MayPRS

Past weekend (Friday/Saturday) had my first two gigs using the Helix LT (Friday with Pink Floyd tribute, Saturday with Queen tribute). Thoughts: Sounded great! Much better than I ever could with the HX Effects. Finally got the dynamics, tone and overall "pro" sound I'm used to; Much better to see things, control, do some adjustments on the fly - felt more "secure" with the LT throughout the gigs overall. The Wah! Oh my god - I never had a wah that sounded like this - maybe sheer luck, I don't know, but the "Weeper" sounded amazing. Before I tried Dunlop Cry Baby (always harsh/trebly) but the Weeper sounded amazing! Very warm, it added the "wha" effect without messing the tone. Very happy. Now, some things I noticed on Saturday (at gig levels) that I didn't at home (much lower volume): If I have a Chorus block (I use the '70 Chorus model) anywhere in the path the overall volume just drops a bit. I don't notice that on Delays (unless I set the Delays at 100% mix) - even If I have a snapshot increasing the volume in +3db, I don't notice that the volume goes up - this happens only on the presets with this kind of modulation blocks. The "Pitch" blocks sounded great at home, but at gig volumes the "pitch effect" almost disappeared - I hear the "pitch" bit pretty much on the background. I usually have the Pitch blocks on Path 1B with 50% mix. I'm using 4 CM with a physical amp - could it be that I'm using the "stereo" versions of the blocks instead of the "mono" versions? Is there any best practice for keeping the same volume on modulations (that's the type of blocks I noticed this the most!)? I don't use amp+cab block in this project, only the effects. Many thanks in advance.

Same here. I have a preset for each song (or even several if the effect blocks are the same) and just change presets when it's time for another song. My TOP snapshot usage is 5 for a particular song. So, for me, 8 is more than enough.

Yes - and this why the HX Effects never sounded "perfect" for me. It was always on the bright side - I know realize that the HX Effects haves a fixed impedance input at 1M Ohm. And this was exactly my experience once I connected the Helix direct to my amp's input with the "Auto" impedance setting. On 4CM is not that noticeable (I use, for another project, a VOX AC30 in 4 CM) but, once i set the impedance to 90k on the 4CM presets (Vox AC30) I realize that there's a difference for the better! At least with my guitar and amps, it sound great using the 90K impedance setting, although in 4CM is less pronounced (can be also because the amp is totally different, but I think the AC30 haves a input impedance of 250k). I really discovered this by accident: I had the "First Block" impedance setting on the Global's. And I had a Deranged Master as first block but disabled. I deleted the block and once I did that, the guitar went bright and shrill! I then realized the Deranged Master has a lower impedance input and that "solved the issue". So it was from that point I start messing with the impedance input instead of just leaving it "Auto".

Amp is a Musicman RP 65.

So... I found the problem! And it was the "Auto" impedance setting.... what I did: Connected the guitar direct to amp to check overall tone and sound; Connected to Helix in a empty preset - without doing nothing, there's the brilliance/trebly/shrill sound; Altered the impedance from "Auto" until I get the exact same tone as connected direct to amp - on the 90k region there's where it matches the guitar connected to amp tone. Actually until 230k sounds great to me!

Not very impressed at the tone he's getting on that video actually... full of features I'm sure but must deliver in tone as well.

And the thing that "strikes" in some of this videos... the guys add a amp+cab block, a delay or reverb and immediately sounds great! With room for improvement but usable. I do the exact same parameters and always sound thin and trebly to me. So assuming that everything is OK with my Helix, the problem should be my guitar or a cable. Thing is - the same guitar with same cable sounds good on my physical amp but perhaps the amp is masking something?

A powered mixer and an Electro-Voice PA. But the same happens listening thru headphones and thru a guitar amp. Sure - I can also attach one of the presets. I use the same "base" preset for all (meaning same amp + cab). OK so perhaps I mislead myself or wasn't aware of this - I thought that I could get a good usable tone playing to FOH without being a sound engineer. OK I'm not used to units like the Helix (with amp+cabs) but I do remember my old Boss GT-5 with "Cosmo" amps - I always played direct to FOH with a great sound. So perhaps I'm up to a greater learning curve than I thought - not Line6 or Helix fault but maybe my own.

Yes - so: I used a HX effects and "upgrade" to a LT. For one musical project I connect in 4CM, using my physical amp and not using Helix's amps/cabs, just the effects. Sounds great! For another project - I want to use just the Helix -> amps, cabs and effects, connected directly to FOH. No matter which amp I choose, it always sound bright to me, piercing, trebly and unpleasant. The same Strat, connected to the physical amp, sounds great. Both on my headphones and yesterday at rehearsal, at rehearsal levels connected to a mixer, always trebly and harsh, piercing. Even if I connect to a guitar amp (tested yesterday with one of the amps of the room), it sounds trebly. It only goes away once I bypass the Helix amps/cabs.

