Total noob question - using Helix Floor purely as an effects unit

[Mastodon2]

Hey all,

 

Until recently I've been using my Helix Floor purely as an amp sim running into the front of my EVH 5150 III, very simple setup, easy to use etc.

 

I've purchased a Diezel VH4 and no longer have any desire to use the amp sims on the Helix, so I want to run the Helix purely into the effects loop of my Diezel so I can get the Diezel tone but with reverb, delay etc after the Diezel preamp stage. 

 

I thought it would have been a simple case of running a cable from 1/4" out of the Helix into the effects loop of my amp but I cannot get any sound from the loop. 

 

The Diezel has the following 1/4" sockets on the back of the amp:

Send 1

Send 2

Return A Serial

Return A Parallel

 

At the moment I'm wired up this like this: 

 

Guitar ---> Input

Helix 1/4" out -----> Return A Parallel

 

This way I can hear my guitar but the Helix is doing nothing. I tried plugging into Return A Serial but I get no sound from the amp at all doing that. I've got the Helix 1/4" out setting to 'instrument' as per the Line6 video on the subject of using a Helix in an effects loop.

 

Do I need to use one of the Send jacks on the amp to come back to the Helix? If so. where do I plug into on the Helix for that return point?

 

Sorry if I sound like a total noob. I originally bought the Helix as a tidier option than having a big pedalboard, but now I'm half thinking I'd be better of selling it and going back to individual pedals. Still, in the short term I'd like to hear my amp with a bit of reverb for the lead playing, if anyone can help! 

 

Thanks very much!

 

 

[silverhead]

I suggest you use the 4-cable method (4CM). That setup is described in the manual as one of the options for connecting to other equipment. It allows you to use Helix FX both before and after your amp in the signal chain, so you can position some FX (e.g. dynamics, distortion) before your amp’s preamp section, and some FX (delay, modulation, reverb) after your preamp but before the cab/speaker. In your Helix preset place the FX Loop block in the signal chain where you want to send the signal to the physical amp’s guitar input.

Try the setup as described in the manual and come back with further questions if necessary.

[rd2rk]

I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU READ THE DIEZEL VH4 MANUAL!!!

Section 3.2 contains a VERY detailed explanation of the FX Loop functions!

Up until now you've been flying paper airplanes. You're trying to move to an F-35!

READ THE MANUAL!

 

VH4&VH4S_Manual_05062024.pdf

 

If I understand you correctly, you don't want any effects (such as modulations - phaser, flanger, trem/vib) BEFORE the DZ Preamp.

All you want is some time-based effects between the pre and power amp.

 

Sell the Helix, get a couple of TC Electronics Hall of Fame pedals (delay/reverb) and spend the difference on wine, women and song.

 

If you'd prefer to continue to under-utilize your Helix (still better than the above TCE solution), take the SEND 1 from the DZ into the Helix Input (INSTRUMENT LEVEL) and the Helix Left Mono Out (INSTRUMENT LEVEL) to the DZ RETURN A SERIAL. Place your time-based FX blocks in the signal path between the Input and Output.

 

I'm going to assume that you are playing HEAVY METAL music. Maximum GAIN.

For the sake of clarity, if you are using both reverb and delay, place them in PARALLEL.

When all of your delay repeats are drenched in reverb (as when the FX are in SERIAL) your sound turns to MUD.

The simplest way to do this is to split the Helix signal path (RTM) and place the Reverb in PATH A and the Delay in Path B.

You can then use the LEVEL and MIX controls in the individual FX blocks and the MIX Block (where the two paths merge back into one) to fine tune the FX to taste.

Your wiring remains the same UNLESS you want to mix the un-effected DZ Preamp signal with the effected signal from the Helix.

In that case you would use the RETURN A PARALLEL instead of the RETURN A SERIAL and control the MIX from the rear panel FX Loop Parallel VOLUME control. 

