scotterp

This has been a VERY interesting post. Thank you! i have lots of things to play around with now. The Tilt EQ sounds like it is something I might take advantage of to smooth out the very little bit of high end that I'm looking to adjust in some of my tones.

Thanks to this post, I have revived an old 600 that has been sitting idle for ages. Thanks to @MarcusNielsen.

@HonestOpinion Wow! You really dug into this! I appreciate all your efforts. The reason I wouldn't want to go with the PC version is that I'm looking for a live solution. I don't what to have to deal with a computer/laptop live. I have set things up so that my older iPad mini can be tucked away in a protective box near my Helix. The PC version does have more options from what I understand, I have not looked very deeply into it though. I just don't want to introduce a laptop into this mix.

@HonestOpinion I actually do want to send MIDI messages to change the presets in MG2 from the Helix. I have buttons setup to do so in Command Center and that is working just fine. I can press the Mode button, and select various presets that I want to send to MG2. However, when I change snapshots, I do not want messages to go out the USB port. I think it does this to send out necessary messages to the Variax. It just happens to also send out messages via the USB connection at the same time. This only happens on a preset where I do have the input set to the Variax as I want some snapshots to change the guitar selection in the Variax. On a different preset, I'm only using the pickups and the snapshot changes do not send anything out. I see 2 possible solutions and both require changes in someone's software: 1) If MG2 could specify which MIDI channel it is listening on, I could configure my buttons in Command Center to send signals out only on that channel. It would then ignore what gets sent out with the snapshot change. This does not appear to be something on the horizon from the maker of MG2. 2) Change the Helix so that it doesn't broadcast snapshot changes out the USB port, only the MIDI port. Or something of that nature. For now I can absolutely live with it. Not a deal breaker. I do not use the integration with MG2 too much - it is just fantastic to have. I had been using a Sunth9 but having the ability to control MG2 with MIDI AND have more sound options is great.

No such luck.

@cfhmonkey There is a request to add a USB Send/Return block here on Ideascale: https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/USB-Send-Return-Block/936618-23508#idea-tab-details. Upvote it so that those that need to know about this request see interest.

@cfhmonkey That did indeed stop the pickup switch from changing the preset on MG2! Thanks a ton for that. Changing the model using the Model knob on the Variax still sends out a signal... but that's something that I rarely do on the fly anymore. Now, if I could keep the snapshots from generating a message out the USB port and only have the buttons that I specifically setup to do so within the Command Center... :)

@cfhmonkey -Thanks for the tip! I will give it a try and report back.

MIDI PC Send is off. All MIDI global settings are set to Off with the exception of MIDI over USB.

I have been experimenting with using Midi Guitar 2 along with my Helix and it's been quite impressive so far, for what I want to be able to do. I have used the Control Center to setup foot switches to pass PC changes to an iPad to select different presets within MG2 and this has been working great. Note that at this time, MG2 only responds to PC changes and not CC's. Also, I believe that MG2 listens on all midi channels and that cannot be changed. I have one thing happening that I can't figure out... I am unable to prevent Midi messages generated from the Variax or Snapshots, from being sent out to MG2. I have installed Midi Wrench on my iPad and can see these messages occurring - PC's, CC's, and Sysex messages. It only happens under the following circumstances: When I have a Variax connected to the Helix via the Variax input, moving the pickup switch or changing the model on the Variax is sending PC changes through and changing the presets on MG2. I have Midi through off in the Helix. I thought this should keep PC changes from passing on to other devices but not in this situation. I have pretty much every Midi setting in the Helix turned off except for Midi via USB. Also, only when a Variax is plugged in AND the input of the Helix preset is set to Variax, selecting a different snapshot also sends out a PC change and changes the preset in Midi Guitar. I'm guessing that the Helix needs to communicate with the Variax and tell it what Variax settings to use per the preset. It appears that anything broadcast out the Variax connection is also broadcast out other connections - in this case the USB connection. My guess is that since I can't control what Midi channel MG2 listens on, I'm stuck with this happening. Any thoughts?

I bought a second unit used (hardly) for just over $500 about a year ago - before these low prices appeared - as a backup for my main unit which I have had since 2013 or so. It is only used a couple times a month (although not lately) but I have only had one issue where one channel was doing the same as described by @ColonelForbin. I had another open channel so moved it over. Had a friend look into it and perform the "grounding" soldering as described by someone in this forum a couple years ago. It has not acted up since. But I always have the backup available just in case.

I had earlier reported a similar problem but with Windows. I had time to test today and all is working ok. I have 3 Variaxes and they are all able to connect to Workbench via the Helix.

I typically have connected my JTV's directly to Workbench as I have had the connector forever and that works fine. I tried one evening to do it via my Helix but could not get it to work. I gave up and went back to using my connector. The only difference is that I'm using a PC versus you on a Mac. Figured I had something goofy in my config somewhere didn't bother trying again. I am running all of the latest versions of everything.

@wjernigan - I see that you live in Chandler. I live in Gilbert. I've been using the Helix for a few years now and a Variax of some form or other for over 10 years. I used to run it all through an L2T regularly at gigs - recently changed to a Powercab. Just saying that I have a lot of experience with this stuff. PM me. I might be able to help you work through some of this stuff.

If you add up the cost of a Stomp + Es-8, wouldn't a Helix Floor give you that and more?