One preset to rule them all?

[Perrin1710]

Ok, so I love my amps. I own a vintage AC30, Marshall Valvestate and actually thinking about getting the Mesa Boogie TC-100. Currently, I am using a Firehawk. I am thinking of upgrading to the Helix. I play in a cover band with quite a number of people. Sometimes bigger venues, but mostly small stages. So I would be playing my amps in some cases (preferably WDW, 4/7/10 cable), but in most cases probably use FOH directly from the Helix. So here's my questions:

1. Are the presets of the Helix much better quality than the Firehawk?
2. Is there an easy way to create presets that would allow me to toggle between playing on my amps and FOH? (I dread creating the same presets in different banks and keeping them synched)
3. How does WDW work when sending the signal FOH?
4. I have both a normal mono output guitar ánd a guitar with stereo output. Is there a way to use three input signals? Or do I have to use a splitter before the input?

Any guidance of experienced users or Line6 would be great.

[Rocco_Crocco]

I have a Firehawk 1500 and a Helix floor.

 

1) Not much better sound quality, IMO, but the Helix has much more variety of sounds, with more routing options that the FH just can't do. Plus the Helix can use IRs. 

2) Yes, you can alter your presets and save them in different banks. I change presets for different guitars and save them in another bank. I you wanted to use your real amps you could just disable the amp block in your presets, or use preamp only blocks if you go 4CM.

3) WDW only works for audience members that are positioned in the middle of the room. In my mind it's more trouble than its worth.

4) Sorry I don't know. Someone else could chime in on this.

[Perrin1710]

1 hour ago, Rocco_Crocco said:

2) Yes, you can alter your presets and save them in different banks. I change presets for different guitars and save them in another bank. I you wanted to use your real amps you could just disable the amp block in your presets, or use preamp only blocks if you go 4CM.

Thx. I understand that creating different banks for different setups works. It's just that it might be quite a bit of maintenance to create all presets in duo and keeping them synched. I guess it's probably best to create most presets for FOH and just a few with the best tones for my amps. Probably will involve some additional tweaking as well.

[jbuhajla]

1. Models in Helix are much better sounding AND feeling than Firehawk IMO. 

2. Yes you can do that, but you may find a lot of EQing involved going back and forth

3. You can still do WDW in the digital realm to FOH. IMO, stereo stuff live is kind of a waste for 90% of the audience from their perspective. 

4. Helix has only one dedicated guitar input. There are returns and an aux in, but only one dedicated for guitar.

[specracer986]

6 hours ago, Perrin1710 said:

 

1. I have both a normal mono output guitar ánd a guitar with stereo output. Is there a way to use three input signals? Or do I have to use a splitter before the input?

You can get a cable that is TRS on one end and dual ends at the other. The TRS goes into your guitars stereo out, and the duel ends you plug into Guitar In and Aux In. You then create separate paths for each input. I do this with my JP15 to switch between the piezos and the mag pups. Both paths are active and I do the switch on the guitar. 

[aaronlyon]

You can have a single patch that includes a 1/4” out for your amp that does not include cab/mic block, and a separate XLR out for the house PA that does include cab/mic sim.

[Perrin1710]

1 hour ago, specracer986 said:

You can get a cable that is TRS on one end and dual ends at the other. The TRS goes into your guitars stereo out, and the duel ends you plug into Guitar In and Aux In. You then create separate paths for each input. I do this with my JP15 to switch between the piezos and the mag pups. Both paths are active and I do the switch on the guitar. 

That's good te know, but then I still am one input short. The guitar I usually play (G&L) is a mono, that I hooked up to a G30. So I guess that would go into the guitar input. Would it be possible to use two unassigned Return inputs for the stereo guitar?

[specracer986]

On 3/30/2018 at 8:28 AM, Perrin1710 said:

That's good te know, but then I still am one input short. The guitar I usually play (G&L) is a mono, that I hooked up to a G30. So I guess that would go into the guitar input. Would it be possible to use two unassigned Return inputs for the stereo guitar?

I guess I'm not sure what you're trying to do. Do you want to have both guitars hooked up the Helix at the same time? If so, it seems like you are creating a complicated setup to save unplugging a guitar. What I gave you above, will get a stereo guitar working. Could you use a return as an input for a second guitar? I'm not sure. There might be impedance issues. But someone else might give you a definitive answer.  

[Perrin1710]

13 hours ago, specracer986 said:

I guess I'm not sure what you're trying to do. Do you want to have both guitars hooked up the Helix at the same time? If so, it seems like you are creating a complicated setup to save unplugging a guitar. What I gave you above, will get a stereo guitar working. Could you use a return as an input for a second guitar? I'm not sure. There might be impedance issues. But someone else might give you a definitive answer.  

I actually solved it. I have hooked up the AUX input with my stereo guitar using a Fender ABY I had lying around. So I now have my GL&L using the G30 feeding into a VOX wah into the guitar in. Then I have my Sheraton piezo into an acoustic exciter to A of the ABY and humbuckers into the B, going into the AUX. Works like a charm.