Powercab playing at low volumes.

[mkaylor]

I have 2 questions I hope someone can help me with.  I'm an at home player only.  I want something that fills the room better than my monitors.  Plus with monitors,  if I move 2'ft either direction the stereo field changes and it doesn't sound right.  I want to go back to something more like a regular cab with a bigger speaker and a clean sound.,

 

I already own a  Helix,  is there any real advantage to buying the Plus model?  Thinking maybe eventually getting 2 non-plus models for stereo?  Just don't want to have buyers remorse. 

 

Will the Powercab work well at lower volumes?  250W is lot, and all anyone talks about .  It won't offer much control if you can crank it past 1 or 2.  I've not really seen anyone post info on playing at low volumes at home while trying not to p1$$ the wife off. 

 

Thanks for the help,

Mike

 

[StringsOnFire]

Hi,

 

I'm using the Powercab+ at home most of the time and have no problems at playing with low volume. It sounds really good and offers a lot of volume control! Wife will be ok ;) Earlier I had a 15W Marshall and it does make a difference in sound even in low volumes. I don't know which monitors you use, but it will probably sound better, too, since the Powercab also gives an amp feeling.

 

But beware that it does make a difference if you sit in the direct direction to the Powercab or not. It still sounds good but being in front gives you more the amp in the room feeling. If you put two of them at the corners and your room isn't that big, then it should be fine, I think. But I have never tried two Powercabs.

 

For the differences, check them out here: https://line6.com/powercab/

For me it's important that I can load IR into the Powercab since my podx3live cannot and has older technology for cabinet simulation. Also the PC+ has presets, which you can adjust for each preset of your helix (switching via midi works automatically). PC+ has also a USB-Interface for recording (which works unfortunately only mono atm), editing and updating features. Since you can do these stuff with your Helix and probably don't need more inputs, you should be fine with the standard Powercab. The only problem I see is, if you are not using one of the Flat modes, then you are stuck to only one cabinet simulation while playing. In order to change the cab you have to change it manually, which you can't in the middle of a song. In the Flat modes your helix will do the cabinet switching and then it's fine again.

 

I hope this helps.

[Verne-Bunsen]

I use two PC+ cabs for monitoring at home. They do just fine at a reasonable “bedroom volume”, what I would call “don’t drive the wife nuts volume”. I run the PC+’s at about 30-50% or so and control the volume with the Helix Master Volume. Of course anything is going to sound uninspiring if you turn it down far enough. For “napping baby” volume, you’re better off with headphones.

 

As far as the stereo image, I don’t have studio monitors to compare them to but they perform like any stereo speaker pair I’ve ever heard: they have a sweet spot, and anywhere else is not the sweet spot. They do sound glorious in stereo....

[mkaylor]

Thanks really great info.  With a Helix I have the ability to load an IR  in it and from what I read,  you would want to run the speaker in FRFR mode if you load the IR on the Helix.  So any reason to use the speaker sims in the Powercab Plus and not use the ones inside the Helix?  Because it's run in the Powercab,  is that what gives it the AMP IN THE ROOM sound? 

 

My head is turning like in the Exorcist.   

 

I'm thinking if I can load the IR's in the Helix,  then it's better to save the money and get the cheaper Powercab and leave it in FRFR Mode.   I know I have to be missing something here somewhere.  I see too many people using Helix with Powercab Plus and talking about controlling it.

 

Thank for the help,

Mike

 

[jakebake]

On 5/1/2019 at 10:12 AM, Verne-Bunsen said:

I use two PC+ cabs for monitoring at home. They do just fine at a reasonable “bedroom volume”, what I would call “don’t drive the wife nuts volume”. I run the PC+’s at about 30-50% or so and control the volume with the Helix Master Volume. Of course anything is going to sound uninspiring if you turn it down far enough. For “napping baby” volume, you’re better off with headphones.

 

As far as the stereo image, I don’t have studio monitors to compare them to but they perform like any stereo speaker pair I’ve ever heard: they have a sweet spot, and anywhere else is not the sweet spot. They do sound glorious in stereo....

 

Awesome setup! I just got a helix and powercab plus and I was wondering if you had any suggestions for someone who needs to switch between using headphones and the powercab a lot. You have to plug the headphones into the helix right? there is no phones pluging for the powercab? Also, whats the fastest way to switch between this or have presets that can do both? Because if using the powercab I would just have the speaker modeling but if pluggin in headphones in I'd want the mic choice and placement, etc.

Lastly, do you find setting the volume like that better than setting helix volume to max and using the input gain and the volume on the powercab? 

[Verne-Bunsen]

1 hour ago, jakebake said:

 

Awesome setup! I just got a helix and powercab plus and I was wondering if you had any suggestions for someone who needs to switch between using headphones and the powercab a lot. You have to plug the headphones into the helix right? there is no phones pluging for the powercab? Also, whats the fastest way to switch between this or have presets that can do both? Because if using the powercab I would just have the speaker modeling but if pluggin in headphones in I'd want the mic choice and placement, etc.

Lastly, do you find setting the volume like that better than setting helix volume to max and using the input gain and the volume on the powercab? 

Thanks! I use Bayerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohms for headphone monitoring, and I have found that things that sound good in the PC+ cabs sound good in the headphones and vice versa. I have no difficulty going between the two. And you are correct, there is no headphone-out on the PowerCab; I plug the headphones in to Helix with an IR loaded. All of my patches are built with an IR in Helix, and if want to use the PowerCab speaker sims then I just turn it off.

 

As for the volume, I simply find it more convenient to set the overall volume with the Helix volume than to adjust it separately on both cabs. I can’t say I hear any difference in tone either way, so convenience is the only consideration there as far as I’m concerned.