soundog

Just rewired a beat up old Ernie Ball VP JR volume pedal with a linear taper 25k pot. Put in a new string just for added fun. Its working perfectly with my Stomp, so I wired a little switch on the side for using the tuna when in Snapshot mode.

Sorry, Phil .... I didn't mean you. Your smiley face was very gentle. And it was sideways, which makes it even more gentle.

What if you get old and stop shredding and buy an acoustic guitar and start playing some James Taylor. You will want an audio interface with XLR inputs like your Babyface. Just sayin'.

Jeepers, fellas! All Shawn needed was a gentle "You need to download and install HX Edit 3.00....". Most of us guitar players make a little mistake now and then....

Since Line 6 added the MIDI Control Center and a couple of more blocks to the Stomp, I decided to purchase one. Plus, I’m recording at home a lot more than when I had pre-pandemic gigs, and I wanted to see how the Stomp would integrate with my studio. It does so nicely. Here are a few things I’ve learned: Setup: I’m using an Apollo Twin for my main audio interface. Its tasked with microphone input, and for controlling my monitor speakers (2 sets). I’m using the Stomp for guitar and bass input (I was using the Apollo before). My DAW is Logic Pro X running on an iMac, running Catalina OS X. Your mileage may vary on another OS or using a different audio interface, but things should be similar. Cabling: Stomp to Mac via USB. Apollo to Mac via Thunderbolt. The Stomp L and R Outputs are cabled to the Apollo L and R Line Inputs via balanced TRS cables. (I link the Apollo L and R inputs so I can set levels with one knob.) I’ve got my studio monitors coming out of the Apollo. I can connect headphones to either the Stomp or the Apollo for monitoring (more on this later). Sample Rate: I run my studio at 48k sample rate (24-bit), which plays nicely with the Stomps default sample rate. Monitoring: I avoid software monitoring from a DAW whenever possible, because I don’t like latency, however short. I just don’t. One of the beauties of the Stomp and the Apollo (and many modern interfaces) is that you can use real-time monitoring of your input with zero (software) latency. With the Apollo, you can use its built-in DSP for real-time monitoring via plug-ins. Same for the Stomp; you can have real-time monitoring of your wet guitar signal. I use the Apollo for monitoring with headphones when recording tracks using microphones (so I’m hearing the microphone input along with the DAW output). I use the Stomp for monitoring with headphones when recording tracks using guitars (I’m hearing the wet guitar input along with the DAW output). I’ve tried using an aggregate device so I could use the Stomp for input and the Apollo for output, but then I still have to deal with using software monitoring and the latency it introduces. I’ve also tried using Blackhole, Jack, and Loopback apps as a workaround…. but can’t get around latency tied to software monitoring. So …. I use either the Apollo (microphones) or the Stomp (guitars) for real-time zero-latency monitoring when recording tracks, selecting the appropriate interface in Logic. Recording Guitars: I select Stomp as my audio input and output device. I record two tracks; one stereo wet via the Stomp’s USB 1/2 channels, along with USB 5 dry mono (in case I need it later for re-amping, using with Native or another amp sim plug-in (I like S-Gear and Neural DSP). I monitor through headphones in the Stomp (with the Stomp set as Logic’s audio out L/R). I almost always have HX Edit running alongside Logic when tracking guitar because its so much quicker to tweak things. After recording, I switch my Logic audio back over to the Apollo for mixing through monitors or recording tracks via microphone. MIDI Clock: I have Logic set up to send MIDI clock to the Stomp via USB for time-based guitar effects such as delay. With HX Edit running, I can quickly see if it’s working by looking at the Tempo field in the upper right; if it says [External] I know synch is working. Practicing (No Computer): Since I’ve got my Stomp cabled to the Apollo, I can easily play straight through to my monitors without requiring my computer or DAW. I've tried a number of guitar doo-dads in the studio, (plug-ins, Kemper, Strymon Iridium, etc) but find the Stomp to (perhaps) be the best well-rounded solution so far....

1. The Stomp is an amazingly versatile little box in terms of audio and MIDI and I/O that I've come across. And if you set it up correctly with your DAW the latency is zilch when monitoring your guitar while recording. You gotta read the manual, though. It's worth it. 2. I recently bought mine used for $400, which was a good deal. The unit is worth the $599 MSRP .... there's a lot of engineering packed in the box.

Also, read through these forum threads regarding Helix Native and stereo output. Please let us know if you find the solution therein. https://line6.com/support/topic/46963-helix-native-output-panning-issues-in-logic-pro-x/?tab=comments#comment-298156 https://line6.com/support/topic/29571-cant-figure-out-hard-panning-of-guitars/?tab=comments#comment-328058 https://line6.com/support/topic/32305-panning-your-hxn-guitar-within-a-stereo-track/?tab=comments#comment-248159

I know you are, but what am I?

The above turns out to be the best "fix" for those of us who want to use our audio interface as our studio's output device. Create an aggregate device for recording your guitar tracks with Helix. You can switch it back to "normal" when doing your microphone tracking. I just got a new Stomp to use for recording some tracks in Logic Pro and was using it (audio in) with an Apollo Twin (audio out). I was having the exact same 2—3 second guitar delay mentioned by the OP after recording for awhile. Maddening. Creating an aggregate device fixed the problem. So either solution (aggregate or using Helix as your audio out monitor) will do the trick.

Holy Mackerel! Talk about plug-in and just play. I just received my Iridium pedal (a Christmas present to myself for being relatively good). This thing is over the top good! Yeah, I'm playing it some with the HFX, but I like it enuf with just the built in IRs and a pinch of the room reverb. Holy Mackerel!

Thanks all. My basement has several pieces of musical hardware that was abandoned by software; its just something to be aware of when investing in stuff. At least the Variax still plays! In reality, one can't assume any manufacturer will continue to support old products via software updates — they gotta prioritize resources. That said, I do have an old Mac that I think I'll hang onto for running "old" but essential 32-bit apps such as Workbench. And I wonder if someone might create a utility app that will run 32-bit apps under the 64-bit OS?

I bought a Variax 700 Acoustic in 2010. One of the main reasons to buy a Variax is for the custom tone-shaping available via the Workbench software. Unfortunately, Line 6 hasn't updated the necessary Workbench software to keep up with computer operating system evolution. I managed to mess around with Java versions, etc, to keep it going over the past several years, but the OSX move to Catalina seems to have broken everything. And with it, my trusty Variax. Ten years is a short life span for a guitar! Yeah, I can still plug it in and play it, but the custom tone-shaping feature is poooooft. I also own a Variax Standard, which uses the newer Workbench HD. But one could logically predict that the HD software will be abandoned within ten years, just like for the earlier Variax models. The 10-year life span for custom tone modeling is something to keep in mind if you are considering buying a new Variax.

The Beat Bars looks nice and I'm sure it would play nicely with Helix. Expensive though. If your on a budget, you can use a expression pedal like a Yamaha FC7 ($45) or M-Audio EX-P ($30). They work just dandy.

Hmmmm. It's easy to overdrive bass in the digital domain. Its possible your metering is not detecting (or reacting to) your really low frequencies. Experiment with dialing down the input on the Steinberg further and see if that helps. You can also play around with a high pass filter (70 Hz or thereabouts) and/or light compression before Native. Also (of course) try turning your amp gain down (and the master volume up to compensate).