yoMuzicMan

Line6 Support got back to me with these comments: "It's been on the known issues list since 2.92 (happens on HX One, too). I'm not sure where it stands in the pipeline to be fixed, I'll bring it forth to our QA/product manager. I recommend keeping eye on the release notes on future firmware release to see what's been fixed or pending."

@rd2rk, thanks for confirming. I submitted a request to support just before posting this discussion. I'll update the case notes with a link to this discussion so they can see that others (at last you) experience the same issue. Thanks!

No, the issue isn't due to copy/paste. I just suggested that as a way to reproduce the issue. Simply create 2 presets manually with the Kinky Boost to hear the issue.

When I create a preset on the HX Stomp XL or Helix Rack (firmware 3.71) with the Kinky Boost pedal, I hear a thump sound when i change to that preset. You can reproduce this by creating to new preset, putting Kinky Boost on the first block, save it. Then copy this preset to another adjacent preset. Then switch back and forth between the 2 presets to hear the thump sound. Anyone else experiencing this?

You may have missed my question in my previous post. Do you have a part # I can reference with Full Compass for the 1/2" jack on the Shuriken SR250?

I'll reach out to Music Gear, but they're pretty far from me. Do you have a part # I can reference with Full Compass? I looked their website, but I can't find the input jack for the Shuriken SR250. Thanks!

Since this isn't common, and the guitar is only a few months ago, is it possible for Line6 to send me a new jack so I can replace it?

Can any owners of a Shuriken please share their experience regarding if the 1/4" guitar jack is unusually tight? I'm trying to determine if I have an issue or if this is common.

@DunedinDragon I've seen Jason's videos along with many other people who have helped demonstrate "how to" dial in a patch, create a patch from scratch etc. As I follow all of their steps exactly, my results are significantly different. @theElevators Yes, the LT and Rack are routed the same way. Guitar directly into input and then listening with the same speakers via line outs or the same headphones. I've factory reset them, do not have global EQ engaged, and am just creating a new patch using an amp and cab. Very simple setup. @Schmalle I'm using Elixir nanoweb 10-46. And I'm using 5 different guitars. Telecaster, Stratocaster, Fender Sixty-Six, Variax, and Carvin CT-3. All guitars have volume and tone open wide with similar results. I've experimented with pickup height on all of the guitars with very little impact to the muddiness. I don't own a real amp these days, so I can't compare. I will try to demonstrate my issue in a video and post it on YouTube. Many of these guitars I've had for years. And before using Helix, I would plug my guitars into a Scarlet audio interface connected to my Windows computer and was using S-Gear software. I will say if the input gain wasn't set right, it could get muddy too. But having control over the input level enabled me to get very good tones out of S-Gear. This is what the issue feels like to me using the Helix. I don't think input of my units have enough signal to drive the amps correctly. I've messed around with the impedance setting, and it does change the sound. But no setting fixes my issue. And I've also messed with the padding on or off. Only putting an EQ block in front of any amp to boost the level by around 6 or 8, cutting the lows, and boosting the highs helps. My original post ended with a question asking if Line 6 may have updated the input section of these units. Since the Helix came out in 2015, and I have 2016 and 2017 models, maybe something has changed. A friend of mine just got an LT this year. I plan on getting together with him so I can compare a simple patch between them. Your replies are much appreciated.

Hi. I am an original owner of a Helix Rack (2016) and Helix LT (2017). I have these connected to my computer via USB. I listen to these units using JBL monitors and AKG headphones. I am running the latest firmware and have factory reset the units as instructed each time I've updated the firmware. When creating a patch, I find just about all of the amp models extremely muddy. This isn't anything new as I've felt this way about these units since I bought them. These units are running firmware 3.5, and I'm using the new cabs but they don't fix the issue. I've tried several guitars from Carvin and Fender and several cables with the same muddy results. Observations: 1 - When I compare the Helix Rack against the LT, I notice the LT is a tiny bit more lively. It has slightly more high end and gain. And I mean slightly, but it is noticeable. But both units are still too muddy. 2 - The only way I can get around the muddiness is to put an EQ block first with drastic settings to cut low, increase high, and boost the level. 3 - I've seen many videos where users create patches from scratch, and they don't sound muddy. Does anyone know if Line 6 has upgraded or changed the input of these units over the years so they don't muddy on newer units? I've asked the same question to support but haven't heard back yet. Thanks, Ron

@Bofillrafael Did you ever get a new Helix Floor unit? Did it fix your issue?

