mailman2020 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Hey friends,has anyone had any good results using the helix through either studio monitors or powered pa speakers.I tried my helux through my pa which has two cabinets,each has 2 15" speakers plus a horn.i bought some yamaha hs5 monitors.The 2x15 wasn't bad.The studio monitors were horrible.I'm thinking of trying a 1x12 pa speaker.Maybe get a little tighter sound with that.And being able to get the powered pa cabs almost as cheap as studio monitors,maybe a better idea all around.Any thiught's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 You get what you pay for. There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to get good tones with a decent pair of studio monitors. That being said, don't expect ANY two monitoring methods to sound the SAME with a given patch...they never will. Change the box, change the tone, now and forever, Amen... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachdanan0121 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 I use Event BAS 20/20 studio monitors. They sound pretty damn good with the Helix. XLR, but I have them at Mic level, as these Monitors are loud! Even with the Gain down almost all the way on the monitors I have keep my Helix master vol at 11 o'clock, or lower, and that is at Mic level. At Line level I have to keep it at about 10 o'clock, or lower. Also, if you use FRFR speakers like studio monitors, then you will need to be more particular where you place your EQing such as Hi, and Low cut. These studio monitors put out much more frequencies than a typical guitar cab, or even a PA system. Mine can go almost up to 20khz. That is higher than most PA systems, and is higher by a factor of multiples with regards to a guitar cab. A high cut around 14- to - 16khz should show you an example of what I talk about above. Once you start rolling off a lot of the high end on those studio monitors, you will start to see them sound more like you are use to. If you want a tighter sound set your low cut at or above 100hz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 The sound will tighten up with a 10" or 12" powered speaker versus a 15". Most guitar amps don't come with 15" speakers because most guitarists prefer that tighter sound (plus 15" is more bulky and heavier). The most important principle is the one that cruisinon2 mentioned though. Many widely varying monitors from small studio speakers to large powered PA speakers can be made to sound great but they may all require different preset settings and EQ's. Using the same exact preset to test an 8" studio speaker and a 15" powered PA speaker is very unlikely to provide a good method of comparison. You will have to adjust the settings to match the speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I commonly run the same patches through a Yamaha DXR12 powered speaker and Yamaha HS-7 studio monitors. There are some slight differences but nothing I'd call "horrible" which is a bit too subjective to really understand what you're hearing. The studio monitors aren't as brash and bright as the DXR12, but that's somewhat expected. They're built for a different purpose. But they are easily recognizable as the same patch, just slightly mellower on the HS-7's. A lot of that has to do with the engineering differences in studio monitors and PA speakers. PA speakers are designed for projection and significantly limit their interaction with walls and such that may be to the rear or sides of them, whereas studio monitors exploit such things and therefore their placement is much more critical especially if they are bass reflex such as the Yamaha's. So it could be what you're hearing is related to where you are in relation to the speakers and how the speakers are positioned. On powered PA speakers I tend to stand back from them 5 or 6 feet to get a more accurately blended sound between the speaker and compression driver. On the studio monitors I'm relatively close (maybe 3 or 4 feet) in a triangular arrangement between the two speakers and myself. I have walls within 2 or 3 feet both behind and and to the side each of the studio monitors to help with the bass response. One other issue I've noticed is that the differences are much more pronounced if the patch uses stock cabinets versus IR's (OwnHammer in my case). I'm not sure the stock cabinets capture the nuances of the sound in the same way as do the IR's and it's the nuances of mic placement on the IR's that make the patches more consistent I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Hey friends,has anyone had any good results using the helix through either studio monitors or powered pa speakers.I tried my helux through my pa which has two cabinets,each has 2 15" speakers plus a horn.i bought some yamaha hs5 monitors.The 2x15 wasn't bad.The studio monitors were horrible.I'm thinking of trying a 1x12 pa speaker.Maybe get a little tighter sound with that.And being able to get the powered pa cabs almost as cheap as studio monitors,maybe a better idea all around.Any thiught's? Wow, mailman2020, I'm really confused! If you have to ask: "has anyone here had any good results using Helix through Studio Monitors or Powered PA?" Then I would hazard a guess that the answer would be a resounding - YES! Unless they have had issues with their equipment being mismatched in some way, it's not something that many people have complained about. If its all hooked up correctly then it's supposed to sound good using "pro gear", that's how it was designed. Something must be seriously wrong if you cannot get a good sound out of your Helix via a PA, or even more so, through "studio monitors". I haven't tried the Yamaha HS5, but the HS8 Active monitors have a great reputation as a reference speaker. During a recent studio overhaul I was going to invest in a pair of the 8" Yams but went with a couple of Tannoy Reveal 802 actives (simply because the price I got them for was an absolute "steal"). Anyhow, sound and reputation wise there's not much between the 2 brands and they are both pretty much an industry standard. I have to state that I find the sound quality from Helix through my set up is "superb" (even if I switch back to my old 5" nearfields it's damn good). If you're really not impressed listening to Helix through your current rig, then my only question has to be - What the hell were you listening to before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshow Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 I don't know about the Hs5 but I have heard almost only good things about the Yamaha HS-8. In fact I plan to buy them myself since I've found a very good deal. So I guess the problem must be anywhere else ;-) Also keep in mind that you have to adjust your patches every time you change a single element in your rig. I recently changed Headphones from my very old Sennheiser HD280 Pro to the HD380 Pro. Even if they are from the same manufacture and the same line, there is quite a bit defference in sound and I had to adjust my patches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailman2020 Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Thank's for the helpful advice,and how some of you are using the Helix.For now iv"e decided i"ll run it through my existing PA that i already had.Wanted the studio monitor's because of their size since i like to play up stairs as opposed to going to the basement to play through the pa.But since the small monitor's did"t give me what i had hoped{but really doubted},and since i live alone,i drug my pa upstairs.Sounds great.Only thing is my pa speaker's have 2 15"s in each.Thinking if they had 1 12" in each,maybe a little better,but for now loving the sound.Thanks again for the positive and helpful responses.Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Thank's for the helpful advice,and how some of you are using the Helix.For now iv"e decided i"ll run it through my existing PA that i already had.Wanted the studio monitor's because of their size since i like to play up stairs as opposed to going to the basement to play through the pa.But since the small monitor's did"t give me what i had hoped{but really doubted},and since i live alone,i drug my pa upstairs.Sounds great.Only thing is my pa speaker's have 2 15"s in each.Thinking if they had 1 12" in each,maybe a little better,but for now loving the sound.Thanks again for the positive and helpful responses.Peace Hi mailman2020, Glad to hear that you've found a way of making it all work for you, well - at least for now. I guess from your comment, "...since the small monitor's did"t give me what i had hoped (but really doubted...)" it seems that you had already realised that the 5" Yamaha monitor would not be capable of moving as much air as the big P.A. cones will. It's horses for courses - as noted by these wise words from "cruisinon2" That being said, don't expect ANY two monitoring methods to sound the SAME with a given patch...they never will. Change the box, change the tone, now and forever, Amen... Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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