Helix EVH 50 watt head stereo setup question

[Dugansz]

I have 2 EVH 50 watt heads and cabs. I currently use the helix in front of the amps and use left and right channels out on helix to get a great stereo effect on delays, etc.    I have been reading that it might sound better to use the effects loop on these  amps.  Does this bypass the EVH preamp?  How do i configure the effects loops if i want to continue using both in stereo setup?  in one amp's send and return  and  in out the other in a daisy chain?  Thanks Jim

[brue58ski]

The signal chain for most amps with an FX send/return is preamp - FX send - FX return - poweramp. There are several ways to use the FX send/return with a Helix. he simple way would be to just plug the Helix into the FX returns instead of the guitar inputs of the heads. That will, though, bypass the preamp (assuming this is how the EVH 50 is wired) There is a method called the "4 cable" method that will allow you to use the amp's preamp whenever you want to or not. For your purposes you will need to use two Helix FX send/returns. This is assuming you want to maintain the stereo thing. And this is from memory as I am not at home but here goes.

Program the Helix:

Create a split in your patch just before the output. Make it an A/B split and pan them hard left and right. I believe both the split input and output each have a pan parameter.

Program an FX send/return block into each path (A/B) of your patch  after the split so your left and right outputs each have one assigned to them.

Assign one FX send/return block to FX send 1 and FX return 1 and one to FX send and return 2.

 

Cable everything up:

Plug your guitar into the Helix.

Plug each FX send into one of the amps guitar inputs so both amps have one Helix FX send going into each amp.

Plug each amps FX send into the same Helix FX return it's getting it's Helix FX send from.

Plug the Helix's left and right outputs into each amps FX return.

 

So here is the path you are striving for

 

Guitar ->  Helix patch-> Split -> Helix FX send 1 -> amp 1 guitar input -> amp 1 FX send -> Helix FX return 1 -> Helix 1/4" left out -> amp 1 FX return

                                                   -> Helix FX send 2 ->amp 2 guitar input -> amp 2 FX send -> Helix FX return 2 -> Helix 1/4" right ou t-> amp 2 FX return

 

That's the signal path to use the amps preamp. To put it simply.

 

Guitar - Helix - Amp input (this gets you to the amps preamp) - Helix FX return - Helix FX only patch - Helix output - Amp FX return

 

For no preamp you simply bypass the FX send from the patches path and the amp then gets it's input signal only from the Helix output.  so...

 

Guitar - Helix - (no Helix FX send/return) - Helix patch - Helix output - Amp FX return

 

This whole system requires some well thought out patch creation (has to do with FX send/return placement and usage) There are other things you can do (for example: you can create a pathch so both the Helix's full amps and the Amp's pream are available) but I'm running out of time so you'll need to look up the rest yourself. Or I'll finish tomorrow. Look for 4 cable method if you're going on the internet. It will be a hassle, but what you want can be accomplished. At least what i think you want i.e. stereo Helix.

[Dugansz]

Thank you very much for that info, just found my post,

[DarthHollis]

If it was my rig I would only use the pre-amp in one head.  Unless you're using blue channel of one head and red on the other they are pretty much going to sound the same.  Also, it's a little simpler with the FX going in front of the amp.   Use the Helix to do stereo stuff and then go into the FX return of both amps.  It would be a 5 cable method.  For me, that would just be simpler and I think would sound great.