Full Helix or LT...?

[andymguitar]

I know this has been discussed many times, but...

 

Tried a helix today in a local store, absolutely amazing. It's quite an upgrade from my XT live sonically, but besides that I found the intuitive way it makes editing sounds easier a revelation!

 

So, my questions are:

 

1) if I go for the LT instead (which they didn't have to demo.) is editing on the fly harder, or basically the same?

 

2) LT only has one input? I could see myself wanting to have two guitars plugged in maybe with different signal paths, (maybe an acoustic for example?) is this possible with the LT and if so how!

[bassbene]

1) Yes, it is the same user interface

 

2) You can use FX Returns as second input - it basically works, but I am not sure about the input impedance..

[codamedia]

#2.... If you don't use the effects loops you can use the returns as 2nd and 3rd inputs. You can place the blocks anywhere in the chain you want them... including on a different path. You don't get variable impedance or a noise gate but they do have a variable input level that can be cut or boost. I use my returns in this manner - they work great. 

[andymguitar]

So I could have an acoustic in a return and send it to a designated acoustic patch?

 

I'm happy to go for the full floor, but think the LT can do as much as I need.. Dilemma!

[codamedia]

17 hours ago, andymguitar said:

I'm happy to go for the full floor, but think the LT can do as much as I need.. Dilemma!

 

Here is what the floor has over the LT.... if you want or need any of these you should get the floor, if you don't think you will ever need these then the LT will get it done.

• Floor has an AUX Input. 
• Floor as a MIC input (XLR) w/phantom power
• Floor has 2 additional Loops (sends/returns). The LT has 2, the floor has 4.
• Floor has spdif in/out
• Floor has 2 external EXP jacks, LT has 1
• Floor has dedicated amp ctrl jack (lt is shared with it's 1 exp jack)
• Floor has a dedicated headphone volume
• The floor has the option to re-assign the "bank buttons" to stomps. 
• Floor has scribble strips... the LT gets around that with Performance View on the big screen which the floor does not have.
• Floor is a stronger build, but that's not to say the LT is cheap or weak... the floor is just really heavy duty. 

IMO.. if money is not a concern then there is no need not to get the floor. You never know when you might need the extra features. BUT - if you (like me) has to watch the cash flow and can get by without the extras the LT is a great option that doesn't compromise tone in any way. Under the hood they are the same. 

[DunedinDragon]

If you are planning to do any recording at all I would SERIOUSLY look at the floor as it's a TON easier to work with in the studio than is the LT simply due to all the additional inputs and the headphone volume control.  The LT just requires you to come up with too many workarounds IMO.

[andymguitar]

5 hours ago, codamedia said:

 

Here is what the floor has over the LT.... if you want or need any of these you should get the floor, if you don't think you will ever need these then the LT will get it done.

• Floor has an AUX Input. 
• Floor as a MIC input (XLR) w/phantom power
• Floor has 2 additional Loops (sends/returns). The LT has 2, the floor has 4.
• Floor has spdif in/out
• Floor has 2 external EXP jacks, LT has 1
• Floor has dedicated amp ctrl jack (lt is shared with it's 1 exp jack)
• Floor has a dedicated headphone volume
• The floor has the option to re-assign the "bank buttons" to stomps. 
• Floor has scribble strips... the LT gets around that with Performance View on the big screen which the floor does not have.
• Floor is a stronger build, but that's not to say the LT is cheap or weak... the floor is just really heavy duty. 

IMO.. if money is not a concern then there is no need not to get the floor. You never know when you might need the extra features. BUT - if you (like me) has to watch the cash flow and can get by without the extras the LT is a great option that doesn't compromise tone in any way. Under the hood they are the same. 

 

Money is always a concern unfortunately...

 

I think I'm going to go LT. Acoustic into the return on it's own path will do the job and while I liked the scribble strips on the floor, I think once I get used to having them on the screen instead It'll work out fine!

[LostChord]

6 hours ago, codamedia said:

 

Here is what the floor has over the LT.... if you want or need any of these you should get the floor, if you don't think you will ever need these then the LT will get it done.

