SaschaFranck

Hm, mobile device editing apps... now where's those for the HX series?

I think a Hotrod Deluxe III or IV would do. And in case people want to "see" more from an amp (which they obviously and stupididly seem to), maybe consider a Marshall DSL40CR. Both of them do a pretty decent job in taking whatever it is on their power amps. You can still "fake" 4CM (apparently that's what those folks like), just connect everything and don't activate the loops within the Helix. That way you can likely keep your patches intact. Just deactivate the cab/IR and do some finetunings to accommodate the speaker of the used amp.

Nah, you can get plenty of low end oomph without any pitch shifting (and you won't have to deal with all those pitch blocks' latencies). This is just a quick'n'dirty attempt with the patch being created out of nothing in a minute or so. The snare is a real sample. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hQgBgLfvUpp6xFzB8sPPjlVTwIwFt14f/view?usp=sharing

For a kick, start with the Autofilter and maybe send it through a bass amp model. Don't pick any notes but dampen the strings and slap with your thumb.

Doing it pretty much every bit the same as during the last 30 years (or thereabout), just with a lot more comfort and flexibility. 2 channel setup with modifications for each channel, lead options for each, adding a handful of FX for flavour, done. Fwiw, I have been a 3-channel guy for a while but noticed that 2 basic channels would give me as good results with less hassle while possibly even sounding more homogenous.

My personal choices for my live patches (and well, I'm always just using one single patch per gig, I don't like losing control because there's too many patches I'd have to adjust, but in addition, it's an aesthetical/practical decision as well, for a number of reasons...). Amps: - A clean "channel", usually using the Princess ever since it came out, but I still occasionally exchange that in favour of either the Cali IV Rhythm 1 or the Cali Texas Ch 1. - A dirt "channel" usually using either one of the 2204 models (I prefer the Line 6 mod but for that one the gain needs to be dialed *way* down, around 0.9-1.2) or the Mandarin 80. There's been some occasions when I went for the Voltage Queen instead (usually gigs not requiring any real typical riffing). I use all of them with some homebrewn IRs (specifically one that I constantly seem to keep going back to, simply because it just works in pretty much any context), and yes, just one cab sim for both channels (I usually keep the cab sim at the end of the signal chain as I'm strictly playing mono live, so I can still insert stereo FX and listen to my live sound in mono through stereo outs, which I'm using at home). In addition to these amps, I keep coming back to these drives: - Teemah. I usually have two instances in my patches, one per each channel. What I like about it is that it's sort of flexible regarding tonal balance (offering both treble and bass cut) but also kinda neutral in terms of drive characteristics, so both guitar and amp tone stay more or less intact. - Top Secret OD. I just love that one as it's allowing me to get a rather "wooly/fuzzy" sound while cleaning up excellently when backing up the guitar volume. I really wish it offered more output levels (I tend to keep gain pretty low) and tone controls. To compensate for the lack of those, I always add a simple EQ behind it and control the two with a single switch. I may have a closer look at the KWB as it seems to be able to deliver kinda similar sounds while featuring tone controls. - Kinky Boost. I usually have one of those in my patches working "globally", adding a bit more grit or even "oomph" to the entire patch. Interestingly, I sometimes place it behind the amps, sometimes one both pre- and post-amp. Allows me to always get just a little more gain instantly (pre-amp) or to cut through a bit better (post-amp), should I feel the need. In general, it's kinda like a "utility" drive. For lead boosts, in 90% of all cases I add a Vetta Comp in front of the entire amp shebang, resulting in a bit more "meat", plus a Simple EQ behind (sometimes individuall blocks per amps, sometimes for the entire patch), usually pushing some mids a bit and adjusting the overall lead volume. For most jobs, that really is it in terms of basic sounds. Pretty much following the "KISS principle", I just prefer to know my tools more or less inside out instead of being overwhelmed. And fwiw, style-wise, I'm kind of an allround guy, my preferred things usually are kinda funky/souly/groovy with the occasional jazzy bits thrown in, but I don't mind some sort of classic rock riffing, either. No metal, though (at least not beyond the funny aspect of it). For recording purposes, I tend to start with the same things (just organized a little different in terms of routing) but for obvious reasons, I fool around with various things a lot more. I may add the new Ventoux to my live arsenal rather quickly as I really seem to like it.

So, any success yet?

First of: Don't keep HX Edit opened when dealing with the Line6 Updater, the two don't coexist happily next to each other. Then, try this: Download the flash files for the 3.15 update. Open the Updater and select "offline mode". Select your unit and the Updater will ask you to choose a file, point it to the flash file you've just downloaded.

