Helix to Interface and Cabinet Help Needed

[AubreyBeck629]

In need of some help on a setup for my Helix Rack.

 

The goal is to have my 10U Rack set up so I can keep everything plugged in and either record into Logic, or play through my cabinet when just jamming without having to plug/unplug anything.

 

List of gear in the rack first:

 

Power supply

Focusrite 18i20 gen 3

Tuner

Helix Rack 

Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700

 

The Cab is a PRS Archon 2x12

 

I would like to run the Helix into my interface because I usually have a few mics set up at all times and it is just easier for my workflow than using the interface built into the helix.

 

Ideally I just have two USBs going to my computer (interface and helix) and one power cord from the power supply into the wall.  But how do I wire this all together?  I'm assuming I need to have the settings in the helix rack set up so I can use my tones in either situation, but one would obviously need the cab sim turned off for playing through my cab. I guess where I'm getting tripped up is, if Im going to from the helix to my interface (ideally through SPDIF to save in I/O on the interface), but also going out of the helix into my power cab, what do I need to do to switch back and forth between the two?  It's probably more simple than I'm making it seem and I've just got myself tied up overthinking it.   Any help would be appreciated! I've only had my helix rack for about 2 days so it's daunting trying to wrap my head around all the routing.  

 

[rwandering]

I have a different version of this: I record from analog outputs on my LT into my audio interface; I generally play through a PowerCab (PC).  Assuming I'm using the PC's cabinet simulation, the situation is similar.   The difference being that you have outboard amp/cab, and I have just the outboard cab.

 

But basically, the answer is either:

1) create different paths, one of which includes an amp/cab (for recording) and the other that does not (for playing through your amp); or,

2) don't try to do this.  

 

I generally go with the latter: I have presets for playing, and presets for recording.  If I want a similar sound, I work on that, noting that I will tend to be more particular about the way it records, and wouldn't want to limit the way it sounds live to most benefit the way it sounds recorded.

 

Note I could also record off of my PC's out, though its "microphone on the speaker cab" modelling is well behind the Helix's current capabilities.

 

 

[AubreyBeck629]

That's sort of what I was thinking.  My original intention was to just make copies of all my tones.  One with and one without the cab sim and the other minor eq adjustments and just save them as separate and name them in a way it doesn't get confusing. 

 

But if I have the helix hooked up to the interface for recording and have the appropriate path selected, but it's also still hooked up to my power amp, is it always sending signal to both? The power amps power switch is on the back so it's a pain to get to so I just always leave it on.  That way when I hit the power on my power supply for the rack it's ready to go.  Is there something in the settings on the helix that I can turn off or on so that when I plug in to record I'm not also sending signal through the amp at the same time?  

[rwandering]

You can change the output to send everywhere (the default) to only send to a specific output.  I think that would do what you want. 

 

But I solved a similar power switching problem by mounting a power strip to my cab stand; and in another case by having two different rack-mounted power conditioners, one dedicated to my powered monitors, the other to the rack gear.  That is, a power strip might be the easiest solution.

[waymda]

An alternate approach to the routing is us a send block before the cab block as a tap for the poweramp/cab. Set it with 100% passthrough so signal still goes the cab block. You could assign a pedal to turn the send off for recording, stopping any signal to the power amp with a single click.

 

It does mean you need to use effects you want in you amp/cab pre-speaker block, but it can also provide a really versatile solution for post-cab-block effects being recorded and not impacting on the amp/cab, which could then be mic'd up and added to the recording/mix. For example room reverb and/or compression.

 

Another suggestion is as you get your routing as you want it, save as a template so you just change component blocks for future patches. Your approach may change over time, but many templates is possible.

 

My standard routing has amps and effects that run before amps on path A, effects that are post amp and/or cabs on path B (A routes to B). This seems to give me the best balance of CPU load across the 2 CPU and allows for complex patches, ymmv.

[AubreyBeck629]

On 1/18/2024 at 6:41 PM, waymda said:

An alternate approach to the routing is us a send block before the cab block as a tap for the poweramp/cab. Set it with 100% passthrough so signal still goes the cab block. You could assign a pedal to turn the send off for recording, stopping any signal to the power amp with a single click.

 

It does mean you need to use effects you want in you amp/cab pre-speaker block, but it can also provide a really versatile solution for post-cab-block effects being recorded and not impacting on the amp/cab, which could then be mic'd up and added to the recording/mix. For example room reverb and/or compression.

 

Another suggestion is as you get your routing as you want it, save as a template so you just change component blocks for future patches. Your approach may change over time, but many templates is possible.

 

My standard routing has amps and effects that run before amps on path A, effects that are post amp and/or cabs on path B (A routes to B). This seems to give me the best balance of CPU load across the 2 CPU and allows for complex patches, ymmv.

OHHH I think I really like this approach.  Could I do it as snapshots?  I imagine I would want to turn off the cab sim and also change the eq for recording to take out a bunch of low end that I'm going to have to take out eventually anyway.  So I could do Preset A with snapshot 1 for recording and snapshot 2 for playing through my cab?