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Where can I get earlier Helix version presets?


Lawrence23
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I have had a Helix for at least since 2.0 firmware version. Because I am basically using the factory presets and not creating many presets that are worth saving, I have not done backups when I have updated firmware. I've only just realized that I am seeing new names for presets and some that I have used are no longer available. Does Line 6 regularly change the presets for each firmware update? I'm wondering if I can get the older presets going back to 2.0 without having to go back and reinstall older firmware versions and dong backups, then upgrading again, which I don't even know if it's possible to do. Does Line 6 also remove some amps, cabs, effects, templates, etc? How would I get any of these that have been discontinued?

 

Thanks

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Line 6 has not removed any amps, cabs, or FX in Helix since it was launched. These things are only added, not removed.

 

Factory presets, however, can and do change often with a new firmware release. Line 6 does not publish factory presets separately; they are embedded in the firmware. Hence the only way to get earlier factory presets officially is to roll back the firmware and do a factory reset.

 

Individual users sometimes save factory presets from each firmware version as separate setlists. Maybe one of those users will see this post and be willing to help you out. Otherwise the only way is successive rollbacks as you describe.

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9 hours ago, Lawrence23 said:

I have had a Helix for at least since 2.0 firmware version. Because I am basically using the factory presets and not creating many presets that are worth saving, I have not done backups when I have updated firmware. I've only just realized that I am seeing new names for presets and some that I have used are no longer available. Does Line 6 regularly change the presets for each firmware update? I'm wondering if I can get the older presets going back to 2.0 without having to go back and reinstall older firmware versions and dong backups, then upgrading again, which I don't even know if it's possible to do. Does Line 6 also remove some amps, cabs, effects, templates, etc? How would I get any of these that have been discontinued?

 

Thanks

 

They will occasionally add amps and FX, but nothing gets "discontinued", so you needn't worry about that. However, the only way to get old factory presets back without rolling back to older firmware is to find somebody who's still running ancient firmware, or someone who backed up the older factory presets, kept them in separate user set lists, who could then send you the individual files. You might get lucky if somebody's got them and stumbles on this thread, but it might be a long wait.

 

If I were you, I'd take some time learning to create your own sounds... then you're not locked into one ancient version of firmware forever. And even if you don't do that, whatever patches you are using need to be backed up periodically. Helix is a computer, and computers do weird $hit. Sometimes patches get corrupted for reasons unknown, you power up one day, and a patch you've been using forever starts behaving erratically, or doesn't sound right... the easiest solution is to just restore your backup. I create a new backup everytime I'm gonna shut the thing off... I've never actually timed it, but it can't take more than 90 seconds. If something goes wrong, I can be back up and running with very little fuss.

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Thanks for everyone's responses. I'll hope that someone might post the older Factory Presets in the CustomTone section, perhaps. It would be nice if Line 6 would create an archive for older Factory Presets, too.

 

I looked at using Helix Native presets, but apparently per the manual, there are differences between Helix Native and Helix hardware:

Input & Output Block Settings When importing a Helix hardware-exported preset into Helix Native plug-in - All Input and Output blocks that were set to physical Inputs and Outputs (other than "None") will default to the "Host" setting within the plug-in. When importing a Helix Native plug-in exported preset into Helix hardware - All Input and Output blocks that were set to "Host" will default to the "Multi" setting within the Helix hardware. Any Input block set to "None" will remain as set to "None" within the hardware. Send, Return, FX Loop & Looper Blocks When importing a Helix hardware-exported preset into Helix Native plug-in - These block types are only functional within Helix hardware devices and, therefore, have no routing functionality within the Helix Native plug-in. 

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For my purposes, the limitations Lawrence lists aren't a big deal. So, for anyone in the same situation as me, here's a ZIP file with all Helix Native factory presets since Native 1.01, which was around Helix Firmware 2.20 or something. I've saved the .hlx setlists, saved out the individual presets in separate folders, and made a Master folder with all the presets. Anything in that folder named the same from version to version has only the latest iteration. 

 

I THINK I did this right. I restored factory presets after each Native update. I thought there would be more changes with each version change, but there were usually only a few new presets.

 

Let me know if you catch anything I missed. I can redo it if necessary.

Helix_Native_Factory_Presets.zip

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19 hours ago, Lawrence23 said:

It would be nice if Line 6 would create an archive for older Factory Presets, too.

 

 

Maybe not Line 6, but IIRC forum user Ben Vesco (Malhavok) keeps the older preset available from his site:

 

http://benvesco.com/store/line-6-helix/

 

Although why you would want them is what I don't understand, if you use them they will need to be updated to the new format. I wouldn't want to spend my life watching my Helix rebuild presets - but that's just me! 

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1 hour ago, datacommando said:

Although why you would want them is what I don't understand, if you use them they will need to be updated to the new format. I wouldn't want to spend my life watching my Helix rebuild presets - but that's just me! 

 

True, but you'd only have to do it once. Load up anything you're interested in, and after it rebuilds, re-save it.

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33 minutes ago, jester700 said:

 

True, but you'd only have to do it once. Load up anything you're interested in, and after it rebuilds, re-save it.

 

Hi jester700,

 

You are perfectly correct - my point was really about why the OP wants to dig around with a whole bunch of old presets. What’s the point in trawling through that stuff. The time could be better spent. There are certain patches in there that have survived right from the first iteration of the firmware that are then just replicated throughout. I’m with Digital_Igloo from when he came up with his print idea for a black t-shirt featuring the Helix “x” and the slogan “ALL PRESETS SUCK!”.

 

but that's just me! 

 

;-)

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IMO not all presets suck. Many are certainly overeffected. But if I want a quick fix of an old Heart sound, for example, I can load up one of the "Barracuda" sounds, turn off the effects, and start tweaking quickly. Even if I end up with something quite different, I'm likely starting in the ballpark.

 

Many of us already have a good idea of what amps & pedals were used for classic sounds like that, but not everyone is. And I don't always know what I'm after when I'm dorking around with gear; sometimes I'm just seeing what sparks a new idea path.

 

And if HX Edit is being used, all this file shuffling is quick & easy. So my greater point is, we all have preferences in guitars, amps, pedals, and uses for Helix. I'm not gonna criticize anyone else's.

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