mblasick Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Hi all --- A friend demoed PC/PC+ for me, and I'm thinking of switching, but I have one question that I can't find answered anywhere. (I've spend many hours looking...really!) I've been using a Helix with the 4-cable method with my old amp to get an effects loop, but I can't find any documentation or even a brief mention on how to do this with a Powercab. I know that Powercab (or at least PC+) has numerous inputs, but do any of them allow the Helix to send the additional data for an effects loop? I'm a newb to digital, so please be gentle and state anything obvious. Thank you so much! ML Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooloudtoobad Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 You dont need an effects loop with the power cab you put the delays and reverbs after the amp block in the helix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasingMango Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Like @tooloudtoobad said... an effects loop is to place effects between the amp and the speaker... with PC+ the amp is still modeled on the modeler, it is only modeling the speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mblasick Posted March 11, 2020 Author Share Posted March 11, 2020 Thanks so much. ... Hmm... Is that the case only when the PC+ is FRFR (just a speaker), or also the case when the PC+ is set to model a speaker? (Is there any difference?) Sorry, I am so old school that I'm not sure that I'm asking the question correctly. I prefer the speaker emulation (right word?) from the PC+ (feels more real...moving air...I want feedback), and wanted to skip the amp/speaker settings entirely on the Helix so that I can set the amp and forget it...and then just control all FX with the Helix. Thinking further...IF I'm thinking this through correctly, and the PC+ is only the speaker, then the Helix MUST then, by default, be the amp (block), correct? So I could skip the speaker setting on the Helix entirely, but must then keep the amp block on the Helix, and as mentioned, put the delays and reverbs after the amp block. And thinking further...Line6 *probably* uses the same algorithms for their speaker simulations in both the Helix and PC+, so why not do everything in the Helix? (And then the PC+ would be on FRFR, I believe...?) If that path is correct, then my next question is: does this feel/feedback like a real amp? I guess that I've got more testing to do. Am I close to understanding this signal chain? It's beginning to sound simpler, but even the 'total novice' videos and literature take many things for granted, and are hard to follow at times. Regards to all again, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 20 minutes ago, mblasick said: And thinking further...Line6 *probably* uses the same algorithms for their speaker simulations in both the Helix and PC+, so why not do everything in the Helix? (And then the PC+ would be on FRFR, I believe...?) If that path is correct, then my next question is: does this feel/feedback like a real amp? I guess that I've got more testing to do. No, you're misunderstanding how the speaker modeling on the Powercab works compared to the cab/mic modeling on the Helix. The speaker modeling on the Powercab is letting you change the way the speaker sounds in the physical cab of the Powercab. It's like having the ability to swap speakers. There is mic modeling applied if you use the PC+'s XLR out, but without that, there's no mic modeling. With the cab block in the Helix, it's modeling a specific mic in front of a specific speaker in a specific cab. So FRFR mode on the Powercab is amplifying the sound of a mic'ed cabinet. In that case, the sound is similar to what you'd hear coming from a PA speaker if you mic'ed an amp or plugged your Helix in direct. The diagrams in the PC+ manual sum it up pretty well: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mblasick Posted March 11, 2020 Author Share Posted March 11, 2020 Thank you so much, Phil. I'll read up on this. I bought my PC+ as a demo, and the only thing in the box besides the cover was the black 'quick start' guide that sits on top. I did download the manual, but since I didn't (don't...lol) fully understand it yet, I was searching for info on loops when they obviously weren't there. Thanks again to everyone. I've got some studying to do. Regards, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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