gtrman100

They could at least release a bug fix for the Helix application in the meantime so that we can do backups safely.

I have no problem backing up and restoring with the Helix app. Could it be your computer OS?

I'm also using full amps through L6-Link.

Only I disabled the Cab on the Dt and use the Helix cabs.

I can't say I really compared them intensively but the Helix Cabs should be better.

A lot of people were compaining about the HD cabs and I do believe they had a point.

The cab is a BIG part of any tone so I go for the Helix cabs

Not using any cab is also an option, since the Dt already has a real cab but I believe the DT cab/speaker is designed to be used with cab sims. I mean if you get the sound you want without any, then that's great but using cab sims does give you more options to build your tone, especially if you're  after a specific sound that uses a specific amp-cab combunation.

So, in other words, you are using Amp + Cab models in the Helix, not just the Amp models. I haven't tried it, but since there is already a real speaker in the DT amp, adding another cab simulation seems to be redundant. So far, just tweaking the amp models to sound good with the Celestion G12H-90 (which is supposed to be neutral sounding) seems to be working pretty well. Did you find the Cab models to really improve the realism?

Neither- L6 Link.

After a go round with FRFR and using my DT25, I've settled on using the DT amp for a more traditional guitar setup.

I've set up midi to change topologies, and Helix using the Amp models without cabs. I've disabled the preamp models in the DT. Line 6 recommends using Preamp only models, but I find they don't sound right, as they did with my HD500. They sound less real and more sterile to me.

What amp model types are you using that you are satisfied with?

I'm testing out a new rig myself. I have a Centerpoint stereo Space Station, which is awesome by itself. But it's not powerful enough to play with the whole band. So I picked up a 500 watt Behringer subwoofer, and I'm crossing over 170hz and will see if it can work. The space station is incredible for giving you stereo out of a single point.

It took me a while to figure out. The problem exhibited the same way:engage the wah via the toe switch, then when disengaging the wah, outputs were muted until the Helix read rebooted. I'm not sure why the outputs worked before engaging the wah, but it happened ever time until I changed to a stereo wah block.

Check and see if it's a mono or stereo block. I had a mono block wah on a stereo path and it would mute the outputs.

My $.02- I installed Glenn's screen protector. It works great! You could probably come up with a less expensive alternative, but he's done all the legwork and construction. Anything that saves me a trip to Home Depot works for me...

Thanks for getting back guys!

The super-sonic has fx loop, will give that a try in practice tonight. I'm not running any full amps or cabs models, only preamp models to add dirt. One thing I've noticed for sure is when I run guitar-helix(no blocks selected)-amp, it sounds nothing like running guitar-amp, Nothing!

Helix is taking a massive toll on my signal! Is this normal I'm wondering?

You might try the amp (not amp+cab) models into your fx loop. I find them to be closer in level, and better sounding than the preamp only models into an fx loop.

well I am a little bummed right now. I used the Helix app to rearrange all the patches into a new setlist last night so I could upload it. I just tested the setlist today at lunch and almost everything is shifted by a couple of slots. I just went through on the Helix and reset all the patches but i noticed the midi assignments were also reversed on some of the FS. I will fix everything tonight and upload the fixed setlist. What a f@ck story...

 

I don't know if it was my computer or the Helix app but I suggest being careful when transferring or copy and pasting patches between sets.  Can't wait for the full desktop app to be finished for doing work like this.  It's fine building a patch on the unit but major set management needs the computer app.

This happened to me too, when I moved some patches around. I stored it on the Helix app, and when I restored it later, some of my patches were in different locations and the Variax custom tunings were on the wrong patch. I had to go through and make sure that everything wasn't changed.  A bit scary, but I'm not sure if it was pilot error or a software bug. I hope the full computer interface arrives soon...

Most likely, your headphones are coloring the sound in a way that compensates for the deficiencies of the XT. Add that to the fact that you are used to the XT, and that's probably why you come to that conclusion. I suggest you record some guitar parts with both and listen through a good pair of studio monitors. No recording engineer worth his salt mixes on headphones; they might check the mix through headphones, but that's about it.

If Helix sends the MIDI commands to set the DT to None for all those parameters, I think the DT will stay that way until it receives commands to change again. I guess I could make another Helix template to put them back.

 

If the amps and cabs are set to none for each of the voicings/topologys on Channel A, swtiching topologies doesn't seem to affect anything except volume level a bit. Actually, since there's a MIDI command to choose Voicing, I could make the template to always select Voicing I and set amp/cab/mic to None. Then it would only affect one of the DT's eight amp/cab setups. I think I'll try that.

