My Helix and Powercab Tone Suddenly Sucks

[MikeTGreen]

I bought a Helix and Powercab (regular non plus) in April 2019.  I was quite impressed with the tones at first.  Then firmware 2.8 came out and like others I've read, didn't quite follow directions, had problems and had to reboot and reset to get things right again.  I've also updated to 2.81 recently.  One day everything was sounding so good I almost was going to sell my tube amps and pedals.  Then all of a sudden tone gremlins came and everything sounds crappy.  I have tried to do factory resets and high cut low cut, global EQ, etc.  I'm not interested in how it sounds with head phones, FOH or in a computer DAW.  This is strictly for live use and I'm trying to get tones as close as possible to that amp in the room sound without fizzy, farty, grainy sounding overdrives.  Has anyone else had this problem and do you have suggestions on settings for the Helix into the powercab to get good amp in the room tones?

 

Thanks for any help. 

[cruisinon2]

58 minutes ago, MikeTGreen said:

I bought a Helix and Powercab (regular non plus) in April 2019.  I  was quite impressed with the tones at first.  Then firmware 2.8 came out and like others I've read, didn't quite follow directions, had problems and had to reboot and reset to get things right again.  I've also updated to 2.81 recently.  One day everything was sounding so good I almost was going to sell my tube amps and pedals.  Then all of a sudden tone gremlins came and everything sounds crappy.  I have tried to do factory resets and high cut low cut, global EQ, etc.  I'm not interested in how it sounds with head phones, FOH or in a computer DAW.  This is strictly for live use and I'm trying to get tones as close as possible to that amp in the room sound without fizzy, farty, grainy sounding overdrives.  Has anyone else had this problem and do you have suggestions on settings for the Helix into the powercab to get good amp in the room tones?

 

Thanks for any help. 

 

If it sounded fine one day, and became boiled crap the next, you probably just have one or more settings out of whack somewhere. If if happened immediately following the update, then it's likely the result of all the global settings being reset to their defaults. Did you backup everything before the update? If you did, I'd start by restoring the backup and see if that helps. If you don't have a backup then you'll have to try and remember how you had everything set when it was sounding good.

[MikeTGreen]

I did a backup, I restored it.  I played through it again and made some to tweaks to high and low cuts.  It was fine for a while.  But it seams to get progressively worse everyday.  Today it sounds like muddy, fizzy crap again. I'm tired of tweaking and adjusting.  I need to play.  All this seamed to happen after Firmware 2.80 and 2.81.

[Thark]

I’ve updated to 2.81 for my Helixes and 2.00.1 for my Powercabs. Sounds fine ... better than fine actually.

 

This is an odd problem that I’ve not heard of before. You could try going back to 2.71 (which I assume you came from) and see if that fixes it.

[MikeTGreen]

I have a regular PowerCab to keep things as simple as possible.  My goal was to run this like a pedal board and amp only with more options if needed. I just read several post about using the PowerCab in HF mode off.  So I tried that and it sounds good again. But, I'm pretty sure I've triad all that before without satisfactory result.  But who knows, I'm loosing it in my old age.

I have one preset that I don't use an IR and use the cream speaker mode on the Powercab which sounds really good too. I'll leave it like this and see if it starts sounding bad again.  If it does, I'll try going back to 2.71 before I give up and sell it all.  I'll keep everyone posted.

[d3r3k123]

I've been having the same problem. Helix + Powercab just seems muddy, bassy, thin and not quite right - no crispness or sharpness since recent update. I thought it was just my ears, the guitar I was using, old age ...but it has persisted. So i thought I would check out any forum comments and I see I'm not alone. I will check out the global settings and re install etc. but this has never happened at any previous update.

[MikeTGreen]

I didn't go back to 2.71.  Instead I read a post about using it in HF OFF = NO LED mode.  I guess this is similar to the FRFR but without the high frequency tweeter driver thingy.

So far this actually sounds better than any other way I've used it.  Now it's almost like an amp in the room to my ears and good enough to keep working with. 

I don't use the Global EQ, just Ir's.  I may or may not make minor adjustments the high cut and low cut in the Ir itself.    

[jbuhajla]

Keep in mind, Global Parameters are reset to factory default after an update. So, be sure to take note of all your global settings before an update. They will not restore to where you had them set automatically. 

[MikeTGreen]

Thanks, I did not know that. But then again there's still a lot to learn.  Maybe I should revisit the global EQ. Do you know of a good tutorial explaining each parameter of the global EQ and some recommended start points?  I can let my ears do the final touch.

[cruisinon2]

2 hours ago, MikeTGreen said:

Thanks, I did not know that. But then again there's still a lot to learn.  Maybe I should revisit the global EQ. Do you know of a good tutorial explaining each parameter of the global EQ and some recommended start points?  I can let my ears do the final touch.

 

EQ is EQ... the only difference between the global EQ settings and an individual EQ block in a patch, is the global EQ is applied across the board to every patch in the device. This is generally not the best way to go about dialing in your sounds, though. Global EQ settings that make one patch sound magnificent might totally destroy the next. Global EQ is really intended for subtle adjustments to different listening environments, not primary tone-shaping.

[MikeTGreen]

Thanks, that's kinda what I thought or may have read at one point and why I leave it off right now as I'm building.  I also read that some only use it to make adjustments when playing in different rooms or venues so as to not change the individual patches.  So I may try that when I test this live on stage. 

[MikeTGreen]

Latest Update and personal opinion:

Sorry, I haven't read, responded or posted in a while.  I'm a busy professional and only a part time musician so I don't spend time on forums.  So here's my take and personal review on the Helix and PowerCab to replace my tube amps and pedals. This gear rocks!  I own two regular PowerCabs now and run my Helix in stereo. I like a traditional setup with no IR's or cab sims cause to me it sounds and feels real.  I feel air blowing my pants leg and pounding my chest.  I use the Vintage 30 in one cab and the Creamback 65 speaker in the other.  My favorite is the Vintage 30 if I'm just using one cab.  It sounds great with all my patches and different amps.

 

Now just because I'm not a professional musician doesn't mean I don't have an ear for tone cause I do. Tone is in the ear of the beholder anyway.  What sounds good to me, may not sound good to you, vice versa.  But so far nobody came up to me and said my tone sucks, only sounds good.  I'm 55 and played in a few bands years ago. I know tone starts with ability and in the

fingers. I'm a self proclaimed tone snob and have snubbed my nose to modeling gear ever since my nightmare years ago. That's why I currently own five top of the line hand wired boutique amps and three full pedal boards ranging from small to big with top of the line pedals from Klon, Landgraff, King of Tone, Strymon, etc. And I have a bad case of GAS.  I've started listing some for sale now cause the Helix sounds that good to me.  I'll put it up against all my gear any day.

 

I've found dialing up an amp with pedals to be as fast and easy as a traditional setup cause the interface is so intuitive and the models are so good.  I've hardly read the manual and got most of the info I need from YouTube and these forums. Thanks everyone!

 

I have not yet tried to run direct with cab sims &/or IR's so I cannot comment on that. I have tried the IR's &/or cabs in flat mode or FRFR mode with the PowerCab but was not very happy with the tones.  I'm sure with more time spent tweaking they would fine but I don't want to spend that much time tweaking.

 

So if anyone is wanting that amp in the room sound and feel, you may want to try it this way.  One PowerCab work will just fine.