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Seems like Line 6 has stopped working on new firmwares and features for PowerCab? For the last 18 months nothing more happened … Or has someone other news about that?

Well, all the software solutions die not help - it seems like it‘s a hardware problem.

I sold my Helix floor (bought in July 2016) a few days ago, made a software reset - everything was fine before. The new owner now reports that the joystick is dead - you can select blocks moving the joystick up and down or left and right, but if you want to chance an effect, amp or cab by clicking on the joystick nothing happens. So there's no way to chance any blocks … Firmware was 2.8.2 - the new owner downgraded to 2.7.0 – that did not solve the problem. He also tried to chance the Global Settings (Preferences > Joystick Encoder > "Model" and "Selection") - with both preferences changing the block does not work. Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences with this problem? Is it a hardware problem inside the joystick? Could it be anything else?

The manual says that you can use the AES input for the Helix and Input 2 for PA monitoring … So I guess you can use both together: AES and input 2. But I did not try it …

Ok, I understand … But could it be that the conversion from digital to analog inside Axe is better than that of the PC+?

A made the same experience with my new Axe FX III – it sounds much better than my Helix with PowerCab+. Well, I guess I will sell my Helix soon. I watched a lot of sound comparisons between Axe FX III and Helix on YouTube – the differences (e. g. for a Friedman amp simulation) were not huge. But playing here live in my living room there's a big gap: The Axe sound so much more like a real amp.

I'm a new AXE FX III user - bought it a few days ago. A used the 110 ohm AES cable from my Helix and connected it to the PowerCab (Axe: Balanced output left > PowerCab: Input 1) there was no problem … But you want to connect the Axe via AES to PowerCab – am I right? What would be the advantage using AES?

You're welcome. But maybe it is better to bypass the cabs and store the preset again. The advantage of this is that you can easily use your presets when you want to record something without the PowerCab.

You have to bypass the cab in your Helix patch …

Well, my first impression was not the best … In my opinion it is not a plugin and play product – you have to tweak your Helix presets. I'm still working on it. You can read more about my impressions here: https://line6.com/support/topic/45688-first-impression-after-using-powercab-112-plus-a-few-days/ Finally my best experience is not to use the implemented cabs but the LF RAW setting in PC+ only with amps (no cab) in Helix. It is described (including a Helix preset to download) here: Maybe you can share your experiences with PC+ here. Ulf

Well, using an audio interface or a headphone amp there will be solutions - but I think there is no way to plug-in a headphone directly into the PowerCab.

The PowerCab+ 212 has no headphone jack – so there's no way to get the sound into a headphone. Reading the manual (https://line6.com/support/manuals/powercab212_plus) could hav answered your question …

During the last 6 weeks I tried to improve my Helix/Powercab preset for the Revv amp – you will find V2 here: https://line6.com/customtone/tone/4605218/ There are 8 snapshots for different sounds from clean to lead sounds – the clean snapshot was added (using a different amp because the Revv amp is not made for that) … Other snapshots were tweaked. Have fun! I would appreciate your feedback …

4 weeks later with firmware 2.0 of PowerCab 112+, after trying out different ways to use my PowerCab with Helix I found the way the PowerCab sounds best for me: in LF RAW mode and no cab in Helix (only an amp). The PowerCab has much more power using it this way - but you have to tweak the sound massively with EQs. For heavier tones I created a preset with the new Revv amp: https://line6.com/customtone/tone/4527729/ (with 8 snapshots from crunch to lead tones). More about the preset you find here:

As I said before – I am not an expert … But it's not a real cab, it's an emulated cab; and it's more, because a guitar cab has no 1" compression driver …

I am not an expert – but in my opinion the EQ settings in my preset with low / high cut and other tweakings simulate what a real cab does. PowerCab is only a speaker – not a cab. An LF Raw mode is the one that is the nearest to simulate a cab.

Am I the only one that does not understand what you mean?

Well, at the moment I prefer to use an amp in Helix without cab – PowerCab in LF Raw mode (see above). But before I preferred PowerCab cabs, although I found that different amps with the same PC cabs sound very similar. With firmware 2.0 you can change the PC cab via Helix presets – that's a great advantage.

Thanks for your review – I appreciate it. Maybe Helix presets do not store the PowerCab mode … On my Helix LF Raw is automatically used.

Yes, it's a bit like a normal amp – but with different presets and amps you have the flexibility that Helix makes a good choice …

Congratulations for your new gear … Well, there are different ways to use your PowerCab. After using it for one month with the built-in cabs (yes, you have to delete the cab blocks in your presets) I now use the PC with LF Raw (without cab block in Helix!) – but that needs special tweaking with EQs. But I like the sound I get this way … You may have a look at my preset here: https://line6.com/customtone/tone/4527729/ It's for heavy tones, but checking the EQ settings you can see, what you have to do, if you use PC in LF Raw mode.

We discussed here the last two weeks how amazing Powercab sounds using the LF RAW mode. First, I thought I have to use in Helix an amp with cab. But I also tried LF RAW out only with an amp. After tweaking the sound with EQs, I was astonished how good it sounds – and how much power the Powercab has … I would like to share my preset for the Revv amp using the LR RAW mode – from crunch to lead sounds. Try it out. And please give me your feedback. The preset is shared hier: https://line6.com/customtone/tone/4527729/ Ulf

I thought it was a pedal … ;-))

I tried it out a few days ago, either – the PC+ did accept most of the IRs that I use with my Helix, but there comes no sound out of the Powercab. The feature of imported IRs is really useless.

Ok, I got it. High cut at 6 KHz, low cut at 80 Hz … Tilt EQ to lower the higher frequencies over 3.5 KHz – now I understand, what you mean. The Powercab moves air and feels like a real amp. The Revv with lot of distortion now sounds really amazing.