SaschaFranck

Well, we all know that TGP is Line 6s de facto forum. Which, no matter how you put it, isn't necessarily the best decision. Don't get me wrong, it's probably a good idea to be active on social media and forums, but it's not a good idea to be pretty much completely inactive on your very own forum.

Fwiw, out of personal experience (I did - and still do some - lots of betatesting for audio software), this always depends on the developer (crew). I've been in some test cycles when it was all almost solely about bug hunting and on others when there was still plenty of space for new features and wishes to be discussed. However, I give you that, quite obviously, in this very case, I would highly doubt that the latter would apply (as it's a quite late development stage). But there's always the moment when you need to hop on board. Needless to say, they haven't chosen me, but that's fine. I'll find the leftover bugs (as with 2.9...) and complain publically, hah!

You could as well try it the EVH way. Apply some cents of detuning and perhaps a tiny delay to either the left or right signal. For maximum effect do the same for L/R (opposite detunings) and keep the center dry.

Fwiw, if MIDI control and snapshots weren't coupled, using my Behringer BCR2000, I could even make my biggest wish come through, namely global blocks (at least in a limited, yet immensely useful way).

Yeah, this is really almost nonsensical. I have mentioned the issue months ago already. It seems that MIDI and snapshot control are coupled for whatever reasons - maybe they kind of hacked/crammed one of the two into the other, but nonetheless, it's making no sense. I'm afraid you won't get much upvotes, though (you certainly got mine already). Thing is, I was setting up something incredibly cool (at least for my use case), namely a MIDI controller app for Android to control all relevant parameters within a patch instantly. No floor crawling, no parameter selecting, everything straight within hands reach. I was almost crying tears of joy to see this working. But then I set up snapshots and *blam* there went my joy. Here's a stupid little video of my first attempts (didn't take it any further because of snapshots spoiling the experience):

First off: IMO this is plenty of drive for such a type of amp already. And it's likely in the nature of that model to compress at such drive settings. Anyway, even with the drive that high, you will notice a lot less compression once you turn "sag" down. Also, where's your master at? I would turn that down a bit, too. That should already reduce compression quite a bit. Personally, I also always turn down hum and ripple completely. Hum is just that, hum. But it might mask some dynamics. If a real amp would hum that way, I'd have it serviced instantly. Also, I find the default bias settings to work best for this amp type.

I sort of tried to say so in my application, no idea whether I managed. However, I have been betatesting for plenty of audio software companies for a long time (20+ years and still going, for a selected bunch at least) and it has often been that programmers didn't like it if you put your fingers on certain things too often - even if it was most horrible bugs, misconceptions and what not. I signed off the beta testing program for quite some of these companies because IMO you'll run into diminishing returns quickly. So this is what I'll tell people beforehand ever since, after all, I'm willing to spend a considerable amount of my time for their products to get better (usually without any payment but getting the software for free - which doesn't even apply in case of the Helix). There's not much space for treehugging left.

Signed in. Told them I'm no Line 6 fanboy. Would almost take a bet that this will throw me out already. Also, half of TGP becoming betatesters would be plain horrible.

I have been using a tablet or a smartphone as an IEM remote mixer regularly (roughly as in "on almost every other gig that option is available") for around 5 years by now. On both my tablet and phone, the most relevant apps are already installed, so all it takes is a login and *boom*, there we go. Most FOH dudes are happy, too, as they don't have to take care of monitoring wishes anymore. I even use these things outside of the IEM realm, it's just too comfortable to pass on. And because I'm already accustomed to these things, I'm pretty sure people would just love it to go along with their their modelers.

You're right, but it's pretty pointless, as a) It doesn't get labeled and b) it keeps working as tap tempo. Same with the mode button.

Turn the drive parameter down on anything Fender-ish (plus some more) and you'll get pristine cleans. I would however agree that Line 6's amp default settings are almost horrible all throughout, causing even amps wellknown for their great clean tone (such as a Twin) to become a mushy driven mess.

No. By having a tablet in always on mode on a music stand. Just as I'm doing right now for IEM mixer remote controls. After all, it's 2020 and these things are standard on all sorts of stages since years already. As you've mentioned yourself, bending down is no fun. And as far as the capacitive switches go, they're great but I'm constantly running out of them, so there's plenty of items I can't route to a switch anymore (I wish there were at least two switch assignment screens, even if they'd only serve the purpose of selecting things quicker). Add to this, that with more advanced blocks, you will also have to flip pages.

Any kind of mobile editor could be realized already. Would have to be used with a USB cable, but that was it. Apparently it's nothing high on Line 6's "to perhaps do" list. As far as touch screens for future devices go, the Headrush owners seem to love that aspect of their units. As would I.

I'd go for bigger/better studio monitors. What's your budget?

I would totally disagree here. Being able to quickly access parameters would improve all those situations massively for me. And ultimately, it'd also improve sound quality because instead of going like "oh no, not that floor crawler thing again..." I'd simply adjust things to suit my needs.

