Helix - JTV Variax issue no volume and tone

[Williamlavon]

Hello Helix - Variax users,

 

I'm having an issue with my JTV-69 and the Helix floor unit not playing well together.

First I want to say that I verified the Variax, HX Edit and Helix floor are all up to date with the latest versions.

The JTV-69 is connected to the Helix using VDI cable.

The issue is that when I switch to some presets there is no sound. Just barely moving the volume knob brings the sound back.

In the variax settings page on the Helix (and in HX Edit) the Volume and Tone knobs are set to "Don't Force" and Lock Control set to "Unlocked".

As an experiment in the variax settings page I set the volume & tone to "10" and Saved,  and then when I switch back to the preset

the volume is up but it sounds like the tone controlis on zero.

Just barely moving the tone control brings the tone back to 10.

I also tried locking the volume and tone on 10 and strangely the volume was good, but the tone was on zero again and this time 

no amount of turning the tone knob would fix it. The tone was locked on zero even though I saved it on 10.

 

Any idea how I can keep this from happening?

Thanks,

Bill

[silverhead]

Make sure your Variax setting is Per Preset, not Global. However I don't think that explains your symptoms. I don't see anything wrong with what you're doing and the behaviour should be different so there is a problem - most likely a firmware glitch or corrupt presets I think.

 

I would use HX Edit to back things up (full system save), restore the Helix device to its factory settings, and then restore the backup. If the problem persists the affected presets may be corrupt. Try recreating their Variax settings from scratch in a New Preset. If that works then copy/paste all the rest of the blocks. Once the preset is working correctly replace the old one with a New Preset.

 

 

[Williamlavon]

Thanks, I'll try it!

[brue58ski]

I've found the Helix still has issues with the Varaix tone and volume knob control. Mainly in going from one patch to another. It's been awhile, but a solution I recall is to put everything on 10 (or whatever) and don't use the Don't Force option.

[kkinerk_line6]

I see the same issue and have submitted a ticket.  I find that when I use a preset that has a preset variax model (i.e. guitar model) forced, all other presets lose the "Don't force" option for the preset variax model.  This makes all other presets select a guitar model and ignore the current setting on the variax itself (i.e. the select knob).  I believe this is true for the Volume and Tone settings too... i.e. the "Don't Force" option is no longer present.  I will verify that next time I sit down with the Helix.

 

If I disconnect the variax VDI cable, the "Don't force" option comes back for the presets.  As soon as I re-connect the Variax, the option goes away.  I also see that the Helix ignores Variax controls if I connect the Variax after powering up the Helix.  If I power up with the Variax connected, the Helix responds to the Variax controls.

 

My current plan is to always have the Variax connected at power up of the Helix and configure every preset to use a specific guitar with forced volume, Tone, and tuning.   Hopefully Line6 will fix the issues with "don't Force" options.

[HonestOpinion]

Could be remembering this incorrectly but doesn't one of the amp models have a bug where the volume can go to zero? Can't recall which one it is. If this is only happening on certain presets all using the same amp model it could be related. Btw, if you haven't already, try unplugging and re-plugging your VDI cable. Also make sure your volume pedal is engaged properly :-)

[brue58ski]

16 hours ago, HonestOpinion said:

Could be remembering this incorrectly but doesn't one of the amp models have a bug where the volume can go to zero? Can't recall which one it is. If this is only happening on certain presets all using the same amp model it could be related. Btw, if you haven't already try unplugging and re-plugging your VDI cable. Also make sure your volume pedal is engaged properly :-)

This is true but I've had it happen with numerous amps as well as a preamp that I would use with the Variax acoustic. In fact it was switch between patches with an acoustic to one without that I discovered this. Mainly with the tone knob which I often changed on my acoustic patches (not anymore). I started to tryy and isolate the issue but never finished my investigation. And, since it is fixed with a twist of the volume knob, that would not indicate an amp issue.

[klangmaler]

On 1/7/2020 at 3:39 PM, Williamlavon said:

Thanks, I'll try it!

...well, did those tips help you?

[Williamlavon]

Thanks to all for the feedback and suggestions on this issue. 

I ended up talking to tech support (very helpful folks) and the problem 

went away. The frustrating part is I don't know what we did to fix it.

I tried several different things that I did before, changing the vol & tone

settings from "don't force" to setting them to 10, and then back to "don't force".

Now I'm not having the issue anymore!? As long as it doesn't come back I guess

it's fine.  

 

Now here's another crazy issue that is solved:

Using HX Edit I set up some patches with Variax open tunings.

With the Variax tuning selector set to "Model", when i switched from a

standard tuning patch to the open tuning patch the tuning would not change.

But if I moved the tuning selector to anything else and then back to "Model"

the tuning would change to the proper open tuning. Weird.

Called up tech support and the guy had never heard of such a thing.

After trying a few steps that did not work he suggested that

I set up the tunings on the Helix itself, not just on HX Edit.

So I did and now things are working like they should.

Oddly, it doesn't matter whether the Variax tuning selector is set to Model or Standard,

it still changes tunings like it should.

I guess the takeaway for me is that computers do unexplainable things,

they work one day and not the next and you just have to go with it

and hopefully find a workaround.

 

Thanks again

William

[Lerbakken]

Hi, 
My Helix LT isn't sending the correct tone information saved per Snapshot to my JTV-59 Variax. This thread is old, but wondering if anyone has any idea what to do?

 

Thanks!

Dave

[silverhead]

On 3/17/2022 at 3:17 PM, Lerbakken said:

Hi, 
My Helix LT isn't sending the correct tone information saved per Snapshot to my JTV-59 Variax. This thread is old, but wondering if anyone has any idea what to do?

 

Thanks!

Dave

It may not be sending the ‘correct’ tone information but it probably is doing what it’s being told to do. It’s just a computer. I suspect the settings are wrong. Please provide more details about what you’re trying to do, what settings you are using, and what you’re observing that’s not what you expect.

[brue58ski]

Here is what I found on a Helix. If the tone is saved on a patch from 0.1 to 0.9, when you switch to another patch with a different tone setting, it remains on the previous tone setting. If you press the patches foot switch again, it will then switch to the proper tone. I believe the same or similar issue occurs with the volume knob. If you notice in the Helix 3.15 notes, it mentions a Variax issue that still hasn't been addressed. It says this specifically

 

In some cases, the current Variax tone knob's position may not be recalled across preset changes

 

This is the issue it is referring to. So they are aware of it. It sucks because I cannot use the tone knob to get a better acoustic sound for which I find the tone knob to be critical in. For now the only fix is to leave it on Don't Force. You can't preset the tone knob properly for now.