davidb7170

Ok, without knowing the answer specifically, until someone responds that does..... I would expect the CV output to be in need of a very high impedance load - i.e. not be able to drive much if any current at all, as the act of serving up current would actually drop the voltage -- change the Control Voltage, just like a volt meter needs to have a very high impedance several mega Ohms at least, so as not to materially change the quantity being measured. I'd think this would be necessary to not exceed the design limits of the Helix's internal power supply.... Remember they just moved the power supply internal -- hooks to outside AC, inside the box, turns it into DC... Just thoughts of a this old electrical engineer... ;) Dave

My local GC has had a few - only one at any one time, that I recall. I'm in a metro of about 350,000 population. They've had 59's, and 69's mostly IIRC. I was surprised to see them when I did. Either somebody bought them or they moved them to another store somewhere. I'm the only one gigging out with one in my area that I am aware of. I don't get out a lot to see other bands other than my gigs, but I've never seen any in FB pics of the other locals' gigs... Dave

From your description, it could either be your guitar or the 500X. shawnmx's suggestion of trying it into a regular amp with a 1/4" cable would tell you pretty quick if it's the guitar with no signal. One outside possibility with the 500X might be if for some reason, the patch(es) you're trying don't have the VDI or 1/4" guitar in chosen as the input source... Kinda doubt it, but worth a look. I've done this at least once. Before I freaked, I checked my globals and the patch inputs and found the problem. A way to check your 500X at least with the 1/4" input is to try a regular electric into it & see if you have signal. Also if one of your FX's in a patch had its gain rolled down to zero, could be an idea.... I've had my JTV's since 2011 & 2012, and my 500 then 500X since about then and they've been very reliable, but you never know. Once you rule out the easy stuff, it might be time for a support issue. shawnmx is correct -- with the battery out and 1/4" into a standard amp or a properly operating 500X 1/4" will be the mags only. Just some more thoughts for trouble shooting. Dave

I actually would like it if they could model the input Z selection for the VDI. I've messed with the input Z adjustment on my traditional guitars in the 1/4" guitar jack, and lowering the Z actually warms up the guitars, especially my Gretsch Country Gent. It can take some of the overly bright edge off of those guitars into a 1M - 3M input. I'd like some of the same flexibility with my JTV 59 & 69S via the VDI, would be just another tone shaper... Dave

Yes, this is normal behavior for the tuning LED to go off after a second or so. Does it on my 2 JTV's. The model knob LED is on at all times the modeling is active, and off when the mags are active.... I like to know when my models are on -- I set models on/off with different patches from my 500X with VDI cable between it and my JTV. I also set some patches on the 500X with alt tunings, but the alt tuning light does not come on with those... Dave

Yeah - Finally jumped on the band wagon. Will be interested in the experience of y'all while waiting.... Probably in the next batch out. If I'm lucky maybe Thanksgiving time... Maybe by that time, they'll have the backpack case available.... Dave

I did not have that problem on my 300. The 300 & 600 were pretty much the same animal, except the 600 had a tremolo, where my 300 does not. Both the 300 and 600 had the unitized metal box some called the "coffin" under the faceplate that holds the electronics of the guitar -- different from the 500 & 700 models. Anyway, I remember discussions on the L6 forums of people having problems with that "coffin" box - either it not being grounded properly or a conductor inside coming loose and grounding itself on the inside of that box.... Try searching for the discussions of that issue on both the 300 & 600 Variaxes. I know that the Line 6 archives have had spotty availability from that time period, but you can try, and also try googling the internet, to see if any other forums had discussions of such problems, and their solutions. If you know the risks and have no problem working inside your instrument, then you can try taking a look & see if anything looks amiss. Other than that, it's gonna be Line 6 repair.... All your choice. Dave

Diesel fuel actually turns to a thick jelly in cold weather, which is why I believe truckers leave their trucks running in the winter... I doubt occasionally will hurt it, but continuously... Anything only has a finite life-span, including the wall wart that powers it. If you feel that after it's been on for a session, it's got a little warmth going on. Thermal breakdown of insulation is a gradual process. Never noticed any real warmth from the 500(X) unit itself, but have noticed the power supply on it is warm to the touch. What killed my XTL was job after job of plugging/unplugging the power jack from the wall wart into the XTL. Finally, the jack came undone from the circuit board inside. Something shorted internally and a waft of smoke ensued and a really bad Bakelite smell... Next day, picked up a POD X3Live. Have progressed through the HD500 to the 500X. Have not had that problem again. Think they improved the power jack so it doesn't have any real play in it. REALLY glad they went with the IEC standard 3 - pin 120V (to 240V in Europe) connector and a power switch on the Helix -- about time... I digress... Dave

Best for one isn't always the best for everybody. Only way to tell is try different strings until you find the ones that trip your trigger. Realize for heavier or lighter than the stock 10's that come on the Vax's will require some set up tweaks (raise/lower action, adjust neck, set intonation, etc.), so if you're not used to doing that, you should probably get a guitar tech in on the change, so they can get it set up properly.... Just a suggestion. Dave

Ummm.... Check out this thread -- talking about the same thing on a 69 --- http://line6.com/support/topic/15739-installing-emg-singles-in-a-69/ Actives in a Variax not generally a good idea. I replaced my single coils in my 69S with noiseless DiMarzio's, but those are passive, so don't have all the issues of actives and batteries, and the effects of that on the Variax electronic innards, etc. Dave

Night of the Walking Bass...

