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Helix FAQ


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They did away with the whole resonance thing (res, thump, decay) in Helix. I was one to usually jack up those parameters, but I don't miss them at all in Helix.

 

Never noticed before now, but you're right that you can't set input impedance per preset. Guess I don't miss that either.

 

Yeah, I noticed the input Z adjustment was gone on a per preset basis too. I was surprised by it. I liked the ability to tame some tones on my traditional guitars with it, but as I gig with my 2 JTV's, and use the VDI exclusively to power and control those, it is not as big a deal for user like me. I would actually like for them to emulate the input Z for the VDI input.

 

You can get some fine tuning of guitar tones with it, and warm up a guitar signal that can be a bit "sterile" and too trebly at times. I have several vintage guitars that benefit from the adjustment of input Z's, and can actually quiet down some hum with it, as well - very useful. Would be nice to set some presets for use with my '73 Fender Tele Deluxe, some for my Special with P90's, and then some for my '65 Gretsch Country Gent, without having to find it in the globals all the time....

 

The HD 500(X) you could do it for the patch if you wanted it and not mess with other patch sounds. Would be good for a musician who uses more than 1 guitar at a gig (gee, who would do such a thing...), if they each needed a certain Z setting to sound good, just hit the patches for this guitar or that guitar.

 

Like I said, I gig with my JTV's via the VDI, so it isn't a huge deal for me, but found it odd they had it by preset on the HD's, then global on the Helix... Odd from a design standpoint, is all.... Dunno if they can change that with an update. Same for editing with Workbench on the Helix. It's such a core function, odd that they did not think of it, even when they included the VDI Variax port. If the Helix did not have the VDI, I would have never considered it -- would have stuck with my 500 & 500X.

 

I really do love the Helix, but think they need to address some core issues that have long been the design path of the POD series, then just apparently forgotten on the Helix. they had some of this with the 500X development from the 500, as well...

 

Dave

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Yeah, I noticed the input Z adjustment was gone on a per preset basis too. I was surprised by it. I liked the ability to tame some tones on my traditional guitars with it, but as I gig with my 2 JTV's, and use the VDI exclusively to power and control those, it is not as big a deal for user like me. I would actually like for them to emulate the input Z for the VDI input.

 

You can get some fine tuning of guitar tones with it, and warm up a guitar signal that can be a bit "sterile" and too trebly at times. I have several vintage guitars that benefit from the adjustment of input Z's, and can actually quiet down some hum with it, as well - very useful. Would be nice to set some presets for use with my '73 Fender Tele Deluxe, some for my Special with P90's, and then some for my '65 Gretsch Country Gent, without having to find it in the globals all the time....

 

The HD 500(X) you could do it for the patch if you wanted it and not mess with other patch sounds. Would be good for a musician who uses more than 1 guitar at a gig (gee, who would do such a thing...), if they each needed a certain Z setting to sound good, just hit the patches for this guitar or that guitar.

 

Like I said, I gig with my JTV's via the VDI, so it isn't a huge deal for me, but found it odd they had it by preset on the HD's, then global on the Helix... Odd from a design standpoint, is all.... Dunno if they can change that with an update. Same for editing with Workbench on the Helix. It's such a core function, odd that they did not think of it, even when they included the VDI Variax port. If the Helix did not have the VDI, I would have never considered it -- would have stuck with my 500 & 500X.

 

I really do love the Helix, but think they need to address some core issues that have long been the design path of the POD series, then just apparently forgotten on the Helix. they had some of this with the 500X development from the 500, as well...

 

Dave

 

 

The input impedance on the HD also went up to 3.5M. Helix only goes to 1M. One of the first things I always did when building a bass patch was to put that on 3.5M for the extra brightness. And if Helix is designed anything like the HD with input impedance, and I remember correctly, they couldn't add anymore values to this via software because it's an actual circuit. But they could add a global variable for sure to make it per preset at least. As you point out, good for people with many, many guitars. I only ever play one guitar, so no big deal for me. But options are rarely bad things.

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....

