Search the Community

Hi everyone, I recently bought a Victory Kraken V4 Amp with 2 switchable channels and I am wondering if it is possible to use the HX Stomp XL in some smart way with the Kraken preamp. My target is to use only the HX Stomp XL to switch between patches that use channel 1 or 2 in the amp without using the amp's footswitch. I saw a video on YT and I know that this is possible with an additional piece of gear that converts MIDI to TRS signal, but this is quite expensive. I know that in FAQ it is explicitly said that, unlike Helix Floor/LT, the HX Stomp/XL don't have the "ext amp" socket (why? this is really so bad :( ) and so it is not possible to switch real amp channels, but I also read a comment in Reddit mentioning the usage of TRS cable in EXP1/2 socket for this purpose. Do you have any experience or suggestions? Or do you know if there are cheaper MIDI/TRS converters? Thank you!!

Good day folks. I Finally upgraded to a Helix LT from (HD500X). It is a mind blowing incredible pedal. I do have to sort out an issue that me and a friend, whom both have the same (Older) Marshall amp and same Helix pedal. We both are using this pedal with the 4CM and using a modeled clean tone. Now that we have the Helix and the ability to use snapshot mode we also want to utilize the clean channel of the Marshall by changing amp channel with the helix using the EXP pedal 2 jack. It works no problem changing the Channels but when plugging in the cable you instantly get a loud hum. We tried everything and googled it extensively. As far as we can tell it is also a problem with both the Helix and the (Axe FX units) with older amps. We tried a new DSL combo, it does not hum when using the Helix to switch channels. Talking to my amp tech he needs to meter the Helix jack for continuity and he thinks its either a ground loop or something affecting the switching matrix in the Head. Each jack on the DSL is a standard tip to sleeve short. But it is referenced to the chassis. When he comes into town this weekend he is going to trouble shoot it for me. I'm just curious if anyone else is having this issue on older amps? Has anyone had an amp tech fix the humming issue? Any help or incite will be greatly appreciated. Cheers Rick

