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PierM

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Posts posted by PierM

  1. You can connect your Axe L/R output to the FH1500 monitor input, and set gain pot to zero (middle position). This scheme is already bypassing the effect/modeling chain in the amp, but it's better to create a FH1500 preset with all OFF, so you don't get extra noise produced by blocks running in the preset, despite the fact you are not running through that route.

     

    To do so you can use the Firehawk app, create a preset with all blocks off, and in the amp section you can load a NO AMP model from the "clean" amp list. Save this as "BLANK PRESET" and put it in your Tones, or store it in the Amp. Just remember to load this preset every time you use your AXE.

     

    In alternative, you can connect your AXE L/R to the L/R Returns in the FH1500. In both cases check both units are running at same Line or Instrument level.

    • Upvote 1
  2. Sigh.

     

    Helix came back just now. Rotary is now working, but the right selection is sluggish as hell. You need to push really hard to make it working, and it does not make the typical "click".

     

    What a pain in the butt. Really tempted to throw the thing out of the window.

  3. I have zero issues with people asking money for their work. My personal experience is that they probably won't work as teased because of all Non-Helix variables. Guitar, pickup, speakers, style, room/ambient and sometimes, firmware version which does f--k up the entire patch.

     

    I tried once, buying a jazz tone pack from Scott, and none of them was barely usable for me, while they were sounding nice on the tease video. Was also an odd routing style which does not work for me. Also, the patch creation is one of the best parts of creating a tone. A pleasure with the Helix interface.

    • Upvote 1
  4. Problem with Helix reverbs is trails are too harsh and, as for basically everything else, they needs to be cut properly through the low/high cuts you have in the reverb block... but I've to say, if you manage to try a BigSky, there is no competition, probably because they have lot of post modulation options to "detach" the trails from the main dry, producing a round tone without flooding the signal as the Helix does. I also find the Helix reverbs are lacking dynamics, they tends to be flat and clamped. I'm confident they'll be improved soon or later.

  5. Overtones indeed. I've this problem with a seven strings guitar which for some reason does not tune with Helix, especially on low B and G strings, but instead reading wrong notes it does not read any note, at all. Only using harmonics "solve" the issue. I didn't try the "tone down" trick, I'll give it a try!

  6. Using 3 cables for W/D/W is limiting the block routing capabilities by a good 70/80% and it also force you to have multiple version of the same patch to be used with 2 cables, live and studio. Would work much better with 3 cables and few stomp box on the ground. Helix is to much power wasted for the scheme.

  7. Anyone own both and compare them properly? :-) 

     

    They are all great, but RedWire are very hardcore productions, with average 800 iRs per cab, subdivided by average 18 mics each. A single cab has average 7000 IRs, for different frequencies, different hardware etc. It's pro material but probably more studio oriented than guitar player. At least that what I feel myself, as too much stuff to play with, for me, it's not always a good thing. It's really a massive amount of material that sometimes may make you feeling sick of tweaking and trying and comparing etc etc.

     

    I've all of them, but now I do prefer 3Sigma. They are great quality, but just a bunch of variations per cab, so I don't have to go crazy with things and more important, I don't feel like I still have a million of iRs to test before find the right one. :)

  8. Helix should imho use way less "open" low/high cuts, out of the box, as this is most of the time just introducing fizz, boomy tones and unpleasant high frequency noises. This is especially true when using IRs. It's really suggested to set low cuts and high cuts to play around realistic guitar speaker ranges, so something around 70Hz for Lows and 5KHz for highs.

  9. When you send your stereo signal into the FH1500 you have a DSP wich has no clue about the signal composition. So for that stage you have just a composite signal (helix amps plus effexts) to be processed just at amplitude and frequency domain, through a digital compressor (which is part of DSP). That is then passing various frequencies to the different speakers. Limiters there are kicking to protect coaxial to be overloaded, and this is muffling the incoming signal. When you use the amp alone, DSP does know what every block is doing, it does recognize dry from wet, amp simulation from a reverb etc. Signal is not a composite as it happens when using the stereo inputs. Distribution here is then optimized for wet/dry/wet and the output its way more open and clear, and because of that you get no crazy limiters muffling the output.

