Line 6 Helix

Drew_TNBD

Line 6 killed it with their focus on bassists. What Fractal don't understand is that a lot of guitarists also write SONGS... and part of writing a song is also writing accompanying BASSLINES....

Most bassists can also play the guitar, and most guitarists can also play the bass.

Roland

There have been no firmware updates from Fractal for several months. When this has happened before it was because they were working on something significant. Hopefully they are responding to the challenge from the Helix, and the two companies will continue to rival each other with product improvements.

guitarfishbay

Yes it's been over 3 months.

IIRC Quantum dropped a little after the Helix and was a genuine improvement. I honestly just want bass gear and a plugin now, the modelling is excellent IMO

Cabicular

It probably helped that @Digital_Igloo is a Bass Player

digitalscream

I've just been mucking around with the Helix LT and the TC Mimiq in the loop to simulate double-tracking. It's a bloody marvel...so much less clutter on my desk than when I was using the Mimiq -> dual amps -> dummy loads -> interface, and no need for the usual isolating transformers etc. It's just a straight rhythm patch, so SLO OD channel on one side and Archon Lead on the other.

Sounds at least as good to my ears. I love this thing (well, both of them), and it's going to save a lot of time recording. I'll do some clips later in the weekend...highly recommended, though.

gearaddict

Silly question probably...when using the cab modelling on the helix, I have been putting the mod fx between the amp and the cab. This is effectively putting them after the power amp when normally (with real amps and pedals) they would be before it. Is that right? Is there something different you should do when using the cabs?

guitarfishbay

Cabicular said:

It probably helped that @Digital_Igloo is a Bass Player

Aha that does make sense. I think they've done a great job with the bass stuff

guitarfishbay

digitalscream said:

I've just been mucking around with the Helix LT and the TC Mimiq in the loop to simulate double-tracking. It's a bloody marvel...so much less clutter on my desk than when I was using the Mimiq -> dual amps -> dummy loads -> interface, and no need for the usual isolating transformers etc. It's just a straight rhythm patch, so SLO OD channel on one side and Archon Lead on the other.

Sounds at least as good to my ears. I love this thing (well, both of them), and it's going to save a lot of time recording. I'll do some clips later in the weekend...highly recommended, though.

Do you actually find the Mimiq as good as double tracking or is it mostly the convenience? 

digitalscream

guitarfishbay said:

digitalscream said:

I've just been mucking around with the Helix LT and the TC Mimiq in the loop to simulate double-tracking. It's a bloody marvel...so much less clutter on my desk than when I was using the Mimiq -> dual amps -> dummy loads -> interface, and no need for the usual isolating transformers etc. It's just a straight rhythm patch, so SLO OD channel on one side and Archon Lead on the other.

Sounds at least as good to my ears. I love this thing (well, both of them), and it's going to save a lot of time recording. I'll do some clips later in the weekend...highly recommended, though.

Do you actually find the Mimiq as good as double tracking or is it mostly the convenience? 

I find it's as good - you have to get the right tightness setting, which can take a bit of fiddling (I like it just above north), and you also have to nudge the track forward a little. By definition, the second track can only ever be behind the first, so for a "true" double tracking emulation you have to bring it forward a touch so that it's sometimes ahead, sometimes behind.

Once you've got that down, you're golden. The fact that you only need to get one perfect take instead of two is a godsend.

Cabicular

gearaddict said:

Silly question probably...when using the cab modelling on the helix, I have been putting the mod fx between the amp and the cab. This is effectively putting them after the power amp when normally (with real amps and pedals) they would be before it. Is that right? Is there something different you should do when using the cabs?

Some people (myself included) put them after the cabs if I can
i was also experimenting with splitting the paths afterwards and putting delay and reverb on different paths and it does sound great
its a really quick experiment though so try it yourself
there are no rules

guitarfishbay

It shouldn't make any difference before or after the cab - the main factor is before or after the distortion (or amp)

guitarfishbay

digitalscream said:

guitarfishbay said:

Do you actually find the Mimiq as good as double tracking or is it mostly the convenience? 

I find it's as good - you have to get the right tightness setting, which can take a bit of fiddling (I like it just above north), and you also have to nudge the track forward a little. By definition, the second track can only ever be behind the first, so for a "true" double tracking emulation you have to bring it forward a touch so that it's sometimes ahead, sometimes behind.

Once you've got that down, you're golden. The fact that you only need to get one perfect take instead of two is a godsend.

Interesting 

I don't think I'll buy one, I like to use different guitars each side and I like to choose how tight or loose it is by part, though it's definitely a lot slower this way. 

But good to hear it works. I was concerned there'd be phase issues but it must be doing some clever stuff 

Cabicular

I have a patch on Native that puts a very short delay between the amp and the cab on the left stereo path which does a decent job of widening the stereo field
ill stick the Patch up after the weekend if anyone fancies a play 

digitalscream

Here's a quick clip I just knocked together:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9hywbetd5fi5z3n/Tone Test - Helix + Mimiq.flac?dl=0

That's the PRS Archon on the left, SLO on the right, Matchless 2x12" Greenback cab, 409 mic. First run through is with the Mimiq off, second with it on (as if you couldn't tell...).

Cabicular

digitalscream said:

Here's a quick clip I just knocked together:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9hywbetd5fi5z3n/Tone Test - Helix + Mimiq.flac?dl=0

That's the PRS Archon on the left, SLO on the right, Matchless 2x12" Greenback cab, 409 mic. First run through is with the Mimiq off, second with it on (as if you couldn't tell...).

Any chance if a wav? My phone doesn't speak flac

digitalscream

Ask and ye shall receive...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zylv4md554ziyyh/Tone Test - Helix + Mimiq.wav?dl=0

guitarfishbay

Can't open it either, iPhone ...

digitalscream

With that said...unless you're listening on headphones through your phone, you really won't hear it properly. Obviously.

guitarfishbay

digitalscream said:

With that said...unless you're listening on headphones through your phone, you really won't hear it properly. Obviously.

Yes I'm at the gym with a set of headphones, hoping to one day mimic a not fat person lol.

It sounds decent - my only thought was it sounds a bit strange at 35 seconds-ish with the chugs, like my head was being pulled from side to side first time I heard it.

Could also be compounded by the different low end responses of the amps. And also these headphones are pants £15 Sonys that aren't the best so I'll have a listen on speakers later.

 Would be cool to have the DI and Mimic DI, bounced so they start at where they align in your clip. If you can be bothered of course, no worries if you can't!

digitalscream

I must admit, I didn't listen on headphones - only on the monitors - and I didn't even tweak the amp blocks, they're just the default settings.

Working on the car and the garden today (and it's our 17th anniversary), so it's reasonably likely I won't get to it until tomorrow.

What I do want to try to do is a comparison between having the Mimiq before and after the amp blocks. I wanted to do that with my old pedal/amp rig, but it was a proper pain in the ass and so I never got round to it.