What about Helix Mic input?

[Ed_Saxman]

Hi folks!

I'm using the HD series since it was launched, and I have used it with my Variaxes (guitar and bass), but also with my main instrument, the saxophone. (Alto, tenor and soprano)

I have achieved good results with reverbs, delays, octave, and some other effects. The harmonizer has many good points, but I have always noticed that the POD HD lacked DSP power, which resulted in several inconveniences: inaccurate tracking, delayed signal, generation of artifacts, and worst of all, detuned notes generated.

It really was a shame, because despite everything, the sound was quite good. I could get a credible sound of baritone sax playing my alto sax, get fun armonizing a pentatonic scale, or generate parts of 4 voices (octave low and two other voices on either side of the stereo), but unfortunately had to resort to other effects (pitch glide) to tune the generated notes. This obviously was a bummer, plus the pitch effects quickly saturated the DSP.

I recently acquired a TC Helicon Voicelive 3 Extreme, but I'm not too happy with the result, because in a certain sense I get better sound with POD HD (I mean the degree of credibility of sound, not talking about DSP power), and the armonizer parameters are really clumsy (they named the scales as 1, 2, 3, and there is nothing like pentatonic scales or whole/dim, like the POD HD has)

Due to my current state of disappointment, I opened this thread to ask if anyone has tested the effects of Helix with a microphone. Maybe someone with a wind instrument Here? In any case, how about the harmonizer on Helix? It has much improved over the HD series? It is accurate? It is finally able to produce notes in tune?
 

Maybe its time to sold all my current electronic devices and go to Helix route. (Well, or wait for a Voicelive 4, that will be surely influenced by the Helix developement in many ways).

[Ed_Saxman]

Bump

[chuskey]

I can't speak to how

 

Hi folks!

I'm using the HD series since it was launched, and I have used it with my Variaxes (guitar and bass), but also with my main instrument, the saxophone. (Alto, tenor and soprano)

I have achieved good results with reverbs, delays, octave, and some other effects. The harmonizer has many good points, but I have always noticed that the POD HD lacked DSP power, which resulted in several inconveniences: inaccurate tracking, delayed signal, generation of artifacts, and worst of all, detuned notes generated.

It really was a shame, because despite everything, the sound was quite good. I could get a credible sound of baritone sax playing my alto sax, get fun armonizing a pentatonic scale, or generate parts of 4 voices (octave low and two other voices on either side of the stereo), but unfortunately had to resort to other effects (pitch glide) to tune the generated notes. This obviously was a bummer, plus the pitch effects quickly saturated the DSP.

I recently acquired a TC Helicon Voicelive 3 Extreme, but I'm not too happy with the result, because in a certain sense I get better sound with POD HD (I mean the degree of credibility of sound, not talking about DSP power), and the armonizer parameters are really clumsy (they named the scales as 1, 2, 3, and there is nothing like pentatonic scales or whole/dim, like the POD HD has)

Due to my current state of disappointment, I opened this thread to ask if anyone has tested the effects of Helix with a microphone. Maybe someone with a wind instrument Here? In any case, how about the harmonizer on Helix? It has much improved over the HD series? It is accurate? It is finally able to produce notes in tune?
 

Maybe its time to sold all my current electronic devices and go to Helix route. (Well, or wait for a Voicelive 4, that will be surely influenced by the Helix developement in many ways).

I can't speak to how well it performs with a wind instrument, but I can say that I feel the mic pre is MUCH better in the Helix than it was in the HD500(X).  I use it all the time to process vocals live with great results.  

 

Never been a big user of the harmonizer feature in either unit, so I don't know how much improved the Helix is over the HD model.