Helix Native

octatonic

Teetonetal said:

Is "dsp" usage limited so that patches translate to the HW or is it open ended?

It changes when I change patches.
It spikes to 100% when doing this, which is slightly annoying- I guess that will be fixed in a point release.

TimmyO

Teetonetal said:

Is "dsp" usage limited so that patches translate to the HW or is it open ended?

You can have it in compatability mode, or unlimited

TimmyO

octatonic said:

Ok, I've got it installed and spent a few minutes with it.

Pretty impressed thus far- enough that I'll definitely be buying it.
I could see this actually replacing the Axe FX if it does everything I need it to in the studio.
It looks like it will and it is more flexible than the Axe FX 2, because I don't need to keep a list of patches for reamping later, plus I can plug into different Mic Preamps depending on what I am doing.
Also I can create chains of other plugins more easily than with the Axe FX.
It is a total no-brainer and a huge game changer.

It won't replace the FX8 for live or for looper duties I don't think.

I'm using it with a Focusrite Red 8 Pre or Apogee Symphony into Logic or Pro Tools.
CPU usage is pretty high at this stage but I expect that might come down a bit.
The below graphic shows how much of one core the Helix and Slate VMR with a compressor and EQ on it will take.
By itself the Helix takes about 1/2 of one core on a 4.2ghz i& iMac 5k 27" with 40GB RAM at 32 samples.

I'll try it on the Protools rig later.
Does anyone know if you can have multiple authorisations or not?
I run Pro Tools and Logic on separate systems at the moment and it helps to not have to move authorisations all the time.

up to 4 machines

Teetonetal

TimmyO said:

Teetonetal said:

Is "dsp" usage limited so that patches translate to the HW or is it open ended?

You can have it in compatability mode, or unlimited

Ah. Neat. 

TimmyO

fretmeister said:

TimmyO said:

For those coming new to Helix via Native - check out the "Litigator" amp model.

It's not a direct copy of anything sp can get overlooked - but it's fantastic 

It is very nice - but I thought it was a Dumble?

No - there's a good post on the L6 forums (currently down) where one of the L6 guys describes how he came up with the design for it - I think it started in D territory and went from there, but it's not a copy of any 1 thing 

Fretwired

TimmyO said:

up to 4 machines

That will be interesting as those new to Line 6 will come across something from the dark ages - only four products/instances can be authorised at a time and you only have 10 for a lifetime (if you run out you have to email them). I had to create a new account for Helix but if I want to buy it with a discount I'll have to deactivate something I own which is a pain.

I hope this counts as one activation but I doubt it.

Drew_TNBD

Fretwired said:

TimmyO said:

up to 4 machines

That will be interesting as those new to Line 6 will come across something from the dark ages - only four products/instances can be authorised at a time and you only have 10 for a lifetime (if you run out you have to email them). I had to create a new account for Helix but if I want to buy it with a discount I'll have to deactivate something I own which is a pain.

I hope this counts as one activation but I doubt it.

You're making me go into fanboi mode again! But off the top of my head the following companies have limited number of slots for simultaneous challenge/response authorisations: FXpansion (3 is the limit), Toontrack (2 at a time), IK Multimedia (not sure on the limit but there is one), Waves (just 1... just 1!), Ableton (2 slots).

The Line 6 policy is actually quite generous with 4 simultaneous installs. One for your laptop, one for your home machine, one for your studio machine, and a spare in case one of those machines dies at the weekend and you need to auth it again.

TimmyO

and you should see how positive the support from the Helix product owner on their forums and the big FB group is. 

I'd be surprised if they were anything other than helpful were anyone to run in to genuine issues over it. 

Drew_TNBD

Line 6 seemed like they used to have a walled-off policy. I remember years ago even before Rich Renken, it seemed like they wouldn't really talk to their users. That changed at some point, and their customer service and user outreach are only getting better.

And now I really do sound like a fanboi! In my defense, I thought the Line 6 amplifi suuucccckkkkkeeeddd!  

Fretwired

Drew_TNBD said:

Fretwired said:

TimmyO said:

up to 4 machines

That will be interesting as those new to Line 6 will come across something from the dark ages - only four products/instances can be authorised at a time and you only have 10 for a lifetime (if you run out you have to email them). I had to create a new account for Helix but if I want to buy it with a discount I'll have to deactivate something I own which is a pain.

I hope this counts as one activation but I doubt it.

You're making me go into fanboi mode again! But off the top of my head the following companies have limited number of slots for simultaneous challenge/response authorisations: FXpansion (3 is the limit), Toontrack (2 at a time), IK Multimedia (not sure on the limit but there is one), Waves (just 1... just 1!), Ableton (2 slots).

The Line 6 policy is actually quite generous with 4 simultaneous installs. One for your laptop, one for your home machine, one for your studio machine, and a spare in case one of those machines dies at the weekend and you need to auth it again.

