Variax with Helix Native

[Jetpilot00]

Hey all.

 

Sorry if it's already been asked. I have an HD 500 and a JTV-89 and also Helix Native. All I really want to do is get the Variax into Helix Native. I have a UAD Apollo interface. What do you guys suggest as a solution? 

 

I've been out of the game for a few years so be gentle.

 

Thanks ahead of time.

[silverhead]

Not sure what you mean by "get the Variax into Helix Native". Helix Native does not support or control a Variax like your HD500 does. Helix Native operates on an incoming signal, whether realtime or pre-recorded. If that signal is a Variax model passing through your Apollo or HD500 audio interface into your DAW then you are already 'getting the Variax into Helix Native'. But you can't change the incoming/recorded signal to, for instance, a different Variax model from within Helix Native.

[Rewolf48]

Either can be used - there are advantages/disadvantages to both:

 

If your UAD Apollo has variable impedance then it will get a good reaction from other guitars with less gear/wires - the HD500 does this too but needs longer wires etc and doesn't have all of the other UAD stuff.

 

But HD500 has a VDI port so will power the JTV and take the signal direct from the guitar; this is better because you don't need to worry about batteries.

 

You don't say what computer you have and it does make a difference - Windows and ASIO (faster audio response) only works with a single device at a time, so you have to choose. I believe that a Mac can use both - so HD500 as input and Apollo as input and output device. You will need to try it but ASIO4ALL apparently allows you to create a composite ASIO device that consists of both interfaces - so you can fool windows into letting you have both HD500 and Apollo active at the same time; not something that I have done, but others have and that may be the best choice. I don't know if that will interfere in the other features offered by the Apollo.

 

What neither device will support is foot pedal control or expression pedals of Native without an additional MIDI interface - HD500 can output MIDI for pedal presses or moving the expression pedal(s) but only out of the MIDI port so if you want to use dynamic control over Native you need to connect a MIDI cable as well

[mdmayfield]

You could create a blank patch in the HD500, connect the Variax to it via VDI, and send the raw Variax signal to your computer via USB. This would be as clean (and at the same amplitude level I believe) as running the Variax into a hardware Helix, with the major disadvantage that Helix Native still cannot control the Variax's model or tone. (Helix hardware can, just like the HD500)

[silverhead]

It would be cool if Line 6 would develop a Workbench Native plug-in, with an associated ability for the Variax guitar to send a raw piezo signal. Imagine recording the dry raw piezo signal and then having the full processing power of both Workbench (including all Variax factory models) and Helix in your DAW.

[SymphonicDischord]

Honestly I’d probably fork out for a Toneport update with the Helix’s variable impedance plus a Variax input.