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So much of this. I also came from the HD500 world (and Vetta II before that, and AxSys before that). I would definitely recreate the basic layout as your starting-point. But as the Helix is SO much deeper that the HD500... I think you might be better to take the clean slate approach and build from the ground up.. keeping in mind the end goal of the tone you are after.

Funny… I was just thinking about this last night as I was drifting off to sleep… and how you could keep it almost all inside of the Helix. This would work best with an FRFR rig. Here is a very simplified path setup: Path 1 Guitar->Helix in->Amp block->Send/Return block->Cab block->Helix out In the Send/Return you would place the Talkbox, but there is no return from the TB obviously. Path 2 Mic->Helix MIC in->FX to taste->Helix out Setup a multi switch to turn on the S/R block AND the Mic at the same time.The guitar goes thru the amp block and then out thru the Send to the TB, but with no return. So this kills the sound heading to the Cab block and out… just like it would in a traditional setup. Then, the Mic picks up the sound and routes it back to Path #2 where you can add FX to taste. You would need either a self-amplified TB (like the Rocktron Banshee) or some external amp if you are using a Heil-style TB. But in theory… you could keep almost all of it in the Helix.

Sounds nice... albeit "too in-tune" compared to the original ;)

On the expensive side... but some nice extra features... http://www.thegigrig.com/three2one-c2x22073675

You could start by recreating his rig in the Helix... but that's only going to go so far. Here is a deep dive on his tones: https://www.guitarchalk.com/eric-johnson-lead-tone/

The Helix and LT can both be hooked up in a bunch of ways. The Helix has more outputs.. but the LT has enough for most users I would guess. You are right about the video... they have a stereo feed from the Helix LT directly rather than a mic'd amp. Although.. the first part was straight into a Fender HRD - a good "pedal platform" amp. Personally.... I think the Helix sounds best through a PA/FRFR setup. Some might prefer to do the 4CM or direct into an amp with a good amount of headroom - like the HRD. YMMV... and it's comes down to what sound the best to you. Back in my HD500X days... I used a 2x12 stereo cab thing, and it was OK. But when I switched to a FRFR setup... my sound got much better to my ears. And now with the Helix... I'm SUPER happy with my tones.

You need a 7pin DIN to a 1/4" breakout cable essentially. These folks might be able to help you.. they do another Randal footswitch adapter cable, so maybe they can build you one. https://btpa.com/Randall-Amp-Cables/

Ok.. I know I'm old and grumpy.. but when did this become "a thing?" I've seen it now few times on here... and it just seems like such a jerky way to ask a question or try to get answers.

I posted a clean AH patch a month or so ago... not a bad place to start. You could certainly add more... http://line6.com/support/topic/26146-holdsworthian-clean/?do=findComment&comment=201826

Not if front of my rig right now... but you can get pretty dang close. I would start with two "Elephant" delays running in a split path with the modulation up a bit. Try a 8th note and dotted-8th against each other. Add some plate verb to taste.

I'm a little late to this thread but... Here is part of a DVD I did for Yamaha many, many years ago where we show - in real time - how moving the mic around a speaker can affect the sound. This is somewhat of an exaggeration, but you get the idea for why you want to be able to have the High and Low cuts: https://youtu.be/MChYalokpdU?t=9m9s Yes... that's my old AxSys amp too and me BB (Before beard).

It sounded pretty good to me... I think one of the issues with some of the videos (not just for the Helix, but for IRs and other "guitar-related" stuff) is they have a song in which the rhythm guitar parts have been double (or even triple) tracked. This makes them sound MASSIVE.. but not necessarily what you hear at home when you fire up your own rig. It can be buzz kill.

Yes... studio monitors are basically FRFR. Depending on how loud they get, and their power handling... you could use them for jamming with buddies in a garage or practice space. I have a set of M-Audio BX8 monitors at home that would be plenty loud for a casual jam.

Indeed. I would love a deeper dive on the construction of the track. How many tracks? Did you double/triple track parts? Outside EQ? Inquiring minds want to know! ;)

For me, it was a combination of making sure I used a rear-port on my PC, and then making sure that I was running the Updater with the "Run as Admin" option under Windows 7. After that... smooth sailing.

This will get you part of the way there. However... there is a difference between two sounds being the same level on a meter and their "perceived" volume level when playing. This is especially true for live playing. Dirty patches will always sound louder than their clean counterparts. There was a thread on this (that I can't find) where one of the suggestions was to play a song off an iPhone/Android/MP3 player thru the Helix, and then use that as a baseline to match your patches to the same perceived volume. I think that would go a long way to getting your patches closer to same level.. especially if you can do it at something more that "bedroom" volume.

I'll second (or is it thirds) the Altos. I run the TS10 ( the older version of the TS210) and have been very happy with them. I can walk into a gig with my Helix/cables in my Novation backpack, my guitar in one hand, and the Alto in the other. One trip from the car AND good sound. YMMV

They guys over at That Pedal Show have a great primer on Stereo rigs and Wet-Dry-Wet rigs. As this topic comes up from time to time on here....

You might have a look at Pete Thorn's Helix vids... he does this very thing:

I had the pleasure of seeing Allan perform twice here in the Bay Area. Once in the late 80s at the Great American Music Hall in SF. Allan was tearing it up as usual, and had brought along the Yamaha G10 guitar synth as a replacement for his SynthAxe. The G10 seemed to mostly keep up with Allan, but did take an extend dump in the middle of a tune... leaving Allan to just throw his hands up and smile at the absurdity of the moment. More recently, I took my dad to see him at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz with the EPIC Jimmy Haslip and Virgil Donati. My dad had heard Allan's music coming out of my bedroom as a teenager and decided that he should finally go see what this was all about (especially now that I'm as old as Dad was when I was banging out Metal Fatigue.) Needless to say... I think Allan melted my Dad's brain that night. I got to meet Allan (albeit briefly) at the NAMM show sometime back in the mid 2000s. As always, any complement about his music and unbelievable talent seemed to cause him great embarrassment. I still have his autographed picture he signed for me.

You might also try running the the Updater/Helix App in "Admin mode" - right clikc the icon and choose "Run as Administrator." This is what held me up when I was doing my updates.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking!

I had this same issue until I found the right USB port on my machine. I know you said that you've tried all four on your machine.... but do you have access to another PC? Maybe a work laptop or a friend's?

Ahhh.. the Brad Gillis mod...