Pretty much correct, as rd2rk already said. You can however pre-adjust the levels of your sends/returns globally, so they're either more suitable for instrument or line level operation. If you plan to use the Helix in 4CM, this might be a bit uncomfortable, as an amp "expects" instrument level while throwing out line levels. If you were a real nitpicker and don't need all loops, you could however, say, set S/R 1 to instrument level and only use the send to feed your amp, then set S/R 2 to line level and use it as your return. A bit less comfortable to handle, though, as this approach requires using two blocks. However, all values written whereever aside, whenever I'm setting up amps for 4CM usage (which I was basically doing for decades already - I mean, using a bunch of stompboxes in front and some rack FX in the FX loop of an amp is every bit 4CM, just that it wasn't called that back in the days), I simply and strictly follow the signal path and try to set up a completely neutral scenario as the very first thing. Use an empty patch, only connect the guitar to the Helix input and run one send into the amp. Ideally, this should sound exactly like the guitar running straight into the amp. But it never actually will as the least thing you're adding is a buffer - and there's no way around that. Now, given that most amp's input impedances are coming in at 1MOhm, which the Helix defaults to as well, one should basically be fine when not touching anything but using the defaults for both the Helix' input and the send (on instrument level). But quite unfortunately, I found these neutral settings (not on the Helix, mind you - ever since I switched to it I only briefly checked whether 4CM would basically work without much tinkering, so I can't exactly tell how well it works under whatever conditions using whatever amps) not to be as neutral as I expected. Sometimes it was less than shiny hardware quality (had to ditch 4CM with my Boss GT-10 at one point as apparently the converters are true tone suckers, and I'm not even a corksniffer at all), sometimes it's just been levels - even if the defaults should've been fine on paper. Anyhow, whatever might be happening with whatever amp and the Helix in 4CM, IMO getting this part of the signal chain right is most crucial, anything else can be adjusted more or less easily. Basically, in case the default settings aren't what one would like them to be, there's 3 or 4 parameters to fool around with: Input Pad, global S/R level (inst/line) and send level, the potential 4th one being input impedance. I would not stop fooling around with them until I found a setting that would sound as close as possible compared to the guitar running straight into the amp. Fwiw, I always use a little true bypass loopswitcher for these things, allowing me to quickly switch between MFX active and MFX out of the way. Our brains and fingers tend to forget "sonic experiences" pretty quickly, so patching cables defenitely gets in the way. I would then proceed like that with the rest of the signal path. Cable up the amp's send to the Helix' return, then run the output of the Helix back to your amp. All "items" set to 0dB for a start. Adjust the big knob so things sound pretty much the same with and without the Helix. You might later on want to change that, personally, I always found it a nice idea being able to control my overall volume using the output knob of the last device in my signal chain. Allowed me to add a master volume when using amps without one. Note: This only works within a certain range, though, otherwise the sound might be compromised indeed (after all, there's a certain reason for amps to have no master volume, even if very often it might be irrelevant), but it's adding flexibility. So, for example, instead of turning the big knob all the way up, I might dial it down a bit and raise the Helix return level a bit to get the same level with and without the Helix in the signal path. All this takes some time and patience, especially given that while things may say whatever on paper, that isn't always working perfectly in the real world. At least that's my personal experience from mixing and matching digital and analog gear (let alone umpteenth situations when something really awkward happened, such as additional hum when there really shouldn't be any and what not). However, I found taking this time to be pretty much invaluable in the end.

100% with you here on these things being completely irrelevant. I'd even go as far as to bet on whatever ABX-blindtests not resulting in anything meaningful, at least as long as the big knob is kept within a reasonable range. Personally, I don't max or disable it, though, I use it to control my personal monitoring level, by now usually via the XLR out, sending the 1/4 out to FOH (saves me from phantom power issues). But yeah, funny that you mention it, accidentally dragging the guitar cable over it has in fact been a thing as long as I was using the Helix without a floorboard case, ever since I went that way, it never happened again.

What's so surprising? In case you don't change the Global Settings, they will still default to "Multi" and hence the big knob will control the XLR outs as well. Fwiw, labeling- /terminology-wise this is not a great solution by Line 6 because "Multi" doesn't mean the same on the output block and in the Ins/Outs menu. The output block is strictly representing a software-routing (a la "where does this signal go to?") whereas the big knob is strictly representing physical outs )in whatever combination).

No. What's controlled by the big knob is set exclusively and globally under "Global Settings > Ins/Outs". Further, only physical outputs can be controlled, namely XLR, 1/4", SPDIF. You can either control a single one of them, XLR and 1/4 or all three of them together ("Multi" setting). The USB outs can *never* be controlled via the big knob - because the settings of the final output block are completely irrelevant regarding the functionality of the big knob.

