Adding the HX stomp xl to the original dream rig.

[m6255]

Hello, I don’t play live much anymore but I still have my dream rig. 2 Variax Standards, 1pod HD500x controlling 2 line 6 DT 50 amps with L6S link. I’ve been watching the helix for years now, and Sweetwater over Xmas of 2021 had the helix native on sale for the non hardware owner for 199.00 so I couldent resist. The HD500x does not work well as an audio interface when using the VDI so I purchased a Berlinger uphoria 204. That works nice but now I haven’t figured out the midi yet to use the HD500x as a midi controller for native AND still control my 2 DT 50s. First I tried just plugging the Berlinger outs into the 2 DT 50s returns. Nothing at all with the l6 link connected, unplugged one amp just to try it mono, it worked, sounded great but there’s a lot of hum. I would totally have to control amp controls in the helix native, using the DT 50 gives you a tube power amp with zero control. Except for the mix control next to the dt50 fx loop. Turning that down to the middle detent almost makes the hum tolerable . It’s loud enough for my studio but not if I ever wanted to use native live/ in case I do. I’ve decided I’m never going to bring a computer into a live situation. I don’t think a computer is reliable enough for something critical like live playing. There’s no do overs should something freeze. 
 

anyway, I’ll probably get a helix floor or better but much more expensive the helix rack with the almost 500 dollar controller. So in the meantime it looks like the HX stomp has all the sounds of the full helix. I’m wondering if I can create patches in the HD500x so I still have an expression pedal although it could only be used for the hd fx, the volume pedal would work the whole thing, I’m one of those that still thinks the HD500x sounds great and to be honest the price difference now between a full helix and my hd500 isn’t worth 3x the cost. I love the I/os and for example the what is it 6 fx loop ins/outs can be used both ways you can select one as another input or outputs, it’s amazing if I’m reading it right it like they just put some empty jacks in back and when you assign them to something it’s like they are magically hardwired correctly. That’s amazing, I know the helix 3.0 has some control over the DT series amps but not as com-Pete as the hd. 
 

what I’m asking is if one of you still wanted to use your 2 hd series amps as stereo amps with the L6Link, and the control plus some dsp of the HD500x and the Variax control, but you wanted to add some of the large number of amps with full amp or pre amp, tons of fx, basically adding helix sound to my existing dream stereo rig, how would you do it. Would you leave the HD500x in control and add the HX stomp long version to your HD500x fx loop and not the other way around. In other words just like if you were adding just one stomp to your HD500x through the fx loop you add the full HX board the same way, but then in my mind comes the massive amount of programming for lack of words, you gotta build your HX preset first, then through the midi controller add the HX preset like other things to a HD500x foot switch. Question, if I have multiple different presets will the HX change everytime I step on a new button on the hd 500x? I hope I’m not too discouraging, I’m just afraid I’ll buy it and leave it in the box because I’ll have 3 days of manual reading to learn how to hook it up. Thanks hope it’s not too annoying.