phil_m

You can alternate between EXP1 and EXP2 via snapshots, so you could have the bypass state of the wah or volume pedal not tied to the toe switch and simply go to a different snapshot when you want to turn on the wah. If you have the EXP position parameter of the EXP you're using set to per preset or global, the volume would stay consistent between snapshots.

You can record all eight USB channels simultaneously, but there are some caveats. One is that for all the USB pairs other than USB 1/2, you won't have hardware direct monitoring available. The other issue is the USB 7 & 8 will always be reserved for a dry track (you can choose what the input for each is in Global Settings>Ins/Outs. As far as USB 3/4 and 5/6, you can simply select those as the output in the output block. Like I said, though, you lose hardware monitoring when you select these. If you want to add a physical output to these paths, you can insert a send block right before the output block.

You can recall snapshot with CCs... The Helix is compatible with any MIDI controller. The MIDI implementation chart is at the end of the manual.

Yes, exactly this^ If you record directly via USB, you can simply record USB 7 and 8 as dry tracks. Then you can send those back the Helix by changing the input of your tone to USB 1/2 (or 3/4, or whatever pair you want). The Helix's S/PDIF output doesn't send a dry track. It's only a stereo output as far as I know.

You can send up to six instant commands per snapshot if you want. Some or all of those can be MIDI PCs... I use Instant Commands to change presets on two Strymon pedals per snapshot. It's very cool...

The tone stacks should behave the same way as the modeled amps, more or less. Where there are additional controls, you can always set them to be like the original. For the Deluxe, the default, settings (meaning matching the actual, modeled amp) should be: MID at 5.0 PRESENCE at 0 MASTER VOL at 10.0 DRIVE is the same as the volume control on the real amp. CH VOL is simply an overall volume control for the amp block. It doesn't affect the modeled tone. I guess one way to think of it is that Line 6 is giving you access to modified versions of these amps. You can still make them behave like the originals by keeping those parameters at the default values, but you can also experiment with things with the additional parameters that have been opened up. Btw, a Fender Blackface tone stack is passive, but that doesn't necessarily mean that running the treble and bass at 10 will be flat. The tone controls on an amp like that are actually quite interactive, meaning the response of one changes based on where the other is set.

Tuning from below the note is always good practice, regardless of the tuner, imo. As far as the white brackets, I believe they both light up once you are in the +/-3 cent range.

It's kind of interesting that in this whole conversation about gapless switching, people are ignoring the other aspect of it. Regardless of whether there's spillover between presets, it still takes time to load the new preset. From this thread on TGP, it looks like the time the HR takes to load the new preset is actually relatively long - https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/24563595/ So while it may have spillover, if the load time is long enough to cause a disruption in your playing (in that you're waiting for the new sound to load completely before you can start playing), it may not actually help that much. IMO, this is why the snapshot route is probably more useful. It provides spillover and immediate loading of the new sound.

Well, there aren't necessarily dedicated boost pedals modeled in Helix, but there's a ton of ways you can create a boost. I kind of think guitarists make too much about what specific clean boost pedals actually do. I've owned a bunch of them, and I've come to the conclusion that beyond actually boosting the level, they aren't necessarily adding anything magical to the signal. Anyway, I do like using the Klon with a very low gain setting as boost.

Having everything connected to the internet introduces a layer of complexity and potential security risks that most companies aren't ready to deal with... Remember that huge denial of service attack back in October 2016? That was propagated in large part by hackers taking advantage of IoT devices such as DVD players and TVs. As soon you have a device with a gateway to the internet, it means that becomes something that can give people access to the device, and more importantly, the network it's connected to. I was actually visiting Osram's labs last year, and they were talking about how the security aspect of IoT devices. They were thinking about it in how it relates to things similar to the Philips Hue light bulbs, for example. There are a lot of products like that - they are basically devices with IP addresses that live on a network, and most of the time they don't have any sort of security. The hubs aren't even password protected. It's kind of like leaving a door or window open in your house.

