MartinDorr Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Just received my Helix LT and are looking for advice (if there is anything that applies to more than 1 model) on how to best convert my HD500 tones to Helix. Simple rules of thumb like tone stack settings for common Amp models are roughly same or different, i.e., what parameters translate numerically (or close) and what doesn't? Which effect models present on both HD500 and Helix utilize same or very different parameter settings? Any tips that mat cut down conversion time are appreciated. Besides, it sounds absolutely stunning - glad to make the jump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 It's been awhile but as I recall, the parameters are close...mostly, so that's a good place to start. But you will have to do some tweaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPascarella Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 FWIW, I made the jump from HD500 to Helix well over a year ago. That was my first approach, trying to translate from HD500 to Helix. I ended up learning fast that they are different animals completely. I had a Jumped Plexi patch that I wanted to reproduce on Helix and I couldn't come close to exactly matching it. Spent lots of time trying. Lots of other patches I had set up for playing at church. I ended up treating Helix as a clean slate instead and I'm glad I did. Yep, took lots of time to recreate the patches for the same songs, but I sure learned lots in the process. I downloaded several from Customtone to see how others did it. Bought a package from Glenn DeLaune to see how he did it. Now I'm at the point where I can hear something and pretty quickly dial in something very close. So I don't know if this is helpful to you, but some food for thought. I totally get where you're coming from, sorry I'm not more help! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKenivel Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Good luck converting those EQ percentages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncann Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 I would replicate the HD preset, as far as effects/amps/cabs, on Helix as only a starting point to see how close or far apart things are. After that, working with the newly built Helix preset, promptly forget about the HD and the tone it produced, and dig in to Helix and all the numerous tools available to you that the HD doesn't have. Obviously, keep the basic tone your after in mind all along, but try not to constrain yourself by replicating a tone made on a previous generation device. Also construct the tone in context, even if the context is only the tone by itself :lol: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclement Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 ... I ended up treating Helix as a clean slate instead and I'm glad I did. I would replicate the HD preset, as far as effects/amps/cabs, on Helix as only a starting point to see how close or far apart things are. So much of this. I also came from the HD500 world (and Vetta II before that, and AxSys before that). I would definitely recreate the basic layout as your starting-point. But as the Helix is SO much deeper that the HD500... I think you might be better to take the clean slate approach and build from the ground up.. keeping in mind the end goal of the tone you are after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocco_Crocco Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I would recommend to just start over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy1175 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Have to agree with the general consensus here, I also came from the HD500X and don't think that backtracking is the way to go. Start from scratch, take some time to experiment and play around with the thing and you'll soon see how different they really are and how much more you can get from the helix. Tears of joy will soon follow. :) - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 ....... Any tips that mat cut down conversion time are appreciated....... I agree that you will probably find it best to start from scratch with Helix. But in terms of conversion tips..... You can run the HD500X Edit program without the HD500X device connected. So having saved your HD presets to your computer you can then disconnect the HD and connect Helix. Run both Edit programs simultaneously. You will be able to see all the details of the HD preset and manually recreate the settings in Helix. After doing this a few times you will probably realize that the amount of tweaking required to get similar sounds is not worth it and you will lose your enthusiasm for the idea of converting the presets. Besides, Helix tones are far superior, imho. Trying to simply recreate the Pod Hd sounds on Helix is doing yourself a disservice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimist Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 When I switched from my POD X3 Pro to Helix I did it like that: I bought an A/B Box (a BOSS AB-2 in my case) and connected Guitar on Input, POD on A, Helix on B. Then, permanently switching from A to B, I tweaked the Helix until I got the closest matching tone. I took me about two hours to create the about 25 different patches for our band’s needs. And that was without the editor since it came out later … with the editor it would have taken me around an hour I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHamm Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I wouldn't bother trying to convert. In fact, I learned that my go-to amps changed from HD 500 (which I used for a LONG time) to Helix. Start from scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinDorr Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 Thanks a bunch - it's always good to get a perspective before jumping into the water. What I tried so far seems to match pretty closely what all of you described happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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