Using helixLT w/PC112+ as stand-alone PA

[Guus7181]

Hello. I am the happy owner of an helix LT and a PC112+. It’s a really powerful combination and I didn’t think I’d see any limitations with this setup for some years. But fate might have caught up with me already. 
 

The thing is I’m doing a small solo gig in a few days. I was going to run my guitar and my mic through the helix - only to discover that the LT doesn’t have an extra XLR. That’s exclusive to the full Helix.
 

Instead I now run my mic straight into the PC in FRFR mode (through the mic1 with some gain). And the helixLT through the digital port on same PC. That gives me guitar and vocals alright. But the vocals are dry as the desert. And next to the sweet tone I’m getting on my guitar the contrast is grave. 
 

so my question is: is there ANY way I can unlock some reverb for my mic using this setup? Or is this destiny telling me to always go with the biggest and most expensive option possible when buying gear?

 

thanks a bunch guys. 

[knoxdaz10]

nope, you cant use the helix reverb from the powercab. and yes, buy the best option. 

[zappazapper]

Is there some reason you couldn't use an XLR to 1/4" cable to plug the mic into one of the Returns?

[DunedinDragon]

You could use a return on the LT as an input with an adapter, but you would need to reserve your second signal chain for the mic with it's own reverb/delay and the ability to control it's output level separate from the the guitar which you would have to confine to it's own signal chain.  You would then send the guitar signal chain to the digital output and the mic to the PC as  you're doing now.  It would kind of be a pretty clumsy setup but if it's a low key, smaller gig people might not notice your PA is pretty lame.  The PC doesn't make for a very good PA system.  That's not what it's designed for.

[Guus7181]

On 10/23/2021 at 5:47 PM, DunedinDragon said:

You could use a return on the LT as an input with an adapter, but you would need to reserve your second signal chain for the mic with it's own reverb/delay and the ability to control it's output level separate from the the guitar which you would have to confine to it's own signal chain.  You would then send the guitar signal chain to the digital output and the mic to the PC as  you're doing now.  It would kind of be a pretty clumsy setup but if it's a low key, smaller gig people might not notice your PA is pretty lame.  The PC doesn't make for a very good PA system.  That's not what it's designed for.

That might just do the trick! Thanks all

[HonestOpinion]

If you use @DunedinDragon's routing suggestion(which is what I would do) you might find yourself needing the lion's share of your DSP for your guitar. Don't know how DSP hungry your guitar presets are? If you need some extra DSP for your guitar's route, I put a preset/template in CustomTone a few years ago that enables both DSPs to be used for the guitar route but also shares the second DSP with a microphone(mic routes generally consume much less DSP). Essentially it is an adaptation of the 'Super Serial x2' routing.                  https://line6.com/customtone/tone/1460280/

 

Depending on the mic you plug into the LT you may find yourself needing to add a volume or other block to get the level hot enough. A mic preamp would probably be handy in this setup.