 

Did I mention that I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU READ THE DIEZEL VH4 MANUAL!!!?

 

If, at some point, you decide to take full advantage of the capabilities of your Helix, read the Helix manual's section on "Four Cable Method" (4cm).

Even METAL music uses things like WAH (Kirk Hammet?), flangers and phasers. Just sayin'.

 

 

[Schmalle]

If you haven't been successful yet: start with using Helix in the loop. 

guitar -> VH4 input

VH4 send -> Helix in

Helix out -> VH4 parallel return

 

Engage Send 2 button on the front panel and set the "Volume Parallel Loop" knob to noon.

 

In Helix create an empty patch, select a reverb block and set it's Mix parameter to 100%.

Crank Helix's VOLUME knob.

 

You should now hear your VH4 sound with reverb and you should be able to dial in the amount with Vh4's "Volume Parallel Loop" knob.

[Mastodon2]

On 11/8/2025 at 8:10 PM, Schmalle said:

If you haven't been successful yet: start with using Helix in the loop. 

guitar -> VH4 input

VH4 send -> Helix in

Helix out -> VH4 parallel return

 

Engage Send 2 button on the front panel and set the "Volume Parallel Loop" knob to noon.

 

In Helix create an empty patch, select a reverb block and set it's Mix parameter to 100%.

Crank Helix's VOLUME knob.

 

You should now hear your VH4 sound with reverb and you should be able to dial in the amount with Vh4's "Volume Parallel Loop" knob.

 

This was the wiring method I settled on when I tried using other pedals. Individual pedals work fine with the Diezel, it's just the Helix that seems to not work. I've got it set up simply as a patch with a single reverb block but there's no reverb being added to the sound. Whatever configuration I have it in was working fine when I used it into the front of my 5150 but with the changes I made based on Line 6's videos and manuals unfortunately seem to have been ineffective. 

 

On 11/8/2025 at 4:46 PM, rd2rk said:

I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU READ THE DIEZEL VH4 MANUAL!!!

Section 3.2 contains a VERY detailed explanation of the FX Loop functions!

Up until now you've been flying paper airplanes. You're trying to move to an F-35!

READ THE MANUAL!

 

VH4&VH4S_Manual_05062024.pdf

 

If I understand you correctly, you don't want any effects (such as modulations - phaser, flanger, trem/vib) BEFORE the DZ Preamp.

All you want is some time-based effects between the pre and power amp.

 

Sell the Helix, get a couple of TC Electronics Hall of Fame pedals (delay/reverb) and spend the difference on wine, women and song.

 

If you'd prefer to continue to under-utilize your Helix (still better than the above TCE solution), take the SEND 1 from the DZ into the Helix Input (INSTRUMENT LEVEL) and the Helix Left Mono Out (INSTRUMENT LEVEL) to the DZ RETURN A SERIAL. Place your time-based FX blocks in the signal path between the Input and Output.

 

I'm going to assume that you are playing HEAVY METAL music. Maximum GAIN.

For the sake of clarity, if you are using both reverb and delay, place them in PARALLEL.

When all of your delay repeats are drenched in reverb (as when the FX are in SERIAL) your sound turns to MUD.

The simplest way to do this is to split the Helix signal path (RTM) and place the Reverb in PATH A and the Delay in Path B.

You can then use the LEVEL and MIX controls in the individual FX blocks and the MIX Block (where the two paths merge back into one) to fine tune the FX to taste.

Your wiring remains the same UNLESS you want to mix the un-effected DZ Preamp signal with the effected signal from the Helix.

In that case you would use the RETURN A PARALLEL instead of the RETURN A SERIAL and control the MIX from the rear panel FX Loop Parallel VOLUME control. 

 

Did I mention that I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU READ THE DIEZEL VH4 MANUAL!!!?

 

If, at some point, you decide to take full advantage of the capabilities of your Helix, read the Helix manual's section on "Four Cable Method" (4cm).

