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3.2 hint?


zappazapper
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I think it means the next update will include a mail out to every Helix owner in the world of a dozen real, physical power tubes along with a device that will allow us to connect them to our Helix in a mix-and-match fashion.

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  • 2 weeks later...

News from our reporters on the TGP front...

Nothing on the independent poweramp block nor improvements on tube simulation.

8 new effects confirmed for the 3.15 firmware update (no hint on what they could possibly be)

2 new effects have been already delayed for 3.2

One amp was half-done two weeks ago.

3.15 is not even on beta testing (this should take a month)

EVH 5150 III already discarded for 3.15

3.15 will be "effect-centered" in DI words...

 

Seems we aren't getting the big bad boys until next year... so Merry Christmas to you dear forum.

 

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12 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said:

Here's your hint: They're not gonna tell you exactly what's in it, nor will they tell you when it's coming... beyond staggering vagueness like "soon" or "in the spring", which have little to no meaning at all...

You must be a lot of fun at parties...

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19 minutes ago, zappazapper said:

You must be a lot of fun at parties...

 

So I'm no fun because Line 6 has a secretive MO, and I acknowledged that openly? So be it.

 

I am curious about on thing, though... if I were to pretend that this were not the case, would that qualify for a "fun" upgrade? I'm flexible...

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8 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said:

 

So I'm no fun because Line 6 has a secretive MO, and I acknowledged that openly? So be it.

 

I am curious about on thing, though... if I were to pretend that this were not the case, would that qualify for a "fun" upgrade? I'm flexible...

No, you're no fun because half the fun of these updates tends to be the discussion and speculation around them, and your statement suggests it's not worth the time, or at least that you're not enjoying it. Plus, you're no fun because saying someone is no fun is fun. I'm sure you're just the right amount of fun. No worries. 

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5 minutes ago, zappazapper said:

No, you're no fun because half the fun of these updates tends to be the discussion and speculation around them, and your statement suggests it's not worth the time, or at least that you're not enjoying it. Plus, you're no fun because saying someone is no fun is fun. I'm sure you're just the right amount of fun. No worries. 

 

Duly noted...lol. There, see? I laughed. Out loud, no less. Best Tuesday ever! Lmao... And look at that! Now I'm laughing my a$$ off. What progress I've made in just one post... and all thanks to you. I'm eternally grateful. May the force be with you...;)

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, jeremiahzellers said:

I'm holding out hope for some looper enhancements. (Admittedly, probably not high on most people's lists). I'd be happy with a few more looper stop options and maybe some dual synched loops. Would love to be able to cast off my external looper and be 100% Helix.

Well, for me, unless Line6 figures out a way to use external controllers to control the built-in looper, no thanks.  I need all of the Helix's foot switches to not be reassigned to the looper's functions.  Then there's the fact that that looper is extremely limited memory wise and I doubt very much that that limitation is not hardware based.  That is to say that it's memory limit cannot be increased via a firmware update. When I use my RC-20XL, I'll sing and play and record a Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus and then start the loop.  Yes, you sense of time has to be spot on if you're going to so this.  Doing long loops like this has really helped my playing.

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I'm hoping it's more likely that it is setting up the 3.2 update, which we've been told is linked to other line6 products. I think it'll be an 'HX Amp' line, where you have a power amp section and frfr cab with selectable tubes etc, to replace the powercab. Also PRS have changed their HX amp name to HDRX after conversations with Yamaha.

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18 hours ago, hideout said:

Well, for me, unless Line6 figures out a way to use external controllers to control the built-in looper, no thanks.  

Perhaps I have missed something, but can't you assign that via command centre? Certainly, the footswitches can output midi signals, and you can assign commands (E.g. footswitches) to the various looper functions. I assume you also assign external midi commands to the looper.

 

But the 30s limit is indeed annoying. The ability to switch multiple loops on/off would be good too, although I get both these functionalities through my iPad via USB and Loopy HD. 

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3 hours ago, superficialt said:

Perhaps I have missed something, but can't you assign that via command centre? Certainly, the footswitches can output midi signals, and you can assign commands (E.g. footswitches) to the various looper functions. I assume you also assign external midi commands to the looper.

 

But the 30s limit is indeed annoying. The ability to switch multiple loops on/off would be good too, although I get both these functionalities through my iPad via USB and Loopy HD. 

I think he's saying he wants to control the looper with incoming MIDI from an external MIDI controller. Incoming MIDI is handled at the blocks themselves, not by the Command Center.

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5 hours ago, superficialt said:

...

 

But the 30s limit is indeed annoying. The ability to switch multiple loops on/off would be good too, although I get both these functionalities through my iPad via USB and Loopy HD. 

