adauria

On 1/20/2023 at 11:42 PM, theslim said:

Hi. I recently acquired a used Helix Floor that is exhibiting the same weird behavior others have described here. But in my case it's happening on encoder knob #2. Rotating it in either direction causes the parameter to alternate between two adjacent values.

 

If any of you have had your Helix serviced out of warranty, how much did it cost to get this fixed and how long did it take? I'm trying to decide if I should send it off for service or just return it. Thanks.

 

OP here. I ended up sending it back to Line6. I believe they wanted to look at my unit so they could determine if the issue was something related to hardware, software, or what. They ended up doing the repair under warranty for me. I didn't get a lot of details on what they did or found, but when I asked they said they swapped the entire display with the knobs. So, maybe hardware? Maybe software impacted the hardware? In any case, they made right by me and I'm grateful I've got it working again. 

I did have the same issue you had on knob 4 - 2 values alternating back and forth. So, weird for sure. 

I worked for a major AV vendor for 4 years... these days I'm all about MS Defender as well. Built and works as well as any of them. If you are just using the system for recording/playing and not surfing the net or checking email, you could temporarily disable your AV while doing that - might help if you are have AV related latency issues. 

On 1/4/2023 at 11:17 AM, voxman55 said:

It's a valid question but as far as I'm aware other than having a Line 6 service centre check it for you I don't think there's any way of really knowing.  It's possible the serial number might help here & you could try asking the question of Line 6 Support, but I honestly don't know if they would have access to production lists and even if they did, how reliable these might be. 

Thanks. It can't hurt to reach out to support, I suppose! Much appreciated.

DSP is a limited resource in any modeling unit. There's a quantity of it, and each effect in the chain (including amps and cabs) all require some to varying degrees. When you start using most of it up, some of the more DSP-intensive effects become unavailable. Since there are differences in how much each block uses, though, you can sometimes substitute an "expensive" (high DSP) block with a similar effect and get some available DSP power back for other things. 

Your pitch and filter blocks use a lot of DSP, IIRC. I'd start there. Someone over on the Helix forum here has posted a public spreadsheet on how much DSP each of the Helix effects and amps use, and I'm sure it will give you a good idea of the relative DSP required by the same blocks on the Pod Go. Also keep in mind that a big part of the price difference between a Helix and a Pod Go (or the smaller HX units) is the amount of DSP power, with the Helix rack/floor/LT being the most in a Line 6 hardware unit, and you can even go beyond those limitations with Helix Native software on your computer. 

On 12/16/2022 at 11:52 AM, voxman55 said:

In theory your Pod Go is likely to have been modified at the factory.  If you have a Line 6 service centre near you they can check to see. 

One would think/hope, but who knows... No where near a service center, unfortunately. 

On 12/15/2022 at 10:03 AM, voxman55 said:

When did you buy your Pod Go? 

 

Less than a month ago (11/18) from Sweetwater, who I assume does a pretty good turnover of inventory. 

-Andrew

Some of this exists, or can be worked around. My (very uninformed) thoughts here:

1) You can set any parameter to a snapshot or pedal. I go from clean to dirty on some amps, e.g. a plexi, by having a pedal assigned to the drive, channel volume, and master volume parameters (I will probably add some amp tone stack changes in there too). On my Helix I am able to switch between 2 actual amps, but this isn't a Helix.

2) I'd definitely like 8 snapshots per patch. You can do this with a Helix (my main gigging modeler). Might be possible for developers to do this with a Pod Go but I'd bet there are technical limitations you'd have to trade off (e.g. less presets or something), plus market differentiation with their other products.

6) Why can't you save effects presets in Pod Go Edit? You can use "User Defaults" for your preferred parameter settings or "Favorites" for this purpose, if I understand you correctly. 

7) You can also return any parameter to a default in PG Edit (I think it's ctrl-click in Windows, e.g. or something like that). If you want to return an entire effect or amp to default just change the thing then change it back. 

Hope that helps!

On 12/5/2022 at 3:57 AM, voxman55 said:

 

First, the issue has now been corrected on Pod Go's being manufactured currently, but older stock sold as new may not have been changed.

I was not aware of this and it was the nature of my question above. Do you know if it's possible (other than testing with a buffer, since I don't trust my ears entirely) if this has been fixed in a given unit? I just got mine a month ago from Sweetwater, but if there's an easy test or serial number cutoff, etc. I'd love to know. 

I  mean, I can and should test with a buffered pedal, but regardless of the unit's status I fully expect that it will sound brighter just due to the nature of buffer. Brighter or louder may sound better in direct comparisons but might not really be fair or a good way to compare. I'm really just curious if my unit would improve with a "fix" or not give nthat it seems to be new production. 

Thank you!

On 12/12/2022 at 1:35 PM, PaulTBaker said:

I have the helix floor, but I had the same problem.  I don't remember exactly, but I believe it had something to do with the touch capacity(probably wrong word, sorry)... but if I just touched the button, not click it, it would change the light and then the settings were reversed (or seemed to be reversed, because the drive would be at max with the light off).

