SaschaFranck

No, I'm not. I'm arguing with your statements. Posting something about impedance mismatching (which, for whatever it might be worth, is very unlikely to be the reason of your experiences, unless you're constantliy gigging through whatever ancient and esoteric consoles) and not exactly knowing anything about any values involved - well, sorry, but that's pure speculation, nothing else. And that's not helping anyone. I have done quite some tests (I do have regular access to quite some consoles, one of my rehearsal room mates does live mixing and keeps his stuff in that very rehearsal room, I also own 3 smaller mixers myself) and my findings were that the XLR outs are just fine and that I could absolutely stop using any kind of DI boxes (I own quite some of them). If it wasn't for the phantom power issue. Based on my personal findings, anything else (apart from flakey cables, stageboxes and whatever there might be) is almost exclusively related to levels - and fwiw, this is where I'm even with you, at least to a certain extent. Most DI boxes offer some attenuation (the Klotz one I use the most even has two attenuation options), which occasionally comes in very handy. And apart from me getting tired of asking the sound guys to look out for phantom power and switch it off (which they sometimes forget, I even had it with a digital console that it was turned back on after a power on/off cycle that happened just before the gig...), that very attenuation option is precisely what speaks in favour of a DI box, simply because the differences between line and mic level on the Helix are pretty huge (and I reserve the big volume knob for my monitor level), sometimes so much the FOH guy might struggle to get the level just right (on paper, it shouldn't be an issue, but oh well, that's on paper...). So I usually start with line level and no attenuation. In case the level is too hot, I've got two attenuation levels, so far these have always brought me in the "perfect" ballpark. In a nutshell: Most of the times I'm actually running my Helix exactly like you do - but that's got nothing to do with impedance mismatching, it's simply a result of a mix between the phantom power issue and ease of leveling. In case phantom power was no issue, I'd possibly kick the DI box out and do the leveling on my output block (I'm never switching patches live, apart from the occasional gig when I also bring an acoustic).

Fwiw, this is precisely how myths spread.

Let me quickly recap that: You're making a statement about there being a very noticeable difference in terms of impendances, possibly even leading to "impedance mismatching" when using the XLR outs of the Helix - without even knowing the impedance? Awsome! Let me just quote what you wrote when you jumped into this discussion (and on me): Yeah well...

So, I gather you have measured their impedance?

I think the Logidy's marketing was pretty bad. I mean, back a few years I was actively looking for such a unit, couldn't even find it through a normal search, took a hint from a forum. Apart from that, I think you really need to demonstrate what IRs can do properly. There's so much more to them but the plain old boring hyperrealistic reverbs - just that very little folks seem to know about. Sure, with the current HX hardware, it'd be no option at all. But we're talking about a future incarnation here. Adding some more RAM should be a rather trivial thing (adding some storage space for unused IRs should be even more trivial).

Different as in? Please elaborate.

Others than the phantom power issue, there's not exactly a logical explanation for that. Having said that, as soon as I knew it'd be safe to use the XLR out (after ensuring there's no PP running), I never even once had a problem with the XLR outs.

Err, you could run into the same leveling issues as on the XLR out and there's no risk of impedance mismatching when using the XLR outs, either. They're really nothing else but a built in DI - just with added phantom power issues.

I'm aware of all that. But when you think about it, those are still neglectable amounts in terms of size. I mean, these days we're talking several GBs on even the cheapest computers. And IMO it'd be fine if you could always only load one longer IR at a time, the rest could sit on whatever cheaper flash memory. And fwiw, there's already been the now discontinued Logidy Epsi, allowing for a maximum IR length of 5 seconds in a 200 bucks device - so it should be pretty much doable. Unfortunately. I've got some IRs that simply can't even remotely be reverse engineered (if you will) by algorithmic reverbs. Just recently I started creating some from blending various shepard tone alike samples - pretty astounding (if you haven't already, check that out - a nice plugin to create shepard tone-ish things would be Corkscrew from Anarchy Effects, it's free). I also got incredibly great IRs from frogs I recorded. And from a crumbled plastic liquorice bag (could post sound examples, it's quite astounding, doesn't sound as one probably would expect). Whatever, these are just a few MBs, so even in case some highly specialized RAM is used, it shouldn't add too much to the overall cost.

No, you're not. It's the basic purpose of balanced XLR outs on all units I know. Just that the Helix XLR out can't deal with phantom power, which might become a big problem in case it can't be turned off per channel on the receiving console (many smaller ones only allow for global PP switching).