You can already do that if you want to. You can control the Guitar In-Z parameter in the input block just like any other parameter. So you could set it to be controlled by an expression pedal, and/or you can have it change on a snapshot per snapshot basic if you want.

I've tried reading through this a few times, and I'm still not entirely sure what you want, but it certainly sounds like snapshots would do the trick. I mean, the way snapshots are implemented on the Helix certainly offers a ton more flexibility than the M13 has as far as eliminating tap-dancing. I think the big thing is you just have to create snapshots that cover all these different possible combinations of drives. If you need more combinations, just create another copy of the preset and set up those snapshot accordingly. If you set the bank up and down switches to be preset up and down in the Global Settings menu, it makes switching between adjacent presets relatively seamless. So if you have two identical presets with different snapshot next to each other, it makes it seem like you're always in the same preset.

I'm not sure where you're getting the TRRS cable thing from... The SP1-L6H has two 1/4" jacks on it and they both are TS. It is for the Helix Rack only. Although, technically, it would work as expression only for the other Helix products - there would be nothing to plug the toe switch cable into.

The EXP2 is TS only. The toe-switch pedal won't work. You can still use EXP2 to switch blocks on and off with the auto-engage feature, though.

Well, sure... Yes, at a very basic level, that solder joint is undergoing some level of sheer stress at all times.It just seems to me that the maximum happens when people are plugging the micro-USB into it. So minimizing the number of times your putting max stress on it is probably a good idea. I understand the idea of it's going to break, it will break eventually. But it also seems to me that most of the people who've reported it breaking are having it happen when they insert the plug.

I really can't see that being the case. The amount of force it takes to cause the mag-lock to break away is very minimal. If you've seen the mag-lock power supplies on the MacBooks, these are similar, but if anything much more sensitive. My worry is actually kind of in the opposite. The mag-lock is so sensitive, that unless you can ensure the receiver will never get bumped, it could easily break away. I think the idea with the mag-lock, though, is you can leave the little male end in the micro-USB socket at all times, so once it's in, you don't ever have to fiddle with it again, thus minimizing the times you're actually putting stress on the internal connection.

Sure, that's fine... Actually, for the record, it works on the HD500X, too. The only thing that's problematic in regard to the VDI and 1/4" input is trying to run both the VDI and 1/4" connection from the same Variax at the same time, and that would be the case with both the HD500X and the Helix.

Beyond the controller assignments, it's possible that you have the bypass for those blocks set to be that expression pedal. If you're using the editor, check under the Bypass Assign while you have that block selected to see if says EXP1 (or 2).

Sounds likely that the micro-switch has failed. If you've only had it for three months, it would be covered under the warranty. Open a support ticket: http://line6.com/support/tickets/add.html

If you put a dummy mono block, such as a Gain block before the output block, the output would be dual mono, so if you wanted to only use USB 1, you'd have everything mono-ized. You could also easily just combine USB 1/2 in your DAW to one mono signal. In Reaper there's a option to downix stereo tracks to a signal mono track.

This is the one I got (I bought a pair): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WRPRDKM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Go to Global Settings>MIDI/Tempo, and on Page 2, set MIDI PC Send to Off. If that is on, the Helix sends PC messages with every preset change, so you'd be calling up presets on the BigSky inadvertently. I use both the Mobius and BigSky with my Helix with MIDI, and they work perfectly. I call up different presets on each device per snapshot (they're each on different MIDI channels), and haven't had any issues.

Well, the warranty is a year, so even if you're beyond the return period, you're still covered by the warranty. Open up a support ticket and Line 6 will repair or replace the unit (most likely they'll send you a replacement). Even you are past the warranty period, it's worth opening a ticket. http://line6.com/support/tickets/add.html Contacting them by opening a support ticket or calling them is the only way you'll get help with this issue. They won't contact you simply because you posted here.

Yes, that would work, although it's probably not ideal since the 1/4" jack on the mixer is probably unbalanced. You might be better off picking up a phantom power blocker to put between the mixer and the LT.