EXP 1 position randomly jumps to 1%

[PaulJam]

Hi,

 

I'm experiencing a weird problem with my Helix.

Sometimes the pedal position of the EXP1 pedal jumps to 1% for no apparent reason. This happens even while the internal expression pedal is set to EXP2 and no external pedal is connected. There is also no MIDI device connected and MIDI over USB is off. The Helix is connected via USB to a Win 10 PC, but the Helix Editor is not running. The problem also occurred while the PC was in standby. I don't even have to press any button or change patches - just boot the Helix and wait. After a few minutes an "E" appears behind the preset name and the pedal position of the Wah block is at 1%.

 

All Expression pedals are set to normal polarity and global position.

 

This issue is quite annoying - especially when EXP1 controls a volume block and you are mid-song and have to move the expression pedal in order to have sound again.

 

Has anyone else experienced something similar or has an idea what could cause such behavior?

 

Paul

[MonkeyXT]

I might have run into this - just the other day.

I'm running Helix Rack & Controller with Mission EXP pedals - #1 is the toe-switch model, which I use for Wah etc.

I think I caught it jumping parameters on me.

 

I'll try to recreate.

[HonestOpinion]

This may have nothing to do with this issue but I thought I would share it anyway as it caught me when the 2.0 (same in 2.01) version of the firmware came out. I use my volume pedal a lot so I set my expression pedal setting to "Global" in the old versions of the firmware which only had the one global setting for setting the EXP1/EXP2 to "Global" or "Preset". The volume in any preset would reflect wherever the pedal was positioned at that moment. When the new firmware came out and gave us the choice (very cool) of setting each expression pedal to "Preset" or "Global", I set EXP 1 to "Global" but neglected to set EXP 2 to "Global". For a while there when I was switching snapshots or presets I would get unpredictable volume changes. Finally I found my oversight, set both EXP1 & EXP2 to "Global" and all was good. Moral of the story, check the EXP settings for all your expression pedals internal and external if you are getting unpredictable volume or similar issues with the expression pedal. It may be resetting because you have "Preset" instead of "Global" set on the global settings for one of your expression pedals where you did not think you did, causing it to jump back to whatever value was saved with that preset.

[MonkeyXT]

I can say that in my case this wasn't the issue; I'm all global - but I had noted something was amiss, so I put the focus of the parameter on-screen and observed.

It skipped to the other value with no other intervention. I moved the EXP to re-position and it happened again.

My Mission is good and tight, so it doesn't sag under its own weight and such...

Might just be an oddball bug here.

 

I have to test this out again tonight, and will report back.

 

This might be best moved to the Bug Reports forum area.

[Guest Line6Will]

Hey PaulJam,

We've seen this before and it's due to a corrupt patch.  The best way to test this is to do a factory reset on your unit and then go to a blank patch and add nothing but a volume pedal.  Assign the internal expression pedal is set to EXP2 and no external pedal is connected.  It most likely won't move.  You may have to manually rebuild some of your patches.

[PaulJam]

Hey PaulJam,

We've seen this before and it's due to a corrupt patch. The best way to test this is to do a factory reset on your unit and then go to a blank patch and add nothing but a volume pedal. Assign the internal expression pedal is set to EXP2 and no external pedal is connected. It most likely won't move. You may have to manually rebuild some of your patches.

Thanks, I'll try as soon as I can.

I have attached the preset in case you want to analyze it.

 

Btw., EXP1, EXP2 and EXP3 are set to global.

2016-08-02_All In One.zip

[PaulJam]

I've now found the time to try the reset.
Here is what I did:
Switched the device on while holding the middle two buttons of the bottom row.
After the reset was complete I navigated to the setlist USER 1 patch 01A.
I inserted a mono volume pedal and changed the controller assignment from "EXP Pedal 2" to "EXP Pedal 1" and saved the patch.
Then i switched the Helix off and after a moment on again.
After a while the volume jumped to 1% again.

So it doesn't seem to be a corrupt patch.

[Guest Line6Will]

Does this still occur when on firmware v2.01?  

[PaulJam]

Yes, I'm using firmware v2.01.

[Lachdanan0121]

On one if my patches that uses the whammy, and my Mission SP1-L6H exp pedal. The pedal value likes to sit at 1, 2, or 3 percent. This happens everytime I load the patch, even after saving it with it set to 0. Next time I load it up it Will do it again. Its not ground breaking or anything... just a little inconvienent. I will check again tonight just to make sure I am not missremembering.

 

EDIT: After powering on my Helix with it to come up to the very patch I am talking about. It seems to work as intended. Value is sitting at the minimum like it should be. So I may just need to be extra careful when I have something routed to the expression pedal when I edit/save a patch.

[mrokern]

I'm having the exact same issue...brand new Helix, current firmware. Not earth shattering, just annoying right now, but I'd definitely like to see a fix in the next rev of firmware. I'm removing volume pedals from my patches in the meantime. 

[spikey]

Ive seen this happen on my mission ESP-1 L6 Helix wah pedal, in that I get an "edit" icon on a new patch I just loaded up (with the wah block). All I do is rock the "mission" wah pedal back and forth, and then the patch saves ok and the "edit" icon disappears. If I do not move the mission pedal back and forth, there is no way to save the patch because the "edit" icon will not go away until I rock the (wah) pedal. After the 1st patch is saved, If I then switch to another patch with the "wah" block I don't have this issue. Its just the 1st one (using the above pedal and set for the Wah block) it seems after I power on Helix, that does this. Yes running latest Helix OS.

