Zewuull Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Hi there!! First time posting here and after some research both here and on the www, I can't believe I found the first limiting factor with my Helix in 6 years of professional touring use!! What a machine this, we all agree. I converted many traditional pro and non-pro players to the Helix! Just hear it to believe it. So firstly, A MASSIVE HATS OFF TO THE L6 TEAM FOR THIS AMAZING PRODUCT!! IT'S TRULY THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!! Now, for my request: Would it be possible to have an option to output a signal path to the "Phones" output only? Currently I'm using 1/4" L+R to 2 FRFR monitors and XLR L+R to FOH. What I'm trying to achieve is to monitor my guitar through IEM straight from the headphones output to complement or ditch the 2 FRFR monitors on some gigs. The "Phones" is the only stereo output that doesn't require setting up additional send/return blocks to every single preset in my helix... HOWEVER, I'd like to have a strategically placed ambiance mic (condenser) on stage going through its own signal path on the Helix straight to the "Phones" output to blend the live stage sound with the direct guitar path. That would allow me to roam around on stage and still being able to hear the same mix. I want to be totally independent from sound guys (no hard feelings) as I find it easier to setup and quicker to sound check that way. My current signal path: GTR----> Helix XLR L+R -----> FOH ----> Helix 1/4" L+R -----> FRFR monitors (L+R) - this signal path is identical to the one going to FOH btw to that I'd like to add: MIC (condenser) -----> Helix Mic input (48v) ------> "Phones" output ONLY (not going to any other output) GTR signal path + Mic signal path ------> "Phones" (IEM) At the moment, routing a signal path to the "Phones" output only is unfortunately not an option... The only workaround I saw in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIWlCNhA96E&t=744s is using 2 stereo send/return blocks for FOH and FRFR. That means using 2 D.I. boxes after the "Send" outputs for the FOH. Then modifying each preset to accommodate that. Both 1/4" outs and XLR outs then become useless if monitoring the ambiance mic and creating a mess of feedback... (notice in the video how the 1/4" and XLR outs are not being used... these are the outputs I use the most!) Puuurty pleease, can we have a choice of "Multi, 1/4", XLR, USB, Send 1 to 4, Phones"? Thanks you in advance everyone for your input (pun intended) and the Line 6 team for their amazing products and customer support! Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Set the Output of your MIC Path to SEND 1/2 or 3/4, then take that to your IEM system. If your guitar signal chain is identical for both FOH and your monitors, you don't need to split the Path, just set the Output Block to MULTI. As to requests, sorry, nobody from L6 hangs out here. Post feature requests to Ideascale: https://line6.ideascale.com/c/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zewuull Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 Thank you so much for your reply rd2rk! Apologies if it wasn't clear in my post, I'll modify that: I only have one path going to MUTLI on the output block already, the path isn't split. Thank you for your idea, it's definitely a great workaround and I can still use 1/4" L+R and XLR L+R for FOH and FRFR monitors as I currently do! Love it. However having the possibility to route the MIC Path to "Phones only" is a bit more streamlined and has advantages: - both my guitar signal path and ambiance mic are going to Phones across all presets (I still need to create/add a path for the ambiance mic on each preset, there's no way around that, it's ok) - only using a single dedicated stereo output (Phones) instead of adding send/return blocks to both signal paths (guitar and mic) and needing 2 mono outputs (SEND 1/2 or 3/4) with a Y cable to my IEM. I still think having the option to use a signal path to "Phones only" would be a worthwhile implementation for a lot of Helix users on "silent stages" (aka all on IEM). Thank you again rd2rk! I will modify my post and add this request to the L6 Ideascale. Hopefully, other users can see the potential of this idea too. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 I'm not sure I understand what you're after with the "ambient" mike, but if you also want the guitar signal going to the IEMs with the MIC signal, place a SEND at the end of the guitar path and a RETURN at the end of the MIC path, then patch the SEND jack to the RETURN jack. Make sure the SEND has DRY THRU set to 0db (or whatever works best). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waymda Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Get a set of these and hear the stage sound properly as you move around. https://www.sensaphonics.com/products/3dme-custom-tour-gen2-music-enhancement-iem-system Easily supplements a proper IEM mix (which your suggested solution will not obviate the need for). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 On 2/6/2024 at 4:59 PM, waymda said: Get a set of these and hear the stage sound properly as you move around. https://www.sensaphonics.com/products/3dme-custom-tour-gen2-music-enhancement-iem-system Easily supplements a proper IEM mix (which your suggested solution will not obviate the need for). $5 for a patch cable or $2000 for that thing. That's an easy choice! BUT if you've got the dough, Pete Thorn LOVED these things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zewuull Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 On 2/7/2024 at 8:15 AM, rd2rk said: I'm not sure I understand what you're after with the "ambient" mike, but if you also want the guitar signal going to the IEMs with the MIC signal, place a SEND at the end of the guitar path and a RETURN at the end of the MIC path, then patch the SEND jack to the RETURN jack. Make sure the SEND has DRY THRU set to 0db (or whatever works best). Thank you, I'll try that too!! Great ideas there rd2rk!! Although it seems a more complicated way of just having PHONES as a selectable output. I will indeed try that nonetheless, thanks! As for the ambient mic, they're often used on "silent stages" (all on IEM) to provide a less isolated feel. You get to add some of the stage sound as well as hearing the audience. It makes a huge difference to IEM mixes, just like stereo monitoring. For my personal application, the ambient mic would be placed at my "sweet spot" where I get to hear a balanced stage sound. Imagine having the perfect band mix in your fallback monitor against your direct amp sound. Except, I can move anywhere on stage and keep that "sweet spot" right there in my ears! I hope it makes sense! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zewuull Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 On 2/7/2024 at 1:23 PM, rd2rk said: $5 for a patch cable or $2000 for that thing. That's an easy choice! BUT if you've got the dough, Pete Thorn LOVED these things! I've seen this video and I know guys who use this type of IEM with ambient mics inside the earbuds. Yes they are not cheap but no professional grade IEM system is. Some high end pairs of moulded earbuds will cost that much alone (without the wireless system!). I could justify the investment, it's not really the issue here. Being able to physically move a condenser mic on stage would allow me to create my own "band mix" of the stage sound and take that sweet spot anywhere with me in my IEM. Need more keys? Move the mic closer to his monitors. Need more vibe? How about facing it towards the crowd and FOH? Etc. With my idea, I wouldn't even need a $5 patch cable lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 On 2/7/2024 at 6:46 AM, Zewuull said: I've seen this video and I know guys who use this type of IEM with ambient mics inside the earbuds. Yes they are not cheap but no professional grade IEM system is. Some high end pairs of moulded earbuds will cost that much alone (without the wireless system!). I could justify the investment, it's not really the issue here. Being able to physically move a condenser mic on stage would allow me to create my own "band mix" of the stage sound and take that sweet spot anywhere with me in my IEM. Need more keys? Move the mic closer to his monitors. Need more vibe? How about facing it towards the crowd and FOH? Etc. With my idea, I wouldn't even need a $5 patch cable lol Unfortunately, the $5 patch cable will wear out before L6 implements your idea. Just sayin'... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zewuull Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 On 2/8/2024 at 5:28 AM, rd2rk said: Unfortunately, the $5 patch cable will wear out before L6 implements your idea. Just sayin'... HAHAHA!! So true. You're right, for now it'll have to be the $5 patch cable with the SEND/RETURN blocks. Hopefully, other users can see the potential of adding PHONES as Output. We'll see if it gathers interest on the Ideascale platform. Thanks again for your help and with this workaround rd2rk!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waymda Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 On 2/8/2024 at 12:46 AM, Zewuull said: Being able to physically move a condenser mic on stage would allow me to create my own "band mix" of the stage sound and take that sweet spot anywhere with me in my IEM. Need more keys? Move the mic closer to his monitors. Need more vibe? How about facing it towards the crowd and FOH? Etc Well yes and no, as you'll need to consider stage real estate, not getting in peoples way etc. Having undertaken a long journey of using IEMs and other monitoring since using a Pod HD500x, my experience is: all monitoring is a compromise adding ambient stage sound to direct IEM mix is much harder to control/manage than you expect - and can have perverse results (for example being flooded by bass through conduction) that are really hard to track down. Its just not as obvious as you might think when you're sound checking etc I used stereo condensers for a while, and franky they made it more problematic than not having them Good IEMs make all the difference, and the amount of bleed you want/need varies from stage to stage (event) I have good molded 64 ears and the Sensaphonics and each is different (not better just different) and I vary what I use depending on the event controlling my IEM mix has proven more important that adding ambience to get the sweet spot I want/need But finding what works for you is the real challenge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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