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Powercab plus tones


EZakhary
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New to helix and looking to buy a powercab. What mode would give the most accurate representation of the tones you dial in at home to when you say go to a gig or jam with friends. Assuming you send an output from helix/powercab  out to FOH. I’ve tried powercab and headrush 108 ans my PA and they all sound different so I’m confused.  Is it even worth it to get a powercab? 

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14 hours ago, EZakhary said:

What mode would give the most accurate representation of the tones you dial in at home

 

Flat mode with IRs.

 

The XLR Out is just exactly what comes in the input (if using IRs on Helix), or the input through the IR in the Powercab (User IR) which, if using the same IR, sounds identical to having your IR Block at the end of the signal chain in Helix. However, the final sound will be colored by whatever speaker or FOH system the XLR Out is connected to. Which is no different than if you mic a guitar cab. What you hear at FOH is not the same as what you hear on stage.

 

OTOH, if you use the Speaker Emulation Mode, what comes out the XLR Out (or USB if recording) is an emulation of the emulated speaker through an emulation of a mic. It will be VERY different than what you're hearing on stage from the Powercab, and THEN be further colored by the FOH system. I recorded that way (speaker emulation over USB), and TBH, it sounded BETTER than the actual Powercab in the room! Playback through my HR FRFR112 sounded like the XLR Out direct to the FRFR112 (XLR Out = USB).

 

Here's an interesting test for when you get the Powercab (yes, it's worth it). With the Powercab in Speaker Mode, run the XLR Out through your PA or Headrush. Now turn the Volume knob on Powercab OFF. Doing that does NOT affect the level on the XLR Out. Listen to the difference between the Powercab direct and through FOH. Then do the same in Flat Mode with IRs.

 

FWIW - using my  HR FRFR112 with the XLR Out in Flat Mode with IRs alongside the Powercab is the best stage sound I get. They compliment one another somehow.

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Thank you so much.  When you say IR, that refers to any sort of speaker cabinet emulation whether it’s coming from the helix or the powercab? I don’t have any downloaded ones or know how to make them haven’t got that far yet so I’m just using was stuck in my helix and if I get the Powercab.   The reason why I went this way is because everyone seemed to say that there’s sound is much more consistent from place to place I thought that was kind of the point of the whole FRFR system versus a tube amp which I ever have which is always all over the place.  So I’m wondering where people are saying this consistency is coming from if every speaker are you going to is going to colour somehow or maybe it’s just less than waking a tube amp?

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4 hours ago, EZakhary said:

When you say IR, that refers to any sort of speaker cabinet emulation whether it’s coming from the helix or the powercab?

 

Yes, as opposed to the Powercab's Speaker Emulation Mode. For getting started with IRs L6 has the free Allure pack, Redwirez has a very excellent free Marshall 1960B pack, Valhalla has a teaser pack with a variety of cabs, and York Audio has a free Mesa 212 pack. Celestion  and most of the other major IRs makers also offer a free sample of some sort. 

 

Where you put the IR in the signal chain matters. Putting the IR at the end of the signal chain (in Helix or in the Powercab - USER IR Mode) is kind of like a real life guitar rig, whereas putting it before certain effects like compressors, EQ and Room type reverbs gives more of a studio sound. Experiment!

 

5 hours ago, EZakhary said:

The reason why I went this way is because everyone seemed to say that there’s sound is much more consistent from place to place I thought that was kind of the point of the whole FRFR system versus a tube amp which I ever have which is always all over the place.  So I’m wondering where people are saying this consistency is coming from if every speaker are you going to is going to colour somehow or maybe it’s just less than waking a tube amp?

 

Tubes change over time, and are more likely to be affected by mfg variances, venue temperature and inconsistencies in electrical supply. Overall sound is always affected by differences in room acoustics, that's a given regardless of tube or SS, as are differences in quality of FOH gear and skill of FOH engineers. As for what "everyone says", it's interesting, and sometimes useful, but rarely rises to the level of absolute objective fact.

 

Experiment. Try what others suggest and judge for yourself. The future of live music MIGHT be digital and SS, but I suspect you'll never see Kenny Wayne Shepard using a Powercab. At least, not as long as he can afford roadies to carry his tube amps and roll his tubes for him! :-)

 

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rd2rk is correct. Those options are great places to start. The Allure free pack already comes installed in the PC + ( I think all of that pack is there, correct me if I am wrong). The Redwirez free GM12 pack is awesome and a great way of knowing how things can sound. Of the IRs for PC, these are some of the best so far. I like the LiveReadySound has IRs already designed for the Powercab. However, that being said, I feel the Allure and the Redwirez have more presence to them. The LiveReadySound are good, but I have only liked them when I mixed them with an Allure or a Redwirez. The Ownhammer are always a good bet, but I find these sound better in the Helix and using the PC in FRFR mode. That is where they shine. For just the IR mode in the PC, the ones mentioned are the best. If you are new to PC, be aware that until Line 6 changes their IR availability on the marketplace, you will need to go to the product source pages for IRs and make sure that they are in .wav files and in 48kHz-24bit. The ones being sold on marketplace only work in the Helix not in the PC. We suspect, they will be changing that at some point and offering the PC as one of the hardware devices to choose from in the market place, but now it is not and so be forewarned. 

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