Fwiw, I haven't even scrolled through any factory presets ever since I bought the unit, simply because due to my experiences in shops, I already knew it'd be pointless to start there. Apart from that, I create each and every preset for each and every device I'm using myself since decades already. So I don't care about presets at all. But others with less experience may (the preset aftermarket is a good indicator for that to be a thing). For me it has been much more about the block defaults, which IMO are far away from what makes sense. I mean, just take most delays and reverbs - the first thing you need to do is to turn down mix (and usually feedback/decay, too), otherwise you'll end up with one big pile of mud. Now, sure, I welcome the user defaults and I'm using them all the time - but again, someone checking out the unit will not know about them, let alone there won't be any user defaults on a new unit.

I'm perfectly aware of that. Hence my mentioning the amps coming with a master volume in real life. Not too sure about that. I remember some models (don't remember which ones) to noticably hum at the default settings. Which, in the real world, would usually be an indicator for me to have the amp serviced.

Well, all required parameters are instantly exposed, so adjusting a real physical amp is a breeze. Not so much when it comes to tweaking the Helix, especially in case you need to go into the cab settings, too.

Well, the default settings should rather stay in whatever "realistic" realm. Modern 100W amps with their master at 5 aren't anything like that. Similar things go for hum, ripple and sag.

Quite a different thing than latency introduced by whatever digital devices (and I'm sure you know that as much as I do, so we really don't need to discuss it here).

But fwiw, before I'm just "the bad boy spoiling all the fun" again, the option to set the Input Pad per patch and/or globally is very welcomed and highly useful.

Well, that only works in case you sacrifice the original signal without latency.

Well, as far as factory presets go, I had an opportunity to check out a whole bunch of Axe FX III factory patches a while ago. And compared to what's coming with the Helix, for me it's night and day. Also, the amp defaults (which then offer sub-presets, another quite nice thing the Helix doesn't offer) seemed to be vastly better adjusted. And again, it's certainly not just me thinking like that. Let's face it, the Helix' factory defaults for the blocks have seen very little, if any love. I mean, Sag, Hum and Ripple are at 5 for 80% of all defaults. That just doesn't make any sense. The same goes for Master. Very often, especially on all those modern amps, it's set way too high (I'm not talking about amps without a master volume in real life). Same goes for Drive. You'd think all vintage amps were made for whatever kinda high gain, given the way Drive is dialed in per default, it's not even close to edge of breakup anymore. To me, it seems as if someone dialed all those in using a guitar with not too much output but with the Input Pad still activated. In case I activate it, most things sound much better already - and no, I don't even own any real high output guitars. Besides, factory default for the Input Pad is off. Also, the delay and verb defaults usually come with *way* too high mix values. So, just grab, say, any of the Grammaticos and an Adriatic delay at their defaults and it's instant mud heaven, at least when using a medium output guitar.

Sure - and I'm obviously making use of them. But nobody checking a fresh-from-factory model in a shop will. Because I knew how I could tweak things as I've tried out HX Native quite intensively. Just given the hardware unit and my testrides in shops, I possibly wouldn't have bought it. Fwiw, I'm sure that you'll have noticed that I'm by far not the only one finding both the factory defaults and presets way less than impressive, to put it carefully.

Thanks god there's selective reading, eh? At least you're pretty good at it.

Fwiw, how comes, Line 6 still isn't able to come up with some even remotely decent default settings for whatever blocks? I mean, just select an empty patch and insert the new Ventoux amp as an amp/cab block. It sounds mediocre at best - but I'd go as far as to say horrible. A sound I would *never* ever use. And that's true for basically all amp blocks. Check the 11 "Brit" labeled ones. It's as if they were having a little "let's see whom of us manages to sound the worst" contest. With all of them winning. Given that I can adjust pretty much all amps to sound at least somewhat useful, also given that these settings seem to work rather well throughout using a number of different guitars, I fail to understand why Line 6 has never adressed this - very wellknown! - issue. Sure, I do of course know about user defaults, and quite obviously, I'm using them. But when someone interested in a modeler checks out the unit in a shop, it's all factory defaults. I still remember this moment myself, tried a Helix for the first time in 2016 I think. Brandnew, in a local shop. People were already raving about it online. And there I was, discovering 100% horrible sounding amp defaults and factory presets. Oh yeah, sure, Mr. Klein will chime in, telling us how much all presets suck (ok, in fact, he won't chime in because their own company forums is the very place the Line 6 staff avoids like the plague) - and that's true. But there's still a huge difference between presets and presets made to get the worst out of each amp model - the latter being what we find in the Helix. Just wondering.

Oh, I know - and I just wanted to make clear that I'm every bit as much an armchair quarterback. The marvel that is non-native-language internet communication, I suppose.

Did you restore your global settings and/or check your loop level settings?