Hi. It's not fretting out. As you can hear in the video when the magnetic pickup is being used, the low E string sounds just fine. And with the volume completely off (not in the video), there is no buzz at all. I have many years of guitar experience and setup to know if a string is fretting out / buzzing, and this not the case here. It seems with some of the brighter models such as the Strat, the issue is very obvious. When using the Lester, not so much. But it's still there. When I got the guitar which shipped with the XL-110 and I heard the issue, I replaced them with the same gauge strings. So I'm still using 10-46. So 2 sets of strings using the same gauge have this issue. Any other ideas? Thanks, Ron

Got a new Shuriken 250, and the low E string makes an strange sound on certain models. Playing the guitar by itself (not plugged in), the low E string sounds fine and similar to the other strings. Using the magnetic pickup, the low E string also sounds fine. But when I engage modeling, I can hear a bright overtone on the low E string. It's more obvious using brighter models like the Strat. I've created a YouTube video to demonstrate playing the A string, D string, and then the low E string. Each string is played using the magnetic pickup and the modeling to hear the difference. If you wouldn't mind, please take a look and let me know if this is normal or if something is wrong with my guitar. The issue start at 19 seconds into the video. Thanks!

Just got my new Shuriken 250. It is difficult to get a standard guitar cable in and out of 1/4" guitar jack. I have many other guitars, and the same cable can be inserted and removed just fine in them. Once the cable is in, it works fine. But I suspect the jack will fail sooner that it should due to the amount of effort needed to get the cable in and out. Is it common for a standard guitar cable to take extra effort to insert and remove from the Shuriken?

Does anyone know if the modeling technology between the Shuriken and James Tyler are exactly the same?

Other than physical differences between the Variax Standard, JTV, and Shuriken guitars, do they all share the exact same modeling technology? I'd like to buy one and want to be sure I'm taking advantage of the latest and greatest Variax technology.

Hi. I'm thinking about getting the Variax Shuriken SR250. I prefer to use Elixir coated strings. Will the SR250 work as expected with coated strings? Thanks, Ron

After reviewing MIDI messages using MIDI-OX, when the Helix global setting "Send MIDI Clock" is enabled, it starts sending continuous "Timing Clock" messages as expected. But it also sends a "Start" command when it shouldn't. This is what is causing my Roland MC-101 to begin playback immediately. And there are no "Command Center" "System Real Time" commands to control the sequencer. In order for the Helix to properly control an external MIDI sequencer, I believe when "Send MIDI Clock" is enabled on the Helix, it should only start sending out a steady stream of "Timing Clock" messages and nothing more. And then we need "Command Center" expanded to send the "System Real Time" commands "Start", "Stop" and "Continue". If any of you are interested in voting for this, I found that someone already suggested it here: https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Midi-Clock-Start-and-Stop/969962-23508 Please add your vote if you are interested. Thanks, Ron

Hi. I'm trying to control start/stop playback of the Roland MC-101 from my Helix LT (firmware 3.01). I assume I need to do the following: 1 - Configure MC-101 MIDI sync to external device 2 - Configure Helix to send MIDI clock 3 - Configure buttons on the Helix using command center to send MMC play and stop commands I've completed step 1 above. But as soon as I configure the Helix global setting "Send MIDI clock" to "MIDI", the MC-101 begins playback immediately. Any ideas why playback on the MC-101 begins even though I haven't issued a "play" command from the Helix yet? Thanks, Ron

Hi @phil_m. I appreciate your reply. I didn't know about the 3 Note Generator in the Helix. I tried it out, but it doesn't fit my needs at the moment sound-wise. Maybe I'll find a use for it in the future. For now, I configured 8 buttons on the LT to trigger 8 different notes on my external sound module (PianoBox Mini). I also configured 2 of the buttons to enable and disable sustain. So I have flexibility to hold or tap buttons based on my need. I'm also sending CC 126 to the PianoBox Mini so it plays monophonic. So when I press the button to engage sustain, I can easily tap between 8 buttons to get sustained notes one at a time. Maybe down the road we'll get a Helix update so a single button can trigger up to 5 notes like the Keith McMillen 12 Step does. By the way, nice improv recording. Thanks, Ron

I just learned how to use Control Center in my Helix LT (FW 2.92) to send MIDI "Note On" messages to my external sound module. Very cool! But this feature only seems to allow 1 note per button. Is there a way to send multiple "Note On" messages per button to play a chord? Someone had already posted this idea a few years back here: https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Multiple-MIDI-Notes-per-Footswitch/858527-23508 Thanks!

