Helix 7CM

[imoldcraig]

I have recently been interested in setting up a couple of my amps in the 7CM, but I have noticed a severe lack of resources online and on the forum (maybe I’m just missing everything) on the topic. My biggest interest now is to just see how others are using this and what tips and pointers anyone else can provide on the topic.

Last night, I set it up with my Egnater Armageddon and my Peavey VTM 120: two very different amps. I’m using mostly analog drive pedals out in front of the amps with shared modulation and delay before the amps and in the effects loop. Since the VTM is a one channel amp, I am using a clean channel from the Helix and I’m using MIDI to control everything on the Armageddon so I can change over to clean and dirty channels on both amps concurrently. I eventually figured out that I needed to pan the outputs into a shared Path 2A of delays and reverbs hard right and hard left so there was not any dry signal bleed over, but I still feel like there are other things I could be doing to maximize the potential of this method.

[cruisinon2]

Finally a method to satisfy those who require just a bit more aggravation than the 4CM can provide...;)

[Digital_Igloo]

There's a 7CM template preset to get you started: 8 TEMPLATES > 02B 7-Cable Method

[phil_m]

Finally a method to satisfy those who require just a bit more aggravation than the 4CM can provide... ;)

 

You should ask DI to tell you about the 13-cable method... Go ahead, ask him...  I dare you. :)

[jbuhajla]

You should ask DI to tell you about the 13-cable method... Go ahead, ask him...  I dare you. :)

Does it require 26 hum eliminators for ground loops?

[cruisinon2]

You should ask DI to tell you about the 13-cable method... Go ahead, ask him... I dare you. :)

Nah, gotta catch a flight. NYC to London, with a connecting flight out of Cape Town...😂

[Rocco_Crocco]

I am going to be experimenting with the Fibonacci number cable method. Each time I connect my Helix, I sum the number of cables I used the previous two times, and that's how many cables I use. It really gives a great "amp in the room" feel, but I fear soon I will need some warehouse space for all the cables. Review to follow...

[cruisinon2]

I am going to be experimenting with the Fibonacci number cable method. Each time I connect my Helix, I sum the number of cables I used the previous two times, and that's how many cables I use. I really give a great "amp in the room" feel, but I fear soon I will need some warehouse space for all the cables. Review to follow...

Lmao...😂

[spikey]

Wait until they have a 26 "wireless" cable method, with special glasses you have to have just to see them!

[jbuhajla]

I am going to be experimenting with the Fibonacci number cable method. Each time I connect my Helix, I sum the number of cables I used the previous two times, and that's how many cables I use. I really give a great "amp in the room" feel, but I fear soon I will need some warehouse space for all the cables. Review to follow...

When you get it working let me know. I'd like to do something Fractal based (mathematically, not AxeFx). 

[ColonelForbin]

I am having good results doing a modified 4CM. Added an Ebtech two channel hum eliminator; so that's 6 cables. And running an XLR from my amp's direct out (friedman runt) back to Helix which is cable 7! When I record, doing 1/2 on a stereo track, and mono for USB7 (gtr dry) and USB8 (amp)

 

I was getting crazy noise from the USB being plugged in. Last night I switched up the cables and which were being run through the Ebtech, and how they are placed near power supplies and back of amp and such; and in the process got the noise to nearly go away! Way less aggressive noise gate on the inputs. Still sorting out which footswitches to assign; liking being able to run the Friedman and the Helix amp model with individual mod/delay/reverbs. Path 2A is for the Helix amp model; Path 2B is for the Friedman amp fx loop (mod / delay / verb)

 

I am definitely hitting limits on DSP faster this way, that when I excluded the amp modeling entirely, but the blend of the two is actually pretty cool, especially when I get the amp (mono) more 'dry' and the Helix stereo signal more 'wet'. Thus far they are recording along with the dry guitar quite nicely! 

I also imagine there could be another way (or two) to do this; but for what it's worth, using the sends 1/2 and 3 on Helix to route to and from the amp; not using the Helix 1/4" main out:

 

-The end of Path 1A splits to output send 1/2 on Path 1B, while 1A then goes to Helix amp-cab model then into path 2A.

- Path 2A is stereo: (mod / delay / reverb)for the Helix amp model signal, outputs to multi. L6 link to a pair of L3m + XLR to a pair of Yamaha HS5

- Path 2B input is set to return 2 and is mono mod and delay + reverb, through a mono gain block, and output is set to send 3/4 (to amp FX return).

 

Since I want to use BOTH the Helix amp+cab model -and- the Friedman preamp (and analog cab sim), I am not using the regular Helix 1/2 FX loop send / return.

Need to experiment a bit more, to see if there are better ways to do this and make more use of the available DSP.

The amp signal definitely changes for example when setting the 2B input to return 1 as opposed to return 1/2