oehman

That makes a lot of sense. And the numbers kind of add up too. So raising the volume knob on Helix to the max & turning the mic in level to 25 db should give me approximately the same gain as setting Helix mic in level to zero and setting the Mackie trim at 30. (12:00) - but with less noise. Then if I set the guitar preset volumes to match well with the vocals, I can set the trim on the Mackie to 0 for that Input as well. That makes setup a lot easier!

I'm using one path for guitar and the other for vocals. I pan them hard L & R to feed the mixer. The default on Helix for the XLR outs is line level. I think DI said that Hd500 in studio/direct is mic level.

I'm using one path for guitar and the other for vocals. I pan them hard L & R to feed the mixer. The default on Helix for the XLR outs is line level. I think DI said that Hd500 in studio/direct is mic level.

I'm working to get the best gain structure for a Path for vocals. I've got a Shure Beta 58a into Helix path 2 with light compression & delay. The compressor isn't boosting the signal. If I keep the Mic In Gain at 0 db in Helix, I have the trim on my Mackie mixer at 12 o'clock (30 on the trim knob) If I raise the Helix Gain to 15 db, I can drop the Mackie trim to about 9:00.(10 on the trim knob). Is one method more advisable than the other? The Helix line level is pretty strong, I suppose because it is line level instead of mic level. With my HD500 presets, I always had the Mackie trim set at 12:00. But with Helix, I've dropped it down to 9:00.

Nice tone & playing! What model did you use in the Variax for the Taylor IR? If you use a Variax acoustic, doesn't it interfere with the Taylor IR?

Thanks. I forgot that each path its own DSP and wondered why deleting blocks from my vocal path wasn't giving me more in the guitar path.

I created a preset for path 1 guitar, path 2 vocals Path 1 is pitch wham, scream 808, split to (amp & cab) jazzrivet, (amp & cab) Zed, (amp & cab) split back to simple delay mono, hall reverb Path 2 is LA Studio Comp, simple delay mono If I try to change the hall reverb to Spring 63, it's not even there to choose. I have to clear the pitch wham to see it. Is there another work around for this? I have the guitar & Vocals panned hard L&R so I can adjust their volumes on my Mackie mixer.

Are these controls on Helix the same as the channel volume & mixer volume on HD500? Neither effect the tone or drive of the amp? I always left the mixer at 0db and used the channel volume to level the volume between my presets. But pg 21 of the Helix manual suggests using the Level knob to set the volume of the path to 'maintain a consistent volume through out your set'

I think in regards to #2, he might like to see a chart by amp model that helps clarify what each amp control does. For example, the drive control on non-master volume models is actually more like the volume knob on those old amps(leaving the Master in the power amp section at 10). But on newer amps, the drive is probably modelling the preamp gain. Also, the Vox models, the treble is actually modeled on the Cut knob on those amps (I think).

Done with this thread. If anyone actually wants Helix reviews, I created a new topic.

I am really enjoying the Marshall amp models today. Playing through a small EV ZXA1 monitor and doing more playing than tweaking. Through Sennheiser headphones, there's a little too much presence and high end, but it's fairly easy to dial out just using amp controls. Favorite new feature-- Action.. copy block..paste block. Let's say I have 5 presets with a delay. But I find a delay or setting that I like better. Copy it from one preset, go to the next and paste it over the old one. Save preset. Done. Big time saver when I realized a had set a bunch of delays as stereo and really wanted mono.

A thread just for users have used the Helix. Critcism of reviews not needed. Ask reviewers a Helix related question if you want. Post your likes & dislikes of the Helix, not the reviewer. Thanks

I am really enjoying the Marshall amp models today. Playing through a small EV ZXA1 monitor and doing more playing than tweaking. Through Sennheiser headphones, there's a little too much presence and high end, but it's fairly easy to dial out just using amp controls. Favorite new feature-- Action.. copy block..paste block. Let's say I have 5 presets with a delay. But I find a delay or setting that I like better. Copy it from one preset, go to the next and paste it over the old one. Save preset. Done. Big time saver when I realized a had set a bunch of delays as stereo and really wanted mono.

