silverhead

You can't control anything but the Helix Rack device with the Helix Control. You would need to use the Helix Rack to control your Engl.

Take a look at the last banner item at the top of this page.

I think so but not 100% sure about IRs. I'd leave them as is until/unless you have evidence that they are problematic.

You're welcome. With respect to my final paragraph above (recreating the offending presets) you can try to copy/paste individual blocks from the original preset rather than manually recreating each block from scratch but I can't guarantee that this willl work. If it does it can save you some effort. Try it with one preset first - it will either work (not be rebuilt again on startup) or not.

You likely already know that it is normal for presets to be rebuilt once, on the startup following their first import into new firmware. So I'm assuming you mean that the same preset(s) are being rebuilt repeatedly at each startup. This is not normal and usually indicates that these presets are somehow considered by the new firmware to be structurally corrupt and unable to be properly rebuilt although they may continue to work properly. This will continue to happen until the offending presets are identified and removed or until new firmware is able to rebuild them correctly. You can do something about the former but not the latter. To identify the offending presets watch carefully as the rebuild process happens. The display will show a number between 1 and 1024 for each preset being rebuilt. This number can help you identify the preset location in terms of its setlist/bank/preset location. Divide the number by 128 (the number of presets in a setlist) to determine the setlist number, 1-8. Then divide the remainder by 32 (the number of banks in a setlist) to determine its bank number 1-32. The final remainder will be a number between 1 and 3, which corresponds to the preset location A-C within the bank. (Note: if there is no final remainder that means the preset is in location D of the already identified Bank). For instance if the display shows preset 746 being rebuilt that specific preset is in Setlist 6 (since setlist 5 ends at 5*128=640). It is in Bank 27 (since the remainder from the first division, 106, is greater than 26 *4=104). It is preset B since the final remainder is 2. Often the presets being rebuilt will correspond to a range of presets suggesting that at some point a number of presets from somewhere were imported together. Backup these presets for future reference and then delete them (i.e. copy New Preset into those locations). Restart Helix until all such presets are removed and no further rebuilding occurs. What remains in Helix are now known to be fully compatible presets. If you want to restore the offending presets you can import them individually to inspect the details and then manually recreate them by editing a New Preset - do not copy them. When finished, replace the offending preset again with a New Preset before restarting Helix.

You can connect your Variax to any audio interface using its 1/4 analog output. Of course you will be sending the raw signal of the selected Variax model. There will be no signal processing such as your POD provides; you will need to do that in some other fashion.

What matters is what it sounds like to you. There's no right or wrong. Given your skepticism about opinions you're reading I think the best way for you to decide is to buy the HX Stomp, test things out for yourself, and return it if you don't like it. What you'll get in response here will likely fall into two camps: It's not OK to run through a standard amp (the majority), and it is OK to do so (a minority). From what you've said you're going to disagree with the former and agree with the latter - but you won't have any personal experience to base your decision on. So get your experience.

Hmmm... I guess you should wait for other opinions on this. I'm not 100% sure. I'm surprised that you were able to update JTV firmware using the X3. But it's been a while and my knowledge and/or memory may be faulty. My understanding is that the JTV series is only backwards compatible as far as the POD HD500X in terms of supporting Workbench HD as an interface device. Prior devices can work to some degree but are not fully compatible and not supported.

Yes. I believe you have hit the nail on the head.

Right - I was referring to the Sonic Port VX. Sorry for any confusion.

Perhaps because it also works with Mac and PC computers?

Well, that depends on whether the iOS components perform as specified. My understanding, from this Line 6 update, is that the issue lies with Apple.

Later. Much later.

No. Completely different platforms.

I don't think there will be a new StageScape under that name. You will find new Yamaha products, under their brand, that integrates any technology that Yamaha found useful. I think that in the speaker/mixer arena Yamaha chose to eliminate a competitor rather than continue the Line 6-branded product lines. Check out the new Yamaha mixers and play Where's Waldo.