 

The looper has a 120 second limit in mono at half speed. A veritable embarrassment of riches(written with not a small smattering of sarcasm). The looper is not the Helix's strongest attribute. I suspect that at some point that will be addressed but probably any major gains in this department will have to wait for the next generation of hardware. There are other modelers that do looping a lot better but may lack some/many of the features of the HX line.

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I don’t think the looper in a Line 6 amp/FX modeler will ever really rival a standalone looper pedal for live play. If you want to use a professional grade looper for live play you should purchase a standalone device that is designed for that purpose. The looper feature in Line 6 modellers is very useful for two main purposes: providing short (max 2 minutes) background for practicing lead solos, and providing an ability to tweak tones in a hands-free manner using a recorded part. It simply requires too much tap dancing, imho, to be a useful looper in a live situation.

 

I think it will remain that way because a looping feature is not really playing to Line 6’s strength, which is DSP modeling. There’s no DSP involved in looping. It simply records and replays sounds. Sophisticated loopers have long term storage, tempo capabilities, multiple simultaneous loops, etc. None of these things utilize DSP modeling and I hope Line 6 doesn’t stray into wasting resources by trying to integrate these advanced features into their modeling devices.
 

Now, if Line 6 decides to build a separate product line of new standalone loopers, that’s a different topic. The Line 6 JM4 Looper has been discontinued for some years now. Does Line 6 want to start competing in that arena again? Who knows. But that would be a diversion from their core strength - DSP modeling.

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The looper in the Helix is the marketing department. If they were serious about a looper there'd be some sort of removable storage port. What I mean by "serious" is serious in the way they are about modeling. I don't think anybody is buying a Helix because of the looper. They should just ditch it. Anybody who needs a looper has a looper pedal. I don't even need a looper and I have a looper pedal. Nux Loop Core. Open it up and there's an SD card slot in there. Awesome looper. 

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33 minutes ago, silverhead said:

I don’t think the looper in a Line 6 amp/FX modeler will ever really rival a standalone looper pedal for live play. If you want to use a professional grade looper for live play you should purchase a standalone device that is designed for that purpose. The looper feature in Line 6 modellers is very useful for two main purposes: providing short (max 2 minutes) background for practicing lead solos, and providing an ability to tweak tones in a hands-free manner using a recorded part. It simply requires too much tap dancing, imho, to be a useful looper in a live situation.

 

I think it will remain that way because a looping feature is not really playing to Line 6’s strength, which is DSP modeling. There’s no DSP involved in looping. It simply records and replays sounds. Sophisticated loopers have long term storage, tempo capabilities, multiple simultaneous loops, etc. None of these things utilize DSP modeling and I hope Line 6 doesn’t stray into wasting resources by trying to integrate these advanced features into their modeling devices.
 

Now, if Line 6 decides to build a separate product line of new standalone loopers, that’s a different topic. The Line 6 JM4 Looper has been discontinued for some years now. Does Line 6 want to start competing in that arena again? Who knows. But that would be a diversion from their core strength - DSP modeling.

 

I hear you about Line 6's core strengths and I definitely don't want them to stray from them but there is no reason they can't beef up their looping functionality in future hardware efforts. Shouldn't dilute their focus too much. Some other modelers out there are incorporating more powerful loopers in their modelers - from low to high price points. I think, by default, most modeler manufacturers will eventually be delivering a level of looping functionality significantly beyond what is currently available on the Helix.  I have seen the pattern repeated over and over, both in the hardware and software world, where something that starts as an additional add-on, eventually gets incorporated into the hardware, OS, application, or whatever. Have no real dog in this fight though as my looper requirements are minimal and the Helix suffices. Where it doesn't I have a Digitech looper.

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As far as I can tell there are two distinct types of loopers, with variations of each type. 

 

The first type is basically what the Helix looper is. You play something, and it plays it back until you tell it to stop. You can also play on top of the first loop and play that back, etc etc etc. 

 

The second type is where you can store dozens of pre-recorded loops for playback at will, and still play on top of them and play that back, etc etc etc. 

 

IMHO the Helix does everything it does at a world-class level, except looping. If I can buy a $150 pedal that objectively outperforms the Helix in some way, then the Helix should just stop doing it. The hardware is not capable of being a world-class looper in the same way that it is capable of being a world-class modeler, so it should stop trying to be a looper. Only people who need a looper need a looper, and if they need one they will spend $150 to get a world-class looper instead of pretending the basic-beach Helix looper will do what they want.

 

beach =

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Shuffling looper is awesome and unique, and it's one of the best feature of 3.0. I did linked all its core parameters to a Zoia modules, and voilà, it's like having the entire arsenal of Chase Bliss, right there.


Of course I'm that one in a million weirdos that uses these effects...but I'm glad they did it.

