Can't run 1/4 inch out on Helix

[BlakeBrogdon]

Hi I just bought a Line 6 Helix a couple days ago and I'm having problems with the 1/4 out part. I have a Vox 2x12 cabinet at home and everytime I try to run my Helix straight into to, it makes very little noise and I end up having to run it out of the phones jack. I had this same issue last Sunday at church trying to run it straight in to the board with 1/4 out and no signal. I know I could try running an XLR out, but for when I'm at home with my Vox cab I'm wondering what I can do to make it run out of the 1/4 output. Has anybody else ran into this problem?

[Palico]

I'm not familiar with Helix, but pretty sure I can answer this one for ya.The Helix doesn't have a power amp. So it can't power speakers directly.  If you come out of headphone jack you would have small headphone amp so it might drive them a bit, I'm sure the load of 2x12 is not going be good for the helix headphone amp, it's designed for headphones.

 

Straight to your mixer should work as you pull up the gain on the mixer and the PA system will have power amps to amplify the signal. Make sure the line that you going into on the mixer is for line level input, not an insert. Helix has XLR out you can run to mixer that would be a lot simpler to use on most mixers.

 

Basic of guitar setup are as follows

Gutiar > Effects [stomp boxes etc.] > PreAmp > Effects loop [if amp has one] > Power Amp > Speakers

 

On say a normal combo amp it contains the PreAmp, usually has effects loop you route some stomp boxes though for post PreAmp effects, a power amp and some speakers. All in one box for you.

 

With a modeler like the Helix it contains your effects, PreAmp (the amp model of sorts), effects . It doesn't have speaker or a power amp. It does have headphone amp for personal practices etc... So if you want to run it into a speaker cab, either it needs to be active speaker that has it's own power amp, or you need to have power amp . Since the Helix also does speaker modelling most will want to have fairly flat response speakers like what is used by PA systems. Otherwise the guitar speaker are going to change the tone of the Helix, although it might still be good tone.

 

Of course you could run it into power amp and then into a guitar cab speakers. Or into the "Return" of a combo amp, so you are bypassing the combo amps PreAmp and just using it's power amp and speakers. But you have to have power amp to amplify the signal. 

[BlakeBrogdon]

I'm not familiar with Helix, but pretty sure I can answer this one for ya.The Helix doesn't have a power amp. So it can't power speakers directly.  If you come out of headphone jack you would have small headphone amp so it might drive them a bit, I'm sure the load of 2x12 is not going be good for the helix headphone amp, it's designed for headphones.

 

Straight to your mixer should work as you pull up the gain on the mixer and the PA system will have power amps to amplify the signal. Make sure the line that you going into on the mixer is for line level input, not an insert. Helix has XLR out you can run to mixer that would be a lot simpler to use on most mixers.

 

Basic of guitar setup are as follows

Gutiar > Effects [stomp boxes etc.] > PreAmp > Effects loop [if amp has one] > Power Amp > Speakers

 

On say a normal combo amp it contains the PreAmp, usually has effects loop you route some stomp boxes though for post PreAmp effects, a power amp and some speakers. All in one box for you.

 

With a modeler like the Helix it contains your effects, PreAmp (the amp model of sorts), effects . It doesn't have speaker or a power amp. It does have headphone amp for personal practices etc... So if you want to run it into a speaker cab, either it needs to be active speaker that has it's own power amp, or you need to have power amp . Since the Helix also does speaker modelling most will want to have fairly flat response speakers like what is used by PA systems. Otherwise the guitar speaker are going to change the tone of the Helix, although it might still be good tone.

 

Of course you could run it into power amp and then into a guitar cab speakers. Or into the "Return" of a combo amp, so you are bypassing the combo amps PreAmp and just using it's power amp and speakers. But you have to have power amp to amplify the signal. 

Thank you! This clears everything up!