MayPRS

I use a VOX AC30 with FX Loop. The amp haves channel volume and master volume - won't the master volume regulate the power amp volume?

Many thanks for this! I was thinking in going the same direction on this year's tour myself. Just a quick question: to use just the power amp of the Fender Deluxe (let's say you didn't had the Baby Bomb) which connection had to be made? Amp's FX Loop Send? Would this work?

I saw this video about 2 days ago because I was searching for the same thing: Check if it helps!

I finally pulled the trigger and decided on a Helix LT. Going to pick it up tomorrow. Advices to a user that comes from the HX Effects? Can't wait!

i don't know own a FM-3, just the HX Effects. Nice advice on the Helix Native, I might try it indeed. Only live performance... one thing I like to have is the ability to change things prior to the gig itself (like on soundcheck or rehearsal). On HX Effects I found it very hard to do it using the unit itself, I use HX Edit for all the stuff... which sometimes is annoying because I need an adjustment and then I have to take note or remember it, and connect to PC when I get home... but then I cannot test again under the same environment.

So... I've been using the HX Effects as my main effect unit for some time now. I would like to try out/expand into the amp + cab realm, as a unit I can take anywhere and just plug into a mixer and have my sound. Helix LT or Floor (but probably LT) are obvious choices but, I'm not gonna lie... the Fractal FM-3 sounds absolutely amazing. Even factory presets are superb and the amps are just to die for. I know this is a Line6 forum but wanting to upgrade which route would you go? Bare in mind that I want/need the best amp + cab emulations as possible, in this price range of course, so I can ditch the heavy amps. 3.5 firmware wanted me to stick with Helix (already know my way on HX Edit, etc) but, when I hear those FM-3 demos, oh man... in total honesty I didn't heard the 3.5 amps + cabs (I read that the cabs really improved)... Thoughts? P.S. - I don't want to start a debate or discussion of Line 6 vs Fractal - it's really not the point. Just the best unit I can buy in the 1400-1500 EUR Range. if any of the mods/admins find this topic out of place or have any concern - please delete it!

Great advice. I will do it asap and post the results. Many thanks!

I bought a HX Effects earlier this year. My setup is based on Guitar + Treble Booster + Vox AC30 (this is my "base tone"). Then I have the HX Effects (formerly I used a G-System) for delays, reverbs, chorus,.... I started using the HX Effects on 4 CM (it was impossible to do so on the G-System because the G input is buffered and the TB didn't reacted well in the G input). It worked much better than the G-System but, to my ears, it suppressed some of the warmth I was used to so I switched back to 3 CM: Guitar -> TB -> Amp Input HX Effects L Input -> Amp FX Loop Send HX Effects L Output -> Amp FX Loop Return I recovered the full sound I was used to so I stick with this configuration. Besides 4 CM vs 3 CM, I always had this problem with the HX Effects - on some effects (the most problematic is delay!) I hear a distorted sound even when I clean up the volume on guitar (this didn't happened on the G). It seems like something is clipping a block on the HX Effects. My basic signal path is: Noise Gate (0 db) and then the effects I need (for instance Simple Delay at 0db). I don't know what could be clipping the HX Effects blocks (if this is indeed the problem of course). But it's a very unpleasant harsh sound, even when the guitar cleans up. I notice that specially on the delay block (be it Simple Delay or Dual Delay). No matter what I try, I always get that "distorted" and unpleasant sound beneath the notes I'm playing. I use Snapshots - at the end of the signal path I have a Vol/Gain block that I trigger at + 3db for solos (but that's after ALL THE OTHER BLOCKS). It also occurs when the Vol/Gain block is disabled/bypassed... At Global Settings I have the Input and Output at "Instrument Level" - no difference on the "distorted" if I use "Line Level". Also the amp haves a -10 db/+4db switch for the FX Loop. No difference also using one or the other... Any help/clues/tips would be much appreciated. I love the sounds I got from the HX but I cannot stand that "distorted" stuff underneath my playing of course...

HX Effects doesn't feature the amp + cab section of the HX Stomp or Helix - only the effects section. So any presets with amp + cab can't be imported (I think - never tried!)... or it imports only the blocks that exists on HX Effects...

So I finally tried and perform an entire gig in 3CM - I was NOT hearing things... at gig volumes WHAT A SOUND! Now I have "the" tone I want, indeed the V-Stack works best when connected directly to amp input. So, with this pedal, which in ON all the time, I'm better off with 3CM - oh and the HX effects (delays, harmonies, etc) sounded awesome. Thanks for all the input and help!

Thanks! The OD sounds indeed more "open" but I actually preferred the "old" tone.. or it can be my mind playing tricks. I have to really A/B at gig volume which its not easy at home. On the G-System it was a WORLD difference - I almost returned the G-System because I started by connecting it in 4CM and the V-Stack on G-System input sounded really "dead" - once I tried the 3CM - I stick with it for 12 years! :) On the HX I don't hear a HUGE difference but I can swear its there... I will try and try to see if I can get to definitive conclusion. The thing with TB is they are designed to work well between Guitar -> TB -> Amp... as I put it on HX path I'm converting some analog signal into digital right? Kudos to Line6 as I don't hear a world's difference, but maybe that's what's happening?