Hi. I'm using Helix Rack connect to my Windows 10 computer via USB. Helix Rack has 2 sets of monitors connected. 1 pair of monitors to XLR outs. and 1 pair of monitors to line outs. In Reaper device settings, I've select all inputs (8) and all outputs (8). I'm trying to route my Master mix in Reaper to either line outs or XLR outs. But I can only seem to route my master mix to all 4 speakers at the same time. If I select source 1/2 to output 1/2, all 4 speakers play. If I select source 1/2 to output 3/4 or 5/6 or 7/8 I hear nothing. Any suggestions? Thanks, Ron

I've checked. "Guitar In Pad" is Off and always has been. Thanks. Should have mentioned that in my original post... :)

Hi all. I have both a Helix Rack and LT. Both are at the same firmware 2.30. I have 2 guitars; A Fender with Seymour Duncan pickups, and a Carvin CT3 with dual humbuckers. Both guitars have passive pickups. I've always felt my presets were a bit lifeless. And they sound the same using the Rack or LT. Whenever I'd find a YouTube video of someone showing how they created a preset I thought sounds great, I would do the same thing. But mine never sounded as good as theirs...they were noticeably dull. And the person who created the video claimed no other pedals or post processing were applied. My signal path is guitar into Helix (Guitar In), and then USB into computer. I'm monitoring the Helix using a pair of JBL studio monitors. When watching YouTube videos, the audio also comes out of the same JBL speakers. The only audio interface in my computer is the Helix. So I feel my comparison of presets to YouTube videos is fair. A while back, I used to use a software modeler called S-Gear. My audio interface was by Focusrite. So my path was guitar into Focusrite, and then USB to computer. My presets with that setup sounded great! Since getting the Helix, I've sold my Focusrite and haven't used S-Gear. So today, I decided to use S-Gear again with the Helix as my audio device. I setup a blank preset on the Helix so the guitar signal is dry. While using S-Gear, I noticed the input level was very low. Even if I cranked up the input level in S-Gear to max, it would not reach the optimum range. I thought the presets in S-Gear, which sounded great before, were now a bit lifeless. So on the Helix empty preset, I added a boost block and had to crank it to its max value in order for the input level on the S-Gear to reach optimum levels. Then my S-Gear presets sounded great again. Next I went back to the Helix and decided to create a new preset from scratch. I started with a boost block cranked to max but turned off, added a amp/cab, and started playing. As I played, I would try different default amp/cabs and toggling on/off the cranked boost block. I prefer clean amps with overdrive pedals in front. My style is clean with mild to moderate gain. The preset patch is boost, overdrive, amp/cab. Using some of the clean Fender or Soldano amps, the difference was night and day. With the boost on at max, my cleans were beautiful. And when I engaged an overdrive, the tone was warm with the breakup I'd expect. Another test I did was using Reaper (my DAW). I created a new track and armed recording so I could monitor the guitar level. I'm not sure where it is supposed to be, but with an empty Helix preset, the level never gets above -15. And that is with some heavy strumming which I would never do. When picking moderately, the max reaches -24. Once I enable the boost at max level, I can almost reach 0 with heavy strumming. When picking moderately, the max reaches -12. I've tried a few guitar cables, swapped between my passive pickup guitars, and tried auto or 1M impedance settings in my presets. I've also performed many factory resets when firmware updates required it. The only thing that has made a significant difference the boost block set to max at the beginning of a preset. I'm not an expert at this stuff by any means. I just want to hear what sounds real. And I know that is subjective. But for anyone struggling to get a tone they like, maybe you could explore what I've done and share your results. I'd appreciate any comments on this subject. Thanks, Ron

Not sure if this is your issue, but I was on a very small stage once where I had to stand right next to one of the main speakers. I was probably only 3 feet away, but I was behind it. As soon as I stood next to the main speaker, the loud mic type feedback was there. If I moved away a couple more feet, it was gone completely.