Picked up an HXstomp feeling overwhelmed, let’s start with volume jumps and then options for monitoring.

[jgwcaster]

After years of waiting I finally broke down and picked up an HX Stomp after Christmas.  I am excited and overwhelmed.  So overwhelmed that I haven’t dug into it the way I should.  
 

I know this is a great piece of kit and am taking the attitude that I just need to learn it.  A couple days ago I pulled apart my pedal board and wired the stomp in, to force myself to use it.  
 

Up to this point I have never used a modeler.  I have a strat, a Tele and a p90 guitar, I have pedals on a board, most complex pedal is the strymon deco.  I have two amps a fender 1972 champ which is loads of fun and a quilter Mach 3 that is my main work horse.  
 

I am good with knobs but menu diving is new to me when it comes to guitar.  

 

1.  Is there a good resource to help a guy coming from an amp and pedal (knobs) mindset to a modeler (menu) mindset.  
setting up a basic preset is not hard, but my brain sees the blocks like a traditional amp and pedal board.  Snapshots and multiple presets elude me. 

which leads to a problem that is a quick fix with knobs, volume.  
 

2.  Is there a simple master volume that serves as a baseline for all presets?  
 

When I first got the stomp I ran it through the effects loop of my Quilter, bypassing the amp and just using the cab.  I was stunned at the initial volume drop, I had the turn the HXstomp and quilter speaker volume up way more than I would expect for in home volume.  
 

I suspect I was actually the stomp was running too hot as it was having noise issues, something I do not have a problem with typically.  
 

Then of course all the presets have different volumes.

 

there has to be a base volume level for the presets.  People don’t just play switching through presets and jumping around in volume song to song, right?

 

3.  Monitoring.  I do not have studio monitors for my computer, I do not have an frfr speaker.   I know that I can use the stomp for effects only and use my amp.  I think I can use the amp models into the quilter’s cab.   Am I really missing out not having studio monitors or a frfr (headrush)?  Perhaps me using my amp cab is causing some of my volume issues?

 

I know the post is long and scattered.  I am feeling overwhelmed.  I was hoping I would pick up how to use the stomp pretty quickly, but I am starting to feel like an old dog instead.  

[rd2rk]

Welcome to crazyland!

 

I'll try to address your questions in order.

 

1) "my brain sees the blocks like a traditional amp and pedal board". Good start. It's a MODELER. It MODELS all of the characteristics of the real deal.

 

"Snapshots and multiple presets elude me". Imagine that you've filled your studio with all the gear you need to sound just like Jimi Hendrix.

Now you want to sound just like EVH. Imagine that you could snap your fingers and all the Hendrix gear would be replaced by everything you need for EVH.

That's what PRESETS are.

 

Now, pick two EVH songs with different sounds. You know he didn't switch out all his gear while performing. How to get those different sounds?

That's what Snapshots are for. By assigning amp and FX parameters to Snapshots you use the same gear to get different sounds with a single button press!

 

How to learn how to use the HXS to do all of that?

 

READ THE MANUAL!!! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of doing that.

 

Google Jason Sadites. While I think he's one of the most boring sounding people in the world, he has excellent videos on most every aspect of using Helix, which the HXS is merely a less powerful/versatile (but with the same basic tonal features) version of.

 

2) VOLUME - The Volume knob on the face of the HXS is SUBTRACTIVE. Fully cranked is UNITY (0db - neither boosted nor cut).

I find that the best way to deal with it is to leave it cranked or better yet, disable it by setting it to PHONES in Global Settings>Ins/Outs.

That sets it to UNITY.

 

In the Amp Block there's 3 Volume controls.

 

GAIN - on NMV (Non Master Volume) amps like Fenders, this is the real world amp's VOLUME control. On MV amps it is the Preamp Gain control.

 

MASTER - on NMV amps this defaults to 10. Leave that alone, it is as it should be. On MV amps it controls the Output Volume up to the point where the tubes start to compress and the amp doesn't get louder, just more distorted. That point is what some consider the "Sweet Spot". YMMV.

 

CHANNEL VOLUME - doesn't exist ITRW. This controls the amp level output to the rest of the signal chain without having any effect on the amp's tone. Some people use it for levelling the volume between presets, but since it affects the level sent to the FX following the amp, it CAN affect the sound of those effects, some more than others.

 

Some people use it when creating a preset as follows:

Starting with a blank preset, play a chord and note the volume. Now add an amp and play a chord. Set the Channel Volume to equalize those levels.

