RJKole

Dear Community, I would like to share a tool that i wrote for the Helix / HX Stomp which allows you to convert Patches from Firmware > 3.15 to 3.15 , to replace and/or randomize models / view presets offline (limited to models, DSP0-4, no routing connectors). The tool started first as a converter, at the end it turned out as a preset randomizer. Its pretty simple to use (please read the README for "How to"). NOTE : BASS cabs and amps are not yet supported , the main goal was to randomize guitar presets. Faq: - Why convert to 3.15 and not 2.8 or 3.7? I am on 3.15 and wanted to use patches newer then 3.15. If you are on 3.7 for example you still can convert 3.8 > 3.15 , though you would loose the models 3.5 or 3.7. The tool will let you know when a model is unknown (newer) and let you change it manually to another 3.15 model. - Randomize, whats that ? I wrote several randomizers and for the Helix i decided to randomize only within a category. For example klicking on a reverb will replace a block with a random reverb and not an amp. This provides more nice sounds instead of a wild random preset. Please try it out and youll see. - Will be there a randomizer for Firmware 3.81 presets ? If someone provides me with ALL machines from 3.81 in single hlx presets, i can make a 3.81 database . for now there is only a 3.15 database included (except the bass amps and cabs) - What means "view offline" ? You can view presets offline with this tool, meaning you do not need to be connected to your device ( all firmwares > ~2,92 ) - My random preset is emtpy , why ? Helix does not allow ceratin model combinations, so in some cases, especially on larger random presets, Helix refuses to load ist. The software has no verification for that. DONT Overwrite your Original Presets , make backups !!! If something doesnt go right, please dont tear me apart, this tool was mainly written for personal use, i just want to share it with those who like to experiment. Get the tool here: https://rjkole.com/helix.php

@waymda Yes of corse, very carefully !

@datacommando that 2.92 -> 3.7 update was done when 3.8 hasent existed yet . @jpdennisthanks for the information, since i got (hope) my 2.92 presets now sound all ok with 3.15 and it took me almost a whole day to manuall drag the single presets over again like described above, i would not dare to try 3.8 now. I could not tell exactly under which circumstances sounds were broken (2.92->3.15) and i dont want to go through that fixing process again. I remember one (dont remenber which one) Amp/Cab was totally overdriven and either too low in output or too load, especially together with certain ODs and Dynamics, Clean Sounds were less affected IIRC, though high output guitars easily produced a distirtion were none was expected. (possibly input issue). The most interesting part was that i was able to fix that by dragging single presets over to the HX Edit (on top of the already rerstored ones !).

@jpdennis Many official firmware update infos answer "can i go straight fromm xx to xx" with "yes". So i assumed going from 292 to 301 oder 315 as well as from 292 to 37 would only require the install of the corresponding HX Edit. Thats what i did, for 292->37 i installed the HX Edit that comes with the Firmware Download, before that i made my backup with the 292 HX Edit. - Install HX Edit 37 - Factory Reset -> Restore everything from Backup 292. Same procedure with any other upgrade.

Thanks everyone for your comments, The reason for my post was that i kept having trouble updating my Helixes (i got two of them). I went from 2,92 to 3,71 a while ago and had serious sound issues (no global adjustments were made, at all, backups and Up/downgrades where all made carfully). I went back to 2,92 and everything was fine. Now a while later i got me a HX stomp and for maximum compatibility i updated all devices to 3,15 and guess what ! again some (IIRC Amps&Cabs) messed up the audio again. Aftergoing back and forward several times i ended up dragging every single patch manully into the corresponding slot. That was the only solution to get that sound back from my original 2,92 patches. I was able to immediatley hear the bad sound going away when dragging the single hlx tones over the ones i previously had restored from the 2.29 backups. I "heard" that this was quite normal when changes have been made to one or more models. Note: of course not every single patch was affected but enough to grow some grey hair. support: "The only thing that could happen if there's always the same amp or effects used in a preset and there was a change made, like a bugfix or optimization of a parameter. But this would be a special coincidence , not on a general scale "

Hello, i have learned that after Firmware updates patches may sound different to before and the user has to "readjust" them. Now i wonder if you guys went through this each time you made an Update (may be even with 1024 presets) ?

LOL, your so right. Dumb question, perhaps a leftover from a recent stroke. Thanks for your comment though :-)

Hello, A real world guitar amp usually has a speaker that does not exceed abt. 5/6000 Hz. So you can put as much distortion/gain/EQ into it you wont hear frequencies above that range period. Against a Helix cab/amp fed into a studio rig will produce way more frequencies above that range. You will very likely hear way more hisss and sss as with that guitar speaker. I was wondering WHAT is the real Sound of a guitar, what comes from the real cab oder the helix cab fed into studio speakers ? ( This could possibly lead to the insight that helix cabs are required to cut off near 5000/6000Hz for a "real world" sound, i heard so many Helix Sounds that sound awful in my ears just because of that hsss, sss above the range mentioned, easily to achieve on a digital unit imO but yes again maybe interesting to discuss about whats real or not ) Your opinions ?

Thank you !

Hello, what is the earliest firmware that HX Stomp XL can run on ?

