tmmurnane

Will do! I'm discovering more each day!

I did indeed. Right after you suggested it. The 12 string effect simply happened after I switched to a different preset that had no 12 string effect on it without any input on my end, and has never been set to any of the presets since the factory reset. And it immediately changed back after unplugging and plugging back in the Variax. I'm not sure I understand what you mean. "Until you do every Variax preset will show up with the same Variax setting you last set." I don't ever mod the Variax settings in Helix. I only mod them in the Workbench HD software. I don't see any point in altering the settings in Helix when I want the mods I make to travel between presets and rigs at large. I haven't changed any Variax settings other than modifying the custom models in Workbench HD. I never altered any Variax settings at all until you asked, and I set it as you said. Most of the time I simply use the LP model or one of the factory models in the Variax. The bottom line is my Helix is acting strange regardless. I'm pretty sure I'm done trying to suss it out in the forum here. There have been a lot of great suggestions and a lot fo great folks here lending a hand, but nothing is going to fix a faulty unit. I have placed a support ticket with Line 6 so we can sort it out that way.

I'm there with ya, but don't think it's going to save a headache. Even if it works properly with a normal guitar (even though I've tested the magnetic pickups of the Variax through just a standard guitar cable (multiple cables actually)), it still doesn't work properly as a unit itself. If I need to buy a different guitar to get the helix to work, then it defeats the purpose completely. And as I've detailed above, I've run the helix through a separate interface with great and expected results, so I can narrow the problem down to the Helix itself. And my Taylor, I've been gigging with that guitar regularly for the past 6 years and I have a very good idea how that guitar should sound. I always use the same gauge and brand of strings as well as the same batteries, and even that guitar sounded odd when plugged in to the Helix. Besides, the Helix just added 12 string effect to two different presets on it's own. I feel the Helix has shown itself to be the problem.

Well, it appears my unit is faulty after all. When switching between presets just now, (between one and then back) both times the helix loaded a 12 string effect onto both presets. I had to unplug and replug in the Variax and it reset. Just notating it here so when I submit the ticket, Line 6 can read it here. Thanks everyone. I'd say it has definitely been figured out. My Helix is defective.

I thought about that, but I had been using the second preset over the course of a few days and did not change it. And it saved as I would expect a file to save. I just went through the same process of exporting a preset and importing it to a new preset, and that at the very least seems to be working as expected now. But the previous preset is definitely gone. I've tried to import it numerous times, to no avail. So something must have gone amiss during the export process. I'm a student in a Bach for music production, so I find it hard to commit time to tweaking as much as I would like, and since the virus has essentially murdered every gig around the world at least for the next few months, I figured I would take it slow. Just in case anyone is wondering why I only have a couple of presets. lol I'm still in the process of finding sounds I like before recording with the Helix and wanted to give this a bit of time to work to bugs. I will say as an interface, aside from the above problems, the Helix is amazing.

Funnily enough, I went through every single tone pot setting on a Les Paul model that matches exactly to the LP model I usually use. None of that changed the final result either. Workbench HD is a lot of work. But I did attempt that route to see if it was a result of something there. I even tried every setting on the volume pot as well. As well as every different combination of pickups, body types, changing cent value on string tunings individually. I can at least say now I have a decent understanding of every aspect of Workbench HD. And since the problem didn't arise from the guitar when I plugged it in to the other interface, both through Logic and ProTools, and since I just bought the guitar a few months ago, I wouldn't think to actually have the tone pot changed out. I mean, if my helix is doing this, I can't imagine what my Variax would do if I changes something completely.

Nope, definitely not using the terms interchangeably. I exported my presets individually and tried to reload them individually, but both loaded as the same preset despite being saved and imported individually as different presets entirely. When I "restored" the Helix, it was a complete factory reset. At least to firmware 3.0. But again, these presets were made after installing 3.0 anyway. I also reinstalled the firmware. As far as I can tell, the JTV-59 has passive pickups as well, which I used to the same type of failure on the Helix's end. I've plugged the Variax into a different interface and got the good old sound I was used to, both with the magnetic pickups and the Variax pickups. So as far as I can tell, it is definitely a problem with the Helix. What boggles my mind is that without changing settings or the preset in anyway, as well as not changing a single setting in the Variax, or any global settings to speak of, (just a plug and play type of situation from day to day) how turning the Helix on one day will garner great results, but the next day, simply by turning the unit on, will garner a completely different result. I spent two days reading forums trying to dig in to this problem before posting here, and tried every single combination of remedies I could think of or research, but still nothing has worked. One final note, I'm not sure how getting a "garden variety" guitar will help me find the problem as the problem exists across the platform, and thus would also cause such a problem with any guitar I put into it. Basically, I would have no control sample with the normal guitar with which to judge if the Helix was causing a problem or not with that guitar. But my control sample with the Variax (plugging it in with the same cables into a separate interface) definitely suggests that the problem lies in the Helix itself and not elsewhere. I attempted to design a very similar setup through Amplitube 4, which to my amazement sounded great. I also attempted this through Guitar Rig 6, and again, this went well. All the models in the Variax sounded as they should, as well as the passive pickups in the Variax. Will keep updating here as I hear back from Line 6 in regards to the support ticket. I have dialed in a completely different preset which sounds ok-ish. Something I can use at the very least. Still very troubling that I can't trust any of it at all. Again, I'd like to thank you all for your help. It's reassuring to know there's such a great Line 6 community who is there at the drop of a hat to help a player in need! I've been using computers long enough to know that sometimes this stuff happens, so hopefully I can help the next player who find himself in a similar position.

