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Helix or Hx effects


snarfarf
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Heays and thanks a mil for taking time to read. Looking for some advise from people in the know.

Am very new to this whole idea of modeling amps etc so will need to be talked to like an idiot!

 

I have a mesa boogie lonestar and am very happy with it and definitely want to get into the effects side of the helix.
I also like the idea of the having all the amp options but definitely dont have the money to get a helix and a flat response speaker or the powercab.

 

Is there any point in me getting a helix over the hx effects? If I'm running the amp models through my lonestar will it just sound like a lonestar with a amp model mix in?
I dont get how that aspect works. And if I can bypass the mesa amp somehow (dont know how) would I be getting the proper tone of those amp models?

Thanks so much for the help!

 

 

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do you think you would ever be in a situation when you would want to go direct with no amp?  if so, and you have the budget for it, then I would say get the Helix (or the LT).  If you will ONLY ever use the Helix for effects, then the HX is probably all you would need.  I had the HX, and ended up selling it to pay towards the LT. 

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1 hour ago, caledoneus said:

do you think you would ever be in a situation when you would want to go direct with no amp?  if so, and you have the budget for it, then I would say get the Helix (or the LT).  If you will ONLY ever use the Helix for effects, then the HX is probably all you would need.  I had the HX, and ended up selling it to pay towards the LT. 

not playing live at the moment so not currently..

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47 minutes ago, snarfarf said:

 

not playing live at the moment so not currently..

 

If you intend to do any home recording, that would definitely be a reasin to consider the Helix. You could still use it for FX only with your amp, but if you wanted to also record direct using amp models, then you have the option.

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For maximum tonal flexibility and the ability to leave the 72 lb amp at home and plug straight into a PA, get the Floor or LT - or wait a couple months and get the new POD GO.

Having the full Helix allows you to use any of the Helix pre (or full) amps direct into your Mesa power section. A Marshall 2204 through 6l6 tubes won't sound like a Marshall 2204, but it will sound different from the Mesa preamp. You could also have a Recto or MarkV instead of the Lone Star. IOW - lots more options, plus the ability to record direct using any of the Helix amps/cabs/IRs vs getting an expensive Reactive Load box to record the real Mesa (or mic-ing it and having the cops over....) .

 

If all you need is what you've got plus effects, get the HXFX.

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5 hours ago, rd2rk said:

For maximum tonal flexibility and the ability to leave the 72 lb amp at home and plug straight into a PA, get the Floor or LT - or wait a couple months and get the new POD GO.

Having the full Helix allows you to use any of the Helix pre (or full) amps direct into your Mesa power section. A Marshall 2204 through 6l6 tubes won't sound like a Marshall 2204, but it will sound different from the Mesa preamp. You could also have a Recto or MarkV instead of the Lone Star. IOW - lots more options, plus the ability to record direct using any of the Helix amps/cabs/IRs vs getting an expensive Reactive Load box to record the real Mesa (or mic-ing it and having the cops over....) .

 

If all you need is what you've got plus effects, get the HXFX.

 

Does that mean I'd be putting the Helix into the effects loop for when using the Helix's pre amps is it? Will they sound good through it?
Is it possible to still have the option of the lonestars preamp for one song and then then one of the helix's without having to switch around cables?

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Quote

Does that mean I'd be putting the Helix into the effects loop for when using the Helix's pre amps is it? Will they sound good through it?

 

Most here are modeling fans, and some use preamp models into the FX return of their favorite amp and are perfectly happy with the results. But it's not for everybody, and nobody can predict if any one configuration will work for you or not. There's only one way to find out...

 

Quote

Is it possible to still have the option of the lonestars preamp for one song and then then one of the helix's without having to switch around cables?

 

Yes. If you want the option of getting your basic tone from either your amp or using the models, then you'll need to connect everything via the 4 cable method (4CM). There are a thousand threads around here discussing it in detail.

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15 minutes ago, snarfarf said:

 

Does that mean I'd be putting the Helix into the effects loop for when using the Helix's pre amps is it? Will they sound good through it?
Is it possible to still have the option of the lonestars preamp for one song and then then one of the helix's without having to switch around cables?

 

You set it up like this (4cm):

 

Guitar>Helix Input>Effects>FX Loop 1 Block>Helix Send 1>Amp Input>Amp FX Loop Send>Helix Return 1>Effects>Helix Left/Mono Out>Amp FX Loop Return

 

Then you put a Helix preamp (or full amp) on one side or the other of the FX Loop Block. Set the FX Loop Block and the amp/preamp block to the same footswitch and save the preset with one ON and the other OFF. Hitting that switch toggles the FX Loop and Helix Amps ON/OFF.

 

Now you have the Helix amp/preamp with the FX Loop Block OFF (signal bypasses Mesa preamp stright to Mesa power section), and the Mesa Preamp with the FX Loop Block ON.

 

Depending on the amount of DSP used for effects, you could use up to 3 Helix amps and switch them (and whatever else you want) using Snapshots.

Depending on the model, you have an additional 1-3 FX Loops that can be used for external effects.

 

Lots of options.

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I'm a Helix user and will never ever return to using real amps.

Yet, if you are happy with your Lonestar (which I could imagine, as it's a really excellent amp), you may not need a full Helix at all. The described 4-cable-method would work just as well with the HX FX and as there's a whole plethora of drives, EQs and compressors coming with it, you can still massively modify the tones of the Lonestar channels.

In fact, if I personally was in that situation, unless I wanted maximum flexibility for recording duties, I would just go for a HX FX. After all, it's smaller and less expensive.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Heyas again have been doing laods of research since and have nearly bought the Lt just another thing to clear up dunno if yous can help?

 

I've read you can have 2 passive electric guitars in the helix lt at once with one in the effects loop but have read from some that the one in the effects loop wont sound right because of the 'low Z input'. If I use a direct box into it does that solve the issue?

 

I teach guitar so having both electrics in there and being able to control everything from there would be brilliant.

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