 

The HD 500(X) you could do it for the patch if you wanted it and not mess with other patch sounds. Would be good for a musician who uses more than 1 guitar at a gig (gee, who would do such a thing...), if they each needed a certain Z setting to sound good, just hit the patches for this guitar or that guitar......

 

 

Like you I mostly use the VDI connection so don't have much experience with the Input-Z parameter. However my understanding is that it pertains to the first FX that appears in the signal chain, not the type of guitar being used.

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No, it actually is an input Z. It does change the tonality of a guitar plugged into the 1/4" guitar input, but not the aux in. It is useful for taming thin sounding pickups and reducing hum and noise from old pickups that have a lower impedance. Better impedance matching on those really warms up the sound of some guitars. My 1973 Tele Deluxe (full range humbuckers), and Gretsch Country Gent really benefit from it, and the P90's on my Special have the noise reduced by lowering the Z as well. I've messed with it with those guitars in particular...

 

Dave

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Like you I mostly use the VDI connection so don't have much experience with the Input-Z parameter. However my understanding is that it pertains to the first FX that appears in the signal chain, not the type of guitar being used.

 

One clarification, if you have the input Z set to Auto, then yes, the first FX or amp, etc. in the signal chain is supposed to determine the input Z for a guitar plugged into the 1/4" guitar input -- supposedly like the HD series worked, so you're right in that. I cannot attest to this, as I did not try this setting with my traditional guitars. No effect at all on the VDI input, as we've discussed.

 

Dave

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I'm not sure if I'm just thick, but I can't find the answer to my question: Can the Helix send to different outputs on a patch by patch bases. To be more specific: I current use a HD500X connected via Line 6 link to my DT25 head. I use an American JTV69. So I'm using the complete "Dream Rig". I use both electric and acoustic guitars from my Variax. I mic my cabinet for my electric guitar signal. I also have to come out of the XLR output to another channel on the sound board and have the sound man mute the XLR output until I'm using the acoustic guitar, which he than takes off of mute, and I put my DT25 Head on standby until I'm finished playing acoustic. As you can imagine, this is not very convenient. The HD500 and HD500X have global outputs only. Has Helix corrected this issue. When you think about it, Line 6 was more on track with the need to switch outputs when they came out with the first variax (500), which all of the guitars came with the A/B Power switch. Since, as we all know, you can't get a good acoustic sound running through a guitar cabinet, and the fact that Line 6 makes a guitar that offers all these great electric and acoustic models, you would think their pedalboard would also support the required outputs to truly use all this technology properly and conveniently. I really hope I've just been missing something all these years.

 

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I'm not sure if I'm just thick, but I can't find the answer to my question: Can the Helix send to different outputs on a patch by patch bases. To be more specific: I current use a HD500X connected via Line 6 link to my DT25 head. I use an American JTV69. So I'm using the complete "Dream Rig". I use both electric and acoustic guitars from my Variax. I mic my cabinet for my electric guitar signal. I also have to come out of the XLR output to another channel on the sound board and have the sound man mute the XLR output until I'm using the acoustic guitar, which he than takes off of mute, and I put my DT25 Head on standby until I'm finished playing acoustic. As you can imagine, this is not very convenient. The HD500 and HD500X have global outputs only. Has Helix corrected this issue. When you think about it, Line 6 was more on track with the need to switch outputs when they came out with the first variax (500), which all of the guitars came with the A/B Power switch. Since, as we all know, you can't get a good acoustic sound running through a guitar cabinet, and the fact that Line 6 makes a guitar that offers all these great electric and acoustic models, you would think their pedalboard would also support the required outputs to truly use all this technology properly and conveniently. I really hope I've just been missing something all these years.

 

Yes, you can configure the outputs on Helix on a patch by patch basis. It's very easy to do. You also have a ton of routing flexibility within individual patches

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For example, can you assign a block/setting to a footswitch on the Ground Control Pro?

Any parameter can respond to MIDI CC (and can be assigned in 3 seconds), up to 64 per preset.

 

If a block is assigned to a Helix footswitch, however, your GCP can emulate its switches via fixed CCs. Individual blocks not assigned to Helix footswitches cannot currently be bypassed/enabled via MIDI.