All questions and comments welcome. Marshall JVM Channel Switching with Helix MIDI This works with Helix Firmware Version 2.20 and later. PURPOSE - Have your JVM automatically switch to any desired channel preset combination when pressing any Helix Preset or Snapshot button. IMPORTANT - Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you already have programmed into your Helix and JVM. IMPORTANT: Set Helix MIDI Global Settings by going to Menu Button > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > MIDI PC Send (Page 2) > Off With that understood. DO THIS FIRST Connect a standard, five pin, MIDI cable from the Helix MIDI Out/Thru connector to the JVM Midi In connector. DO THIS SECOND JVM Factory Reset - the following procedure is for a JVM205H (See the Reset procedure for your amp if different). This will erase all the MIDI presets and set MIDI reception channel to #1. 1. Switch the amplifier power off (power switch off, not standby switch). 2. Press and hold CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch. 3. Switch the amplifier power on (power switch on, not standby switch). The two channel LEDs will glow steady red. 4. Release the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch. Both the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE and the OVERDRIVE MODE switch LEDs will be lit solid red. 6. Press OVERDRIVE MODE switch. Both LEDs will blink Red then the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch will light Green. Done with that. Channel Switching with Helix Presets Only If you do not use Helix Snapshots, and only use Helix Presets, this is for you. You can have your JVM switch to any channel settings when changing Helix Presets. Here is how: 1. Press any Helix Preset button EXCEPT the one you want to program. 2. Set your JVM channels, reverb, fx loop etc. to the settings you want. 3. Put the JVM in the Learn mode by pressing the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch on the JVM will be blinking. 4. Press the Helix Preset button you want to program. The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink fast a few times and go out. Done. Now, every time you press that Helix Preset button, the JVM will switch back to those settings. Repeat for other Presets. Channel Switching with Helix Presets and Snapshots IMPORTANT - Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost. With that understood. DO THIS FIRST FIRST Make a list like this: Preset# Snapshot# Program # Description 01A 1 0 Clean Green 01A 2 1 Overdrive Green 01A 3 2 Overdrive Green / Reverb On 01A 4 3 Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On This is just a sample list. Your final list will, likely, look quite different. For now, just use this list for the programming examples. More on this later. The Program # is the code number of the MIDI PC (Program Change) Message that the Helix will send to the JVM when you press a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix. This is how the JVM knows to change to a certain combination of settings. The Description is how the amp channels will be set after pressing a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix. If MIDI and Program Change and PC Message sounds like a foreign language to you right now, do not worry, you will not need to know any of that technical stuff. Just make the list and follow along. DO THIS SECOND Go to Menu > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Page 2 > MIDI PC Send - Turn this off > Press Home button DO THIS THIRD Navigate to the Preset you want to program and select Snapshot 1. Press the Menu button and then press the Command Center knob. Use the joystick to move to an unused Instant Command (Lightning Bolt). Any Commands already in use will have a Turquoise triangle above them. If you do not see any Turquoise triangles, just go to the lightning bolt in the top left corner. That is Instant Command 1. With an Instant Command (Lightning Bolt) now highlighted, turn the Command knob to Command - Bank/Prog You should see five settings and they should look like this: Command: Bank/Prog Midi Ch: Base Bank CC00: off Bank CC32: off Program: off Now, get the list that you made, earlier. Please note, when setting the Instant Commands below: Helix is, at this time, very particular about saving your settings as you go. You'll see "Press Save two times." after each change. It's an inconvenience, but it works. Check the setting for each Snapshot when you are done, to make sure you are sending the correct Program#. The only Helix setting we are going to change is Program. Looking at the list we see that the Program# for Preset 01A Snapshot 1 is 0. So, set the Program to 0 (zero). Leave everything else as/is. Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands. Press Snapshot 2 button. Set Program to 1. Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands. Press Snapshot 3 button. Set Program to 2. Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands. Press Snapshot 4 button. Set Program to 3. Press Save two times. You should now be back at the Home screen. Check the setting for each Snapshot when you are done, to make sure you are sending the correct Program#. We have, now, programmed our first four Snapshots on the Helix to do channel switching duties on the JVM. The only thing left to do is program the JVM to match. Looking at the list, we are saying we want Preset 01A Snapshot 1 to be Clean Green on the amp. On the Helix you should be on Preset 01A. Press Snapshot 2 button, or any Snapshot EXCEPT the one you want to program. Set the JVM to Clean Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. It should be blinking to indicate it is in the learn mode. Press Snapshot 1 button. The JVM FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink rapidly a few times and then go out. Set JVM to Overdrive Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. Press Snapshot 2 button. Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. Press Snapshot 3 button. Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. Press Snapshot 4 button. Done. Preset 01A Snapshots 1-4 should, now, recall the amp settings just like it is on the list. Setting Preset Default Snapshot To set a particular Snapshot as the default, for any given Preset, perform the following: In this example we will set Snapshot 2 as the default for Preset 01A. Navigate to Preset 01A and select Snapshot 2. Press the Save button two times. Done. Now, every time you switch to Preset 01A, no matter where you were, it will automatically go to Snapshot 2 and the JVM will switch to whatever amp settings you had for that Snapshot. Summary and Caveats Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost. Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you may already have programmed into your Helix and JVM. The JVM will store 128 settings. For the two channel JVMs, there is a possible 48 settings combinations. For the four channel JVMs there is a possible 96 settings combinations. Each setting will have a different Program# (0-127). For example, if you wanted to add Clean Amber to the list, that would get a new Program#, maybe 4 since that has not been used already. If you are using/re-using a setting that is already on the list, even if it is on a different Preset, you would still use that same Program#. For example, if I wanted to use Clean Green on Preset 13B2 Snapshot 3, the Program# for that Snapshot is still going to be 0. If you are only using two Snapshots for a Preset, you do not have to program all four like we did above. By the same token, if you are using eight, you will have to program the other four. Special thanks to @phil_m and everyone that helped me work through this.

I'm not sure if this topic has been discussed already but I'm desperate. My type of music requires me to change from clean to dirty channel more often. The clean channel has delays and such and mostly the dirt is just straight up. Lead channel needs to have delay and reverb. POD on pedalboard mode and connected via 4CM. The problem is, every time there is a need for me to change channels on the IRT, I have to tap dance to be able to stomp effects that's in the POD. I wanted to use the POD as a channel controller for the IRT if possible. So that I can set the POD to ABC mode and just stomp in one footswitch to access the clean channel + effects (in the POD) then another foot switch to access the dirt channel. Makes it easier that way. I'm thinking of using the MIDI controller in the POD but I'm not sure if it's compatible as the IRT's footswitch is kinda different. Need your help if there is another way to hook this two so that it will support my needs. Thanks in advance.

Can HX stomp do channel switching for my Peavey 6506 MH Head ?