Hello, thanks for the reply and beeing so detailed, You are absolutely right i should have went the steps you mentiend for a better comparison, but as mentioned earlier, the first time after i installed 370 starting with my own presets i noticed right away that something sounds different, thats why i did all this. I indeed loaded the 292 presets into 370, made factory resets and rebuilt presets, i even did that a couple of times to be shure, didnt i mention ? My guess was also the 3.50 changes were responsible for the unit sounding different (for my ears), what i read about it on the firmware pages seems to explain things to me. I am shurely not intended of convincing people, its just something that i noticed. I may have an over sensitive hearing, i am glad the majority of users likes it the way it sounds now and i am also glad that we have the possibility to go back to an earlier firmware so everyone can be satisfied with the product. Ive been more then satisfied with the Helix ever since, so theres no reason for me to make the product bad. If i sounded arrogant or rude, i apologize. Not easy as a foreign user to bring things properly over in an english forum. @Schmalle I appreciate the time you put into uploading a clip. The clip made me more convinced that there is no or negligible audible difference between said firmware versions. I may not should have done this. Each human has a different hearing, ask 100 people for 200 different answers. I mainly was pointing to the upper heights that come out too sharp in my ears . Thats why i (homorous) mentioned Behringer ;-)

Judge yourself. Just a few tones, 3 Samples , each 292 followed by 370. 1. Factory 1-001 , 2. Some Dire Straits patch from somewhere , 3. Factory 1-072. In my ears 370 sounds much flatter, crackling and shrill, 290 richer, warmer and more natural. https:/rjkole.com/p_temp/Helix.wav All samples have been normalized. Ok, 370 to 371, my mistake, but may be interesting how things change sometimes.

Today i sat down for many hours comparing 292 with 370 using the exact same settings, same speakers, same guitar, same phrases with the same 10 different presets (from 292 and settings backup) on both firmwares, eq is OFF of corse. The recodings clearly showed a difference. 370 against 292 produces way more treble (hiss, hsss,sss) which may gives the impression of a somehow "clearer" sound, but makes certain presets sound rather like a behringer vamp then a helix . 292 sounds way warmer to me (slight lower trebble or upper mid boost), the antialiasing is there but not in the way. I do not know what Line 6 did, but 370 sounds definatly worse then 292. Too much sss hsss, shhh, certain presets sound rather flat compared to 292. 370 sounds like the signal goes through a slight final compression with a misaligned exiter. I have no idea when these "changes" have been introduced, so ill stick with 292 for now. Dont really have the nerve to try out 196 different firmwares in order just to sneak a few new effects. For the everage or new user the difference may be not noticable,but when comparing recordings side by side you clearly notice the difference. The difference is less noticable on presets with lots of delay and reverb, but rather on tight dry presets which are supposed to sound clear. 370 seems to overdo it somehow with "fidelity" which you (i) dont really need in the studio. You may try a Strat with a Dire Straits preset in position Pickup 4 then you may know what i am talking about. When i first tried 370 i immediately had the impression of beeing something not right, now i know for shure. The only positive thing about 370 i could discover soundwise was less antialiasing like descibed IIRC around 350, heights sound cleaner, but there are too many of them unfortunately.

... just restored the impulses as well. Hard to tell if all thats only in my head, but i have the feeling that my pathes are slightly more velocity sensitive as before. The behringer effect seems to be less noticable now.

Thanks for the hint, ill try this immediately. Let me aks another question: Did the Helix Software recently underwent any changes in concern of "improved" sound clarity or something ? My patches sound rather like behringer then Line6 now hsss psss hfff. .. Ok ill try you suggestion first :-)

I am having the same problem. May i point to my posting here I wonder how the opener has solved his problem.

Hello experts, I updated from 2,92 to 3,70 . Before that i made a backup. Once 3,70 was installed i made a factory reset , then loaded back my user presets form the previous backup. When restoring data from a backup, HXedit (3.7) i have the following options: - Settings - Impulse Data - Presets I choosed settings and presets, not Impule Data because i am not shure if this would mess up the new impulses from 3,70. Now my presets seem not to sound right, important presets seem much more sensitive and the guitar seems to sound distorted easier when playing it. Global input settings are set to "auto". Guitar hasent changed. Unfortunately i cant go back and compare. Now my questions, 1 - can anyone confirm this ? 2 - is this perhaps intended ? 3- Do i need to tick "impulse data" too when restoring presets from a backup ? any hints appreciated !

I apologize for asking dumb questions to professionals. Next time will buy beginners hardware whenever i want to become creative out of reach of a computer. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks for your kind comment. I read the above about "USB" but the devices i am using, unfortunately do not have "USB" :-(

I just cant beleive this "Ultraflexible" invention (or was "Behringer" saying this about one of his units, whatever..) does not let a user creatively jump from preset to preset while listening to an external sound source in order to find a suiting sound.The way Helix is treating input signals is completely against any idea of creativity with such an advented unit. This could be so easily solved be simply extending the headphone monitor with another software routing to the return inputs or just mixing them into the headphone monitor. This way the headphone monitor would make more sense too. Very disappointing.

Nothing really, i was just curious if my unit was fully functional in this concern.

Thanks for anwering, its a helix floor i am using. It doesn't light in normal operation but it does under LED test :-) ..so i assume it cant be configured either for whatever use?

Couldnt find anything in the manual neither on the web. Question: Is the LED Ring of Switch #6 it supposed to show color or is that a "dead" LED Ring period ? Thanks RJ

Oh i see, THANKS !