zombie2473

So I’ve been searching for a few days and I just can’t figure out this problem. I’m sure it’s something simple that I’m just missing and I’ll feel dumb once someone explains this to me…

I’ve had a helix for a few years but my setup is very simple. My roommate got one a few weeks ago for his band and will be using it live as both a guitar and vocal processor. What I’m trying to do is set up each dsp chip for 16 blocks in series. So the first two lines will be used for his guitar and the second two lines will be used for his vocals. I can figure how to do parallel paths, I can figure out how to set it up for 4 separate input paths, I can figure out how to make it one huge series path with all 4 lines but I can’t figure out how to link path 1a & 1b in series for guitar and 2a & 2b for a vocal series path. Is this just not possible or am I missing something incredibly simple here?

thanks for any help!

Sorry if this is a dumb question...

so i have a helix and a powercab and I commonly put my reverbs after the amp in the signal chain. Using the helix without the powercab that makes sense as it would be after the cab block. It occurred to me that since I’m using the modeling in the powercab, That there’s no cab block on the helix. Does that mean that I’m technically putting the reverb in between the amp and the “cab block” so to speak, or am I just overthinking this and routing it this way is the same as putting the reverb after the cab block? If it is like putting it in between the amp and the cab, how would I route this using my setup so the rever is “after” the amp (powercab amp modeling)?

39 minutes ago, specracer986 said:

Since you just got both the Helix and PC+, it's really hard to say what you need to do. More than likely a dozen things, since there's no secret setting that makes everything sound great all at once. Gain staging your entire signal chain, is a good start. Make sure you have a line level signal hitting the PC+, strong enough to keep the light green to amber. You may need to go into the PC+ edit and raise the level of the speaker sim you're using. 

As far as the PC+ goes, I gig with mine. I think it's great. My DXR12 rarely gets used since getting the PC+. 

Thanks, I did raise all the speaker sims up to 0. Is there anything helix side that you suggest? I’ve only had it two days now and it’s a little overwhelming all of the options. I just feel like all of the amps shouldn’t sound so muffled. Not talking about any added effects or anything just basic amp model + power cab. If they’re all sounding muffled right from the very begginning, I feel like either something is wrong, or I need to change some universal setting somewhere. 

Hey all,

So I just got a helix and a powercab plus yesterday and obviously i have a lot of learning to do. This could be purely a volume thing but im not sure as i havent had a chance to really crank it yet. I'm just scrolling through the amps completely dry but every single one sounds really muffled and lifeless. I'm connecting through the l6 link and using the cab simulations built into powercab with no cab on the helix. All of the high gain stuff sounds especially bad. any suggestions on what i may be doing wrong? any settings on the helix and/or powercab that i may have to change to make this sound better?

Do you use the stage source in the "guitar" mode or sometbing else?

Yeah. The problem definitely goes deeper than boosting my mids on the amp eq though. I've owned many amps. And I'm a pretty basic setup type of guy. I don't use a lot of effects. And I've never had this problem. I could jack the mids and treble (and trust me I've tried this) and cut the bass on my current setup and it still doesn't cut through even at ridiculous sound levels. I tried using the mid focus eq and it works to a certain extent but I have to tinker with it a little more. But point is, with other amps I've used I've never had to use an eq to cut through the band. I'm pretty sure the problem lies in what was mentioned before about the pa speaker being built mainly for voice or for loud club music. There's a really extreme mid frequency cut in it. I think when I can swing it financially, I'll be switching to the stage source speaker.

Rewolf, thank you for that post! I'm going to try the couple of tips in there that I have not tried. But what your post really did was help me feel that I'm not crazy and understand the speaker better. More than any of the problems, my biggest is cutting through the mix. And like you, my band tells me I'm WAY too loud when playing by myself but when the whole band comes in , I can barely just hear myself. Have you demoed the stage source speaker? I could feasibly sell the pa speaker and a few other pieces of equipment and probably come close to the price of the l2t. The fact that I can't get myself present in the live mix drives me absolutely insane.

Unfortunately given my funds, trying another speaker, or using an amp is not an option unless I sell off everything I currently own. I will try the master thing. I keep reading how people say that the master at 100% has the best signal to noise ratio so I always just kept it there. I'll try it at 50% and see if that makes a difference at all.

I've used line6 products for a long time including a pod xt live that I used to love and found it very easy to dial in useable tones. With the pod hd I'm feeling like I need a sound engineering degree to program it.

Good to know, thanks guys.

So now I'm back to square one of why I'm not getting a sound I enjoy. When I play at practice with my band, I can't cut through the mix at all (bassist , acoustic guitarist, singer, and drums). And the bass easily becomes flubby. If I use the lo cut feature, it works but seems to suck the tone and feel of the guitar away. I can't get a good tight rhythm tone. Can't get a lead tone that doesn't sound thin. I have better results when into headphones or recording but live through the speaker is an in enjoyable experience. I'm constantly fiddling with knobs during practice and it takes away from the stuff that actually matters during practice.

I've read countless threads of tips and tricks and I've tried them all. Input 2 to variax. Lo cut. Cab DEP settings. The pad switch.

At this point I'm at a loss.

so its ok to use an instrument cable from the 1/4" out to the in in the back of the speaker? I'm using a powered yamaha DXR10 pa speaker. whats the difference between a speaker cable and an instrument cable then? if i were to use a speaker cable between the pod and the speaker i would not notice any difference?

So I have a pod hd 500x and I'm running it through a yamaha dxr10. I have been gigging out with it for almost a year now but have been extremely unhappy with the sound. Bass sounds flubby. Crunch sounds weak and thin. But a thought just occurred to me today and I'm curious if anyone knows the answer. I've been using a standard guitar cable to go from the 1/4th mono out into the 1/4th mono in on the speaker. Would using a 1/4" speaker cable make a difference or would I just be wasting money?