 

I'll dedicate DT Channel A, Voicing I to Helix and the other seven should be available for standalone use.

 

I can think of 2 ways to accomplish this.

 

Method 1 (Easy)

• Use DT Edit to set up Channel 1, Voicing I so that the amp/cab/mic/reverb are all set to None
• Disconnect DT Edit and hook up a MIDI cable from Helix to the DT
• Set up Helix Command Center Instant Command 1 to MIDI CC, Base, 122, 0. (This selects Channel A and Voicing I)

Method 2 (More complex)

 

Set up the Helix Command Center Instant Commands to:

• Instant 1 = MIDI CC, Base, 122, 0 (selects Channel A and Voicing I)
• Instant 2 = MIDI CC, Base, 11, 0 (selects None for Amp)
• Instant 3 = MIDI CC, Base, 71, 0 (selects None for Cab)
• Instant 4 = MIDI CC, Base, 82, 0 (selects None for XLR Direct Out Mic Emulation, this is the only MIDI command I can find that affects the mic)
• Instant 5 = MIDI CC, Base, 37, 0 (selects None for Reverb)

Edit: Method 1 seems to work great so I might stick with that.

It's consistent. I use an extra expression pedal and it did it every time until I changed to a stereo wah pedal.

The wah volume drop problem is user error, not a software bug. I discovered it myself- if you use a mono wah, in a stereo path, you'll get a complete volume drop when returning to volume pedal mode. Use a stereo version of the wah, and you're good to go.

While in 'Global' any change you've made (Variax wize) will not be save into the preset.

 

If you open a preset file, there is a section Global for each preset where Variax settings are stored:

 

    '@variax_customtuning': True,
    '@variax_lockctrls': 0,
    '@variax_magmode': True,
    '@variax_model': 0,
    '@variax_str1tuning': 0,
    '@variax_str2tuning': 0,
    '@variax_str3tuning': 0,
    '@variax_str4tuning': 0,
    '@variax_str5tuning': 0,
    '@variax_str6tuning': 0,
    '@variax_toneknob': -0.10000000000000001,
    '@variax_volumeknob': -0.10000000000000001}}},

For instance, while in 'Per preset' mode, select Lester on your Variax, save the preset you're in.

Now switch to 'Global' mode, select any other model other than Lester, save your preset again. 

Switch to 'Per preset' once more, the Lester model will still be there again.

 

'Global' just means than anything you do with Variax settings won't be saved within the preset, in fact

it will be saved somewhere in the Helix, but will never be saved in any presets/setlist/bundle.  Being

in this mode, only, override anything specified in the Vaxiax settings for each preset.  So if you select

Semi, it will stay on Semi model for the entire 1024 presets available.

 

Thanks for the in depth analysis. This is a poor implementation of Variax control. The HD500 had it right: the current Variax model ON THE GUITAR did not change unless the selector switch is moved, or forced by the HD500 preset if you choose to. So if you have a series of HD presets, say Deluxe Reverb, and you want to use a Strat for some songs and Les Paul for others, you just select the guitar model and change HD presets. AND, if you change any of the HD effects, the Variax guitar model isn't stored on the HD.

 

With the Helix,

- in Variax Preset mode if you change any of the effects, it automatically stores the Variax model when the HD preset is saved. That's really a pain, because you have to navigate to he input block of the Helix and de-select the stored Variax model every time!

- In Variax Global mode what ever Variax model is stored at the time Global mode is entered, that Variax model is now the default for all 1028 presets! Ouch!

 

I hope they rectify this soon, it makes using the Variax with the Helix very difficult. Combine that with the lack of DT amp control (not Topology, Class, or Tri/Pentode functions without midi commands, and the "Dream Rig" concept just isn't there for the Helix.

I tried setting the Variax input setting to "Global". No dice- it still follows the model selector on the Variax. Bummer. I hope they implement full Variax functionality soon.

Thanks for the info

Thanks, I figured that out. The problem is, if you tweak the reverb on the helix, and you're in a different Variax guitar model, then both get saved. That's not the way the HD 500 worked. The guitar model wasn't saved with the processor preset.

When I tweak a Helix preset, it automatically loads the current Variax model when I save the preset. This did not happen with the HD500. The Variax model is not saved with the Helix preset

Am I doing something wrong, or can this not be changed? When I want to use several different variax guitar models with a Helix amp model, I don't want the Helix to save the currently loaded one.

I've had my 59 and 69 for years now. I love them both, they are my only gigging guitars. The neck on the 69 took a bit of getting used to, but now I find it fine. Both guitars have always worked fine, never a problem.