I’m running my amp head and the 500x in 4CM where I use the 500x also for channel switching on my amp via the 500x's midi OUT (the amp head has midi on-board). The 500 switch layout is sw1-4 for FX on/off and sw5-8 for presets select and amp channel switching. When clicking 5-8 in different banks I can see that the 500 sends all kind of midi commands as my amp head acting differently with every preset / click. When I go into midi menu (I’m following “POD HD500X as a MIDI Controller Device…….B•5” in the manual) and define the correct PC for each switch (5-8) the 500 do sends the correct commands and the amp acts as it should but when exiting the midi menu back to main display, it sends again the wrong commands. What I would like to have are simply 3 PC (31, 29 ,6) on switches 5-8 corresponds to sw5=pc31, sw6=pc29, sw7=pc29, sw8=pc6 and the same switches setup will be applicable for all banks / presets so it doesn’t matter which bank I’m, it will always sends the same PC on sw5-8. sw1-4 should not send any midi commands at all. How do I do that? Thanks.

Wondering if anyone uses such an amp with the Helix ? Unlike its bigger brothers, it's a two channel amp, with a simple footswitch, using a mono jack. I assumed channel switching by the Helix would work but it's not ; as soon as I plug in the cable, it goes to the blue channel. With the cable unplugged it's either the blue or the green. Anyone has an idea ? Cheers, Fremen

Channel Switching via Midi is effectively being done through the Bank/Program side in the Command Center. However, I can not figure out exactly how to keep the LED ring illuminated, AND to turn it off when I change channels. It's switching but the led is acting like a momentary switch and not latching. Any idea as to how to resolve this issue? Assigning an effect like EQ doesn't resolve this issue because it acts like a pedal at that point. you have to physically turn it on and off.

Hey guys, my issue is this: I need to get my Helix to tell my Voodoo Lab control switcher to switch channels on my mesa boogie Roadster. I'm currently using the Helix with the four cable method. What i'd like to be able to do is change channels per snapshot within a preset. For example, snapshot 1 is clean on channel 1, snapshot 2 is grit on channel 2, etc. What I'm doing is going into the command center and using the instant messages to try to accomplish this. If I select the 1st lightning bolt and set the CC# to 80 it should turn on channel 1 via the control switcher. I've had limited success in doing this. Next, I go into snapshot 2 and then click command center and select the next lightning bolt and set a new CC# for that and save. I do the same thing for the next two snapshots (I've got the top switches set to stompbox mode). What I cannot understand is why the Helix doesn't allow you to select the first lightning bolt only for snapshot 1, the second lightning bolt only for snapshot 2, etc., just as you would do for effects and other parameters. It appears as though the Helix is sending all 4 messages at once no matter what snapshot I'm in. The result is that I cannot get it to work with the Voodoo Lab Control Switcher and it's absolutely essential that I figure out how to do it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm beyond frustrated.

I just recently purchase a Friedman BE-OD Pedal. It's an unbelievable pedal that acts more like an amp than a pedal. Play it through one of the clean topologies and it takes care of two of the weaker points of the DT50 which is channel witching(clicking between topologies) and a good Plexi sound. Some of you might one to check one out if you can. The pedal is not cheap($200.00) but if if you have ever heard a Friedman amp you will know what I'm referring to. It's that good!

I've been a long time user of the HD500 and recently I've been using it with the 4 cable method and midi to control my EVH 5150 III 50W head. I just bought a DT50 head the other day and i was wondering what the best way to connect my pod to it would be if i just wanted to use it as a pedalboard in front of and in the loop of the amp as well as switching channels with it. The whole l6 link is kind of confusing to me but if that's the best way then I'd appreciate if someone could explain how to use it to me or at least point me in the direction of some helpful resources that aren't just the DT50 manual. I use the amp for pretty much only metal tones so Topology IV is really all that gets used

I would love to see the possibility to switch between two amps on one footswitch, like switching channels on a real amp. (Clean & Dist). Also it would be great to have different effects on one footswitch.

Hey all, I usually only use my PODs for home recording but I've been considering using my HD300 live as a multi effects unit. I'm not interested in using the amp models live since I'm quite satisfied with and like the sound of my amp. If I'm not mistaken the HD300 has a "pedal board mode." I've also been wondering if this board would be capable of operating my amp's midi channel switching. It would basically be like using the pod like a GLab gsc only there would be no stomp boxes as the pod has all the effects. Anyone tried something like this?