No it isn't. For example, Toontrack is 2 instances of the same product. There's no limit to the number of different Toontrack products you can install. You can only have ine product installed on two computers at a time.

Line 6 is four devices period .... check out my account below .. my older PODs are deauthorised to get around the problem.

It won't be a problem for you as you have Helix hardware and no legacy devices.

Sporky

TimmyO said:

Teetonetal said:

Is "dsp" usage limited so that patches translate to the HW or is it open ended?

You can have it in compatability mode, or unlimited

Now that is well aligned with my interests. Though I do wonder whether my PC is more powerful than a Helix...

Cabicular

fretmeister said:

Chad's just confirmed that eventually the foot controller will be able to control Native.

That will be awesome.

This is really firing up my recording desires again. Not done it since I had a standalone Yamaha thing with a CD burner in it.

I've written a shitload of songs over the years. Would be nice to get them recorded. One of you tossers will have to do the drums for me though!  

Aw16G?

mrleon83

I can believe this £400 software is only 27mb.. must be some incredible developers ...

Cabicular

Drew_TNBD said:

Fretwired said:

TimmyO said:

up to 4 machines

That will be interesting as those new to Line 6 will come across something from the dark ages - only four products/instances can be authorised at a time and you only have 10 for a lifetime (if you run out you have to email them). I had to create a new account for Helix but if I want to buy it with a discount I'll have to deactivate something I own which is a pain.

I hope this counts as one activation but I doubt it.

You're making me go into fanboi mode again! But off the top of my head the following companies have limited number of slots for simultaneous challenge/response authorisations: FXpansion (3 is the limit), Toontrack (2 at a time), IK Multimedia (not sure on the limit but there is one), Waves (just 1... just 1!), Ableton (2 slots).

The Line 6 policy is actually quite generous with 4 simultaneous installs. One for your laptop, one for your home machine, one for your studio machine, and a spare in case one of those machines dies at the weekend and you need to auth it again.

iK multimedia I've had to go to them twice to get them to reset my auths
they do it really quickly but it does happen

Teetonetal

Fretwired said:

Drew_TNBD said:

Fretwired said:

TimmyO said:

up to 4 machines

That will be interesting as those new to Line 6 will come across something from the dark ages - only four products/instances can be authorised at a time and you only have 10 for a lifetime (if you run out you have to email them). I had to create a new account for Helix but if I want to buy it with a discount I'll have to deactivate something I own which is a pain.

I hope this counts as one activation but I doubt it.

You're making me go into fanboi mode again! But off the top of my head the following companies have limited number of slots for simultaneous challenge/response authorisations: FXpansion (3 is the limit), Toontrack (2 at a time), IK Multimedia (not sure on the limit but there is one), Waves (just 1... just 1!), Ableton (2 slots).

The Line 6 policy is actually quite generous with 4 simultaneous installs. One for your laptop, one for your home machine, one for your studio machine, and a spare in case one of those machines dies at the weekend and you need to auth it again.

No it isn't. For example, Toontrack is 2 instances of the same product. There's no limit to the number of different Toontrack products you can install. You can only have ine product installed on two computers at a time.

Line 6 is four devices period .... check out my account below .. my older PODs are deauthorised to get around the problem.

It won't be a problem for you as you have Helix hardware and no legacy devices.

That doesn't make any sense at all. Very odd policy.

robinbowes

TimmyO said:

If you just need a way to get instrument -> computer then a Line6 Sonic Port VX (the VX one works on Mac and PC too, the original version is just iOS) would be a nice compact option http://uk.line6.com/sonicport-audio-interface/sonicport-vx/ ;

What are the mics like? Can it record mics + guitar at the same time?

R.

Sporky

mrleon83 said:

I can believe this £400 software is only 27mb.. must be some incredible developers ...

So you'd prefer 4Gb of bloatware?

Grumpyrocker

Sporky said:

mrleon83 said:

I can believe this £400 software is only 27mb.. must be some incredible developers ...

So you'd prefer 4Gb of bloatware?

No surprise at all. It's all code. With simple graphics, no massive textures, no large sampled audio. Software like this is small.

fretmeister

Cabicular said:

fretmeister said:

Chad's just confirmed that eventually the foot controller will be able to control Native.

That will be awesome.

This is really firing up my recording desires again. Not done it since I had a standalone Yamaha thing with a CD burner in it.

I've written a shitload of songs over the years. Would be nice to get them recorded. One of you tossers will have to do the drums for me though!  

Aw16G?

I think so - that looks right. Was about 10 years ago or so.

I got it used on ebay and it always was a bit dodgy - like it had been dropped!

mrleon83

Sporky said:

mrleon83 said:

I can believe this £400 software is only 27mb.. must be some incredible developers ...

So you'd prefer 4Gb of bloatware?

No way ! just surprised !