Using Helix Live

[Garhel]

In the band I play in I'm using a traditional amp/cab/pedals set-up, but am really taken with the idea of replacing this with a rig based around the Helix. Does anybody have experience of using the Helix with an active PA speaker such as the Alto TS212? I would go into our PA direct for the sound our audience hears, but would like to use the speaker almost like I use my cab now - behind me as a backline. A couple of questions : would this be loud enough for me to hear over the drum kit and bass? Would the quality be good?

Any experience of this type of set-up, or perhaps advice on a better alternative without having to spend lots of money would be much appreciated! :-)

[PeterHamm]

I don't know that I'd trust it to a really cheap speaker, myself. I do know that a K10 or K12 can keep up with a drummer okay. If the Alto can get that loud and clean, probably. I would put it right in front of me just in case.

[Garhel]

Thanks Peter

 

Our drummer likes to hear the cabs, he'd have the guitar and bass cabs directly behind him if he could!!! We use the older Altos for our PA system and they work really well for what we need (pubs and clubs), I just don't know if the Helix delivers a strong output signal in comparison to our desk, although logically I can't see why it would be any different?

 

I've demo'd the Helix at my local store, but not through a FRFR type set up - I'm sold on its capabilities, just lookng for some guidance from someone who's used this type of setup...

[njglover]

The Alto speakers peak at 800 watts, if I remember correctly, but are probably realistically pushing more like 400 or so watts. Which is still plenty if the guitar is all you're running through it. I use a K10 which pushes 1000 watts and I haven't needed to turn it up very loud at all. I left the volume knob at 9 o'clock and just controlled volume off the Helix and that was more than enough for a live set. And we generally play very loud. The K10 also has the advantage of having a very wide dispersion so everyone can hear it at practice and live I can use it like a wedge behind me and still hear myself well. Typically, at a nice venue I'd probably leave the volume knob disabled and just run a consistent line out to the board and leave the engineer to adjust from there (I did that with bass recently and it worked really well).

[Bikedude]

Yes I think the Alto would be ok, and it's pretty inexpensive. You should just send a signal to FOH, and link the Helix volume knob to your monitor 1/4 out, then you can control your stage volume without affecting FOH

[Joepeggio]

My ts110a's are plenty loud. I can run 2 of them at 50% with the helix volume at 1 to 2 o'clock xlr set to line. My patches are volume leveled to about the level of the guitar with no effects on. That's enough to fill a 40ft by 40ft area, not running in a PA. My point is the 2 altos have tons of volume to spare. Our drummer is not very loud though.

 

I like the idea of two speakers,

1. stereo if you choose.

2. I like to angle the speakers about 30 degrees away from each other. Really fills up the room.

4. If one fails.......

 

Got two shipped for about $310 on eBay from ALTO. Probably dumping inventory due to new model.

 

Edit: they are great monitors, side fill or just a good outdoor party speaker if you don't like them for the Helix. Not a big risk.

[gunpointmetal]

Depending on how loud your drummer is and the types of tones you're using, one of those would probably be plenty loud. I've been running two Mackie Thump 12s behind me to move some air and they are more than enough speaker for the loud crap we play. If you're doing really high-gain metal stuff, you might need two to fill the room like a cab. I run the 1/4" outs to the Thumps and the XLR out to the FOH, works awesome.

[Garhel]

Perfect, thanks all. I'll try and get the store to set this up for me in their stage room and see what it feels like. I'll try it with a few different speaker set ups within my budget and see what I like, but it sounds like it would be a goer :-)

[billlorentzen]

I use Yamaha DXR 10s and really like them. I go direct to the house and monitor on stage with the Yammys, usually one just for me and one aimed across the stage for the band, esp the drummer. They're 1100 watts and plenty loud.

[maxnew40]

I use one Line 6 L2 speaker and it it is a perfect solution for me.

 

-Max

[ddufour]

I have not tested the Helix with the band yet, but I used to use the Boss GT100

left outlet plugged directly to the PA. Could never hear myself like that, so I bought a small

Behringer 150 watt monitor that sits on a microphone stand, plugged the right outlet

of the GT100 to it, and had it right in my face and I controlled that volume. Way more

volume that you would ever need. I am sure I will have to do the same with the Helix.

Us guitarist never hear ourselves.

[keithbax]

I've just taken delivery of an AltoTS212A the new ones are 1100w, and sounds good in solo practise. Not tried it with the band yet, but it seems to have plenty of power to spare, so here's hoping

[HonestOpinion]

I use one Line 6 L2 speaker and it it is a perfect solution for me.

 

-Max

 

When we are not going through our own PA that is my setup these days as well and then direct to the PA. If we are using our own PA I don't even bother with the L2 as I have my Helix monitor sound set up quite nicely through our wedges. I always use the L2 for building my presets though as it gives a pretty accurate approximation of what to expect through the FOH.

[Garhel]

I've just taken delivery of an AltoTS212A the new ones are 1100w, and sounds good in solo practise. Not tried it with the band yet, but it seems to have plenty of power to spare, so here's hoping

Sounds good, and thank you everybody else - time to go and try a few!

[ak4ray]

I performed a set with a band using the Helix and the StageSource L2M.

It was plenty loud and for the first time in years the sound man didn't hate me :-P

It worked great.

[JamzOR]

I go L6 link out of Helix to an L3T, and XLR left and right to the mixer. I angle the L3T from my side of the stage for stage and drummer coverage. Works well, basically a guitar monitor with balls, and doesn't bleed out to FOH as much as a backline would.

[Smoothasbutta]

I use my Helix output via 1/4" to a Tech 21 Power Engine 60. I don't hear much difference, if at all, between XLR output to the Tech 21 Power Engine 60 and the 1/4" output but this little, lightweight powered speaker is crystal clear when using the Helix and sounds phenomenal. My cover band, Thrown Together, performs music from Ray Charles, Ozzie, Collective Soul, the Allman Brothers, Bob Marley, Sublime, Primus, Nathaniel Rateliffe and the Night Sweats, Flogging Molly, the Dropkick Murphy's, ZZ Top, Tom Petty and more. The Helix handles it all through this terrific little powered speaker. It's LOUD, too.

[amsdenj]

I use a single JBL EON610 as my vocal and Helix monitor. I can send one side of my stereo Helix through the PA monitor output to the bass player's EON610 which is right to my left. But I don't bother with stereo monitoring - too many other things to worry about on gigs.

 

The power you would need in a guitar amp is a lot less if the speaker is in front of you and pointing right at you. Your monitor is also likely contributing to what the drummer hears. Our band has 4 EON610 monitors driven by specific monitor busses from a Behringer X32Core digital PA. Think about it, that's 4000 Watts pointing at that poor drummer! We really have to work at keeping stage volume down.