happen? A standalone app for ipad would be a killer. Or at least line6 we’d appreciate hx edit for iPad os.

Because it would need an almost complete re-code.

There are solid rumors of a light version of MacOs version that should run in new iPads Pro (starting from the series 6 M2) and live together with the standard iPadOS. Fingercrossed!

On 7/23/2023 at 12:15 PM, chumbo said:

 
Has anyone attempted to make some repairs on their HX Stomp? Doesn't look like it's something you can easily open and tinker with.

HX Stomp is just an another PCB based electronic device, with 99% of the components directly soldered on the board. Unless you have the skills, the experience and proper tools to work with such devices, I wouldnt even try. Isnt exactly like changing a pot in a strat and you risk to create even more damages. :)

For a pro this is a very easy task, and shouldnt cost you much. Same with L6 taking care of it, probably a bit more expensive but with extra guarantees that it's gonna be a correct job.

Interesting philosophy.

So spending my time to make a video for you, was rude. Asking you to use higher buffers was rude. Suggesting to upgrade all GPU drivers was rude. Suggesting to not unload the plugins, but to act on their mix levels instead to prevent performance inbalance, was rude. Did you even try any of these suggestions? 

Welcome to my ignore list, enjoy the good company. o/

On 7/23/2023 at 6:06 AM, Ron765 said:

Buying a used HX Stomp can I register it in my name 

Please do not start multiple threads for the same issue.

Yes you can. You just have to contact support and prove you are the new legit owner. The serial will be removed from the previous owner and you'll be able to register on your own account.

Happened to me twice. I did sell a bunch of L6 gear without deleting it from my list in the account (I totally forgot), and I've seen those serials were gone from my gear list, couple of weeks after the sell, as per request of the new owner to L6.

Broken encoder. Contact support.

Yes. You just need a L6 account (like this one you are using to post) to access the download function. The gear registration isnt mandatory, but I'd suggest to ask the previous owner to delete that HX Stomp serial from his Account if registered, so that you can register it under your account for assistance and support purposes.

You can still add this serial, asking support to L6 and proving you are the new owner of this unit.

On 7/21/2023 at 3:07 PM, someone89a said:

 

The biggest problem is they weren't in realtime - all were bypassed...

 

FL Studio doesnt have a freeze mechanic so what I do to get around that is to set up a single channel with all my Helix instances, then activate the tone I need and record from the output of the mixer channel. I am used to using lots of realtime instances running at once on my MacBook - the CPU usage was never too bad - however I never took into consideration the RAM usage. This could be slowing down everything far more if Helix is eating up RAM for breakfast, or worse, leaking it.

 

To me looks your problem isn't Native, but FL Studio. :)

Jokes apart, if the instances are bypassed this will cause a big CPU/RAM spike when you'll turn them on again. Not sure what kind of studio work you are doing, so I cant offer particular suggestions or opinions, but usually I do rather keep all Native instances working, as well as most demanding blocks (like timing blocks, reverbs, delays, pitch etc). I do control both Native instances overall volume (signal mix) and demanding blocks (instead of using bypass I do command their level in the path), via extra controls acting via MIDI, so that I don't create an imbalance in the CPU/RAM when loading/unloading all these elements while working. Also this allow me to keep an eye on the project resource average requirement, avoiding surprises along the way.

But again, I don't know FL Studio and depends what kind of project you are dealing with.

Anyway, have you tried using much higher audio buffers, I mean like 1024 or 2048? This will help with all those plugins being loaded and unloaded all the time.

On 7/21/2023 at 1:10 PM, datacommando said:

he has run more than 20 instances of Helix in a project on his 2010 MacPro, along with lots of other DSP intensive plugs like Omnisphere, etc.

 

Running 20 or even 30 instances of Native isnt an issue per se, totally true. You will get clipping with CPU load as soon as signals are hitting all blocks involved in each of those istances. I start getting CPU spikes even with just 4 instances...but of course if nothing is being played through those tracks, CPU isnt doing much. And then depends what blocks are being used in each of those instances. With poly pitch for example, things can go bananas pretty quick.

Btw this shouldnt be a problem for normal studio work, where CPU spikes arent big deal, and you could always use crazy high buffers.