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I had the same your doubts, but unless my english is really bad this is what I understood reading the infos below here:

 

14tyfl4.jpg

 

It does seem to say so. I checked to find out if it could load 3rd party IR's and it does.

If it didn't it wouldn't be a problem. I wonder how they handle this. Maybe it only works with their own IR's ?

Nice piece of gear though! Seems really good.

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Hey, trying to interpret the answer concerning tapswitching from Helix to Control Variax. (Not English as my mother tongue..) About to invest in a Helix - but only reason is to be able to Control my JTV - on stage - as I constantly need to switch between rhytm acoustic and howling solos of the more Spank-related kind... Yes I know, what kind of Music is he playing. Nevertheless, need a Quick answer on this. Appreciatively, Snowskull

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he said "currently"!  Please, please, please...  :P

We had initially planned support for controllers-to-Variax-parameters at launch, but it ended up being a lot more difficult/risky than we thought. It's still in my (gargantuan) Helix Wish List.

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I wish I could have my volume on my JTV be a cc (continues controller ) for helix volume parameter block and select

pickup positions per patch at this point my volume control is not active until I change its position I can fix this problem

in global settings then I lose ability to select patches per preset This works perfectly on my HD500 X

Will this be addressed in future updates?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I noticed that it has XLR outs. Can I run this unit straight to my PA? The Goal is to, in affect, eliminate carrying my heavy amp and just us the PA as my house sound and monitor. 

 

Yes, no problem, that is exactly what I do, you may want to add a low and high EQ cut on the mixer channel(s) you use for the Helix.

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Hi,

 

Is there any chance to get 3D model of Helix?

I have pretty nice idea to design custom pedalboard (Helix + 4 stomps + PowerSupply + Line6 Relay) but it would be really good to have 3D model of Helix instead of doing it by myself

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Hi,

 

Is there any chance to get 3D model of Helix?

I have pretty nice idea to design custom pedalboard (Helix + 4 stomps + PowerSupply + Line6 Relay) but it would be really good to have 3D model of Helix instead of doing it by myself

To save you drawing it, if you open the pdf in inkscape/illustrator you can export the simple linework to dxf which could then be input into 3d modelling software.

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Hi there group!

 

I recently purchased a Helix and I am stoked about it.  I need to decide whether a typical amp is ok for home use OR are there any advantages to purchasing an AMPLIFI and partnering with Helix?  What about any other Line 6 amps?

 

Thanks guys appreciated!!!!

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Hi there group!

 

I recently purchased a Helix and I am stoked about it. I need to decide whether a typical amp is ok for home use OR are there any advantages to purchasing an AMPLIFI and partnering with Helix? What about any other Line 6 amps?

 

Thanks guys appreciated!!!!

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Hey Jonny,

I bought an ampli for a practice amp last year and they are handy as heck. Great stereo Bluetooth from my phone and really nice amp and effect sounds.That said I don't think you would want to use it with Helix since it's already an amp modeller and doesn't have an effect loop. I use the helix with powered pa cab at home and that works nicely. I also have not used my amplifi since I got the Helix so I'm thinking of selling or maybe trading it in for a jtv!

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Hi there group!

 

I recently purchased a Helix and I am stoked about it.  I need to decide whether a typical amp is ok for home use OR are there any advantages to purchasing an AMPLIFI and partnering with Helix?  What about any other Line 6 amps?

 

Thanks guys appreciated!!!!

 

DT25 works fine for me! Love the way it sounds. Deactivated the on board modeling and speaker/mic sims for use with Helix though.

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Hi there group!

 

I recently purchased a Helix and I am stoked about it.  I need to decide whether a typical amp is ok for home use OR are there any advantages to purchasing an AMPLIFI and partnering with Helix?  What about any other Line 6 amps?

 

Thanks guys appreciated!!!!

I would definitely suggest Line 6 L2t. One or two. It's working incredibly nice with all simulations from Line 6, and also it's easy to connect with Line 6 Link.

