Anyone using the Helix with a Big Sky?

[Ziyan]

I recently switched from an Axe FX and AX8 to a Helix and I am in love with the unit! Amps and effects sound very good My only gripe is with the quality of the reverbs, and I believe the issue has been raised on the forum.

 

Is anyone using an external reverb pedal with the Helix? I have a Big Sky and am running it in the loop. Am worried about Global EQ's high/low pass cutting off some of the reverb. Does anyone have any workarounds?

 

If running the Big Sky after the Helix in stereo (vs the loop) would I need to use the onboard cab sim to run into a PA? Does this mean I would have to have cabs or IRs switched off on the Helix?

[rzumwalt]

I've been using the Big Sky in the effect loop for about a year. I generally use it for the bigger reverb sounds and use Helix's for the less pronounced default reverb sounds. I like it a lot that way, but I barely use the global EQ, if ever. However, from what I've read on this forum from some of the wiser guys, you should only be using the global EQ ("GEQ") to make minor adjustments to compensate for the room, not as a core tone-shaping tool. You would apply those within the patch itself.

As for a workaround, I almost always put the Big Sky loop near the end of the chain, definitely after the cabinets and EQs; I usually do all of my high cut at the cabinet and this seems to work fine with the reverb loop few blocks down the chain from that. If you still need to use the GEQ, my advice would be to get your sound as close  as you can with the GEQ completely bypassed, then set the GEQ with the Big Sky turned on so that it sounds good with it. If there's still too much high, go back to the cabinet models or EQs in your patch and try to accomplish it there. But I know what you mean, some of the Big Sky reverbs are so lush they're practically poetic. Stomping all over that sound with a high cut filter would be like telling Van Gogh he can't use blue.

Regardless of how you use it, in a loop or from the main output, you should have no trouble also having a cabinet or IR block in your patch. if the volume coming from your main output to the Big Sky isn't right, I believe you can switch the output between mic and line levels, but don't quote me on that. You shouldn't need to use it's cab simulator, for the same reasons.