I believe OP isnt actually getting particular issues, just asking Native and his system to do miracles. :)

On 7/21/2023 at 12:54 AM, someone89a said:

Does anyone else have Native take up like 6gb of RAM on a project? FL Studio tells me what my project RAM usage is - it was 7gb but it turns out all the helix instances had crashed (I had about 6 instances - all bypassed). When I reloaded - this shot up to 13gb... Is this normal? I assume its indexing all the models but does it need to do it for each instance..?

Six instances of reatime Native without tracks freeze it's just a huge effort you are asking to your system. 

On 7/20/2023 at 3:19 PM, someone89a said:

Oh thats certainly a quicker load than I get - but also a much much slower close than I get!

 

It's system dependant, I'm pretty sure about that. And probably it also depends on what's being used into the presets. Who knows.

I've a zen approach to music, so I can deal with that 4 second close. :) 

On 7/20/2023 at 2:07 PM, someone89a said:

Or maybe I'm just extremely petty and the loading times are fine. But I've noticed them for 5 years so I don't think I'm going mad...

Just did a quick video so we can see if we are on the same page (Live 11, MacBook Pro M1). If you watch it, turn on the audio as I slammed the mouse clicks so you can hear when I load the plugin and when I unload it. As you can see it opens pretty much instantly, but it takes some time to close (average 4 seconds or more, just random). Always been like that for me (no difference between Live, or Gig Performer or whatever other DAW I used), so I never felt the need to flag it as a problem to solve.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sl8ucb5rhzp5gye/Video 20-07-23%2C 14 33 14.mov?dl=0

I understand the feeling; when these things happen and you dont get the answers you were expecting, it can be annoying.

Said that, Im also a long time Native user (no FL Studio tho), and I dont remember any of these problems in both Windows and MacOS platforms. Plugin opens as any other similar plugin (I wouldnt compare the time needed to open a Valhalla plugin with the time needed to open Native - for example...That's quite a big difference). Also no issues with VST3 and Live 10, nor 11. It's true Native requires more time than other plugins to be closed, this is something I have in any DAW. Always been like that since early versions, could be something related to its memory management, but yeah, never been a big deal for me. If you wait for Line 6 to rework their code to improve the unload timing, you'd probably get old. I'd try to reorganise my workflow to avoid too many load and unload of Native during a session if waiting few seconds to close it's something you can't deal with. :) 

Keep in mind Native has a busy UI, so there is some GPU work behind it. It needs extra cycles to render all that interface, and I wouldnt be surprised to find that your issues are related to that. Try updating your GPU drivers, and if you are using a double GPU system, check you are running DAWs with the powerul GPU available.

Hi. Has been discussed a billion of times. So you can do a search in the forums or;

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=what+expression+pedal+is+compatible+with+Line+6+Helix

There is a global bypass but it does require two buttons (MODE button + TAP footswitch) to be pressed simultaneously.

On 7/18/2023 at 3:19 PM, jbrink09 said:

Hi all. I have had a Line6 Helix for several years now (2016) and have used it regularly, but have never really kept up with the firmware updates. I think I may have done it once. (I know, I know….).

 

My question is, is it worth trying to update the firmware at this point? I am many, many versions behind and am afraid that updating might brick the Helix altogether, but am looking for some other opinions.

 

Thanks for your time.

Depends on you and your own needs.

Just read what have been fixed, improved or added in the various firmware upgrades, and made your decision based on that.

Im still a version behind because latest version broken something for me, so I understand your concerns.

On 7/16/2023 at 9:02 AM, Guido_59 said:

@PierM

The airflow of fan is directed to the bottom of Stomp ?

Yeah. I have a rockboard pedalboard, so there is plenty of airflow underneath. 

On 7/13/2023 at 6:21 PM, Guido_59 said:

Do you suggest to ventilate side where is located power CC input?

The HX Stomp doesnt have vents as other similar devices so it's all about pulling some heat from its chassis...what Im doing now is to place a 5V quiet fan under my pedalboard (powered by a 9V to 5V converter, plugged into the Zuma), where the stomp sits. The airflow created under the pedalboard (that does also hit the stomp through the pedalboard grill) does help to dissipate the heat from the HX Stomp chassis, and any other pedal around it. Always found odd the lack of termal efficiency on modern pedals...

On 7/13/2023 at 5:51 PM, rossfr said:

Hi, I had some kind of an issue right now after several years of perfectly fine use of the helix rack : my start button did some cracking noise and then smoke (kind of plastic electric smell...) and helix just shut off... My heart stopped beating a few second, just restarted the rack and it looks ok.

