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Line 6 Helix + Atomic CLR = bad sound??


alfi27
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Alright, so I got myself a Line 6 Helix to replace my Axe FX Standard. It sounds really great with headphones, even better than the Axe, but when I use it with the CLR it is a major dissapointment every time... The tone is harsh, fizzy and it sounds plasticy, almost like the HD500 sounded on the CLR but a little bit better. However, I expected much more. I have even tried a few IRs from Redwirez, and experimented with a hell of a lot of mics and distances. The factory preset «US Double Nrm» is great, really nice clean sound, and I can get quite good low gain and medium gain sounds from the Plexi Brt-model as well, but the high gain sounds are trickier.. A highpass filter/high cut actually makes it worse, which is really strange. It even sounds better on my H&K Lucas PA system, I had to apply a low cut filter. No need for that on the CLR... The Helix has the last firmware version as well. I tried to change from Line to Instrument in the I/O menu, and it actually sounded a lot better... Significant less volume, but that harsh high end almost disappeared. What's the deal, Line 6...?

Hope you guys have something to address this issue. The CLR sounds magnificent with the Axe, and even playing music from the computer through the Helix...

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I'm having great success with a pair of CLR's and Helix.

 

When using 3rd party ir's I often lower the Hi Cut (low pass...can't recall how it is named) in the ir block to around 3.5k

It has a different effect than setting an EQ block low pass filter to such an extreme setting. It must have a different Q and/or shelf...however all that stuff works.

All I know is cutting that way with Low and High Pass EQ block would make it too dull and muffled but doing that *within the ir block* makes it just right....there will still be plenty of high end coming out...

 

I do put an EQ block of the Hi/Low pass type with the usual settings of around 70Hz hi pass and 5500 low pass right after the Cab or ir block.

 

Also, some amps really don't need the Master to be on 10 to replicate a non-master volume amp, set it to 8 or even a bit lower and you still get the NMV sound.

 

And finally, only after you get all that set, make your final 'preamp gain setting'start with low gain settings on the drive block and bring it up to taste.

 

If you get a preset sounding good but it leaves the over all volume lower than you want put a gain block at the end and bump it up 6 db or so as needed.

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Thank you for your answer. I tried it, and with high cut on both the IR and the EQ block it sounds really muffled and dull... Without the EQ it is better, but still quite muffled. The thing I do not understand is: I never had to fiddle with high and low cut on the Axe FX... I put a distortion/OD in the front, then a Marshall amp with a 4x12" V30 cab and a graphic EQ with a slight mid boost and it sounded godly! Strong lows, very present mids and a little bit smooth, but not in any way lacking or fizzy high end. I really want to like the Helix, it is a great piece of gear that sounds great with headphones, but with anything else? Not so much... Some of you might wonder why I just do not keep the Axe and get rid of the Helix and stop whining, well; I want a floorboard that does not need any excessive hardware. The Helix I can just pack in a bag and go. But I am not giving up yet! Jar1zx said "with a few settings changes it sounds really good ", it would be very nice if you could share these settings, in detail! Thank you :)

EDIT: looks like I have been scammed all these years... The amp in the Axe FX has a high cut on 6k and low cut on 10hz... I feel like such a noob right know :lol:

I figured that it would be much easier to adjust the global EQ instead of putting an EQ block in every single preset. Cannot say that the high cut in the cabs and IRs affected the tone that much really, but I am not finished tweaking (will never be probably..)

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Alright, so I have been fiddling around with a few eqs and tweaked a bit more. It sounds better than ever through headset, and it also sounds better through the CLR but there is still this "plasticy" quality to the tone... It sounds alright, but I am not "there". Bought a high quality XLR cable to use with it as well. I have also downloaded a few presets from the Customtone site, and all of them sound like trash honestly, especially through the CLR... 

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I have made another new discovery: the Helix sounds EPIC through the poweramp of my EVH 5150III 50w and the EVH 2x12" cab with Celestion G12H30s! That narrows it down the cabs then, I guess I am doing something terribly wrong there... 

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