Update to the JTV model/tuning bug-- Unplugging the JTV and plugging back in after booting up fixed it, sort of. All my patches responded to the different JTV models and tunings. But my Honky Tonk open G patch was saved in standard tuning, so I used JTV knob to go open G and saved it. When I went to the next preset, it was still open G even though the tuning was set as 'don't force'

Unplugging the JTV and plugging back in after booting up fixed it, sort of. All my patches responded to the different JTV models and tunings. But my Honky Tonk open G patch was saved in standard tuning, so I used JTV knob to go open G and saved it. When I went to the next preset, it was still open G even though the tuning was set as 'don't force'

Helix isn't forcing my Variax models or tunings for the presets that I've created. I have to manually change them on my JTV-59. I am updated to firmware 1.01.2

Just booted up and it locked. Only the top row of scribble strips had writing. Updated last night, set to factory presets by holding 7/8 footswitches down. And then reinstalled my set list with 11 song presets that I tweaked. Everything looked good when I shut down last night. So I shut down, did a factory reset and reinstalled the set list. It took 2 tries of resetting, but it seems to be ok now.

Edit Also I am inserting blocks and changing changing amp models and I don't know if that is possible -- using footswitches.

Agreed BigRalphN! My quick review after about 3 hours of playing around & using HD500x for the past 2 years.... 1) AMP MODELS- really happy with them. More detailed than HD and they don't have the fizz or 'clipping' that I always tried to tweak out. I never liked the HD Fenders much because they had a plinkiness and when I had the drive over 50%, they had a digital sounding distortion. The Helix models (that I've tinkered so far) sound really nice as soon as you pop them into a block. 2) THE INTERFACE- an improvement over HD, but not as drastic for me as the amp models. I should probably put it on a table as I set up my presets, so I can use the touch footswitches to tweak, but I want to kick on effects as I play to see how they boost, etc. Also I am inserting blocks and changing changing amp models and I don't know if that is possible (tonight I will RTFM more). I hope the PC based editor is at least as robust as HD. With added options to store effects settings as favorites and copy & paste entire signal paths (input,effects, amp block, output). It's nice to keep the board on the floor and tweak settings while recording on PC Oh crap, I just did a feature request - sorry, it's just so hard to avoid I'll try to give more insights when I get a few more hours of playtime.

I live in Connecticut. But I ordered online a couple of days after they emailed me a 15% off coupon. The coupon didn't list L6 as a non-participating merchant, so I gave it a shot. I had talked to SW a week before and they said the next batch of Helix wouldn't ship until late Nivember. GC showed as a pre-order, but when I put it n the cart, it showed in stock. Maybe GC somehow looked up my account and saw that I have purchased a small village of equipment from them over the past 20 years and bumped me up....or maybe I was ordering just as someone cancelled, and it got throw in my cart

Mine arrived today. I ordered last Thursday night Guitar Center online. I really didn't think I'd see if for a month. Maybe a glitch and I ordered right as someone else cancelled.

Yeah but how does it sound?? And if all other functions are ok, keep it for 29 days, return it as defective. And order a new one. By then you can have some presets saved to your computer and there willl probably be a lot of retailers with more stock.... :)

I'm not going to let myself get excited until it shows up. UPS tracking shows delivery 'Thursday 10/8 before end of day' but the package only weighs 12 lbs.... I didn't expect GUitar Center to honor the coupon or ship within a week of ordering. Maybe they put HD500 in the box instead of Helix!

Had a 15% discount coupon in my email, so I went to Guitar Center online. Helix showed as 'preorder', but I added to the cart & keyed in the coupon code anyway. It gave me the discount and showed Helix as 'in stock'. I figured it would give me a back ordered message because Sweetwater said the next batch wouldn't ship until late November. But I completed the transaction and got an email confirmation that it is shipping in 4-5 days and that the order can't be changed because Helix has already 'shipped and is on its way'

I downloaded Paul Hondmarsh's custom tone patch that he designed for the l2. It uses the full version of the 'lux Mp model. Sounds pretty good with L2 in electric guitar mode. Much louder than my patches! Unfortunately, custom tone patches don't give you global settings. So I'm not sure if he ran the patch in studio/direct or combo power amp, etc. So far I'm finding that the full version of amps with output mode set to studio/direct still works best. The other modes sound pretty harsh into the L2.