Line 6 Helix

fretmeister

I do need to get some longish patch cables with straights on 1 end and angled on the other so I can start putting my pedals in the loops to try, and reach the pedals balancing on top of my rack!

Sporky

hugbot said:

I'm wondering if it can replace my RE20, and one of the things I like about the Re20 is having reverb + delay in parallel, though that means you use up a path.

You are correct, but remember that while the B path length is fixed you can start it and stop it anywhere along the A path. And both paths are stereo-capable, so using path B just for reverb isn't necessarily going to constrict what you can do very much.

fretmeister

I have finally installed the editor software.

What great fun, and as easy as the Helix is, sitting at a PC and making up stuff for later use is more comfy!

fretmeister

Annoying that the editor won't run without being connected to the Helix though.

Cabicular

The fractal stuff is the same
I guess it is just a window into the unit rather than an emulation
I.e without a full software emulation of the helix it wouldn't be able to allocate the DSP properly

duotone

Been looking at this thread with keen interest, especially as the units seem a bit more readily available now.

Just wondered if anyone has bought the rack unit? & what, if any are the advantages of the rack unit over the floor based unit?

fretmeister

I've got the rack.

Worse: no expression pedal on the controller.

Better: no bending to the floor, and the brain is away from spilled beer.

I think the rack has an extra expression jack on the back so the total number of expression pedals can be the same.

Cabicular

Don't forget the extra 500 quid ...
i like the idea of the rack but by the time I got a spare floor controller I could probably get two floor mount units
Having said that .. The idea of a racked helix plumbed in to two racked Fryette Power Stations does give me a bit of a warm fuzzy feeling in my 'setup' region

duotone

Cheers Fretmeister!

It does look like a very interesting bit of kit.

Bearing in mind I'm still using a Pod XT with all the amp/model packs installed. It's still technology well over 10 years old.

So am I right in saying that the Helix would be a huge upgrade in terms of sound quality?

Oh and what do you think of the clean tones? As most of the reviews I have seen have been heavily focused on distortion/metal sounds.

fretmeister

Cabicular said:

Don't forget the extra 500 quid ...
i like the idea of the rack but by the time I got a spare floor controller I could probably get two floor mount units
Having said that .. The idea of a racked helix plumbed in to two racked Fryette Power Stations does give me a bit of a warm fuzzy feeling in my 'setup' region

It's not £500 more!

Rack is £1050 and £300. That's £1350

Floor unit is £1110

Difference is £240

Cabicular

Sorry prices have changed a bit then

Fiftyshadesofjay

As I still have the Helix at the moment I've been experimenting with 4CM and can't seem to get it to work.

I'm following the instructions to the letter here - 

The strange thing is, when I run it with two cables, input > send 1 > amp input it's fine. If I do guitar > amp input and then amp send > Helix input > Helix Send 1 > amp return it works fine also.

However when I attempt the 4cm as per the video it doesn't work at all. For some reason the amp preamp gets bypassed and I just end up with a clean sound, no effects. The helix volume effects this as well. Controls on the front of the amp do nothing.

I'm assuming that it's bypassing the send and return and routing straight to my power section. Amp loop definitely works fine, and I understand the routing in principle so I must be missing something.

Anybody have any ideas? 

Thanks!

fretmeister

Not a clue I'm afraid - I don't own a guitar amp to try it with.

fretmeister

Right then - external expression pedals.

I have the Rack version so there is no pedal.

@Sporky recommends the Source Audio Reflex which looks to be an excellent and scarily complicated item full of midi control numbers and needing a power supply.

And I've just discovered that Mission have now released the EP1-L6H - a Helix specific pedal that (unlike the EP1-L6) has a toe switch as well. That doesn't need any power, but it doesn't have the capability of the Replex.

The difference in price is a good £60 odd.

I'm a bit torn. For the things in my head the Mission one would do what I want it to do (I think).

But the Reflex would probably do things that I don't know that I want to do yet but will one day find irresistible.

I am aware that at some point I will probably want 2 expression pedals so I can have a wah and a whammy type thing available in the same patch at the same time.

Decisions, decisions.

Sporky

The Reflex is great, and I've not found it particularly complex to set up.

That said, I would imagine that much of what I'm using it for (the LFOs in particular) may well appear as core features of the Helix at some point, and then it's an expensive way to get an expression pedal if you're not using all its extras.

fretmeister

Where's good to get short TRS cables for expression pedal use?

I can't seem to find much that isn't far too long.

Sporky

The Reflex comes with one. Otherwise I got one from t'bay for not-much. Or Mr Kabl would surely oblige...

Cabicular

You don't need a trs if that's any help

Sporky

Doh - of course you don't!. You reminded me that I had to switch the Reflex into TS mode.

fretmeister

Doh. I didn't even look on ebay!

If I go for the Mission one - that needs 2. The clever chaps at L6 remembered to duplicate the external control sockets on the foot controller as well as the rack. So that's nice!

ADDITIONAL

The comments on this suggest that the Mission only needs TS and not TRS. That would be handy as I have plenty TS patch cables.

However - the jack plugs in the vid are nice and short. Anyone know what make they are?