Well, if it's still under warranty, you shouldn't have to pay for replacing a defective battery or a charger IMO. You should open a support ticket with the Line 6 customer service department here: http://line6.com/support/tickets/ One thing you'll need to work out with them is whether the battery is bad or the charger is bad. Kinda doubt it's both, but it could happen, I suppose... Think you said it's a Standard, so less than a year old? -- should still be under warranty.... Start there first. Describe your problem and symptoms with them. Dave

I do it, but with a FRFR (Full Range Flat Response) stage setup, not a guitar amp. Went away from guitar amps years ago for the reasons that pianoguyy noted above. With FRFR you hear what the PA FOH hears, with minor variation of course depending on the differences between your FRFR setup and the PA -- they don't all match exactly, but it much closer than guitar amp versus PA tonalities... Also with my setup it is lighter and eats less stage real estate... Doesn't look as cool as a stack of Marshals, but my back is happier... Dave

Yes. My 300 works with my HD 500X via the VDI. I can program the HD 500X to select models on it for different patches. I do not gig with the 300 any more, as I have the JTV 59 & 69S for gigging. I had the 300 out not too long ago and it played fine through the 500X. Just no support via the 500X for WB v1.75. I did not hook up through Monkey to see if it gets recognized by that for FW updates & such via the 500X, though. I also have my 500 as a backup for my 500X, and that still works with WB 1.75 as far as I know, though it's been a while since I messed with it. Dave

I throw in links to Full Compass a lot, I know, but you would likely spend about the same for a single allen wrench than for a complete set -- http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/248847-Line-6-50-03-0094 Dave

Ok -- this is not really a Helix only question, as I understand it, but what you're proposing is to run your FX pedal (Helix or POD HD, or whatever) signal output into your normal amplifier input (yes you can do that), but running out of your 16 Ohm out of the amp back into your FX (Helix, whatever) then to your speaker WILL NOT work and could possibly fry your FX pedal. The 16 Ohm (or 8 or 4 Ohm) outs are the power output to drive your speakers with many amps to get your 50, 100 or whatever Watts of speaker power. Then assuming your FX pedal survived that without being fried, the 2nd output from your FX pedal to you speakers would be back at low level signal, where speakers need power, and FX do not provide that.... Ok -- I'm not with Line 6, it's not official, but I am an engineer, and I know what fries stuff.... Jeeze, be careful -- I'd hate to see your brand new $1500 Helix go up in smoke... Think Marty McFly in the first scene of Back to the Future.... Dave

Workbench version 1.75 works with the HD500, but not the HD500X. I used it with my Variax 300 and my HD500 -- it's not the Workbench HD -- that only works with the JTV's and the new Variax Standard via the HD500 and 500X. My 500 and 500X both work with the 300 and my JTV's for firmware update and model control and playing on the guitars... If WB version 1.75 is what you're using, then you may have some communication issues with your computer and your HD500. Dave

The thing to remember is there is no wrong, just what's wrong for you. I've found many "wrong ways" to do it....until I found the right way for me (at least so far).... My luck with patches from Custom Tone here has been less than satisfactory, because everybody has different equipment, and different tastes, and different ears. What's right for others ain't always my cup of meat... "There is no spoon..." Dave

To calibrate the pedal -- the action of putting in a new FW version or different FW version if you go backwards with them resets all the prior calibrations, etc. Typical sign is folks saying their expression pedal isn't working after a FW flash. If they do a global reset and calibrate their pedal, it's magic -- their pedal works again!!! Wohoo!! Dave

The unbalanced 1/4" output jacks sum to mono if you only use one jack & cable to your amplification. If you have stereo amplification, running cables out of the Left & Right 1/4" outs will preserve the stereo signal. The Line/Amp switch changes the signal level of the 1/4" outs between "Line" level and "instrument" or "Amp" level. The line level signal is the hotter signal level required by most power amps, while the amp level is lower and appropriate for going into the regular instrument input of a typical guitar amp. The balanced XLR outputs do not sum to mono, so if you use only one of them you will get only the right or left signal. The XLR outs are not adjustable on the 500(X) between Line/Amp level, and are at the lower "amp" level, which is appropriate for PA mixing board mic inputs. The HD Pro (X) does have a Line/Mic level switch which is essentially the same. I wish my 500X had that on the XLR's.... Both have a ground Lift switch on the XLR's to deal with ground loops. If you have the 1/4" level selector in "Amp" then the XLR & 1/4" have the same signal level. If you chose "Line", then yes, the 1/4" is a higher level than the XLR... I use my 500(X) to a power amp for stage monitoring - either a Quilter Tone Block 200 or a Crown XLS1000. I run line level mono from the 1/4" outputs. I then run XLR to the soundman's mixing board via his PA snake. If he's running a stereo mix, I ask for 2 XLR channels, but if he's running a mono mix I only use one XLR run -- depends on the venue and what equipment he's running.... I have not gone the route of going completely amp-less on stage, as I can control my stage volume to my & the soundman's satisfaction. We are weekenders, playing mostly bars, outdoor events, parties, etc., so our needs are quite variable from one job to the next. We do not have the luxury of extensive sound checks hour before a gig, to get all of our levels in perfect order. It'd be nice, but is not reality for most folks who don't do this for their living, playing arenas, and such... My 2 cents... Dave

