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Helix into two amps....?


Jlectka1
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Currently running Helix into fx return of my Mesa with great results.  Does anyone run a two amp setup with Helix?  I'd need to run into the front of a Fender Custom Deluxe.  Just curious as I'm exploring the possibilities with my current equipment.

 

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Not into two amps, but into two FRFRs for stereo effect. Its simple to do, as it's just running 1/4" cables from the left and right outputs. No reason the same can't be done using the effect loops in a combined 4CM. If my math is right, it would be a "7-cable method."

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I do this at church. I have a Vox AC30, the fawn hand-wired version with no tremolo or reverb with 2 alnico blues and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with the extension cabinet connected.

 

I use both 1/4, left and right, outputs on the helix to send them to the amps. Amps are behind me in a stereo like format, but I don't really use much stereo effects. The Fenders are stacked on top of each other and the Vox on an amp stand, both facing the congregation and me at different angles.

 

This gives a nice spread of sound, makes my Strat sustain longer and can make it feedback easily with my volume knob. I had both amps for a while but never thought to put them together. Wish I could have done it earlier.

 

There is no amp or cab modeling on the helix, only effects going into the front of both amps.

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Yeah! But it's not the regular squealing feedback. It's more of a technique to sustain your delay or reverb.

 

Volume swell from one wave of pads to another. Sometimes the volume knob on my guitar doesn't travel the full path before I get to that tipping point where it will sustain by itself for as long as I want.

 

The two amps really help, you have a bigger "sweet spot" where you need to stand for the pickups to start doing their thing.

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Yes, I know and love the desired effect. It's somewhat elusive with amp modelers and FRFR, particularly at the low volumes we use when my band rehearses. I can get it when my monitor is cranked up, especially when it's on a stand right next to me. Was thinking of getting a Digitech FreqOut for low volume situations.

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Currently running Helix into fx return of my Mesa with great results.  Does anyone run a two amp setup with Helix?  I'd need to run into the front of a Fender Custom Deluxe.  Just curious as I'm exploring the possibilities with my current equipment.

Boogie has a slave out. Run that to your other amp.. ba da boom! 

 

SLAVE LEVEL CONTROL : This 1/4" jack and control provide a signal derived from the speaker jack. Perfect for using 

either the DUAL or TRIPLE RECTIFIER Solo Head as a master pre-amp, or additional power amps may be connected for 

more power when needed. Some players use this to derive an FX Send Signal and go to other amps for their wet 

sound.

 

Otherwise.. like Brad said earlier.. there are a ton of routing options. You could come up with countless combinations I think as far as the looping goes. 

 

 you MUST have a load (speaker) connected when using the slave out.

 

 

For that matter you could probably just as easily run out of your 1/4" sends from Helix, and one to each amp. 

. 1/4†OUT Use unbalanced 1/4" TS cables to connect to your guitar amp, or FRFR

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Yes, I know and love the desired effect. It's somewhat elusive with amp modelers and FRFR, particularly at the low volumes we use when my band rehearses. I can get it when my monitor is cranked up, especially when it's on a stand right next to me. Was thinking of getting a Digitech FreqOut for low volume situations.

Feedback is definitely something I miss since we went isolated with IEMs at church. I just have to add more delay feedback and reverb mix to my swells to get them to linger instead of feedback. 

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Not into two amps, but into two FRFRs for stereo effect. Its simple to do, as it's just running 1/4" cables from the left and right outputs. No reason the same can't be done using the effect loops in a combined 4CM. If my math is right, it would be a "7-cable method."

 

There's a template for this: 8 TEMPLATES > 02B 7-Cable Method. Pressing FS2 and/or FS3 can swap one or both of your real preamps with Helix preamps.

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  • 4 months later...
This is my setup which sounds amazing

 

Setup is in 2 paths coming out of 1/4 outs L & R and through 2 x EHX 44 Magnum power amps and and 2 celestion loaded cabs

The setup I have maximises the DSP IMO

 

Path 1A Feeding both amps:

Compressor-Noisegate- wah- Vibe- OCD-Klon-TS808 - splits here

 

1B : trem and chorus into a VOX AC30 - IR then to path 2B: EP Booster (for solos) then either a D8/or 1/4 Delay - Delay 2 for ping pong - Octoverb - Plate verb

 

Path 2A: trem and chorus into a Fender US Deluxe then to EP Booster (for solos) then either a D8/or 1/4 Delay - Delay 2 for ping pong - POG - Plate verb

 

The second delay on each path is setup manually to give a stereo Pin pong effect

The Octo and POG are used for swells and come on together in a Snapshot

 

Path 1 is panned 100%R and path 2 100% L

 

Both cabs are mic'd in a live setup back stage in ISO cabs and fed to mixer which pans L/R in FOH

 

Really sounds incredible.

 

I run the master volume of Helix at 12 o'clock

 

The 44 magnums at around 10 o'clock.

 

The amp models I use are the VOX AC30 "Amp" and Deluxe "preamp"

The VOX "preamp" model is very weak. The Deluxe preamp is fine

 

Experiment with other amp models. The Marshall, Mesa, Trainwreck, Orange preamps all work well. The Matchless needs to be set as "AMP"?? Don't know why some pre-amps are so weak compared to others. The problem in going to AMP models is lack of DSP with this setup as it pretty much uses it all

 

Anyway, this is what I have come up with after much experimenting and it sounds the best by far.

I have tried Mono, XLR direct, lots of IRs etc, but this set up sounds great. The added benefit is both power amps fit in your gig bag and you just need 2 1x12 cabs!!post-533805-0-17919000-1515247875_thumb.jpg

 

 

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I do this in a stereo setup.

 

Basically what I run is a 4 cable into my Blackstar Series One 104EL34 head with a midi cable as well to change channels. I also simultaneously do the same thing into my Egnater Vengeance head with a stereo cable to control channel changes for that head.

 

The output is stereo using the EL34 power section of the Blackstar on one side and the 6L6 power section of the Egnater for the other side.

 

Then I run each head into one side of my Egnater Vengeance 412 cab so that I have a 212 cab for each side.

 

This way I have 6 different actual tube preamps available to me as well as the preamps in the helix and I set them up as snapshots with the desired effects.

 

Makes a very versatile stereo rig in one half stack

 

ITydxal.jpg

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