soundog

It was certainly surprising the MIDI stuff was left out, especially since Line 6 is pushing HX Unity with their upcoming firmware release. They say "all Helix and HX products can now share the same content...aside from a few obvious caveats (like six blocks in HX Stomp or effects only in HX Effects)" As I mentioned, I was really disappointed to have to send the Stomp back because its a great sounding little unit and I love the compact size. But now I'm back to using my HX Effects because I need the MIDI out feature set for my solo performance stuff.

Plenty of MIDI IN, but almost nothing for MIDI OUT. Not even sure why they even bothered to put the danged connector on there.

No. Nohow.

This is a $20 template to use with the $25 MIDI Designer Pro iOS app (a nifty app for creating your own MIDI controllers)? So $45 total, right?

I found three very similar requests for Command Center in the Stomp on IdeaScale (one with 65 votes, one with 20, and one with 17). Here is the one with the most votes: https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/HX-Stomp-Command-Center-MIDI-CC-Message-Transmit/940464-23508#idea-tab-details

I re-read the Gear Page thread, and Digital Igloo said "That's not to say we'll never add Command Center to Stomp; it all depends on how important it is to people vs. how much deeper it makes the whole thing appear. It HURT to have a 50-page manual for a stompbox. A 60, 70, or 80-page manual for a stompbox would BURN." So, I guess manual length wasn't the primary reason they chose to leave it out. Perhaps this was the main reason, inferred by Digital Igloo: "HX Stomp doesn't have a full blown Command Center menu, because, well, it's a stompbox. Trying to shoehorn in a master MIDI controller into a stompbox is weird. We don't include features just because we can—their inclusion needs to make sense" Well look .... isn't HX Effects a stompbox?! Thought so. And inclusion of the Command Center in the Stomp absolutely makes as much sense as having it in HX Effect. OK .... I'll quit whining now. Wish I'd read the Gear Page thread before I bought it. And I still don't get why it wasn't included in the Stomp; it sure would be useful to many of us. I voted it up on IdeaScale. Maybe I'll buy the Stomp again some day if it gets added back in.

would a rat-tail file be worth a try so the string sits more evenly and gets better contact?

I did more than a "little bit" of due diligence, and do for all the equipment I purchase. There was nothing on the Line 6 product page that indicated the Command Center had been stripped out; the focus was primarily on the limitations being 3 foot switches and 6 blocks. Like the other units, the Stomp has USB and 5-pin DIN MIDI, In and Out. Sweetwater (where I placed the order), stated the Stomp had MIDI "for traditional MIDI switchers and advanced performance integration." Being a Helix Floor and HX Effects owner, I assumed the Command Center would have been included to support the MIDI connectivity, since the code was heavily shared within the family. Yeah, if I read the manual in detail I may have figured it out in advance. Shame on me! Line 6 is also touting HX Unity with their upcoming firmware release: "Helix Floor, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT, Helix Native, HX Effects, and HX Stomp all now live within the same ecosystem. Aside from a few obvious caveats (like six blocks in HX Stomp or effects only in HX Effects), all Helix and HX products can now share the same content." So, yeah .... it's obvious from all the online info that the HX Stomp is limited to six blocks and that the HX Effects is effects only. But stripping almost all of the MIDI out capabilities from the Stomp and not making it obvious to customers in the literature and marketing info is short-sighted. And it says nothing for "HX Unity."

Thanks, rsvette ... I just needed a little sympathy. Feeling a little better now.

I've been using an HX Effects for acoustic singer/songwriter gigs and love it. I ordered an HX Stomp this week because I prefer the compact size, and 6 blocks is good enough for my needs. BUT I use the HX Effects Command Center feature often to send MIDI CC's to some other devices, and just discovered the HX Stomp does NOT include the MIDI Command Center functionality. I thought I'd looked over the feature set enough before ordering, but guess not. So, its going back. DI mentioned in a Stomp form on the Gear Page that Line 6 left the feature out because they thought the manual was already too big for a stomp box. Hey—its a PDF manual, so I don't care if its even 100 pages long! One reason I love these Helix devices is because they are so darned flexible and feature rich (including I/O and MIDI capability). Its surprising to me that they chose to remove the simple MIDI CC output stuff. I'm sad to send it back because I really like how compact it is. And because I have to pay for the Sweetwater shipping ... both ways. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

...no worries, I appreciate your work. Thx!! I had another look at iRig Acoustic Stage reviews online (most are positive) and noted IK Multi dropped the price (on Amazon) to $70, so I ordered one out of curiosity to try out for live and studio work. I find that acoustic tone is mainly dependent on the guitar + pickup interaction, so most things done afterwards (in Helix or otherwise) is often an attempt to correct or fix any pickup anomalies or shortcomings. In my case, I settled on a B-Band A2.2 XOM pickup for my Alvarez Yairi, and haven't found anything I've liked better. But that pickup may not sound as good on another acoustic. So, there ya go....

It would be nice to hear each raw signal alone first; your piezo pickup, and the iRig. I'm not able to judge how Helix affected each path, and if the blend was an improvement. Sounds good, though, but still a little piezoplasticy. I'm also wondering how it would sound using the iRig's pickup blend feature, then just using one Helix path for the "pre-blended" tone (I use a Stomp for coffee house and winery gigs).

No, but try using some light distortion, roll off your highs, and play with a volume pedal to swell the notes like they're being bowed.

...bought my Sennheisers used also, they're usually well-cared for by audiophiles and you can often find good deals.

In Logic, you have HXN selected as a plug-in in an audio track? The HXN plug-in opens correctly? Can you select the UA line (guitar) input on other audio tracks but not HXN?

WTF! They assumed they answered your question without really answering your question?!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand why all your other tracks would sound fine through quality phones, but not Helix. It's a mystery, but sounds like an EQ issue based on your descriptors (tinny, thin, etc), maybe a lack of low mids? You could try a good EQ plug-in (like FabFilter ProQ) after Helix and see if anything strange is going on with your frequency curve. I typically have an EQ plugin before and after Native to tweak so the tracks fit the song. Trying to create an EQ curve for your Helix headphone monitoring is certainly a possibility. I personally use Sennheiser HD600's with a Sonarworks calibration file (plug-in), mainly to check low-end but sometimes to mix late at night so I don't disturb others. Helix sounds fine on my system, through monitors or the headphones.

Keep us posted if they figure something out — this sort of thing seems to come up a lot on this forum.

I appreciate all the work that goes into making videos, but these now longer than a full-length movie. Two hours for one preset? Eek!

Read this guy's thread, he has a similar problem:

Audio Midi Setup is your friend. Get to know him.

Yes, via USB. I use Set List Maker to control several MIDI devices (mainly for selecting presets) and I also use it for lyrics. But there are lots of MIDI controller apps out there you can customize to do about whatever you want.

I use one of these: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2AM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter You can charge/power your iPad/iPhone while sending MIDI to HX via USB. You can use any app that sends MIDI CC data, and some let you customize your layout.

Don't know .... you'd have to open a support ticket with them and have that discussion, I suppose. They don't really monitor this forum. FYI, I used Wi-Fi (not ethernet) when I registered and had no problems. Lots of variables....

....it could be a DAW thing? Cubase vs Logic?