Sure, all that can be done (apart from the Mode/TapTempo buttons, which can't be re-assigned). My current main live setup has 4 snapshots and 6 switches doing things, another one has just 3 snapshots and 7 switches. One of my favourite noodling patches has 4 snapshots, 4 switches and the main functions of the looper (record/dub, play/stop) assigned to 2 switches.

Yeah well, even if I'd like a touch screen, I'd also expect alternative methods to select things to still be there. Anyhow, it was all fine and dandy for me in case they supported mobile edting from tablets and phones. Heck, wouldn't even have to be wireless (even under Android, USB-OTG works just fine), so they could even add this to the current generation of Helix hardware. Uhm. I wish I could use U-Hes MFM2 (*the* killer delay if there ever was one). But then, it's not exactly impossible, you can as well connect a cheap convertible laptop and use it via the Helix' interface. The downside being that it'd only work for typical mix effects (such as reverbs and delays) as for anything 100% wet (amps, drives, comps, whatever) the driver is just not good enough (to put it mildly). However, this is something I might even do go for one day. With a convertible, plenty of the usual "where to put the damn thing on stage?" issues aren't issues anymore as one could just use a plain tablet holder. Would as well allow you to use HX Edit instead of crawling on the floor, then there's great looper apps and what not. Quite tempting.

They don't cause havoc on mobile phone screens. Heck, you can use some of them just fine under water. Well, it's not necessarily about moving things. Even just something as simple as selecting a block is *way* quicker with a touchscreen (and no, the capacitive switches don't help in case you're running out of them). It's defenitely on my radar for a rather long time already. Doesn't seem to feature anything such as global blocks, though, and I won't buy a modeler without that or something similar (I'm even thinking of purchasing a GT-1000 somewhen post-Covid, pretty much just because of that feature). Fwiw, I think it's pretty rugged. Nah, that's still night and day. Needs a dedicated floor controller, additional cabling, the "where to put the laptop?" issue, you need a damn great interface for latencies as low as with the hardware unit, etc. - but most of all, the hardware offers the benefit of a proprietary OS, which, in this case, is a godsend. Fwiw, I've been there, gigged with a laptop a few times, but others than for orchestra pit jobs, it's really not an attractive solution. This might change, though, especially with a tablet-alike 2-in-1 convertible laptop, you could handle the computer-on-stage issue a whole lot easier than with a typical laptop. Defenitely. I mean, with the Quad Cortex, a touch screen is making plenty of sense because outside of playing live, you could just place it on a table or a music stand next to you, especially as there's no onboard expression pedals. With the Helix, a touchscreen would likely be a kinda diminishing return - but personally, I still wouldn't mind one, even if it was just to select blocks.

Why would it be a worse idea than the current Helix screen? Are you playing barefoot? Because otherwise there'd be no difference. Absolutely. I have no idea why they apparently didn't even think of that at all. Or lets talk about a mobile editing option. All quirks of the actual app aside, but it's just fantastic how you can edit a Boss GT-1000 from any mobile device. My personal prediction would be that in 5-10 years from now, you won't be able to sell an otherwise fully featured (as in one-thing-does-it-all) modeler without a touchscreen and wireless, mobile remote editing capabilities. Both of these are just too good to ignore them. Oh well, maybe you with a proper mobile editor you wouldn't even need a touchscreen anymore (it's much more comfortable not having to crawl on the floor anyway), but with the Helix, neither of the two exists.

I described what I mean already. No idea how to make it any more clear.

How so? I already said I was thinking more about hardware.

Re-assign from which status to which other status? I mean, there's not really any defaults and I'm assigning switches all the time.

As said, plenty of synth makers already went that route. They certainly wouldn't do so in case it wouldn't be at least somewhat reasonable.

Well, I think he's got a point though. Not that I'd support paid updates, a subscription model or anything like that - but for instance, I might like the idea of a modular system which you could expand whenever you'd feel like. But this would likely also include hardware. Need lots of I/Os? Purchase an I/O module. Need additional switches? Purchase a switch module. Need perfect polyphonic pitching? Purchase the extra "wicked sounds and extra CPU juice" (so the previous functionality isn't sacrificed) module. All of these modules should obviously integrate seamlessly. Similar things exist in the synth world for quite a while already, plenty of synths allow you to purchase expansion boards. I like that idea.

Personally, I almost completely stopped bothering about update release estimates (or speculating about what might be in there too much). It's just not exactly satisfying to know there's something mouth-watering to come and they keep delaying it. Doesn't mean I'm not asking for things which I'd like to see in future updates anymore, but that's a different story. Basically, I bought the Helix for what it is, no more, no less (unfortunately, I discovered one or the other thing that wasn't working as I expected and there's also been no information about those things available prior to my purchase - but that's yet another story). In the meantime, I just keep playing - and I gotta say that outside of the (currently cancelled) live business, the Helix is a damn great companion, leaving little things to be desired (most of my feature requests are targeted at live usage).