rossfr Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Hi, I had some kind of an issue right now after several years of perfectly fine use of the helix rack : my start button did some cracking noise and then smoke (kind of plastic electric smell...) and helix just shut off... My heart stopped beating a few second, just restarted the rack and it looks ok. well, I dont know if I should still use it of have it checked? the garanty is over since some time now... It looks to me like some kind of electric problem with the button itself, if I give it a gentle press, it start to crackle again, like a bad contact. dont know if I should try to open and check someting inside. thanks for any advices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Open a support ticket and find out where to send it for repair at an authorized service center. Or open it up and risk destroying it beyond repair. Your choice. But I suspect you already know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossfr Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 yeah I won't take the risk, but it means I wont have any recording device for at least 2 months (that what it usually takes at Thomann), that I cant conceive... so I ll probably sell a kidney and buy an AxeFX if they're in stock or more likely a neuralDSP ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theElevators Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Open up a ticket with Line 6, and send it to them, is what I would do. Back up your Helix, if it can do that; or if you already have been regularly backing it up, then even better. From my limited experience with the various repair shops that were listed in the Line 6 directory--the 3 places I found in New York area were horrible. I would never come back to them. When I was converting to using a Helix full time, I sold all my gear. I used that money towards buying a 2nd backup Helix (I have an LT and a Floor). I also own a power amp, speaker, and an FRFR. Everything else I got rid of. Line 6 Helix is a computer made in China with cheap components. I personally cannot fathom having to recreate my 70 presets on another modeller, it would take me 3 months at least ... so it's out of the question. So for the time being I am stuck with Line 6 technology... So, I don't know what your situation is, but to me just like I have backup guitars at home, I must have a second backup Helix. I simply do not have any other gear that will allow me to play my music, and I do have a lot of very specified presets. And btw, I've already had to send my Helix in for repair. Had I not had a backup Helix, I'd have been really screwed. Anyways, good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 On 7/13/2023 at 1:20 PM, theElevators said: Open up a ticket with Line 6, and send it to them, is what I would do. Back up your Helix, if it can do that; or if you already have been regularly backing it up, then even better. From my limited experience with the various repair shops that were listed in the Line 6 directory--the 3 places I found in New York area were horrible. I would never come back to them. When I was converting to using a Helix full time, I sold all my gear. I used that money towards buying a 2nd backup Helix (I have an LT and a Floor). I also own a power amp, speaker, and an FRFR. Everything else I got rid of. Line 6 Helix is a computer made in China with cheap components. I personally cannot fathom having to recreate my 70 presets on another modeller, it would take me 3 months at least ... so it's out of the question. So for the time being I am stuck with Line 6 technology... So, I don't know what your situation is, but to me just like I have backup guitars at home, I must have a second backup Helix. I simply do not have any other gear that will allow me to play my music, and I do have a lot of very specified presets. And btw, I've already had to send my Helix in for repair. Had I not had a backup Helix, I'd have been really screwed. Anyways, good luck! I second the idea of a backup. Mine is an HXS. I doubt your assertion of cheap components, and some (if not most) of the best electronics gear in the world is made in China. Sad, but true. Switches are moving parts and even the best can sometimes go bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PierM Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 On 7/13/2023 at 5:51 PM, rossfr said: Hi, I had some kind of an issue right now after several years of perfectly fine use of the helix rack : my start button did some cracking noise and then smoke (kind of plastic electric smell...) and helix just shut off... My heart stopped beating a few second, just restarted the rack and it looks ok. well, I dont know if I should still use it of have it checked? the garanty is over since some time now... It looks to me like some kind of electric problem with the button itself, if I give it a gentle press, it start to crackle again, like a bad contact. dont know if I should try to open and check someting inside. thanks for any advices. The power switch on the helix rack I had, was also producing some bad electric arcs, so I know what you are experiencing here. I remember the crackle noise when turning on or off. Pretty nasty. Probably you got a bad one, and the overcurrents protection shut down the unit to prevent damages. My suggestion is to keep the switch ON, and plug the unit on a power strip with its own switch that you'll be using to turn on and off the Helix. Dont worry as this isnt doing anything different than using the Helix Rack switch, as this last one is exactly placed in front of the entire power supply circuit board. Of course, would be better to get this switch replaced, but in the meanwhile you can keep using the Helix if you want, in a safely way. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 On 7/13/2023 at 7:54 PM, rossfr said: so I ll probably sell a kidney and buy an AxeFX if they're in stock or more likely a neuralDSP ... Hi, That’s a rather strange idea, especially after all using the Rack for several years. If your Helix Rack has suffered an unexpected exhalation of the magic smoke that smells like electric, then why change horses in mid-stream? You could buy an equivalent replacement unit as a spare: - Helix floor, or LT, for example - load your back ups and go. It would take a heck of a lot longer to try to recreate all your presets on another platform. It’s not as if you can load your backups into either the Fractal, or Neural options. You really haven’t thought this through. Regarding your comment:- “but it means I wont have any recording device for at least 2 months”. Again, huh? There are lots of very cheap, but functional, audio interfaces available that will allow you to hook up a guitar to a DAW running HX Native. https://www.thomann.de/gb/focusrite_scarlett_solo_3rd_gen.htm https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_u_phoria_umc202hd.htm End of problem! This would possibly keep you recording until the Rack returns from service. Always have a backup solution. Hope this helps/makes sense 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theElevators Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 If you only need your Helix to record stuff, then as @datacommando mentioned, a sound interface is very affordable. You can get Helix Native, or you may already have some kind of a promotion to get it at a discount. You can load all your presets into it, and have an interim virtual Helix! Helix Native is pretty great. My band has recorded a bunch of stuff with Helix Native guitar/vocals/other instruments treatment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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