• Floor has an AUX Input. 
• Floor as a MIC input (XLR) w/phantom power
• Floor has 2 additional Loops (sends/returns). The LT has 2, the floor has 4.
• Floor has spdif in/out
• Floor has 2 external EXP jacks, LT has 1
• Floor has dedicated amp ctrl jack (lt is shared with it's 1 exp jack)
• Floor has a dedicated headphone volume
• The floor has the option to re-assign the "bank buttons" to stomps. 
• Floor has scribble strips... the LT gets around that with Performance View on the big screen which the floor does not have.
• Floor is a stronger build, but that's not to say the LT is cheap or weak... the floor is just really heavy duty. 

IMO.. if money is not a concern then there is no need not to get the floor. You never know when you might need the extra features. BUT - if you (like me) has to watch the cash flow and can get by without the extras the LT is a great option that doesn't compromise tone in any way. Under the hood they are the same. 

 

Excellent reply.

[codamedia]

14 hours ago, andymguitar said:

... while I liked the scribble strips on the floor, I think once I get used to having them on the screen instead It'll work out fine!

 

Not that this matters, but out of experience.... I used to own an HX Effects (with scribble strips) and now own an LT (performance view) and I don't miss the scribble strips at all. Others may differ in opinion, but I feel scribble strips would be one of the least important reasons to choose a Floor over an LT. 

 

One caveat to that statement.... Stomp Mode in performance view is a thing of beauty on most stages, but is difficult to view in the sunlight. 

[schuha_at]

On 7/28/2019 at 12:49 AM, andymguitar said:

So I could have an acoustic in a return and send it to a designated acoustic patch?

 

I recently played a GIG in an acoustic oriented trio with a Helix LT.   (A-Guit, A-Guit or E-Bass, Cajon)

 

1st signal path: Acoustic guitar   ->Input Return 1    Output -> XLR -> FOH
2nd signal path: A-Guit or Bass   ->Input Return2     Output -> 1/4" -> FOH

 

A small 6x mixer with onboard reverb (3 vocal micros, 1 Cajon micro + 2 instrument inputs) and 2 active FRFR Boxes was the whole setup.

The sound was good enough with only one signal path for max 8 blocks for each instrument.

 

With the Helix you could add an additional vocal mic and use more effects. Probably too overloaded for acoustic oriented  music ;-)

 

[andymguitar]

LT arriving tomorrow! Going to have an evening of setup I think!

[andymguitar]

Well if anyone's interested (and you're probably not..!) I'm glad I upgraded. editing is so easy and the sounds are so much better than my XTL! Still a bit confused by snapshots and IR's but will dig in again tomorrow!

[JimRad]

You will be happy after some sound tinkering just use your ears and a lot of experiment. If you play live with it DO test your sounds on the right amp/speaker at band volume, it really matters - then adjust in a full band mix, probably by pulling a bit of lower end out.

 

Remember that Snapshots is an option, you can just - not use it :-) I never use it, probably because my gigging-head lives in pedal-land so I have configured the user interface to just turn on/off pedals and it works really well.

 

I have the LT too as I really don't need all those extra functions and the LT is already pretty big on the floor, I don't need an even bigger unit as it can be a problem om small stages.

 

Try the Orange cab IR, it's cheap (enough) and sounds brilliant. It's the only one I use: https://www.cabir.eu/en/pro-ir-series/3-speaker-cabinet-impulse-response-cab-ir-library-orange-or-4x12g12h30.html 

 

br

 

JimR

[andymguitar]

Yeah, I have a FRFR speaker and have been using that for most of my edits, have got decent headphones too for initial sketches when I can't make noise!

 

I like the idea of snapshots, and could see myself using it later, but turning blocks on and off is working for me at present. With the amount of blocks you can have in a preset the LT is definitely enough for me too.

 

Just getting my head around IR's, I didn't really use cab settings on my XTL so dipping my toe in. I have downloaded a few free ones (Gods cab, Red wire, Allure) but there are so many it's hard to know where to start! I've always found Line 6 gains and OD's a bit too close somehow, and they did tame them a bit? Will keep tinkering.

 

I have a recording on Sunday so will be test driving properly then!