Other modelers don't have that issue. And I'm using the Floor due to "professional" reasons, if you will (better transportability = better job flexibility). Regardless, in case there's an onboard EXP pedal, it should work just fine, especially on a 1.5k unit. The ones of my decades old GT-5 and GT-10 still work perfectly fine. Well, usually balanced XLR outs are there just for that purpose, to save you from using extra DI boxes. At least that's what most people usually use them for. And they should not have issues with phantom power, regardless of what you use them for. They'd only have to publish a common communication protocol. 3rd party editors would follow (look at the inofficial Zoom editors). Besides, Boss is doing fine in case of mobile support. Fwiw, they would not change automatically. They would only change all at once in case you've decided to set a block to "global" in multiple patches. And quite obviously, you'd still be able to use the same block in a normal non-global fashion. Again the way Boss does it is excellent. No worries, I will.

And fwiw, in case you were refering to my "rant" (which it actually isn't, but let's not get into that), for obvious reasons this should be repeated - it's the only way Line 6 might one day respond (or not, but in that case it's obvious what their preferences are).

Pro tip: Just stop popping in every now and then. You can thank me later.

- The XLR out can't deal with phantom power. Pathetic. No other unit in my arsenal (not even the <100 Zoom G3) has any such issues. - Visibility under critical lightning conditions is absolutely horrible. Regarding that aspect, the Helix is the worst floor unit I've ever seen. It has clearly never been properly tested under any such conditions (or the outcome of those tests have been ignored, pick your poison). - The switches aren't road ready. Countless reports of replacements. Same goes for the joystick (which, btw, serves no purpose anyway, joysticks are needed to allow for diagonal movements, for anything else 4 arrow buttons would be just as fast - the joystick is offering movements in 7 directions, which is like asking for things to break, unless it's military grade, which it clearly isn't). Out of 7 Helix user I know personally (ok, make that 3, the other 4 are ex Helix users), 6 had to have their units serviced, myself included (Tap Tempo switch broken), Line 6 support in Europe is downright horrible (one guy I know waited for 2 months). - The EXP pedal, while rugged, is a really critical thing (let alone an entire LT production run with pretty much 100% broken pedals). The toe switch on mine requires massive pressing by now and you can't recalibrate it (which is great on Boss units - and yes, it includes the switch sensivity). In a nutshell, all moving parts aren't built to last. - The mic preamp often breaks in case you are lucky enough to reach for the wrong combination of plugging a mic in and activating phantom power (it's even reported somewhere here). - The audio interface performs worse than a 50 bucks Behringer. No way you could ever do software monitoring through it at latencies of 15+ ms. - Apparently, the little plastic piece in the middle of the USB port often comes off (also reported in this forum). But hey, keep calling BS (and I might've even forgotten some parts). You have been asking this before and I have explained it in great detail already. "Favourites" and "global blocks" are almost fundamentally different. In a nutshell, I want to change whatever parameter in one patch and see this reflected in all other patches using the same "globalized" block. Doing this via favourites would take ages whereas with global blocks it requires adjusting whatever parameter once. And my personal outcome of any of these discussions has always been that it's just Line 6 being stubborn. Others not having it isn't an excuse. Besides, for the Fractal units there's FracPad. Fwiw, I can almost "hack" myself a sufficient mobile editor by connecting a smartphone or tablet via USB and adjusting things via MIDI (using an appropriate app). But that's completely pointless because each parameter controlled by MIDI becomes a "victim" of snapshots. Which is simply stupid (no way to call it any different as it serves absolutely no purpose others than getting in the way).

Fwiw, in case Line 6 wanted to peak my interest in a follow up of the Helix (which I guess is completely irrelevant to them as I'm defenitely not a typical target user), it would have to feature these: - Professional hardware. The current HX line is flawed with too many things that were simply chosen to save some bucks (in case someone's interested, I'd elaborate). - Any kind of a "global block" functionality. It's one of the main reasons why I will likely switch to another modeler at one point in time. - A mobile editing option. Crawling on the floor to adjust things simply s***s and I don't want to carry around a laptop all the time. I have at least one mobile device with me all the time anyway, so it's about time. At least give us an option to connect whatever apps. Fwiw, for me it'd likely be fine if such an option required a USB connection, but BT/Wifi would be welcomed. It'd further be tempting if it had these: - More options to achieve a bit more than bog standard guitar equipment modeling. Envelopes, LFOs, other modulation sources (especially input level), some more synth-alike blocks (at least a bunch of decent filters). - Reverb IR loading. It completely escapes me why none of the top modelers allows for that, expecially given that even on my aging 2008 Macbook I can run a whole bunch of them simultaneously. Reverb IRs can be an endless source of joy in terms of sound design, especially in case you roll your own (which I happen to do a lot). These things might take whatever sucessor to another level. Just more "accurate" amps and what not would be completely boring to me, and especially in case the hardware isn't improved, I wouldn't even be remotely interested.