I have my battery in the guitar case in the off chance my VDI or my HD500X stops working. I've only needed to use it once, when I apparently stepped on the VDI cable metal end connector and got it out of round, so I couldn't insert it into the VDI connector on my pedal... I couldn't really see any deformation, but ended up buying a new cable. Anyway, pulled the battery out of my guitar case and played the job. In general, I don't like having to use batteries. I've seen too many times when our other guitar player or bass player have their active pickups or radio packs go dead on them in the middle of a set.... It's not just Variaxes... I was somewhat amazed at the time, as I hadn't even looked at the battery for literally months, and it held it's charge and got me through a 4 - hour gig... I've never used batteries on the Variaxes from my 300 through my JTV's -- why it's a huge deal to me to have either the VDI capable POD pedals or the new Helix to power and input the guitars... The guitar patch and tuning control are a big bonus, as well. Dave

This is as surprising and disappointing as the HD500(X) not having different levels or settings for the XLR versus the 1/4" outs -- something that was a big feature on the X3Live, that they just dropped for no apparent reason when they came out with the HD's. To me, it seemed like an oversight that would be corrected with later firmware updates, but never was.... I am GLAD this one is on their radar for a firmware update on the Helix to correct this pretty large omission of capabilities for a whole cadre of users who have gone whole hog with their products. The same goes for the Line6 Link for the DT amp series to control topography, something that is a major feature for those with that "dream rig" setup -- I'm not one, but seems a major omission for a full feature set on their "newest" flagship product. The thing is, the USB interfaces that came with my JTV's are a PITA to use, because the JTV 1/4" output does indeed sound different than the VDI, no matter what anyone says. It is different sounding on both my 59 and my 69S, so any adjustments made with WorkBench with the USB interface did not sound right when the JTV's were plugged into the HD500X via the VDI. ONLY when I could make model edits via the VDI once they got that going in one of the latter FW and HD WB updates was I able to make any meaningful adjustments that sounded as I intended. My plan is to get the Helix, but will need to keep my HD500X for editing and updating the JTV's, I guess, AND keep my now backup HD500 for any editing of my lowly 300. The HD500X orphaned the first gen Variaxes, and now (at least initially) the Helix is orphaning the first gen Variaxes, the JTV's, and the newly released Variax Standards as far as firmware updates for the guitars and the very customization that is so special about the whole guitar line... Please put a high priority on correction of this in the early FW revisions. This was a complete surprise, and never mentioned until stevekc asked the question.... Holy Crap. Deflated my enthusiasm for a wonderful new product. Thinking of strategies to deal with it, is all... Dave

My preference is for the floor unit, as the rack unit with the floor controller (that doesn't have the expression pedal built in) is a whole step up in cost, then add an external expression pedal on top of that, then place it on the floor eating up nearly the same amount of real estate on the stage and in harm's way, just like the floor unit. I've been gigging with the XTL, X3L, 500, and the 500X since about 2005, then other floor midi switchers and such for many years before that without drunks getting to it. Of course, I'm 6' 6" and kind of scary looking (to people who don't know me), so that helps.... ;) I have a vocal monitor in front of it, as well... I just prefer the all in one solution, no rack or rack case to schlepp around and run cabling to other than the amp, mixing board, and VDI cable. BTW, THANK YOU for getting rid of the wall wart and the DC jack on the Helix (plus the switch). The standard IEC power cord will be much more robust. That was the cause of death of my XTL.... Dave

I've been lucky with my warranty work from L6, but that was 2011 (59 switch issue).... I thought they did a good job on that one. I'd hope they haven't declined, but who knows. My L6 gear has been pretty trouble free since then... Dave

Yeah, I'm doubting it as well, due to the fact that a high impedance instrument signal is based on millivolts, not current. And by being high impedance in the 10k - to several Megaohms, there is not a current draw from instrument to amplifier.... As a matter of fact, the use of the USB interface requires simultaneous use of the VDI and the 1/4" jack to monitor your work with WB if you don't have a VDI equipped pedal, such as the 500(X).... So, yeah, doubts all around... The VDI signal is digital, the 1/4" jack is analog. The models are digital and the mags are analog A/D conversion to digital down the VDI, while the mag analog goes out the 1/4" (probably buffered), and the digital models go through D/A to analog conversion to go out the 1/4". Dave