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HX Effects: in-depth parameter guide?


jnnh73
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Hi guys, my HX Effects has been a game-changer for me. That said, I do find the manual lacking in just one area: explaining some of the not-so-obvious parameters (for example: "ramp"). I have a sense for what they control, but it's not entirely clear to me - either mentally or audibly. :)

 

Is there a site or more in-depth manual/cheat sheet that might better explain all the parameters? The manual for the HX Effects is kind enough to state what Common FX Parameters control, but for the occasional oddball parameter I'm hoping to find some more knowledge.

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There isn't an official parameter guide that explains all of those idiosyncratic parameters. You can usually find discussion of them somewhere on the interwebs, though. Ramp, btw, on the Cosmos Echo model controls how quickly the tape speed changes when you go to a new delay time. Having it faster will tend to give you more high-pitched artifacts while having it slower where drag it out a bit more. Imagine what happens when you physically change the rate at which a tape is moving through a tape player.

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Because the Helix (including the HXFX) is emulating something from the real world, generally you can find descriptions of and videos on these devices, and then the Helix emulation is simple to figure out. Where you might need to look a little harder is the few Line 6 units like some delays and reverbs. But even then, they are similar enough to other real world devices that you are still able to figure them. Phil_m’s info on the Cosmos echo is probably the more extreme example. I think someone has done a video on that somewhere on YouTube. 

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3 minutes ago, jnnh73 said:

Thanks for the help!

 

I do wish it was all laid out in a manual, and thankfully there are other outlets to get the information I'm after.

 

Cheers, all.

 

I think there are a couple reasons the manual doesn't include those sorts of details. First, that's just a lot of information, and it could easily add like, I don't know, 10 or more pages to the manual. The longer the manual becomes, the more likely it becomes that people won't read it. The other issue is that many of the effects were added in updates, and Line 6 doesn't update the manual for incremental updates anyway. The translation issues make it time and cost prohibitive. Basically because Yamaha is a large, multi-national corporation, things like manuals have to made available in languages that are used in whatever countries the Helix is sold in. Right now, the Helix manual is available in 26 languages. So adding even more information makes that translation work even more daunting.

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1 hour ago, jnnh73 said:

Is there a site or more in-depth manual/cheat sheet that might better explain all the parameters? ....I'm hoping to find some more knowledge.

 

Hi jnnh73,

 

This could be the place for some of the info you require - look under the section labelled "Tips" and find "Common Effect Settings"

 

https://helixhelp.netlify.com

 

Hope this useful/helps

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As an HX Effects for the last six months or so, I agree with the OP.  While most parameters are intuitive, some are not.  Even if there was an official Line 6 web page, that'd be great.

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  • 2 months later...

A description of the parameters would be most helpful. I know the M13 had detailed the parameters, so maybe one day we can get one. I love the HX Effects but I feel I’m spending a lot time on the dials trying to figure out how they effect the sound. 

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  • 3 years later...

I'm almost positive that the HX Effects has all of the same effects as the Helix. If that's true, I'll bet Craig Anderton's Big Book Of Helix Tips & Tricks would have what you are looking for.

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AndertonHX-e--sweetwater-publishing-the-big-book-of-helix-tips-and-tricks

 

There's a whole section called DE-MYSTIFYING THE BLOCKS. Over 150 pages that goes through each effect and explains what the parameters do. I don't think you will find anything better.

 

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On 1/2/2023 at 7:35 AM, joshsch said:

This link might help a bit:
https://helixhelp.com/tips-and-guides/universal/common-fx-settings

 

Its an unofficial site but has some useful information.


Hi,

 

Did you realise that you have posted a response to a thread that went into a coma in 2019. In fact the thread is so old that my earlier July 2019 reply links to the previous incarnation of helixhelp.com which you mention.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

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