Even METAL music uses things like WAH (Kirk Hammet?), flangers and phasers. Just sayin'.

 

 

 

I own or have owned various ODs, a Strymon Big Sky, Morley Bad Horsie wah, various chorus, delays, flangers and phasers etc, I just put them into storage or sold them as I preferred just having the Helix as a single unit because it was convenient and tidy with less wires, a small unit to transport etc. All I wanted at the time of the original post was to hear my new amp with some reverb on as that is the only effect I use regularly when playing leads and solos.  However, the effects in the Helix are not as good as the individual pedals and this coupled with the issues I'm having with getting the Helix to work in the loop has me leaning towards doing a factory reset on the Helix and selling it. 

[rd2rk]

If any of those pedals worked in the VH4 FX loop, and the Helix doesn't work configured as I first suggested:

 

On 11/8/2025 at 9:46 AM, rd2rk said:

take the SEND 1 from the DZ into the Helix Input (INSTRUMENT LEVEL) and the Helix Left Mono Out (INSTRUMENT LEVEL) to the DZ RETURN A SERIAL. Place your time-based FX blocks in the signal path between the Input and Output.

 

AND you've read the Helix and VH4 manuals, then yes, you should perform a Factory Reset and sell the Helix.

[Mastodon2]

Funnily enough, as I was searching through my cave of forgotten gear, I found a Helix HX effects that I had completely forgotten that I owned. I may well just use that as an interim to give me some passable effects while I build up a proper pedalboard again. As my tube amp collection grows, there is less and less need to own the full Helix floor, it would seem.

[rd2rk]

Configuration/wiring is the same on HXFX as Helix.

 

[Schmalle]

A total noob with a cave of forgotten gear? 

 

Find the error.

[Mastodon2]

On 11/9/2025 at 6:48 PM, Schmalle said:

A total noob with a cave of forgotten gear? 

 

Find the error.

 

Yes, as I say I'm a novice when it comes to using my effects loop as I have previously only gone into the front of my amps. The Vh4 is a bit of a complex beast, having an effects loop for every channel, plus 2 additional series and parallel loops and midi switching on top of that. In comparison on my EVH, when I was using Helix patches (which I generally only deployed to do something the 5150 just could never do, like an Eric Johnson tone) I just made presets on the Helix, plugged it into the front of the 5150 on channel 1 and set the EQ on the 5150 flat.

 

Funnily enough, rd2rk's method worked for wiring up the Helix FX unit (thanks for that!) but the Helix Floor, still no luck. It still worked as before with my custom presets running into my 5150, but as I will probably move the 5150 to a practice space, it seems pointless to keep the Helix. I won't be using the amp / cab blocks, I don't use it as a recording interface and the effects aren't good enough in themselves to warrant holding on it - I'd rather just go back to a full suite of individual pedals at this point. The Helix has now been subject to a factory reset, is photographed, boxed and ready to go on sale. I'll probably use the HX FX as an interim and then sell that once I've got a few more bits and pieces to get my full band pedalboard back together.

 

I thought yesterday that I'd keep it simple, if all I need if reverb then I could just plug in an old TC Electronics Hall of Fame 2, despite me not being overly enamoured with the sounds on it, but it made a sort of digital noise before cutting out, just my luck! Not a battery issue as I run everything from a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2, so I guess it just became decrepit in storage - I hadn't used it in years. Oh well. The delve into the storage did yield a few nice finds I'd forgotten about, a TC Polytune, a Digitech Whammy 4, a Boss chorus and a few other bits, so I'm already a good part of the way along to where I need to be for band and jams. For home use, a nice reverb will suffice and perhaps a bit of delay. 

 

Alas, it seems my journey with Line 6 products is coming to an end. I did think after owning a PodXT around 2005 that I'd never come back to the brand, but the Helix line is pretty good at which it sets out to do. it served a purpose, for a time, but I think that time has passed. Thanks for all the assistance from everyone who responded!