 

Try just touching the button to select it... or touch it a few times.... (reading that sounds bad :), but I'm serious :))

I actually also have a Helix LT and have had the same problem there (don't use it barefoot was the lesson I learned) because it has touch capacitance sensitive footswitches. The Pod Go does not have that same capability. I just tried it anyway and it doesn't work the same as with the Helix / HX devices, so that's a no go as well. Thanks for the suggestion, though! 

Actually, doesn't seem to work. Here's what I did:

- press pedal until light is on, amp goes to min value (clean) settings

- moved sliders to match dirty settings

- saved patch with amp set to max / dirty settings and light lit

- clicked pedal a few times, and it reverted to light on as clean

I even tried adjusting the values and max indicators (on top of slides) before re-saving with the same result. 

Am I missing a step here that worked for you? 

Ah, thank you @dickiesymth! I'll give that a shot

OK, I attempted another downgrade, this time doing a factory reset (hold FS9/10) after the downgrade. Same result, no joy.

One thing that is strange, though, is that on 3.5 turning that knob in either direction will alternate 2 adjacent values (e.g 39/40) and go no further, but in 3.15 and the UI test the number the parameter controls doesn't budget at all. 

So, still odd behavior, but another clue. At this point I'll take it to the shop in a couple of weeks once I can get over that that part of the state. Maybe I'll get lucky and hear more about it or find that it's software, but unless that happens we'll have to see what they say at the authorized service center. 

On 12/1/2022 at 4:26 PM, shumphreysmusic said:

I'm having exactly this problem on a Helix LT knob 4, and I did update to 3.5.  I just purchased new but scratch/dent from a major retailer.  I can't say for certain that the knob 4 was working before, but seems like quite a coincidence.  All other knobs are working.  I'll try a factory reset again and the down grade over the next few days.

Did you open a ticket? I'm trying to understand if you are one of the additional cases with the LT that the support rep told me about, or if you are another case altogether.

Also, if you downgrade, try the factory reset procedure (power on with pedals 9/10 depressed) after the downgrade. I'll post the results of my downgrade / reset procedure here as well. 

OP here... I don't think it's that crazy that it's an update related issue since the update specifically contained a change to the behavior of these knobs. Like most bugs (if this is a bug), it would only impact a limited number of users based, e.g., on configuration settings, hardware revision differences, etc. I've been working in the software business since 1996, so I have seen my share of weird software bugs. Not mention the sample size might be pretty small - Active Helix users, LT model, upgraded to 3.5, and whatever other conditions might cause this behavior, again IF it's a bug. I'm not married to that concept, but if has happened to 3 of us now (exact some knob on the LT) upon the point of upgrading to 3.5, the odds of coincidence go down - not impossible yet, but reduced.

@datacommando  @theElevators I'm glad you have no issues with the upgrade and your Helix. There's no need to mock investigating the possibility of this being a bug in light of the logic above. Another factor is that the closest authorized service center is 150 miles from me, and I'm out of warranty, so investigating fully before paying to investigate the hardware route makes a lot of sense, no? 

Support initially thought maybe they were seeing something here since there were a couple of other reports of similar issues. They had me do (another) UI mode test, and then said, oh well... take it for service. That's my plan, but in the mean time I'll keep watching this thread since we now have 3 independent reports of this.

@HonestOpinionI did test the rollback, but I didn't factory reset AGAIN after the downgrade. I plan to try that test after I play at church this Sunday and bring the unit home again. If it works, you can be sure I'll report it here. I'll also let this forum know what the result of taking it in for authorized service is, if I have to go that route. 

So I've got a couple of amp parameters assigned max/min values to a footswitch. I had it such that the dirty settings of the amp are the max value settings, and originally corresponded with the footswitch light being on. The clean settings were min values and light off. 

I made some adjustments in Pod Go Edit, and it switching things such that dirty still matched max and clean still matched min, but the light state is reversed. I'd like to go back to light on = dirty instead of light on = clean. Is there any way to do this without removing the assignments and recreating them?

On 11/27/2022 at 7:27 AM, codamedia said:

 

I'm surprised it's not mentioned here but the encoder ballistics changed in the 3.5 update . It is quite possible that a faulty/misbehaving encoder is being exposed by the new update. I would expect downgrading to fix that... when you downgraded did you do a factory reset to make sure the Helix was fully initialized? That is an important step whether you are upgrading or downgrading. 

 

Of course.. the encoder could have simply failed at an inopportune time. IMO... it's like taking the car to the mechanic and coming home with a new problem. As much as we want to say the mechanic broke it....99% of the time it's nothing more than coincidence. 

Yep, I thought the same thing. I loved the way the knobs worked after the updated, except, of course, the one that stopped working. Makes sense that if there's an issue with that feature update that would happen potentially. Anyway, when I downgraded it brought it back to a factory set of patches, but I don't think I did a separate factory reset (even though it was, essentially, factory state). It's worth another shot though - thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to 1) backup, 2) downgrade, 3) factory reset, 4) retest it. I'll let this forum know how it goes. I agree - if it's a bug, downgrade should solve it, UNLESS there's a remnant in there I need to blow out again after a downgrade with another factory reset. Can't hurt, anyway. 

