skattabrain Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Hi All, So I'm seriously considering a Helix Floor unit after long swearing off any and all Line 6 products as bedroom practice tools. It's pricey, and I feel I really need to run it through the motions if I'm to sell off some analog gear to pay for this. Everything I've seen and heard regarding the Helix is fantastic. Current situation - I really like my current amp tone - Orange TH30 and also have a Fender Deluxe Reverb and have some nice pedals. I play mostly heavier music, but also play rockabilly and use lots of vintage and clean tones. Sick of tap dancing, like the idea of using patches to toss lots of switches at once... plus new pedals are costly and I can't be buying pedals every month like I wish I could. I'm looking to the Helix for studio & practice play through monitors or headphones at home, as well as with the band through my Orange. (Mostly metal tunes along the lines of the stoner genre, High on Fire, Mastodon, Baroness). I'd like to use the 4 cable method so I can use Helix effects in front of the amp, then out of the loop and back in for post pre-amp effects as well possible bypassing the Orange pre-amp all together for some patches. Keeping my amps, will sell of some pedals if the floor unit convinces me. What I'm wondering - Can I use the Helix Native demo through an interface then into the front of the amp as a good test to wether or not I'm going to love the floor unit? I figure IF it's a mostly apples to apples to in terms of testing the frontend effects, it might help qualify my decision. Will this be a good test or a waste of time? I guess I could also test going from the interface straight into my Orange's effects return to test the amp sims. Any thoughts on doing this would be gladly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfalkler Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 If the interface can output a signal at instrument level, this should theoretically work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vertibration Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 How are you monitoring? FRFR? Or monitoring through your interface? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triryche Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I would go into the AMP's FX loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Given all the permutations you're likely to go through in order to test a 4CM connection I'm not sure you wouldn't be better off just buying the Helix and having 30 (or more) days to test it in a real world test if you can possibly swing it. Even if you threw it on a credit card, were you to return it within 30 days it would cost you nothing and be a real test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skattabrain Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 So I wouldn’t be demoing the 4 cable method, too many variables. I’m thinking of using pedal type effects at first.... dirt pedals, phasers, effects like that, no cab or amp sims. I have an older Presonus Firepod, but have no dongle for my mac. I’ll be testing using the Irig HD2 for this. So into the irig, into native using reaper as a host, back out and into the front of my TH30. That’s my tomorrow project anyways. I’ll tell you I love what I’m hearing using just Native through my monitors though. I probably will buy it taking advantage of the 30 day guarantee, I was thinking of that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skattabrain Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 I will also try going into the effects return too using an amp sim with no IR or cabinet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skattabrain Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 The IRIg HD2 does have the amp out, that should work for testing the front end of the amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingsCool Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 The thing you may be missing may be the dynamic range of the Helix guitar input and it's ability to change the input impedance going into the effects... So it's possible you may not get all the 'feel' that the floor can give you i.e. ability to clean up as you turn your guitar volume down and some of the tonal dynamics. But it'll give you a start at using one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted October 29, 2017 Share Posted October 29, 2017 The thing you may be missing may be the dynamic range of the Helix guitar input and it's ability to change the input impedance going into the effects... So it's possible you may not get all the 'feel' that the floor can give you i.e. ability to clean up as you turn your guitar volume down and some of the tonal dynamics. But it'll give you a start at using one. ^THIS^ The guitar input on Helix is key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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