Rebooting is recommended as the Helix is rebuilding its database that way.

In fact, for the moment, there's 3 options for you, only one of which has been mentioned so far: 1) The (global) Input Pad setting. Which can't be finetuned and might hence be too much (or too little, even if that's unlikely) of a difference. 2) Using an external booster (or an EQ or whatever, but a small booster would likely cause the least hum). No fuss, easy to operate. Downside: You will completely lose the input impedance feature of the Helix as soon as it's switched on. Personally, I wouldn't be bothered too much, pretty much depends on whether you're using HX drives that just don't sound well without that feature. 3) Using an external switch (on/off type) for the EXP input (in case it's not used already). This is what I'm doing (for some patches, as it's kinda like working globally and patch based at the same time, if you want). Note: Before going that route, you should make sure that even your highest output guitar won't clip the Helix' input. You might want to set it to "on" in case that's happening, then readjust all (unfortunately) your patches according to the new input setting. But from my experience, input clipping is really only happening when using pretty hot pickups (they designed the HX input pretty well, so it offers a lot of headroom). You would now insert a simple gain block or an EQ (I'm using the latter) as the very first thing in your signal chain (these are using *very* little CPU, so at least on the Floor/LT/Rack units you should be able to add them to pretty much any patch). Then you would set the on/off status to be controlled from your external switch. Adjust the block itself so it compensates nicely for the pickup level differences and keep it the same all throughout your patches (or maybe don't, in case you feel there's patches that may need different treatment). Due to the block being controlled by a hardwired on/off switch, the setting of that switch will be valid globally. Sidenote: This is really the *only* way you can control something happening within a patch globally. Downside: You will not lose the entire input impedance feature but the "auto" part of it once the gain/EQ block is active. Doesn't bother me at all, as pretty much all my patches are using a fixed impedance setting. It's also not exactly a global setting, only the on/off status is, so if you later on decide that the boost/cut was too much or too little, you'd have to go through all the patches using this boost and re-adjust/re-save (which is exactly one of the reasons why having a "global blocks" feature would be kickass, but that will never happen with the HX family anymore).

Oh, one last thing, where's your FR on Ideascale for a switchable input gain in the input section, @rd2rk? Can't find it. I mean, in case it'd be so tremendously useful, you should've posted it there, no? Over and out.

At least that is what has been asked for. And it could obviously be switchable. And guess what, Sherlock? I had it like that on my analog boards for ages - I simply used a small booster as the very first thing my guitar was running into. Worked like a charme. The rest of the switching was largely programmable (the on/off status of things at least), that booster wasn't. No idea why you wouldn't understand why this is useful - but all too apparently, you just don't. Probably says more about you than about me. All throughout this thread (or should I say as usual?), you show a lack of comprehensive reading. To recap: Pure comedy gold. I'm done here.

No, there isn't. But there's a question asking for a global option. Apparently you don't seem to understand that, for whatever reasons. A switchable gain control in the input section - as useful as it might be - would not adress this even remotely.

Did you update *both* HX Edit and the LT? Better crosscheck that because very likely it's the issue.

As said, you can do that with a gain block already. And well, you'd have to do it for *each* preset - which is pretty much the polar opposite to a global solution (which is what has been asked for). No. A global adjustment should explicitely *not* be adjustable per preset. As it's global.

How is that unfortunately? Not only that this is what has been asked for, in case you wanted per preset gain control, just add a gain block as the first thing in your signal chain. IMO, the only bad thing here is the rather huge differences between Input Pad on and off. I'd vastly prefer if this was done the Boss way, the GT-1000 offers 1dB steps for the global input control and 10 presets, which should suit pretty much any guitar just fine.

You gotta pay VAT over here (generally in all of Europe) anyway. You can just get some (or all) of it back through your tax declaration. In Germany it's 19%, so all you need to do is to calculate 19% from the Helix Native price - but in my case, it was on the bill already (simply got added to the €99 it cost back then).

The guitar cable isn't part of that. Unless you'd like to plug your guitar in on the floor. It's really just 3 cables. Send to amp/FX, return from amp/FX, output to amp return/input. I used to use shrink tubes and made these things myself.