On 11/25/2022 at 7:22 PM, datacommando said:

 

Interesting concept!

Mechanical devices (parameter knobs) could fail at anytime. I’ve yet to encounter an incident where a software update (firmware) totally fries the Helix hardware.
 

Following on from your conviction that the latest update “killed” your parameter knob, I would have anticipated this would be more widely reported than your suspicions. The interwebs should be alive with reports of “Tree Fiddy broke my (insert as applicable) on my Helix. 
 

Mmm… software or mechanical? Simple co-incidence? You decide.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

Yep, trying to figure that out. 1 other user claimed the same thing happened (there's a thread here on it that I started). Could be coincidence, but it seems odds. Still, coincidences happen. They could happen to 2 of us during the same process. Or not! 

I'm convinced the 3.5 update killed one of my parameter knobs, but downgrading didn't solve it so who knows.... 

On 11/22/2022 at 12:04 PM, SaschaFranck said:

 

That's not true, there's an editor for the FM3 as well (and always has been).

https://www.fractalaudio.com/support

Ah, OK, the review I saw said there wasn't one. I didn't investigate further. Well, that definitely helps!

@MayPRS I recently looked into the FM3 in comparison to a Pod Go as a backup unit for my Helix LT, since I have an issue with one of the parameter control knobs on my Helix and it's going to go to the shop. For reference, my use case is that I'm a very amateur performing worship musician, so I need something for the stage in live settings, mainly. I also plan to use the backup unit as my home/practice rig. 

So here's why I went Pod Go (and this stuff applies much more so to the Helix LT) despite it being a few bucks more (with current sales) than the FM3:

• Foot pedals. I don't want to carry extra stuff to have more pedals. I love the 12 plus expression on the Helix, and the thought of scaling back to just 8 plus expression on the Pod Go is tough enough. The 3 on the FM3 is not going to cut it no matter how clever their switching goes. It's just too much set planning required, or extra hardware.
• Physical knobs. Touch screen can be a pain to use, despite the 9000 hours a year I spend on my phone. 
• Interface. On-device editing is dead simple for Helix/Pod, but a PITA for FM3 (so I hear).
• Software. Since I plan to use this at home, plugging into my USB and editing patches from the computer screen is money. FM3 has no software editing last time I looked. It doesn't matter what other Fractal units have for software if you are looking at the FM3, which I believe is on-device editing only for now. 
• Familiarity. Even though Pod and Helix use different editors, they are very similar and so are the models. I can jump right into editing with the Pod, as you can with a Helix having used HX Edit before.
• Sound. I know I can get a great sound from Line 6 models. I'm sure I could get a great sound from an FM3, possibly a tad better, possibly not. Doesn't matter, especially not in a live context or a practice/rehearsal context. 

Nothing wrong with the FM3, IMO. It just wasn't right for my needs based on the above criteria. Sweetwater got the Pod Go down very close to the price of the on-sale FM3, so I bit. Having a blast with it as the baby brother/backup/home game to my full Helix LT. 

On 11/19/2022 at 7:03 PM, Vohlumes said:

I'm having this same exact problem as well on a unit I bought used today with no warranty. Super pissed since it's knob 2 that allows you to change the preset mode in global presets. 

Is it since updating with 3.5? Doesn't sound like you mean the parameter knobs, or maybe you do? Is it knob 4 under the display, left to right? 

In any case, you can open a ticket even on a used unit (I did). 

@cinchocaineDid you ever open a support ticket? Even if they aren't going to do anything to help, it would be good for them to hear from both of us, and anyone else who might have a similar issue. 

Hi folks, I just bought a new Pod Go from Sweetwater. Does anyone know if this issue is still impacting new product Pod Go units, or do we have any evidence that the issue may be resolved in newer ones? Obviously hoping for the latter.

If no one knows (since L6 is so quiet on this I'll assume no one knows), what's the best way to test it? I have a Boss pedal I was planning to test with and do some A/B testing through. Any other suggestions? 

After you said you have the exact same problem, I was hopeful that a downgrade would fix it. In my case, however, it did not fix it. @cinchocaine If you feel like trying a downgrade yourself, I'd be very interested in the results. I understand if you don't want to go through the effort (though it was fairly easy, and easy to get back to my previous state). 

At this point I will have travel 2.5 hours to go to a service center or spend a fortune on shipping it back to Line 6. Total bummer. I might buy a Pod Go or something as a backup before I do this, and then just keep the Pod Go for my house and use the (hopefully) repaired Helix LT for live use, instead of having it do double duty. That, or I'm considering the Headrush MX5 which is on sale everywhere, or I saw a deal on used Fractal FM3. Still, I probably want to keep things in the family just for my own sanity. 

Ah!! I did contact support and they suggested what was suggested here (even less) and then suggested I take it to a service location (hundreds of miles from me) or ship it back to them. They said they haven't heard of this issue elsewhere. I asked if I could try to downgrade and they said I could try that, so that's my next step likely later this week.

cinchocaine - maybe you should open a ticket as well. You can reference mine - 438517 as well. If it's a bug, great, let's get them to fix. Also, hopefully a downgrade will be a workaround.