Settings for Helix in 4CM

gearaddict

Just moving this query from the main Helix thread to see if anyone has any advice...for 4CM with the helix, where do people set the main volume of the unit (the big knob!)? With my Orange TH30 I'm having to turn it up to at least half way to get any kind of signal through to the power amp. This makes the modelled amps blastingly loud and I have to turn their channel volumes down to about 1 or 2 to compensate (the default is usually 8). Is that normal? I remember a similar thing with the PodHD500X where they said ideally you should run the main unit volume at full for this kind of thing. But then I don't think the modeled amps were so loud.

I'm wondering if turning things down so much will mean I will struggle to get enough signal for sending to the XLR output for going direct to the PA...? Hard to test properly at home but I'm not getting much signal to headphones mapped to the XLR out (I have to turn everything up again to hear it).

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Drew_TNBD

For 4CM setups I run the main output of my patch through Send 3 and not the main outputs, and this then goes to the amp return.

This takes the volume pot out of the equation all together.

You're entirely correct, for this particular way of working, the built in preamps are generally too loud. What you can do is turn down the modelled amp master levels, or add a gain after it and use that to attenuate the signal.

gearaddict

Ah, ok...I'm on the LT so only have 2 loops but I can use send 2. Good idea.

So, if you turn the modelled pre-amps right down to 1 or 2, is there an issue with getting a direct signal for the PA? Do you need to boost that somehow?

gearaddict

Just a thought - I still have an Award-Session Solo Booster knocking around. It's basically a footswitchable volume pot in a box that you stick in the fx loop. Kind of a master volume that you can bypass for solos. I might stick that in the loop...kind of gives me a master volume on the TH-30...

gearaddict

Well, that works...if I turn the 'booster' down all the way I can crank the real amp pre-amp up far enough to match the modelled ones. It's a bit scary though...ive got the pre-amp up to about 2 o'clock. It's never been past maybe 8 o'clock before...if I accidentally bypass the booster I'm going to get decapitated!

John_A

Mich better to use a gain block in the Helix patch that way there's much less chance of turning it off by accident 

gearaddict

I think I did try that but there wasn't nearly enough boost available.

John_A

gearaddict said:

I think I did try that but there wasn't nearly enough boost available.

2 gain blocks?

gearaddict

Actually it does work...if I boost the return in the s/r block and follow it with a gain block then it's enough. I think that is a better solution , as you say.

siremoon

FWIW (which may be nothing) - my number one Helix tip is to disable the big volume knob and manage levels using blocks.

gearaddict

Would that not be a bit awkward for live use?

I dunno - it may have been a mistake to set up 4CM. I set up a footswitch to toggle between the real and modelled pre-amps, mainly to get the levels sorted, but inevitably I ended up thinking about which I preferred and I always came down on the side of the real amp. It just seemed more open and lively. There's something kind of flat about the modelled amps...not sure how to describe it but when I switch back to the valve amp I just kind of go "ah - there it is". And it was a fairly blind test because I kept forgetting which way round I had set the footswitch but when I checked, it was always the valve amp I preferred.

That's fine I guess..I can always use the helix in 4CM with a real amp but that's kind of overkill for my needs.

This is the thing. I always end up tying myself in knots with these units, then get frustrated and go back to pedals.

Fiftyshadesofjay

siremoon said:

FWIW (which may be nothing) - my number one Helix tip is to disable the big volume knob and manage levels using blocks.

I do this as well. Considering its unity disabled (the same as up full) anything less is just degrading your time to some degree. At least you can't accidentally knock it if it's disabled

siremoon

gearaddict said:

Would that not be a bit awkward for live use?

Not in my experience.