Marshall half stack dream realized...Now what??!!

[lindsay50]

Hi to all

New to these forums, and very much on the lower bits of the learning curve, I'm hoping for a little guidance from those much better equipped with knowledge than I am right now.

Lifetime dream in getting a Marshall DSL100 HR, plus a 412 1960AV cabinet. The inquiry here also does involve my recently bought Helix LT, which is also far from being understood, so apologies if this post is not listed in the correct thread.

I seriously love the Marshall growl, as I am sure many do, and ask you all, how I can best retain those great aspects of the rig, whilst adding the Helix when needed without masking of negating those Marshall aspects  - Of course, I do understand that this is an uber-noob type of question, forgive me for this - I am, at this stage, a home player and will be for some time to come and, as such, I cannot really fully let the amp 'off the leash' - that said, for all of it's grunt, it can be managed and enjoyed at ok levels.

I am basically asking for ideas and methods of using the Helix' many assets to its best, whilst not losing the essence of the amp and cab, if that makes sense at the basic level I'm trying to state here.

In terms of hooking the Helix up to the amp/cab optimally, and what to leave out of a signal chain on the Helix, which might be a basic rules of signal chain order, at least for now, so as to retain what is there in spades, on the Marshall. Even, if I need to be told, that there 'are no rules' with this stuff...which I CAN see readily, but I still feel that there MUST be some basic ways of going about getting the best out of a Marshall/Helix marriage. All advice and suggestions extremely welcomed!! :) :)

Sincere apologies for a lengthy post here, and for my lack of general expertise at this early stage for me - I really would appreciate any and all advice at what, for many of you, will be very, very basic indeed and, likely, will have been posted, in some form or other, elsewhere.

Thanks so much in anticipation of your input.

Lindsay.

Edited June 8, 2019 by lindsay50
Spelling corrections

[pianoguyy]

Most people use modelers so that they don't need to use amps. 

Also, there are no rules.  

 

 

You should consider hooking up using what is commonly called 4CM. 

This involves using the fx loop so that some things appear before the amp and some things after. 

[lindsay50]

Sincere thanks for breaking things down so incredibly well guys. I very much appreciate your time and knowledge.

I think I'm getting the essence of things slowly, and feel that for sure, I should run with a 4CM to give best versatility.

There is a small button on the extreme left of the amp head listed as 'loop on/off'  - I think I get this reasonably well, in terms of it's use or not.

As you have both indicated, too, there are not strictly speaking any hard and fast rules outside of the outcomes from the different individual hook-up methods. I can't really see any downside to using 4CM aside from cable costings, and can see many advantages and benefits of it otherwise.  

Thanks again for the great info! :)