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Hey Jonny, welcome aboard. If you already have a cab (or a combo that will let you use just its speakers), you may want to look into something like the ISP Technologies Stealth power amp.  I'm using it to drive a 1960A cab in stereo, but there's lots of ways to use it. Another approach would be something like the Tech 21 Power Engine, which is essentially a power amp and 12" speaker in one combo. Beyond that, any amp with an effects loop should let you run the output of the Helix into the loop return.  Or if you have a decent pair of powered studio monitors, those would work too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I read somewhere that the Helix headphone output uses a separate A/D converter. Is that the case and if so:

 

1. Why

 

2. Is there loss in output quality from the headphone jack compared to the 1/4" or XLR outputs?

 

3. Is it reasonable to use the headphone output into a power amp for a separate monitor?

 

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Is the mic sim a separate block that can be turned on or off independent from the amp and cab block?

 

No. But if you're looking to change the mic while playing you could toggle between two of them using a switch. Or using pedal edit mode, increasing or decreasing the mic parameter from among all the choices is possible.

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I read somewhere that the Helix headphone output uses a separate A/D converter. Is that the case and if so:

 

1. Why

 

2. Is there loss in output quality from the headphone jack compared to the 1/4" or XLR outputs?

 

3. Is it reasonable to use the headphone output into a power amp for a separate monitor?

1. So the headphones can be fed a different feed from the 1/4" outs (or XLR outs). Also, so we can do cooler things in the future.

2. There shouldn't be.

3. It's not ideal, but you won't blow anything up.

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1) The signal path through Helix is ultra-quiet (we have 123dB of dynamic range from the Guitar In, which AFAIK, leads the industry)...

So - cn you tell me what the Dynamic Range is for the:

POD HD500 (not X)

M9..

 

Strange Question - but I have a good reason. lol. Thank man!

 

Cheers,

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I get that Spillover is a hot topic - but I'd like everyone to consider a few thoughts:

 

1 - I've toured nationally, internationally, and had anywhere from 2-3 gigs per week for 10 years at least. So - I might be counted among the "vast majority" of players, or I might be pro...regardless I think that I've earned the right to say - I've NEVER once needed spillover - even when we did a U2 tribute show in Iraq for the troops and all I had was my POD HD500 and a Variax 300. Guess who cared about spillover? No one.

 

I've never had a chick come up to me at the end of the night and say "gee your band was really good but you were really missing the spillover in your patch switches". The only spillover they care about is their cleavage...frankly - that might be the only spillover I care about as well.

 

I agree that switching patches and having a dead stop is not ideal - but that's why you adjust either your playing style, or figure a different way to handle tonal transitions so that they don't sound silly onstage. OR just use the aforementioned (Several Times) way of getting a spillover-type effect from the Helix - lose your flexibilty and stop complaining.

 

2 - We're all trying to argue the merits of 30-year-old guitar technology. I owned a Digitech 2120, 2101, Valve FX - I remember those units. But I bet you don't remember how terrible they sounded compared to ANYTHING on the market now. I recently sold one that I bought for nostalgia - I loved it - but it was unusable on stage or in a studio (For me anyway) it was noisy and digital sounding. I would never keep it in a rig just for spillover.

 

If your creative process and songwriting require spillover - then maybe this isn't the right tool for you - those others are available for a fraction of what they cost new. Or change the way you approach it. Sometimes that's where the most growth happens. In our playing and performing.

 

I don't really see a strong argument for spillover in Helix:

 

A - If spillover is so important that you can't live without it - then get the thing that has it.

B - If you absolutely have to have Helix - then stop bugging Line 6 about spillover

C - If you absolutely have to have spillover AND Helix - use the workaround

D - If the workaround doesn't work for you - return to A.

 

But I'm just the flip-side of the coin I guess.

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@optimus_7, couldn't agree more. Another solution to spillover is to design your patches so you don't need to change patches in the middle of a song. I have a blog post I'm working on that discusses the various merits of sticking with a patch and changing effects vs. changing patches. Personally, I mostly use one patch and avoid distracting myself and my audience with too much variability.

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