I'm using my HX Effects live from some time now... I use it in 4CM and I have the "feeling" that my external OD pedal sounds "thinner" than connecting it in 3 CM. I experience the same thing on my previous unit (the G-System) but on this one was the difference was HUGE. On the HX Effects sometimes I experience the same issue... I compare 4CM with 3CM (HX Effect only on amp FX Loop and OD connected directly to the amp's input) and, to me, it sounds warmer and with longer sustain... but not always and more present on the low strings (low E especially)... the OD I use is kind of a Treble Booster + Vox AC30 sound emulator (V-Stack BHM). I'm not sure I'm hearing things or I'm indeed losing "tone" using this OD in 4CM. This OD is soooo tricky... as a real TB I also cannot use wireless system... I can swear I'm losing warmth and sustain... the difference is not HUGE but it really sounds a bit more trebly... The thing with 4CM is that I use the excellent HX Noise Gate to remove the noise from the V-Stack... if I connect directly I probably would need to get my ISP on the pedalboard no? Anyone experience this issue on 4CM? Many thanks in advance.

Have you try to uninstall the software and perform a clean install? Maybe a corrupted file is preventing it from opening...

Lol - yes I thought -10 db/+4db and wrote the other way around... Great advice! I will try it! Thanks. I will.

I have a VOX AC30 amp and I use the FX Loop at - 4 db (it haves a switch to + 10 db) but I always used it in -4db (it was recommend for my G-System, the previous multi-effect I used). Questions: Should I use +10 db instead? What's your experience with Helix family on your amps regarding the FX Loop level? The Output Level for FX Loop (Send/Retrn1) set on "Inst" adds a bit of hiss. I changed to "Line" and the hiss disappeared while the tone seems to me remained intact. Is this related with the -4db/+10db level set up on the amp? I use the HX Effects in 4 CM. Many thanks for your advice.

So... it was just all a terrible coincidence... besides the amp RCA cable shown in a above post caused the stutter on the amp, the clipping/distortion was caused by one of the cables connecting the HX to the amp FX Loop. The cable was malfunctioning (a broken wire inside the jack) thus causing the distortion/clipping. I now use two new cables for the amp FX loop and yesterday had a problem free gig! Great sound - now I just have to balance some of the presets in terms of volume for boost/solos - sometimes the snapshot with delays in it seem to be not as loud as it should be. But other that this small issue (unnoticed by bandmates or audience) but that I feel is not perfect yet, the gig went flawlessly. Ah on a curious note: I had a G-System and I thought the preset change was gapless... man with the snapshots I now realize what is really gapless! I have now to get used to only press the switch on the time I really want to kick in a harmony or something (on the G-System I pressed it some seconds early). I still have the habit of press it some seconds early and, on harmonies for instance, it kicks in a bit sooner that I want.

Did you perform a factory reset after the update?

Thanks. I didn't had the time yet to test as I've been on mini-holidays but I suspect the Noise Gate (+3b for solo boosts) might be the problem as I don't experience the issue when using the "rhythm" snapshots where the Noise Gate is at 0db. I will try it today to see if that's the problem.

Could it be due to the fact that I'm using the first block (Noise Gate) with +3.0 db to boost for solos? What is the best method to raise volume for solos (in a snapshot)? A "level" block at the end of the chain? This would raise FX loop volume right? Before the HX Effects my previous pedalboard (a G-System) was used in 3 CM (only in FX Loop) and when I boost for solos, it would raise (of course) the FX Loop volume. Never had clipping/unwanted distortion with this method. Many thanks in advance.

-10 db

Thanks for the reply. Channel volume. Do you think I need to adjust the FX loop volumes?

So - it was not related to this, just a terrible coincidence. This happened to me in the past and so I went and check the RCA cables inside the amp, as this caused the same symptoms in the past... and voila... nothing to do with the HX Effects this particular issue: Still have to figure out the clipping / distortion. :)

So Saturday was my first gig with the HX Effects. Tested at home with no issues, great sound and good results so I was pretty confident taking it finally to a gig. I connect with 4 CM like this: Guitar -> OD/DS pedal -> HX Effects input HX Effects Send -> VOX AC30 input HX Effects Return -> VOX AC30 FX Loop Send HX Effects L Output -> VOX AC30 FX Loop Return I used a "4CM..." factory preset as base to add my blocks. First block in the chain is the Noise Gate (which takes the noise out my OD/DS pedal). I also use the Noise Gate volume in the snapshot to add a "solo" boost (0 db for rhythm, + 3db for solo snapshots). As I turned the amp up at gig volumes (at home it was impossible to do so) - especially on the "solo" snapshots I can hear a non musical distortion like the amp (or the HX) are clipping. As the gig went on the amp also started to "stutter" (volume drop then came up again) which I suspect might be related to this. I think the FX Loop block is clipping. Any experience in such an issue? How do you solve it? FX Loop block is with 0 db at Send and Return. Should I turn it down? Many thanks for any help!

I use the HX Effects on 4 CM as well. I started with one of the factory presets which started with "4CM..." and add my blocks. These presets already have the "FX Loop" block added. Everything to the right of the block will be on amps FX Loop. Everything to the left will be on amps preamp.

Yes of course - I can relate that I would use 6 snapshots a LOT MORE than a Global Bypass (it's nice to have the bypass option but I can see it being used only sporadically).