Hey StratBoss -

I think the GR-55's guitar modeling is good. IMHO I think the Variax sounds closer to the real thing and WB can get you closer. But the the GR-55 has guitar modeling based on BOSS/Roland’s VG-99 COSM (Composite Object Sound Modeling). I know that a few pros did or still do use the VG-99 (like John Mclaughlin, Vernon Reid, Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Frank Gambale, Jeff Baxter, Steve Stevens). It just boils down to which one sounds/feels best to you. One plus for going the Roland route is that you can put the 55's GK pickup onto any guitar - so your favorite axe can have all the capabilities of the GR-55 and still feel like your favorite gear. I use the GR-55 with a Roland Ready (MIM) strat so I don't have the ugly GK controller and divided pickup wires showing. I had a Vax600 with the GK pup on it and it was cool to mix the Variax real guitar with the modeled guitar and the COSM guitar sounds together with 2 GR's synth sounds (a blend of 5 noises from one guitar at once).

Only way to tell is A/B them yourself and then it will be your opinion not mine. I don't know what it says that both companies have respectfully discontinued these 2 products.
 

could this topic be your problem?

Helix LT No Longer Recognized as Audio Device - Win7

sounds like your problem is what I had

this fixed it for me

thanks for the replies mritt and HonestOpinion.

I had DLed the 1.96 drivers from Line6 before your posts, was just waiting for a consensus. I had HXEdit 3.51 installed. Uninstalled 1.97.02. Installed 1.96 divers. Windows didn't install them without a failure. Manually installed the drivers.

All works as it once did and should now.

Thanks a bunch guys.

Hopefully anybody else on Win7 having this problem will reference this post.

Happy Holidays!

Good (new) info for me.

I'll try non Slinky 9.5s out  on my 69 based on you two guys expert opinions.

THANKS

Cobalt is why I switched from plain Slinkies

Some of my favorite Legacy Effects are (in no particular order):

Tube Drive

L6 Drive

Blue Comp

Dimension

‘63 Spring

There are some presets on Line6 CustomTone for violin HERE. 

Some of the presets are for guitar to emulate violin

but

some are specifically for violin.

As a side note you might want to watch some YouTube instructional videos by Jason Sadites 

here

to help you understand the best ways to set up/operate the Helix (Stomp) albeit they are for guitar.

Hope this helps you learn how to set up presets for your CR-5.

I have the PC+112.

I got the survey and hoped that Line6 wanted some personal feedback too, but no.

Kinda pissed that it seemed to be nosing around for interest in their next version of a PC (maybe with a new cool marketing name to lure more $800 sales) leaving us version 1 owners right where we are. I'm not sure Line6 ever abandoned a product so soon as with this product.

Ah ha. Thanks Per. That wasn't obvious to me.

On 4/5/2022 at 4:37 AM, Ilya-V said:

They fixed it, yay !

Except...I may be blind, but can't see a way to edit a post now.

Is there a way?

Craig Anderton's Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks eBook offered thru Sweetwater for $19.95 has a short blurb on the bitcrusher's parameters. It wouldn't be worth the money just for that, but it has tons of other useful Helix info not all commonly know by many. If Craig wanted to divulge his bitcrusher info here it's his decision but I can't  cut and paste his work.

here ya go:

chandler_holloway@sweetwater.com

19 hours ago, craiganderton said:

 

Don't worry...

Wasn't worried - they always take good care of me. Was just chiming in to offer my experience.

Sweetwater PC Tech Support responded within 24 hours. Got a new link with this message:

Here’s a refreshed download link for you, let me know if this one works for you. You only get 10 downloads of this link before it expires again, so make sure to save the PDF locally on your computer’s hard drive, and only re-download from the website for updates or just in case you lose the local copy.

Here's what I found on the page Craig linked above (book's landing page).

I still get the Download Expired! This download code has expired. Please reach out to Sweetwater Tech Support for assistance with your download message when using the original activation code email.

I emailed my " Sales Engineer " about our problem and no answer yet.

22 hours ago, HonestOpinion said:

 

...so I hope it doesn't force the PC(+) further into the apparent abandonware category...Maybe Line6 will allay our PC(+) concerns with an update...

 

Not even sure that my biggest gripe with the Powercab, the fact that it has such a narrow optimal input level range, can even be remedied via firmware/software. Still love my PC+, just dislike dealing with the somewhat fiddly leveling efforts required from the device outputting signal to it. Often necessitating changing the gain structure in the preset. There are still a couple of outstanding bugs that need fixing from what I have read. An update to the manual would also be welcome, although @amsdenj and others have done a fine job of documenting what the various settings do and when they should be employed. IMHO the manual should be updated to be more informative. Anyway, I hope the PC continues to get a little love, at least for a bit longer. I really enjoy using mine.

 +1

I'm spoiled with Pod and Helix updates thru the years. I expected at least an upgrade of the existing PC+ speakers and possibly some new ones and some other refinement tweaks.

It wasn't the price of a low budget SpiderIV and even they got at least one update as I recall.

Yeah -  I know, buy it for what it is today not tomorrow...just sayin'.

no...

it's a right handed 600 and he is left handed; playing a right handed guitar in the left handed position.

I was hoping for that years ago also but never found one. I checked all my bass forums before posting here and didn't find a thing - not even at the Official Variax Bass Club at Talk Bass.com - no help from Google either. Guess you'll have to make your own...

Best I can find is this Variax Bass Pilot's Handbook.

I got it from Line 6 Legacy Products/Variax Bass 700  

But I don't remember some of the images being so blurred like this PDF in my original handbook.

I'm guessing you didn't get the pilots handbook with your recent acquisition.

Hope this helps a little.

Variax Bass Manual ( Rev A ).pdf

I would go HERE .

Line 6 is pleased to provide phone and email support.

Open a Support Ticket,

contact a Service Center near you,

or, call Line 6 Technical Support.

Have you tried all the presets under Brian May at Line 6 CustomTone ?

Might give you some patch building ideas or a few patches to tweak to your liking.

shedding more light on the question...

From Line 6's Helix blog

What The Heck Is An IR?

I was perusing the Fractal forum and found this about the HR108

Flattening the HeadRush curve