  10. I did several side to side comparisons between the Helix amps and HD amps in the FH1500. Compared amps which are in both the units, using exactly same settings and mics.

     

    They are the same tone. Helix has more mics and more options to tweak things, but using available settings on both, they are the same tone, bit by bit. I wouldn't be surprised to discover it's same algo running in both DSPs, with the Helix version using more branches to work inside the Helix patch structure. 

     

    Problem is, as already said several times over here, the FH1500 sounds muffled when you use an external stereo source entering the amp (does not matter which stereo input you use), as it has pretty aggressive limiter section which is capping the dynamic as soon as you push on the source. Even if you make all speakers working, it's the crossover operation which is different, so you have different pass and different limits between the two usage (FRFR or standalone).

    So yes, the amp alone does sounds better but doesn't have same range of amps and effects as Helix has.

     

    You should try yourself if you can, because along forums you'll find people saying lot of things and sometimes protecting their investment with a bit wishful thinking, but really, I would not ever suggest a FH1500 for a guy who needs a FRFR for its helix. StageSources are working way better if you want to stay in the L6 family.

     

    Said that, I now have the Helix out for repair, and I'm using the FH1500 as backup and believe me, the sound it's stellar. The presence in the room and the clarity of the tone it's top notch. All things I never get pairing it with my Helix.

     

    Good luck. :)

  11. Thomann, where I bought my own, has 3 years of full warranty but I would not want a unit replace. Would mean getting another unit with probably same issue ready to pop up, soon or later. I do prefer mine to be fixed as it should have been from the factory.

     

    My point is does not matter telling other people where we bought our units, as the problem happens on various stores and stocks, from all around the world. Would just mean scaring people about specific stores, which never been a valid variable. Just for example, I'm from Italy and in that same thread you have people from the other side of the globe.

  12. In theory a device using processors, and operative systems, has a back end shutdown cycle, which is engaged as soon as you turn off the unit on the back and this means you should not turn off the device BEFORE the unit built in on/off switch, as this should be pretty much like an abrupt power off.

  13. Yeah. Problem is when you have people who can barely use an hammer, doing soldering for a product which does cost 1500$.

     

    As for the floorboard, I use it on a stand. The only day touched the floor was when arrived home, first day (the avatar).

  14. Yeah, I would have been able to fix that myself but I don't want to void the warranty. I've 3 years and it's still to end the first one. Curious it's not first time I read it's more about a soldering issue than a joystick failure. Since there is not any kind of traction on those soldering (I really can't imagine anything moving on the back of the joystick), wondering how bad they have to be to self break after just a bit of time. Probably cold welds there.

  15. FarleyUK, PierM, and bassguy129;

     

    When did you each get your Helix?

    From what vendor?

    Floor or Rack version?

     

    Doesn't really matter. I've seen tonnes of these reports in the facebook page and it's all around the world, along the year.

  16. I'm betting they have a run of some bad parts from their supplier.  As we all know, L6 wasn't expecting to be selling as many as they are.  When you push your suppliers for more parts faster, well... stuff happens, typically bad.  Hopefully, they've got that supplier under control now, or found another....

     

    Dunno.

     

    All I know is if it will happen again I'll hack the unit and separate the jog from the rotary, installing a planar D pad and a separate rotary selector. Waiting more than a month for this rubbish it does drive me crazy really.

  17. It's my turn. Joystick gone.

     

    Sending the unit back to repair.

     

    Sad thing, apart the time I'll have to wait, it's I almost never used that part, as I edit 90% of the time with the PC, and the unit never touched the floor, as I use it on a stand...

     

    They must be using crappy 2 cents parts or made out of cheese....

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