... which is very strange. Take this video as an example: I copied the exact same settings and I'm also using a Strat. He gets a very sweet warm sound out of the Helix - no matter what I tried my tone is always piercing and trebly. No warmth, nothing. It's driving me nuts - I spent a day trying to get a sweet usable sound and no matter what I tried it's always piercing and trebly. The Strat connected directly to my physical amp sounds great and as it should. Could you give some pointers? It's driving me crazy....

You can use Path B - set the input block as Return 1 (for example) and the output block as XLR outs. On Path A - set the input block as Guitar and the output block as 1/4 out. This way you create two independent paths (both for input and output).

When I start using the Helix (and trying to get a AC30 + TB tone a la Brian May), I also misinterpreted Ch. Vol vs Master Vol, because on my REAL AC30, the Ch. Vol adds grit/dirt whereas the Master Volume is just a volume increased/decreased of the overall amp. The Ch. Vol. on the AC30 controls the preamp volume and the Master the power amp volume. Of course, in a few minutes into testing, I found that, on the Helix, it was the opposite (in naming).

That sounds like a guitar related problem that its been "exaggerated" by a particular preset. Does that occur on every preset?

And may I add... can also be sent differently per snapshot. I use the output block volume as a solo boost actually...

Others can chime in - from what I know this is a global setting only. There's a "Mode" footswitch that you can press to change to Stomp Mode but that requires an extra footswitch press. But I think you can do that using Command Center:

Many thanks for all the replies. I will probably schedule some time on the rehearsal room - and play it loud, adjusting as needed. Of course I'm prepared for the first gigs to make some adjustments on the fly for playing direct. I will still take plan B on the first gigs - my amp! I can test my amp at gig volumes on the rehearsal room - if it sounds like I want then it can just be mic'd by the sound guy, as I always do. Then I can experiment with playing direct - my goal is, as soon as I have that sweet spot, I can ditch the amp, at least for some smaller venues.

You have to search on the factory presets for the ones starting with the title "4 CM..." and use them as basis for your presets. This template preset already haves the FX Loop block on the signal path.

The ones that came with the user interface. I have this bundle: https://focusrite.com/en/usb-audio-interface/scarlett/scarlett-2i2-studio

I'm programming patches on the Helix using phones but there's always a kind of "fizziness" to the sound that I can't hear in the physical amp (I'm using amp+cab block on the Helix - 4 CM). What's the best way to program the presets for live use connected directly from XLR outs to a mixer? Connect to a audio interface (I have a Focusrite) and then using the phones connected to interface itself? I cannot use a powered FRFR speaker because of the noise in a apartment (neighbour). Which method can give an almost "exact" live direct to mixer sound at home? Many thanks!

Hello, use the 4 CM as explained in the manual page 10: https://line6.com/data/6/0a020a411710a6112a67116f0b/application/pdf/HX Effects 3.0 Owner's Manual - Rev C - English .pdf

Ah ah ah - I don't have a PRS at the moment but when I registered I did (the one in the picture - an S2 Singlecut McCarty). Maybe time to change the avatar :D

Juist to add my personal experience here: when I received my brand new LT (about 2 weeks ago) I immediately performed the upgrade to 3.5 and don't have any of the issues reported. Could it be: Because it was a fresh unit install/upgrade without any users presets/configs/etc? Hardware version - perhaps better/new/revised components are mounted on newer units? - I ask this because I remember that some early HX Effects units presented audio artefacts/noise which was indeed because of mismatched components? Doesn't the knob/encoders behaviour changed on 3.5?: Other Changes and Improvements in 3.50 Encoder ballistics have been drastically improved. For example, tonestack values can go from 0.0 to 10.0 with one turn Helix Floor/Rack/LT only—SHORTCUT: While the Model List is open, pressing [AMP] jumps to highlight the Amp category without having to scroll down to it Helix Floor/Rack/LT only—The Impulse Response category's name has been shortened to "IR" (now matches that of HX Stomp/XL) to accommodate a wider subcategory column in the model list as well as accommodate longer IR names in the inspector header Nevertheless, older units or not, it seems the 3.50 causes this issue as reported by users and I'm very glad that Line6 stands by its product and tries to solve it.

I use a Windows laptop and never had any problem (with HX Effects or Helix LT) connecting to HX Edit 3.52... flawless connection is seconds. Maybe a Mac OS X driver/compatibilty issue?

Just wondering if I can do the above... BUT on Path 2b I can put a Helix cab to XLR outs. Correct me If I'm wrong: in 4 CM the physical amp's preamp is also "inside" the Helix correct? So, if like @rwandering said, I connect this way: Dedicate Path 1 to your effects / and your send/return for 4CM. Path 1's output is Path 2 Path 2 splits into a/b 2a's output is your amplifier's return (note I think 2a needs some block, like a 100% volume at least). 2b has a helix cab and other effects you might want. It's output is XLR. Would this be a good way? Meaning I use the physical amp preamp for everything but for XLR out I also add the cab - also does this mean I can get the effects in stereo on XLR out? Many thanks!

I second @codamedia: I move from HX Effects to LT and it's so much more than a HX Effects + amp/cab. It's a totally different unit and the input impedance on the LT DOES MAKE A LOT of difference in dynamics. Even with the same blocks, same chain, the LT sounds way better to my ears.