 

 

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Whoops. Didn't mean to open up a can of worms with that post.

 

Quite honestly, I would be happy with just a "fade out stop" option and "stop at end of loop" option. I'm thinking that could be done via software. (Though would require more dsp, I'm guessing)

 

Either way, pretty freaking happy with the Helix as is.

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On 11/3/2021 at 10:00 AM, superficialt said:

Perhaps I have missed something, but can't you assign that via command centre? Certainly, the footswitches can output midi signals, and you can assign commands (E.g. footswitches) to the various looper functions. I assume you also assign external midi commands to the looper.

 

But the 30s limit is indeed annoying. The ability to switch multiple loops on/off would be good too, although I get both these functionalities through my iPad via USB and Loopy HD. 

Yeah, I guess I forgot about that. Still, that 30 seconds, as we've both pointed out, is pointless for me.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

News from our reporters on the frontline:

DI hinted two of the new effects on the TGP forum... One is green coloured (delay) and the other is an orange coloured one which comes after the green one in the effects chain (reverb).

And that's all there is after 7 months and two weeks after the last update.

One thing I was asking myself was in which category should the feedbacker effect go... it's technically related to distortion, but it can also work without a distorted signal (won't be as intense and noisy)... and at the same time acts like a delayed signal which feedbacks constantly to produce infinite sustain. Well, I'll let DI, Benadrian, Igor and Frank decide for us... They're pretty good at what they have already done.

Greetings to team Helix and the forum.

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8 hours ago, BAmartin said:

News from our reporters on the frontline:

DI hinted two of the new effects on the TGP forum... One is green coloured (delay) and the other is an orange coloured one which comes after the green one in the effects chain (reverb).

And that's all there is after 7 months and two weeks after the last update.

One thing I was asking myself was in which category should the feedbacker effect go... it's technically related to distortion, but it can also work without a distorted signal (won't be as intense and noisy)... and at the same time acts like a delayed signal which feedbacks constantly to produce infinite sustain. Well, I'll let DI, Benadrian, Igor and Frank decide for us... They're pretty good at what they have already done.

Greetings to team Helix and the forum.

He also said he "droned on for hours", that's definitely a clue.... sustainer? Hmmmmmm.......

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Didn't he also say 'Guitar players can be very picky and sometimes get strung out.'? That's clearly a clue that the next update will include modeling for different pick thickness and strength, as well as string gauge. I'd love to be able to switch immediately, between strums, from a 7mm on light stings to a 15mm on heavy strings!! ;-)

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7 hours ago, mtyrrell1982 said:

He also said he "droned on for hours", that's definitely a clue.... sustainer? Hmmmmmm.......

IDK why somebody would need a "feedbacker"... I have been feedbacking feeding back, with no issues with a max'ed out distortion pedal, when needed.  Works great in the studio or on stage.  I don't understand the purpose of a special designated effect that is already there... Why not do something useful instead...

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33 minutes ago, theElevators said:

IDK why somebody would need a "feedbacker"... I have been feedbacking feeding back, with no issues with a max'ed out distortion pedal, when needed.  Works great in the studio or on stage.  I don't understand the purpose of a special designated effect that is already there... Why not do something useful instead...

Have you ever used the Digitech feedbacker?  It's one thing to get musical feedback when the conditions are just right and volume is high enough so that it's going to want to feedback.  It's quite another to be able to get that musical feedback whenever you damn well please and not have it when you don't want it and at any volume.  The Digitech pedal even allows you to get feedback with a squeaky clean signal at very low volumes.

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3 hours ago, theElevators said:

I have been feedbacking feeding back, with no issues with a max'ed out distortion pedal, when needed. 

 

Maybe that works for you... but it would not work for me. I want the feedback to be as natural as possible to the tone I use, and "high gain" (maxed out distortion) is not it!  A proper "feedbacker" pedal sounds much more natural with whatever tone it is being fed..... without added "distortion". 

 

I play loud enough on stage that I can often invoke feedback just as I always did....  but that all goes away when I am on an in-ear monitor system (silent stage). A feedbacker would be a welcome addition in those situations. 

 

3 hours ago, theElevators said:

Why not do something useful instead...


There is no shortage of stuff in the Helix I have no interest in, but I would never begrudge anyone for wanting those features - or Line 6 for giving it to them. Just because I don't find them useful doesn't mean they aren't for others. 

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3 hours ago, theElevators said:

IDK why somebody would need a "feedbacker"... I have been feedbacking feeding back, with no issues with a max'ed out distortion pedal, when needed.  Works great in the studio or on stage.  I don't understand the purpose of a special designated effect that is already there... Why not do something useful instead...

