Duel Amp Signal Chain Problem

[jeffsoble]

Hey everyone,

 

I’m not too educated in the engineering side of things and I’m pretty new to the Helix (coming from the Pod HD 500x) so I really need some help.

 

I’m trying to set up a Bonamassa style signal chain with both a Fender Twin Reverb and Dumble amps. I placed a noise gate, an LA-2A compressor, and a Tube Screamer and a basic analog style delay in the chain. I then went to place the amps in the chain and even did it with the amp/cab combo, which I never normally do, to save DSP and the system wouldn’t let me do it. 
 

I have to be doing something wrong. I know people use signal chains a heck of a lot more complicated than that. I normally use a much longer chain myself but usually only with 1 amp.

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks

Jeff

[silverhead]

Which Helix model do you have? With the Helix Floor, Rack, or LT you have dual DSP processors which provide two independent processing paths. Use both paths and place one amp/cab in Path 1 and the other in Path 2.
 

The HX Stomp only has one DSP processor, and half the processing power. Although it supports parallel paths, that’s different from two independent paths. There will be DSP constraints on the Stomp for what you want to do.

[jeffsoble]

I have Helix Floor. So if I’m understanding you correctly I should just set the front of the bottom path to accept either “multiple” or “guitar” and go from there? Do you duplicate the entire chain or will the system  know to pick up the effects from the top? Or is there a way to direct the signal post effects to the 2nd chain where the 2nd amp sits?

 

thanks for your help!

[waymda]

Hi - I made this ages ago, and will have changed it lots since then, but its a mulitple amp, multiple cab set-up that you can use as a starting point.

 

When you try to change things, if it looks like you can't use an amp you want to try, delete effects on the line the amp is on until DSP is freed up. Likewise for cabs.

 

https://line6.com/customtone/tone/5531740/

[silverhead]

On 6/14/2025 at 5:29 PM, jeffsoble said:

I have Helix Floor. So if I’m understanding you correctly I should just set the front of the bottom path to accept either “multiple” or “guitar” and go from there? Do you duplicate the entire chain or will the system  know to pick up the effects from the top? Or is there a way to direct the signal post effects to the 2nd chain where the 2nd amp sits?

 

thanks for your help!

Yes, you can set the Input block of the bottom path (Path 2A) to multi or guitar. But this is unnecessary in your case because…..

The paths are completely independent; nothing from the top path (Path 1) is ‘picked up’ unless … 

You direct the Output of Path 1 to the Input of Path 2A. This removes the need to duplicate blocks and effectively creates a single signal path spanning both Path 1 and Path 2.
 

When using multiple amps I tend to assign the Output of Path 1 to Path 2A so that all FX in Path 1 are carried through to Path 2. I place one amp/cab in Path 1 and the other in Path 2. There is sufficient DSP for both amps/cabs and lots left over in each Path for FX processing.

 

You can arrange to have the sound from either amp/cab individually, or a blend of the two. I assign an expression pedal to the Channel Volume parameter with inverted Min/Max settings to control the blend ratio; toe position is 100% one amp and heel position is 100% the other; exact middle position is 50% each; intermediate positions provide one amp more than the other. You can use Snapshots to control different on/off states as well as different parameter settings for both amps/cabs, as well as all FX blocks.
 

There is a tremendous amount of flexibility in preset creation. Experiment with options until your head spins, then take a break and go back at it again later. Repeat for a couple of years, by which time you’ll be ready for Helix Stadium!

 

 

[jeffsoble]

Thank you guys, I appreciate the help!