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Hey all. Just got a helix and still learning it, probably for some time. Got it mainly for church with guitar and found out it has great bass tones as well. I would like to use it live but unsure if it’s capable of doing like my current rig. I’ve searched the manual and forums to no avail. My band goes ampless with in ears. I use a MB 800+ preamp with two xlr outs on it, to the mixer. One is set pre effects to FOH and post effects to in ears. I can adjust all gig long if necessary without affecting FOH. Are the xlr’s out of the helix capable of this? I see no pre/post selectors on the helix itself and find nothing in the settings to do this. Is the helix post only and if I change on the helix it also changes FOH? If so then I’ll stay with my current setup. Thanks.

Can the AMPLIFi FX100 or Table Top be used for Live Permormance? If so, which is better? Here’s the quick answer: yes it can and the Table Top is the best option, but both have their caveats. If you’re interested in knowing what those are, read on. First of all, just so we’re all on the same page, I did own the FX100 for a short time and later returned it and held out for the TT. So, I have now owned and used both. Also, I primarily use the TT plugged into the effects loop of a Mesa Boogie Express amp and I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 NOTE tablet for the interface. I will also use the AMPLIFi plugged directly into a PA. This works extremely well for both the FX100 and the TT. So the answer is yes, the AMPLIFi FX100 and the TT can be used very effectively in a live setting, however, the use of the App and the Bluetooth connection is almost completely out of the question, in my oppinion. Well, it’s not that you can’t use it, but there’s so much risk you will be adding to your performance. It may not prove practical. One screw up could mean not being asked back to that venue. I just don’t feel it’s reliable enough to trust to a performance setting. Just me IMHO. But no worries, you’ll just have to save all your tones to the hardware. Easy! The connection with the app, being Bluetooth is sometime unreliable and it may work perfectly in your home or studio, but when on the road, that’s NOT the time to find out the walls of your next venue are made of non-insulated corrugated aluminum and wreak havoc on Bluetooth signals. There’s just too much that will and can go wrong in a live setting and the LAST thing you need to stress about is your Bluetooth connection. Also, the speed that tones can be selected via the App is very slow (on the order of 1 to 1.5 seconds). On the other hand, if your tones are all saved to the hardware, the delay is inconsequential. Ok, so now that’s out of the way, which is better for live performance, the FX100 or the Table Top? Ultimately, the answer is the Table Top, but hold that thought for one moment. Let’s first look at the FX100’s strengths and weaknesses. The FX100 is really not a true stomp box multi effects unit. It’s really just a box that stores preset tones that are ALL ON OR ALL OFF. This means, if you are in the middle of a song and it’s time for your solo, there’s no way to turn on your Tube Screamer or modulation or whatever you need for the solo. Not to worry, there’s a work around for that!! This essentially means that say, the first song in your set list might be saved on Bank 1, preset A. Then your solo settings would have to be stored onto Bank 1, preset B (identical to preset A with the addition of the Tube Screamer for instance). This method will work, but it will take a little more organization, note taking and planning on your part. But by all means doable. The FX100 will also give you access to all the Banks and all the presets just by using the AB or CD switches to move up and down within the Banks. That’s cool. The Table Top on the other hand will only give you access to one Bank and four presets (WITHOUT access to the app), but remember, we’re not going there. The tablet is at home and your phone it in your pocket!! In this case, the TT would be used identically as the FX100 would be described above. Bank 1, preset A and B would be for song number 1 in your set list. However, you're limited to only four different tones (again, hardware only, no app connected). This may be prefectly fine for your application. But the Table Top gets better.... Where things get really interesting is when you spend an additional $200.00 and also purchase the Line 6 MkII Shortboard (yes that sucks to have to spend more money, but read on...). The TT has the CAT 5 plug in to enable the use of this very good controller and when you marry the two together, you’ll end up with a very powerful tool that’s totally at home on stage. This essentially gives you a very similar level of functionality that the POD HD500x will give. Yes there are obvious differences such as the amp modeling and being that we left the tablet at home, you will not be doing any deep editing on stage, but really, who uses the HD500x on stage during a performance AND finds himself tweaking tones? The real advantage the TT has over the FX100 when used with a MkII Shortboard is that you have access to all the Banks and presets using your feet AND you have the ability to turn on and off any of the effects pre-programmed to the preset. Your initially saved preset should be how a song starts (no tube screamer for instance, unless the song starts with your solo). When it’s time for the screamer, just click it on with the Stomp switch and then off when you’re done tearing the aluminum sheets off the walls! Having said all this, the current going rate for new gear (the TT + MkII vs the HD500x) is a bit of a wash and it might be just a whole lot more practical to go with the HD500x, but the AMPLIFi series is unbelievably simple and intuitive even your drummer will be able to use it and dial in some pretty cool tones!! Ask him to dial in a great tone on an HD500x and you’ll see the smoke before long. I hope this long post helps you. Good luck!!