[Peckanina]

Im having the same issue. This is new as of TODAY. All of my patches that have a wah on them will show the position percentage go from 0-3% and back all on its own. I have the Mission SP1-L6H and it worked fine yesterday. I have cleared out the Helix and Reloaded my patches. I have cleared out the helix and before reloading my patches created a preset with ONLY a wah no amp no cab JUST a wah and as i type this it is currently going from 0-3% on its own. I am currently running the the latest helix OS. This is happening on ALL of my patches not just one.

[HonestOpinion]

I wonder if the auto-calibration needs some tweaking in the next firmware version?

[agordon]

Im having this exact same issue - had my helix only 3 weeks and the volume drops to 1% by itself in the middle of me playing.  It only happens one time - just a few minutes after powering up the Helix - doesnt happen again after that.  As stated above it happens on every patch.

 

Is there a fix for this?

[spikey]

Yes, atm you have to go into the  editor-pedal settings and slide the volume back up to 100%.

[FraKcture]

I'm experiencing the same problem too...

 

anyone got to the bottom of this issue?

[buckaroo_twang]

Just got my Helix Rack and Control set up with Mission switch/pedal.  Having the same thing happen as well.  Hoping it's a software issue that can be addressed soon.

[paco777david]

Having this same issue of sudden drop in volume on all patches also. (in addition to a squeaky expression pedal. I've been with Line 6 for years and love the Helix for it's tones but for $1500 I shouldn't have to be fixing a squeaky expression pedal!.0) 

 

Line 6 moderators, any word on when the sudden drop in volume issue will be resolved?

 

Thank you.

[granetf]

Hello,

 

Exactly the same issue for me.

 

It happens few minutes after powering the Helix, and, for me, just on time until you switch off.

 

I have created a patch with 3 volume block, each one on a different expression pedal (1,2 and 3)

 

I have shutdow an powered on again. I am waiting for the bug to appear and to see if this on a particular pedal or not.

 

It may help.

[MusicLaw]

Frustrating to see so many of these incidents on this and othet Helix related forums, and yet for over 90 days since the last fimware release, Line 6 has neither issued an interim bug fix nor announced that this bug has been corrected and the fix will be included in the "soon" forthcoming firmware release.

[granetf]

I agree with you.

 

It have been a long time i have read some post about this issue.

 

Nothing has been done, no communication about this IMPORTANT issue (specialy in "gig" situation....)

 

If it don't really matter in rehearsal, I don'´t want to loose my signal during a real live gig...

 

1500$ hardware should be a proof of quality.

 

i must add in the fx loop of my Helix an Ernie ball analogic volume pedal in order to be sure keeping my signal chain without volume drop !!!

 

It is not a good solution : Helix should be "all sound in one box" at this price.

 

 

(English is not my mother tongue, i do my best..)

[granetf]

I have just "received" the result of my experience.

 

At this time, it seems the volume drop issue appear on Exp1 assignation.

 

I have tried to invert exp1 and exp2 assignation to confirm.

 

To be continued.

[granetf]

Unfortunately, i will not be able to do more experiences about this issue.

My Helix joystick has just died..... no more click or rotate capabilities.... only up/down/lef/right.

 

I have just put it at the service center.... Three or more weeks of waiting.... i have a gig planned on 12/9/2016.... 

 

Very disappointed (still Line6 addict but very very very sad about all this issues...) 

[MusicLaw]

Granetf, when did you first get your HELIX?

[granetf]

i got it on the 22 of July 2016. 

[FraKcture]

i've seen in the firmware sticky that this issue is listed as a known problem...

 

Anyone had a chance to send in a "affected" patch?

[buckytom]

I just played my first gig with the Helix Rack on Saturday and I had this exact problem. I have a Mission Engineering pedal plugged into Exp1.

 

Does anyone know if there's a fix for this, yet? I was planning on using the Helix to play gigs every Friday & Saturday, so this would potentially be a 100% deal-breaker for me.

[phil_m]

I just played my first gig with the Helix Rack on Saturday and I had this exact problem. I have a Mission Engineering pedal plugged into Exp1. Does anyone know if there's a fix for this, yet? I was planning on using the Helix to play gigs every Friday & Saturday, so this would potentially be a 100% deal-breaker for me.

 

Fix will be coming in 2.20... Apparently this was a very difficult bug for them to reproduce and find, but last I heard they did finally figure it out.

[jbuhajla]

I just played my first gig with the Helix Rack on Saturday and I had this exact problem. I have a Mission Engineering pedal plugged into Exp1. Does anyone know if there's a fix for this, yet? I was planning on using the Helix to play gigs every Friday & Saturday, so this would potentially be a 100% deal-breaker for me.

For now I plug an external pedal into EXP3, and use the on board for EXP1 and EXP2. 

 

Set your volume blocks to EXP2, and it shouldn't drop to 1% any more. 

[jimbojamz]

i had this problem and i used the included hex wrench to just about totally take the big pedal nut loose. (pedal was flopping around) I re tightened it and works perfectly now. seems the pedal was off enough that the body of the helix was rubbing inside I'm guessing. any way it fixed my volume jump problem.

[Lachdanan0121]

i had this problem and i used the included hex wrench to just about totally take the big pedal nut loose. (pedal was flopping around) I re tightened it and works perfectly now. seems the pedal was off enough that the body of the helix was rubbing inside I'm guessing. any way it fixed my volume jump problem.

This happens even with an expression pedal, and Helix Rack