I'm trying to avoid using a separate audio interface. Can the Helix send 8 different signals from the USB interface?

[ramirezdan]

I had a pretty good system setup with my Fireface400, but I'm struggling to get it incorporated onto my floorboard, so now I'm hoping I can just skip it entirely. Earlier I thought I wanted it because it would be easy to setup multiple outputs so the FOH has more mixing capability, but now I'm willing to lose some flexibility for a simpler setup. 

 

Let me know if I can do the following:

 

Helix Physical Inputs:

 

1 - Guitar In - Guitar

2 - Mic In - Bass via Sansamp Bass DI

3 - Return 1 - H9 Core #1 output mono

4 - Return 2 - H9 Core #2 output mono

 

Helix Physical Outputs:

 

1 - XLR L - FOH L

2 - XLR R - FOH R

3 - Send 1 - H9 Core #1 input mono

4 - Send 2 - H9 Core #2 input mono

5 - Send 3 - Mono Cuemix #1

6 - Send 4 - Mono Cuemix #2
7 - 1/4 L - Tube amp 1

8 - 1/4 R - Tube amp 2

Helix Audio Interface Inputs:

1 - Wet Guitar(with H9 FX)
2 - Wet Mic/Bass(with H9 FX)
3 - 

4 - 
5 - 
6 - 
7 - Dry Guitar 
8 - Dry Mic/Bass

Helix Audio Interface Outputs:
 

1 - FOH L (backing tracks)

2 - FOH R (backing tracks)

3 - 

4 - 

5 - Mono Cuemix #1

6 - Mono Cuemix #2
7 - 1/4 L - Tube amp 1

8 - 1/4 R - Tube amp 2

---

I think my biggest issue here is I/O on the blocks. I'm afraid I need 6 inputs to the blocks and I only get 4?

 

[jbuhajla]

Couple (or more) of questions:

 

1. You have 2 sends going to an Eventide H9, but nothing coming back from the H9 to Helix?

2. 1/4" outs of helix are going to two different amps? Front of the amp, or loop?

3. What are you trying to do conceptually? (tracks and guitar from helix to FOH?) 

4. Are you trying to play tracks through Helix to FOH?

 

Basically all the routing you mention going to/from your DAW would just be done on Helix USB in/out 1-8. By what I can gather, you just need XLR outs to FOH, 1/4 outs to your amps, and send/returns for H9. You can play tracks from DAW through Helix on USB in 1/2, and route those to FOH. Wet/dry guitar tracks to DAW on USB 1/2, and 7/8 out of Helix. 

 

I may be missing your intent though. 

[ramirezdan]

I had a pretty good system setup with my Fireface400, but I'm struggling to get it incorporated onto my floorboard, so now I'm hoping I can just skip it entirely. Earlier I thought I wanted it because it would be easy to setup multiple outputs so the FOH has more mixing capability, but now I'm willing to lose some flexibility for a simpler setup. 

 

Let me know if I can do the following:

 

Helix Physical Inputs:

 

1 - Guitar In - Guitar

2 - Mic In - Bass via Sansamp Bass DI

3 - Return 1 - H9 Core #1 output mono

4 - Return 2 - H9 Core #2 output mono

 

Helix Physical Outputs:

 

1 - XLR L - FOH L

2 - XLR R - FOH R

3 - Send 1 - H9 Core #1 input mono

4 - Send 2 - H9 Core #2 input mono

5 - Send 3 - Mono Cuemix #1

6 - Send 4 - Mono Cuemix #2

7 - 1/4 L - Tube amp 1

8 - 1/4 R - Tube amp 2

 

Helix Audio Interface Inputs:

 

1 - Wet Guitar(with H9 FX)

2 - Wet Mic/Bass(with H9 FX)

3 - 

4 - 

5 - 

6 - 

7 - Dry Guitar 

8 - Dry Mic/Bass

 

Helix Audio Interface Outputs:

 

1 - FOH L (backing tracks)

2 - FOH R (backing tracks)

3 - 

4 - 

5 - Mono Cuemix #1

6 - Mono Cuemix #2

7 - 1/4 L - Tube amp 1

8 - 1/4 R - Tube amp 2

 

---

 

I think my biggest issue here is I/O on the blocks. I'm afraid I need 6 inputs to the blocks and I only get 4?

 

 

 

Come to think of it, I can probably get away without using the Guitar or Bass in my Helix's input blocks since those come across audio interface inputs 7/8. I would need to add a stereo USB input block, but could probably only use one of the 4 paths for both guitar and bass. This means monitoring through my daw, but I do a bunch of live looping, so half my content comes from the DAW anyway.

[ramirezdan]

Couple (or more) of questions:

 

1. You have 2 sends going to an Eventide H9, but nothing coming back from the H9 to Helix?

2. 1/4" outs of helix are going to two different amps? Front of the amp, or loop?

3. What are you trying to do conceptually? (tracks and guitar from helix to FOH?) 

4. Are you trying to play tracks through Helix to FOH?

 

Basically all the routing you mention going to/from your DAW would just be done on Helix USB in/out 1-8. By what I can gather, you just need XLR outs to FOH, 1/4 outs to your amps, and send/returns for H9. You can play tracks from DAW through Helix on USB in 1/2, and route those to FOH. Wet/dry guitar tracks to DAW on USB 1/2, and 7/8 out of Helix. 

 

I may be missing your intent though. 

"1. You have 2 sends going to an Eventide H9, but nothing coming back from the H9 to Helix?"

 

I'm hoping to use two sends and two returns for the H9s. They would be in the middle of a Helix path, so shouldn't factor into either the DAW I/O assignments, or the inputs/outputs for the actual paths. 

 

"2. 1/4" outs of helix are going to two different amps? Front of the amp, or loop?"

Good question. Front of the amps. With the Helix, I can choose to play amp A, B, or both. It also allows me to record loops into the DAW and send them back out to amp A, B, or both. 

"3. What are you trying to do conceptually? (tracks and guitar from helix to FOH?)"

 

I need to be able to send post H9 FX guitar signals to my amps both live and from the DAW(recorded loops). I also need to send a click to my headphones and I need to send backing tracks to the FOH over the Helix's XLR outs. 

 

"

4. Are you trying to play tracks through Helix to FOH?"

Yep. FOH should get my backing tracks.

 

 

[jbuhajla]

Your amps are mic'ed going to FOH independently?

 

The way I am envisioning it...

 

Helix physical connections:

Guitar in >guitar 

Mic in>bass via sans amp

Send 1>H9 in 1

Send 2>H9 in 2

Return 1> H9 out 1

Return 2> H9 out 2

1/4" out L >amp 1

1/4" out R> amp 2

XLR L/R >FOH

 

USB:

 

USB O5- Wet guitar to DAW

USB O6- Wet bass to DAW

USB O7- dry guitar to DAW

USB O8- dry bass to DAW

 

USB In 1/2- tracks from DAW

USB in 3- click?

 

You have 4 signal paths in Helix. You can set one or more up for guitar, and 1 or 2 up for bass. Set the input block and output block appropriately for proper routing. Basically USB 1/2 in from DAW plays all of your tracks. You can route USB 1/2 to XLR out only in global settings.

 

I am not sure about click track in your ears. I am uncertain if you can route click from DAW on USB 3/in, and route USB 3/in to the headphones. 

[PeterHamm]

I continue to think that using two different instrumentalists through one piece of gear will be ultimately frustrating and make it so you're distracted from the music because of the complexity of the gear situation.

 

I think doing SO much inside Helix is going to be a pain in the neck... Might be simpler ways to do it that work just as well...