 

well, I dont know if I should still use it of have it checked? the garanty is over since some time now...

 

   It looks to me like some kind of electric problem with the button itself, if I give it a gentle press, it start to crackle again, like a bad contact. dont know if I should try to open and check someting inside. 

 

thanks for any advices.

The power switch on the helix rack I had, was also producing some bad electric arcs, so I know what you are experiencing here. I remember the crackle noise when turning on or off. Pretty nasty.

Probably you got a bad one, and the overcurrents protection shut down the unit to prevent damages.

My suggestion is to keep the switch ON, and plug the unit on a power strip with its own switch that you'll be using to turn on and off the Helix.

Dont worry as this isnt doing anything different than using the Helix Rack switch, as this last one is exactly placed in front of the entire power supply circuit board.

Of course, would be better to get this switch replaced, but in the meanwhile you can keep using the Helix if you want, in a safely way. 

On 7/12/2023 at 3:36 AM, MeanJean said:

I practice with apps on my iPhone. I just bought a new Helix floor in April and can't figure out how to run my iPhone through it.  

In my old POD HD500xl there was an input. Not so with Helix. I've tried the AUX in but all the effects are added on top. I tried the returns but nothing sounds.  Please help. Tired of double headphones!

If you have an iPhone with Lightning port (old gen) you can buy a lightning to USB AV adapter, and plug the Helix directly in that USB adapter going into iPhone. You will get USB audio from the iPhone passing through Helix USB channels 1 and 2 because iOS will see the Helix as a compliant USB Audio Interface and it will accept bidirectional USB audio through it. The audio stream in the USB channel 1/2 will be unaffected by the Helix effects, so it will be perfect for your purpose.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter

If you have a new iPhone, with USB C port, you only need a USB A (female) to USB C (male) adapter, and do the same thing as the above.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1M2AM/A/usb-c-to-usb-adapter

On 7/12/2023 at 11:29 AM, datacommando said:

Hi,

 

If there was any cause for alarm, the usual place to check is in the coloured banners across the top of this page. There was a notice about an overheating issue with wireless Relay G10 posted up there for many months.

 

Let’s check with out Italian contributor,

@PierM - Are you aware of this? Nobody seems to think it’s true.

 

 

HX Stomp does for sure produce some heat, but it's mostly related to the power section around the DC inductor area. Those can reach some very high temp, especially in hot environments. Is it possible for this part to be affected by a different firmware? Unlikely as currents should always be in the tolerance range with DSP running full throttle (I hope) but it's not something completely impossible to happen.

Said all that, I never heard anything about that story. I still keep my HX Stomp well ventilated. :) 

Global Settings--->Footswitches--->Swap UP/Down

On 7/5/2023 at 4:42 AM, DannyMcO said:

Is "Why" meant to be a "What are the advantages you expect to gain from this setup"?
Or is it more of a "Why the heck would you do that?"

I was genuinely curious, as a stereo image needs identic audio sources (in terms of phase and response, volume etc.) to happen. By the sound of your description, sounded like you were trying to achieve stereo image by using a real amp, with his own phase and frequency response, and powercab through the Helix, with another phase and a completely different frequency response. On paper this is like having a guitar player and an amp in the room on the left, and a record of that same guy playing in another room, through a mic'ed amp, on the right channel. But I'm sure I didn't get the intent.

So yeah, was just curious to know the goal of doing a such complex routing in a diminished returns context.

The safest setting is to use FS1,2 and 3 in block bypass mode, to use them to turn block bypass on or off. In this case, if you press FS1+2, or any other combination, nothing more than bypass switch would happen. The most risky setting, is to use the FS in preset mode. There if you press two FS at the same time, the system goes bananas, flashing and hanging...and Im not even sure what is doing or what is supposed to do. I presume this is what's happening to you.

Unfortunately, there is nothing to prevent that other than not using the FS to select presets. What I suggest is to set them in block bypass mode and be more careful when stomping. :)

If you need to browse presets, you could add an external switch with two FS, that you can assign as FS4 and FS5, or preset navigation. The Ampero dual switch works flawless.

On 7/3/2023 at 6:48 PM, MGW-Alberta said:

 

Probably because that's the equipment that he has and he wants to try stereo without purchasing more

 

 

I didnt ask you. Did I?

A Mesa Mark VII and a Powercab in a stereo setup?

Why?