 

Why would you need a max'ed out distortion pedal to get some noisy and unpleasant feedback when you can get something like the Freqout modeled by the same team of developers that engineered it when they worked for Digitech and Harman? What would you rather get? What would you consider something useful? Another fuzz pedal? Another delay? Maybe another boring Fender amp retrieved from the memorabilia trunk? Or maybe an overpriced U$S 50,000 nonsense boutique amp that only blues lawyers play? 

Please tell us. DI and Benadrian would definitely ditch all the most voted requests submitted by fellow Helix users on Ideascale to please you by modeling your personal favourites and useful effects and amps according to your sole opinion.

Greetings and hope too much Muzak isn't impairing your judgment and manners inside Theelevators.

 

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I'm hoping for:

rev generator's fuzz channel

a variac simulator or a plexi with a variac setting (l6 pod500)

Schaffer Replica pedal

better parametric EQ with visualization and without the limiting low mid and high settings

 

A feedbacker would be nice. I currently simulate the effect using the pitch shifter at +19 maybe (I'm away from my helix ATM) and fade it into the mix with the pedal. When the pedal is up, its 100% dry guitar, and when fully depressed you get 100% of the +19 harmonic tone. I don't  get that long sustained feedback you would get with a cranked amp but I could also engage the sustainer effect if I needed it. I hope that helps someone.

 

 

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1 hour ago, BAmartin said:

 

Why would you need a max'ed out distortion pedal to get some noisy and unpleasant feedback when you can get something like the Freqout modeled by the same team of developers that engineered it when they worked for Digitech and Harman? What would you rather get? What would you consider something useful? Another fuzz pedal? Another delay? Maybe another boring Fender amp retrieved from the memorabilia trunk? Or maybe an overpriced U$S 50,000 nonsense boutique amp that only blues lawyers play? 

Please tell us. DI and Benadrian would definitely ditch all the most voted requests submitted by fellow Helix users on Ideascale to please you by modeling your personal favourites and useful effects and amps according to your sole opinion.

Greetings and hope too much Muzak isn't impairing your judgment and manners inside Theelevators.

 

Welcome to the Line 6 forum, as$wipe!

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3 hours ago, codamedia said:

 

Maybe that works for you... but it would not work for me. I want the feedback to be as natural as possible to the tone I use, and "high gain" (maxed out distortion) is not it!  A proper "feedbacker" pedal sounds much more natural with whatever tone it is being fed..... without added "distortion". 

 

I play loud enough on stage that I can often invoke feedback just as I always did....  but that all goes away when I am on an in-ear monitor system (silent stage). A feedbacker would be a welcome addition in those situations. 

 


There is no shortage of stuff in the Helix I have no interest in, but I would never begrudge anyone for wanting those features - or Line 6 for giving it to them. Just because I don't find them useful doesn't mean they aren't for others. 

I have been adding a 2nd distortion block to my presets and I can engage it with a snapshot.  I have very natural-sounding and musical feedback that works at all volumes.  I played outdoor festivals, I played small shows and it always sounds like a natural guitar amp max'ed out and feeding back.  Always reliable, always at my disposal.  I love feedback, and it's an important part of my sound.  

 

I can also invoke the feedback when I am away from my monitor, simply from the PA.  That's because I dialed it in right.  I played at somebody's outdoor pattio -- no monitors and just a bose pa -- same feedback.  I use it to have endings of the notes sustain indefinitely.  Like "don't fear the reaper" last note of the solo -- works every time for me with my 2nd classic distortion block.  At home, I can go to my kitchen from the music room and get feedback.

 

That's why to me the designated "feedbacker" sounds like it's something crazy and unnecessary.  Maybe I'll change my mind once I see it. 

 

Clean sound + feedback... like an e-bow thing? 

 

Wanna hear my non-feedbacker feedback?  Here you go:

1. https://youtu.be/Aqz-lOHRoDo?t=119 This song has over 2 million views.  The feedback starts at 1:59. I achieved it with studio monitors and my Vox Starstream guitar. 

 

2. Another studio example is this song https://youtu.be/eyly-i8njD0 .  I am again using my feedback method and adding a Leslie speaker sim as well.  It sustains notes indefinitely and sounds like an organ.  Feedback is again achieved with studio monitors at low volume, with the same Vox Starstream guitar.

 

3. Here is yet another example, here we have a chord turning into feedback -- same setting as above.  Getting feedback from an FRFR at home.  https://youtu.be/cYnyjMGb3Hc?t=163 . I'm playing my Brian May Red Special this time. 

 

Muzak... lol

 

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5 hours ago, theElevators said:

Clean sound + feedback... like an e-bow thing? 

This sentence speaks volumes about your lack of understanding of how the Digitech Feedbacker works and what is possible with it. 

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