Switching btw PC and regular speakers in patches

[rwinking]

I have a Helix rack and use it for all of my FX. I still use the Synergy/Egnater tube stuff for guitar but like the idea of using a powercab for Variax acoustc sounds. My question is how to set up a patch that defaults to my tube amp (4CM) on some songs and then to the powercab for the acoustic stuff. I am using the L6 Link cable between the Helix and PC. It seems there should be some simple internal switching that can send the signal to one or the other but I have not found it yet. YOu know, hit a button and it goes to my tube amp and Cab and then hit a button and it goes to the PC+ for that lovely FRFR sound.

thanks

rick

[rd2rk]

Place a SEND with DRY THRU set to -120db at the end of the signal chain and use that for the amp return.

Use a FS or Snapshot to toggle it ON for the amp, OFF for the Powercab.

[rwinking]

Thanks. I am not quite sure how to interpret this. I use the Helix and Synergy Syn 2 4CM. I use the FX loop, so will this mess with that?

[rd2rk]

On 2/20/2024 at 1:55 PM, rwinking said:

I have a Helix rack and use it for all of my FX. I still use the Synergy/Egnater tube stuff for guitar but like the idea of using a powercab for Variax acoustc sounds. My question is how to set up a patch that defaults to my tube amp (4CM) on some songs and then to the powercab for the acoustic stuff. I am using the L6 Link cable between the Helix and PC. It seems there should be some simple internal switching that can send the signal to one or the other but I have not found it yet. YOu know, hit a button and it goes to my tube amp and Cab and then hit a button and it goes to the PC+ for that lovely FRFR sound.

thanks

rick

 

On 2/21/2024 at 10:06 AM, rwinking said:

Thanks. I am not quite sure how to interpret this. I use the Helix and Synergy Syn 2 4CM. I use the FX loop, so will this mess with that?

 

I infer from your original question that you want to use a single preset for 4cm with electric guitar and Synergy with a guitar cab, then be able to switch to Powercab for Variax acoustic.

 

Normally for 4cm you would return the post amp signal with FX like delay and reverb to the guitar amp via the MAIN Outs. When you instead use a SEND you're doing the same thing except that the BIG KNOB would no longer control the volume and the Global EQ would no longer apply. Setting the DRY THRU of the SEND to -120db prevents the signal from going to the MAIN OUTS/Powercab until you want the VARIAX/Acoustic thing. This allows for a lot of flexibility:

 

By switching OFF the FX LOOP Block and the SEND Block you bypass the guitar amp, allowing the signal to pass through to the MAIN Outs to the Powercab/FOH.

 

By switching off ONLY the SEND Block the signal still passes through the Synergy preamp section, but the power amp section is replaced with the Powercab.

NOTE: this is not ideal because the signal to the Powercab doesn't contain the tube poweramp component. You can get this back by using a Reactive Load Box and taking the LINE OUT back to a Helix RETURN with the RETURN Block next to the SEND Block and toggling ON when the SEND is OFF. 

 

By switching OFF the FX LOOP and SEND and including one (or more) Helix Amps which then turn ON, you bypass the Synergy and can use the Helix Amp(s) with Powercab with or without speaker emulation for electric or acoustic. This allows for completely different tone options in addition to the Synergy Module(s) and MIDI configuration.

 

You didn't specify how/where you have the Variax in the signal chain, but it's all just plumbing and the FX LOOP and SEND/RETURN are valves.

You control it all with Snapshots.

[rwinking]

Ah....that really helps. Thanks for the explanation and I think I can do it now!

rick