Helix with Amps

[Wondo100]

I have seen this topic in a couple of places, but yet I do not hear much from anyone using 7CM. I have two H7K Grandmeisters and want to run the Helix into those so that I can get some true stereo effects. I am not exactly sure how to do that (how can I get the effects to be stereo into both amps in the signal chain/) Also, I want to make sure that in certain settings I can use only my H&K preamps but in others be able to use the modeling from the Helix as my preamps and not use the H&K preamps. 

 

Thanks. 

[Kilrahi]

Describing the cabling in a 7cm is a bit of a hairball, but it's largely just doubling up the four cable method approach. 

 

One thing I would suggest is downloading the HX Effects manual and looking at page 9. It's not a Helix, but the method is largely the same. It is a good place to get started. 

 

https://line6.com/data/6/0a020a3d3f4a5a6a1897ecdf6/application/pdf/HX Effects 2.50 Owners Manual - English .pdf

 

Getting stereo effects in this approach is easy. If at least your last block is a stereo block in your chain then it will send left and right stereo signals, left channel to one amp, right to the other. 

 

The signal chain isn't too bad either. It would essentially look like:

 

[Pre amp effects] + [Left/right send and return block] +

 

Anytime you turn off the send and return block then it will bypass your amp's preamp. So the setting would be to insert the pre amp block in your Helix chain that you want to use, and set it so that by pressing a switch it turns off the FX block and turns on the pre amp block. 

 

That, IMO, is the easiest way. 

[Wondo100]

Thanks. I still have a lot to learn with this. So, I could use one path and have everything in Stereo without creating a second path and this path would go to both amps?

[Kilrahi]

26 minutes ago, Wondo100 said:

Thanks. I still have a lot to learn with this. So, I could use one path and have everything in Stereo without creating a second path and this path would go to both amps?

 

Yes, you should be able to do it with one path. That doesn't mean you might not want to do dual paths, there are advantages there, but when you're just starting out I say keep it simple. The key is to make sure you use a stereo, and not a mono, FX send/return block. 

 

By the way, Line 6 created the below video on the 4 cable method a few years ago. It's a nice summary of how it works. It's still useful for your goal of the 7 cable method because the connects are still done EXACTLY the same. You simply use two FX/ Send/Return ports and two 1/4 outs instead of one, and a stereo FX send/return block instead of a mono. 

 

 

[Wondo100]

This is very helpful. The problem I am running into now is how to have everything hooked up in 7CM and then if I want, use the amp models as the preamp in the helix to just use the power amp on my guitar amp. Thus, being able to either use my amps preamp or the Helix. I cannot figure out how to do this. I have tried different paths and assignments to the loops with no luck.

 

[Wondo100]

Think I figured it out by choosing send 1 and send 2 with no returns and then I can use the Helix preamp. 

[antonio1961]

2 hours ago, Wondo100 said:

This is very helpful. The problem I am running into now is how to have everything hooked up in 7CM and then if I want, use the amp models as the preamp in the helix to just use the power amp on my guitar amp. Thus, being able to either use my amps preamp or the Helix. I cannot figure out how to do this. I have tried different paths and assignments to the loops with no luck.

 

Yes, as was mentioned by Kilrahi, the fx loop on or off is the difference between your amps preamp and a selected Helix one.

Also , If you add an ext amp lead from the Helix to your amp, then you'll also be able to choose which amp channel is selected, which would give you even more flexibility.