FacemanJoe Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Hello Helix Lovers, I was able to spend some time with some 3rd party IRs from Ownhammer and RedWire and I was really impressed with the outcome. The IRs really opened up my sound and seem almost 3D compared to the stock cab models in the Helix. I love the Helix, so that isn't a criticism. I've dialed in my best tones yet using the IRs and I have several others to work through this weekend. I think I'm about $50 all in for the IRs that I purchased and based on my early results, I'd say it was worth the spend. The only issue is that the IR titles are so long that I can't read what IR I'm using because the title field isn't big enough. Same issue in the editor due to the fact that it doesn't scroll from side to side. I'm going to spend some time renaming the IRs using shorter titles so that I can tell what IR I'm using. All good stuff though. Any day that allows me to chase tone with my guitar in hand is a great day. Joe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 One suggestion as you are renaming your IRs: include the Helix IR slot/location number as a prefix in the name. You will eventually discover that the Export IR function in Helix does not retain its slot/location number. This becomes a nuisance after updating your Helix with the next firmware update, resetting global parameters and restoring factory presets. Those actions delete all your IRs meaning you have to restore them to their original locations so that your custom presets will continue to work as designed. But simply saving them before the firmware update doesn't keep track of their locations. Hence the importance of you doing it yourself. I find including the location in the file name is a good method but feel free to devise your own method. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FacemanJoe Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 Great feedback. Thanks for the tip. I think I know what you mean, but if you could share an example it would be a great help. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 For example: - you have an IR named 'ThisIR' and you have imported it into the Helix IR bank in slot/location #17 (or whatever). - you have a preset that uses 'ThisIR', and by 'using' it we mean that your preset specifies that it will use the IR in slot/location #17. It happens to display the name of the IR but that's just for convenience. It will use whatever IR is in slot#17. - you also have a bunch of other IRs loaded and they too are used in a bunch of different presets. - a firmware update is released. As advised in the release notes, you back up (export) all your presets and your IRs before updating your firmware. If you look you will notice that the Export IR function saves the file name with no reference to its slot/location number. - you update the firmware, follow the release notes resetting the global parameters and restoring the factory presets. This deletes all your custom presets (User setlists) and all your IRs - you import your custom setlists. The presets are all as you saved them, but...... - they sound different. On investigation you find that, of course, your IRs are gone. Your preset says it is using the IR in slot/location #17, but of course that slot is <EMPTY> so it's using a null IR. - you realize that you have absolutely no idea which IR you had stored in slot #17. - you grab a bottle of scotch and settle in for several hours of reconstructive surgery on your helix IR imports, and you never are sure that you actually got it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ur2funky Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 My IR slots are basically filled. But only a random few of them are truly important to my presets. I'm always deleting and trying new stuff. What a fun box! I should figure out the important IRs and rename them to match their slot. In the mean time, I've taken a 'screen shot' on my Mac, which is a picture of your display, which shows all of their positions. So if I had to start from scratch, I could just look at this jpg/picture and see what IRs match with which slots/presets. Just a quick safety net in case the thing somehow crashes before I get really organized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willjrock Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 My IR slots are basically filled. But only a random few of them are truly important to my presets. I'm always deleting and trying new stuff. What a fun box! I should figure out the important IRs and rename them to match their slot. In the mean time, I've taken a 'screen shot' on my Mac, which is a picture of your display, which shows all of their positions. So if I had to start from scratch, I could just look at this jpg/picture and see what IRs match with which slots/presets. Just a quick safety net in case the thing somehow crashes before I get really organized. Is this me posting? We must be brothers from another mother because thats exactly what i do. Deleting, screenshots, and all. Great minds think alike i guess :P I have about 100 prests by now, with maybe 30% of them being important. I have to go thru all the presets with pen and paper and write down the IR number, control click the numbers that ARENT on the paper and delete lol. rinse,repeat rinse,repeat...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 ...... I have to go thru all the presets with pen and paper and write down the IR number, control click the numbers that ARENT on the paper and delete lol. rinse,repeat rinse,repeat...... That seems like more work than just including the IR number in the IR file name. Is there some reason you don't want to do that? And what happens if you misplace the paper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willjrock Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 That seems like more work than just including the IR number in the IR file name. Is there some reason you don't want to do that? Its a bit different. Including the IR number in the IR file name wont tell you which IRs are used inside a preset. In order to delete IRs, you pretty much need to look inside each preset to see which IRs are being used....unless you code it into the preset name. That could get messy too. I have no problem naming IR files. I just use the important information. I dont need to write the word Basketweave out every time. You can arrange them however you want, so folks may consider grouping cabinet types, alphabetical, or numerical....or all of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooey Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 So Helix and the editor don't tell you an IR is in use if you try to delete it? That's too bad, they should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmacvicar Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 i had an issue today where I deleted my IR's from Helix and then reimported them (different file names, working on a different management system that makes more sense) but the Helix presets didn't point to 'slot 17" it just said empty. I was under the impression this was not supposed to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 i had an issue today where I deleted my IR's from Helix and then reimported them (different file names, working on a different management system that makes more sense) but the Helix presets didn't point to 'slot 17" it just said empty. I was under the impression this was not supposed to happen. There's not enough information here to help you. How did you import them? What's the significance of slot 17? What kind of file management system are you talking about? The Helix has no particular logic for how it manages IR's. It only keeps track of what IR slot is being used on any particular IR block in a patch. At this point it's entirely on your shoulders to make sure that you place the same IR into the same IR slot being referenced by your patches. This is the reason most of us put a 3-digit number that equates to the slot number at the start of the file name for the IR and then save all of our IR's into the same directly. If that directory is organized alphabetically by filename then all you have to do to restore your IR's in order is to select all of the IRs in your directory and drag/drop them into slot one of your Impulses tab and they will all be in the correct order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHamm Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Glad you had good results trying IRs.Now... try this.Try a dual cab instead of an IR... pick two cabs you like, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD change the mic model to some kind of Ribbon.imho, dual cabs (even in mono) sound better than any other option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Glad you had good results trying IRs. Now... try this. Try a dual cab instead of an IR... pick two cabs you like, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD change the mic model to some kind of Ribbon. imho, dual cabs (even in mono) sound better than any other option. I do this instead of imported IRs any more. Dual cabs, different cabs, two different mics, and room reflections set differently. I usually have a 4x12 using a R121 to to emphasize more of the low frequencies, and a 4x12 with SM57 to capture more of the highs. I usually have the 4x12 set at 25% room reflection, and the 2x12 75-100% room reflections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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