Yeah, did that one already, so now I think it's time for a service ticket.

I can also confirm that through the Scarlett 2i2 through Logic with Amplitube 4, the Variax sounds as it should. Both the magnetic pickups and the models sound as I remember them sounding two days ago. No issues with the gain or honkyness.

I didn't try it through the Plexi. I plugged it in both on a fresh preset with absolutely no effects on it, and also tried it with the acoustic sim just to give it a bit of volume and life. As well as with just the 12 string effect. Same result regardless. And I have just now finished trying my Variax through a completely different interface, and the Varian sounds fine. Much different than through the Helix.

I actually tried my Taylor 214Ce DLX as well (only to guitars I own), and same problem with that. The 13's on my Taylor sound like 8's.

Fresh battery in the Taylor. Fresh strings too. Didn't dial in that preset before updating. All of this was after updates. Tried the Variax - Global change with no change. As to the part you wanted clarity on... I successfully saved the preset I am referring to, but other presets, when they saved, seemed to save as their own separate preset. I did not have to change the name of the preset or fiddle with them at all. When I loaded them up before the factory reset to other preset block, they all loaded up perfectly. And individually. But after the factory reset, they would only load as the same preset, so I've essentially lost the rest of them. To be fair it seems like I'm going to have to start from scratch regardless, so not sure it really matters at this point.

And I think I'll add one more thing. I guess a way to describe the entire sound now would be that EVERYTHING sounds very "honky". Not just the top two strings. Like a goose is chasing after me kind of honky. No matter what amp and cab I use. No matter if it's just the amp and cab. Or just the amp.

I have my Presonus EBT 4.5's as well, but it's the same response through those, as well as my AirPods and my MacBook speakers. I haven't tried my other headphones, but I have figured it's not a problem with the monitoring solution. And if it is, and I constantly need to change methods of outputting the sound, seems like it might not be worth the investment. I have also tried using Logic and ProTools to see if the DAW would make a difference, but to no avail. Same result no matter how I try it.

I monitor straight out through the 1/8 inch headphone jack into my Sennheiser HD 280's. None of that has changed in the few days since I dialed in the preset.

Hello all! New to the Helix family, but happy to be here! One issue has popped up for me. I'm using the Helix floor with a JTV-59. The other day, I finally dialed in a few patches that seemed really great. Took a while to dial in a nice overdriven to highly overdriven sound using the LP model on the Variax into the Brit Plexiglas Brt - Rochester Comp - EQ - etc. Have used this patch the last few days to great success. Today, every single model on the Variax (and the magnetic pickups on the Variax) has the top end completely butchered by the Helix in every single amp, cab, combination, etc. It's the high e and b strings that sound dreadful. I don't know what has happened. I've reset the Helix to factory and tried importing my patches again (which is another problem as it seems that every patch is loaded exactly the same despite being saved separately with according names), and even reinstalled the firmware. I've tried moving the Helix to another room and plugging it in there, and tried a different power strip. I've tried it in another house just to finish the power troubleshooting. I've changed strings on my guitar and done some investigating inside the guitar to see if somehow while it was hanging on the stand and not being touched (I live alone) and found no damage or indications of issues there. I've made sure the battery inside the Variax was connected and charged (even though I run the Varian through the data cable and have never had to use the battery before). I've tried plugging the guitar cable in instead of the Variax cable. All of the gain that was there is gone on the top end. And those two strings sound like utter garbage. Sounds like I'm playing a $99 First Act, but only on those two strings. The G string is questionable, but manageable. I've checked my EQ settings as well as the global EQ. I have made sure the Wah wasn't engaged and the volume pedal was at 100% as well as removing the volume control altogether. I've also changed the signal chain as well. And I've gone through every single amp and cab in a different preset. All with the same result. The bass strings sound big and beefy, but those top two are just horrifying. And to top it off, I plugged in my Taylor 214CE in as well with the same results. I play 13's on the Taylor and it sounds like I have 8's on the top two strings. I'm out of ideas. I know there are so many of these problems that seem to magically fix themselves (at least the forums seem to suggest that), but I guess I'm more wondering if you've encountered this issue specifically yourselves?