I just ignore it on the assumption that L6 set it at the optimum level to feed the rest of the signal chain. I may be wrong, but it works for me!

 

Levelling the presets and getting optimum Output Levels is complicated and everybody does it differently. Here's how I do it:

I run the Helix/HXS (I have both) into a track on the Reaper DAW which has the JS Loudness Meter in the track's FX Slot. Most DAWs have an equivalent.

I hit a big "A" chord (any loud chord will do) REALLY HARD - harder than I normally play. I want the RMS PEAK level to be around -18db to -12db. That leaves lots of headroom for mixing/post processing in the DAW and should eliminate the need for even the most inept FOH person to tell you to turn down since that level will not overload the mixer's channel input. I adjust that level using the LEVEL parameter of the preset's Output Block.

 

3) Monitoring - yes, you CAN use the Return of your quilter. Every preset will sound like the Quilter. If it SOUNDS good, it IS good.

I use my Catalyst100 and it sounds quite good. BUT...  no stereo (stereo is FUN!).

 

Decent sounding desktop "FRFR" Studio monitors have become quite inexpensive. Presonus, Yamaha, EV and many others make them in 3.5" and up depending on the size of your room. I use the KRK Rokit6.

 

Obviously, these are not for gigging. The Headrush FRFR108 speakers are quite inexpensive and although the "Golden Ears" crowd will badmouth them they're really not that bad and LOTS of people gig them. Put them on short speaker stands to eliminate the woofiness that some complain about when using them on the floor. I have the FRFR112 version. Of course, if you've got money to burn (doesn't sound that way) there's better sounding (?) more road-worthy FRFRs available from Yamaha, QSC and EV and dedicated-to-guitar speakers like L6's Powercabs, Atomic CLR, Fender FR10/12 and others. I have a Powercab PC212+.

 

Tired of typing now. Hope this was helpful. Questions?

 

 

 

[theElevators]

Welcome to the world of digital amp modelling!  It's a little confusing, but you'll get a hang of it.  .. Helix and Pod Go user here. 

 

 

1. My advice is to take your actual physical rig, and transfer it to the HX stomp one piece at a time.  For example, take a blank preset, connect it to your physical amp you use along with your physical pedalboard, and just A/B each component.  First find a replacement for your distortion, then vibrato, etc.  Then when you are done, replace the amp with the virtual one.  That's what I did, personally. 

 

Presets/snapshots are explained in the help manual.  Some people like the stomp mode, some snapshots, some a combination of both.  I use a preset-per-song approach and, within each presets, I use snapshots for all the different sounds.  There are some projects where I have just one preset that gets me through all the songs.  It depends on what you are playing.  If you only need 3 sounds throughout your gig... versus very nuanced time-based effects set to specific BPM.

 

2. Factory presets are garbage, and simply demonstrate what's possible.  To me they are not usable, and I discarded them almost immediately after getting the Helix.  The rule of thumb is that your "New Presets" should be the same loudness as your actual presets.  If your presets are louder than the blank presets, then you will get harsh digital clipping. 

 

3. If you are planning to use HX Stomp as an all-in-one solution, you need mixing monitors to properly dial in your sound.  If you are planning to use HX Stomp to replace your pedalboard, but are still running through a physical "tube" amp, then you don't need mixing monitors. 

I personally don't use an FRFR live or at home, just keep it in my car just in case.  Instead, I use a Mooer Baby Bomb + a 12" speaker cab. 

 

These questions have been discussed at length on this forum.  Everybody's gone through this.  Try searching for "FRFR", "power amp", "mixing monitors". 

 

 

[datacommando]

On 1/28/2024 at 9:39 PM, jgwcaster said:

I was hoping I would pick up how to use the stomp pretty quickly, but I am starting to feel like an old dog instead.  

Hi,

 

Welcome to Helix - along with the info provided in the posts above, Line 6 provided a bunch of “quick start” videos for the HX Stomp.

 

Start here:

 

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

[jgwcaster]

Rd2rk, theElevators and datacommando thanks for the replies.  I realize I was a bit all over the place and long winded.  I appreciate your responses, very helpful.  I will be returning to them for a little while to take in all the ideas.  

 

I would never have guessed the volume all the way up is unity.  

 

I agree about the preset not for serious use they are more a sample of possibilities.  

 

I like the advice of recreating my own rig.  Instead of trying to understand all possibilities, focus in one preset at a time.