I'm using the FX Send as a stereo output into my CPS Space Station as a feed for my JTV acoustic tones. When I tweak it with HD Edit, it sounds great in gorgeous stereo and I save it the the HD500x. BUT, when I disconnect the HD from my computer, load another preset, then go back to the acoustic preset, it's in mono. I've played with the mixer, the FX Send setting, but nothing seems to help.

I save the preset from HD Edit, and on the HD500x itself. Any ideas? Is this a bug in the FX Send?

Update- if I move the EFX loop block, it restores the stereo output of the send. Still, if I load another preset and reload the acoustic preset, the FX send reverts to being mono.
 

Update 2- I opened a support ticket. I believe this is a software bug.

It's right under the "on" button...

You do make a good point!

Line 6 wants to get as much of the guitar playing market as possible and this is probably a good move for them. NAMM is a very exciting time. We all wait eagerly to see the new goodies. To have a certain amount of pomp and circumstance surround an entry level guitar is just…meh! But I get it!

 

Line 6 has a history of producing beginners/bedroom player kind of low budget not very well made gear. When they introduced the DT series amps and the new Pod HD line along with the partnership with boutique guitar builder James Tyler, they sent a signal that they are going to make a strong move to shake off this low budget perception and cater to the Pros with high quality gear. I mean, so far so good. I love my Dream Rig (past issues notwithstanding).

 

Amplifi sort of took them back to the bedroom. Now this budget guitar. Not sure what Firehawk is. Sounds like great stuff to rock out with you headphones but not really intended for the stage. (I'm being very general here) I fear that this is the direction that is most important to Line 6 and us Pro players…well…No Soup For You! Unnecessary fear maybe, but it crosses my mind now and then.

 

Who goes to NAMM to check out budget stuff? I want to see the best of the best! 

 

So you are right! What's the gripe? The gripe is I am not a beginner guitarist and I wanted something a bit more "WOW" from Line 6. Basically, Line 6 didn't please ME! Can you believe that Sugar Honey Ice T?

 

I take my rig to gigs and people are blown away by my tone, blown away at how I effortlessly go from electric to acoustic and altered tunings. Then they are especially blown away that it is from Line 6! I love it and I want to keep blowing them away! But no one is going to be blown away by me showing up with no Pacifica! Nor am I going to pay $4000 for a Korean guitar that happens to be assembled in the US and painted Orange!

Who goes to NAAM to see budget stuff? Probably the majority of the music equipment retailers that attend the show and sell to the vast majority of players who don't gig... sorry that they didn't please you. BTW, you've already got their current top of the line, so I don't know what you expected. The next generation? I guess we'll all have to wait. I'm looking forward to it too.

It would have been nice to see a Variax in one of Yamahas signature line guitars as opposed to one of their budget lines. This is supposed to be the guitar that changes the game for guitarists. One that even the Pro's are considering. Seems like a step backwards to me. But this is the first offering. I hope there is a more "Pro" version on the horizon.

Maybe I'm not understanding the gripe. L6 is trying to establish the Variax in the lower price points with the same modeling as their $3500 guitars, so they can sell more and create a market for higher end models in the future.

So they have:

1. The $700 Variax Standard built in a decent quality lower end guitar(compare it to the 300/ 600- it's MUCH better)

2. The Korean JTV69/59/89 Variax for those who want a mid-range quality guitar(on par with $800-1500 guitars)

3. The JTV59/69/89 US for those who want a boutique quality, custom built quality guitar with the Variax option.

I think this gives the potential Variax buyer a range of products that would appeal to most. Honestly, I just bought a Chinese Epiphone G-400 Pro where the fit, finish, hardware and tone are easily the equal of most Gibsons that cost $1000-$1500. I would imagine the the Yamaha Variax when set up properly should be a reasonably good playing and sounding guitar. Time will tell.

IMHO, there really nothing "custom" about most custom guitars. 99.97% of the time they are little more than production models with a few aesthetic bells and whistles to justify what is usually a comical price tag.

 

That said, I love my Korean JTV, and never played the US custom...but for nearly $4k, I'd be buying a scratch 'n' dent Korean JTV from Sweetwater for $800, take the other $3K or so and find someone who builds genuine custom axes, where you can get exactly what you want, and cannibalize the other JTV for the electronics.

I think you're making a generalization that usually isn't true. For a guitar to be custom, you go to a luthier like Tyler and pick out the neck profile, frets, fingerboard material, pickups, tuners, body finish, neck finish, color, other hardware etc. Maybe if you order from the Fender "custom" shop it's more true, but even there you can specify many of the options you'd like for your instrument.