Zanna83 Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Hello guys. I'm trying to switch the channels of my Powerball 2 Head with the Helix Snapshots but i'm facing the following issue. With "Ext Amp" : Crunch is set on Ring (2) and correspond to Snapshot 2 Lead-3 is set on Tip (1) and correspond to Snapshot 3 Lead-4 is set on Tip+Ring (1+2) and correspond to Snapshot 4 When no signal is applied on both Ring and Tip, the selected channel is Clean but i don't know how to manage this situation. There are only the 3 available options above. How shall i set Snapshot 1 to use the clean channel ? Thank you in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricksteruk Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I'm afraid there's no way to switch that many channels :( You'll probably struggle to get the 3 working as you describe, as I think that method relies on momentary pressing of either button or both together - whereas Helix EXT seems to operate in continuous (latching) connection of the switches. For me, Helix's EXT amp socket is completely useless as it does not work with ANY guitar amp I have plugged into it yet. It does not work with Laney, Marshall, Fender, Mesa.. etc... You will need to buy a switcher box - probably one that uses MIDI to connect to Helix and that has jack sockets to connect to your amp. like this - http://www.rjmmusic.com/products/mini-amp-gizmo/ . It works in both latching and momentary modes. Shame to have to spend an extra $230 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruz Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 You could find an Axess Electronics CFX4 Midi switcher on eBay for about $100 that will switch four functions via midi. Great units and they run on a standard center (-) 9V power supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnfrancis Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 The Helix will switch my Bogner Atma from the Clean to the Crunch channel, but I cannot do Channel 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigGT Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 It switches between all three channels on my H&K Tubemeister no problem. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRokstar77 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 not sure I understand your question, but I use a powerball 2 with 4cm and have no trouble accessing all four channels using the helix. you could think of the channels on the amp like this....left and right, top and bottom. channels 1 and 2 are top, channels 3 and 4 are bottom. 1 and 3 are left, 2 and 4 are right. next, turning tip off gives you the top set 1 and 2, tip on gives you bottom set 3 and 4. turning ring off gives you left set 1 or 3, ring on gives you 2 or 4. left right ring off ring on top 1 2 tip off 1 2 btm 3 4 tip on 3 4 on helix, I set up one footswitch to control tip, and one to control ring. 2 footswitches and four possible combinations of off, on. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanna83 Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 not sure I understand your question, but I use a powerball 2 with 4cm and have no trouble accessing all four channels using the helix. you could think of the channels on the amp like this....left and right, top and bottom. channels 1 and 2 are top, channels 3 and 4 are bottom. 1 and 3 are left, 2 and 4 are right. next, turning tip off gives you the top set 1 and 2, tip on gives you bottom set 3 and 4. turning ring off gives you left set 1 or 3, ring on gives you 2 or 4. left right ring off ring on top 1 2 tip off 1 2 btm 3 4 tip on 3 4 on helix, I set up one footswitch to control tip, and one to control ring. 2 footswitches and four possible combinations of off, on. I hope this helps. Yes, I got it. The problem is that this solution may not be used switching the snapshot, it requires one more action from me (two more actions if i pass from Lead 4 to Clean which happen frequently). However as suggested by many of you i found a Z-11 Engl Midi Switcher at € 85,00 and i bought it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRokstar77 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 :unsure: hmmm. I am using snapshots with my powerball 2 and accessing all four channels. i am using 8 snapshots...main (chnl 3 on engl), lead (chnl 4), phase (chnl 2), octave (chnl 4), univibe (chnl 2), flange (chnl 3), whammy (chnl 4), and clean (chnl 1). I can switch from channel 4 lead to channel 1 clean with one press of a snapshot switch and vice versa. the snapshots are just remembering the on/off states of the switches I programmed to control tip and ring on the ext jack. is it possible that the snapshot is not remembering the state of one of your switches, or that the parameter is not set up to be controlled by snapshots? is it possible that you did not save the snapshot properly, or that you are using the switches in stomp mode and not snapshot mode? if you could please describe what is happening in more detail, I will try to recreate it with my rig. otherwise, congrats on your purchase of the z-11. i'm pretty sure that solution will work very well for you. i am currently using midi notes to control a lighting system that displays a different lighting scene depending on which snapshot i am using. i can say that helix midi notes works very well for that, but i have not used helix midi for cc or pc messages. maybe someone else with more midi experience can help you with that if you have any problems. good luck, and rock on! JOHNNY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alezzblezz Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 :unsure: hmmm. I am using snapshots with my powerball 2 and accessing all four channels. i am using 8 snapshots...main (chnl 3 on engl), lead (chnl 4), phase (chnl 2), octave (chnl 4), univibe (chnl 2), flange (chnl 3), whammy (chnl 4), and clean (chnl 1). I can switch from channel 4 lead to channel 1 clean with one press of a snapshot switch and vice versa. the snapshots are just remembering the on/off states of the switches I programmed to control tip and ring on the ext jack. is it possible that the snapshot is not remembering the state of one of your switches, or that the parameter is not set up to be controlled by snapshots? is it possible that you did not save the snapshot properly, or that you are using the switches in stomp mode and not snapshot mode? if you could please describe what is happening in more detail, I will try to recreate it with my rig. otherwise, congrats on your purchase of the z-11. i'm pretty sure that solution will work very well for you. i am currently using midi notes to control a lighting system that displays a different lighting scene depending on which snapshot i am using. i can say that helix midi notes works very well for that, but i have not used helix midi for cc or pc messages. maybe someone else with more midi experience can help you with that if you have any problems. good luck, and rock on! JOHNNY Hi Johnny, could you give more informations about the way you configured instant command with your snapshots to manage to get the clean channel (tip off, ring off) ? I tried all this afternoon and I didn't manage. Same problem as Zanna83... A good idea could be to post your preset in custometone area ? Thanx for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VirtualGuitars Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 For me, Helix's EXT amp socket is completely useless as it does not work with ANY guitar amp I have plugged into it yet. It does not work with Laney, Marshall, Fender, Mesa.. etc... I have two Marshall combo amps and the channel switching works fine on both of them. I have a 90's JTM 312 and a 2017 Marshall 2525C Mini Jubilee. I just wish I could use the Ext Amp on more than one amp at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alezzblezz Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 On 1/20/2018 at 9:37 PM, alezzblezz said: Hi Johnny, could you give more informations about the way you configured instant command with your snapshots to manage to get the clean channel (tip off, ring off) ? I tried all this afternoon and I didn't manage. Same problem as Zanna83... A good idea could be to post your preset in custometone area ? Thanx for your help. New feature on 2.8 could solve the problem : An additional “None” value has been added to Command Center > Instant > Amp Control messages (Helix Floor Rack LT, HX Effects) Someone tried ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4TH Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 3 minutes ago, alezzblezz said: New feature on 2.8 could solve the problem : An additional “None” value has been added to Command Center > Instant > Amp Control messages (Helix Floor Rack LT, HX Effects) Someone tried ? Yeah, I'm interested to see if this now works, also. I'm messing around with it now, but still can't quite figure it out. In my case I'm sure it's user ignorance though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerswitch_ Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 I just updated to 2.80 and have been searching the forums for a new answer to this amp channel problem (ENGL E650, can't access my clean channel hey how ya doin). I've got practice tomorrow night so I'm going to try out this Instant > Amp > "None" setting and see how it goes. So far I've been keeping Footswitch 1 to "Amp 1 > Ring" on every single one of my patches. That's just let me use the (Crunch) Lo-Gain and Hi-Gain channels and no access to the 2 Clean channels. I've been using guitar volume to get a passable clean sound (luckily I don't need a real Clean tone much recently). Instant is a Present function though, so if I set a preset Instant to "None", can I even change amp channels on that preset anymore? I'll report back in 2 days (let's see if he does) NB: And why is the "None" option in INSTANT??? Why couldn't it be in the fkn Footswitch controls?? (man I'm so over this!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerswitch_ Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 So it didn't work. But I bought a NUX PMS-2 to try and do Midi switching thru midi controls. Unfortunately the PMS-2 is a defective piece of junkyard trash and doesn't work as advertised. Anyone selling this thing is trying to scan you out of money I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andree88 Posted August 19, 2019 Share Posted August 19, 2019 I can use all of 4 channels in stomp mode. But the problem is that if I go from channel 3 to 4 and then back to 3 it goes on "crunch" (channel 2) and not back on channel 3. It because the switch of "channel 3" on Helix is still on. Can I use, in stomp mode, something in order to turn off a switch (led too) if I press another switch? I mean: I press switch 2 -> turn off switch 1 and 3. I press switch 3 -> turn off switch 1 and 2.. in this case only with EXT Amp it would be PERFECT. The problem with midi is that is momentary and not latching. If I play with amp on my back and I press, for example, channel 2 then I have crunch. If I stop playing I don't know in which channel I am (without looking at amp). It would be EASY if we can turn off a switch when we press another. Or if midi would be latching (with turn off when using another one). So easy, so impossible. It's the only thing I HATE with Helix. If you need help using all 4 channels on Powerball II let me know, I can send my patch and you can try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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