Line 6 Helix

simonk

Not much to add @paulphoenix other than to ensure the sound guy doesn’t have phantom power running down your DI lead. Your patches will sound great I’m sure... it always makes me grin hearing my Helix through a big PA!

John_A

Just to add.  We have a great PA and my Helix sounds great through it.  Recently played an outdoor festival with and amazing PA and my Helix sounded amazing

sgosden

shuikit said:

paulphoenix said:

Thanks for the reassurance @John_A , @Jota, ;

I want to use the HX due to set up/change over times - usual festival shenanigans. 

Should I forewarn the sound guy/gal (person?) that I'll be sending a line level signal through one of their mic XLR inputs or will they just realise and adjust accordingly at PFL? 

It's at the beach (I live in Cornwall) so I'm a bit worried about sand getting everywhere like it has done previously! eek

It shouldn't matter, but I would set the XLR outputs to mic level, from what I've been led to believe it is the norm.  Also, I would set the volume knob so that it doesn't affect the level of the XLR output.  Both are set in the global settings

  XLRs to mic and no volume is one of the best things I did with helix.     May have even snuck the cable out of the mic some FOH guys have insisted on putting on the cab and swapped for my DI.   (not because I'm super precious about my sound, the bassist had kicked over my amp mic 3 shows in a row whilst stomping around the stage)

Jota

All this talk made me think that I have played my last shows with instrument level going direct!

At home I play with amps so I always forget to change settings when I play live.

digitalscream

FYI - if you're going DI, you want to use a DI box, preferably your own. Why? Because some engineers leave phantom power on (some desks only let you disable it in groups), and that does horrible things to the Helix tone.

John_A

digitalscream said:

FYI - if you're going DI, you want to use a DI box, preferably your own. Why? Because some engineers leave phantom power on (some desks only let you disable it in groups), and that does horrible things to the Helix tone.

Good call - I always carry a little passive DI box

paulphoenix

Small fact omitted   - I'm on HX stomp (only posted in this thread as it was most recently active) so global output is instrument or line only. I don't own a DI box. 

Should I therefore take my amp and pedals to be on the safe side? 

NPP

can I ask a question about the reverb models in the Helix? 

I use the Stomp exclusively for headphone practice at the moment. I'd like to create the most realistic sensation of being in a room. The obvious solution seems to be to use reverb with mix and reverb time set low. However, I have no understanding of what the Helix reverb models actually are (apart from the spring reverb which I don't think is best for this application), and what the parameters in the more complex reverbs actually do?

Can anyone enlighten me on what actually is modelled and how to best set the parameters for what I am trying to achieve?

I am very pleased with the basic amp models and have two go-to IRs, so no problems with the overall sound and feel of the Stomp.  

John_A

paulphoenix said:

Small fact omitted   - I'm on HX stomp (only posted in this thread as it was most recently active) so global output is instrument or line only. I don't own a DI box. 

Should I therefore take my amp and pedals to be on the safe side? 

You'll be fine, the PA company will 99.9% have a DI box, or just set to line and tell him it's a line level signal. Something like this will to have in your bag for future would be handy, though not essential

https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/SubZero-Passive-DI-Box/1SDA

digitalscream

paulphoenix said:

Small fact omitted   - I'm on HX stomp (only posted in this thread as it was most recently active) so global output is instrument or line only. I don't own a DI box. 

Should I therefore take my amp and pedals to be on the safe side? 

The engineer should have a DI box - put the requirement for a DI without phantom power on the tech rider and send it to them. When you get there, remind the engineer about it.

gibsongretschfan

NPP said:

can I ask a question about the reverb models in the Helix? 

I use the Stomp exclusively for headphone practice at the moment. I'd like to create the most realistic sensation of being in a room. The obvious solution seems to be to use reverb with mix and reverb time set low. However, I have no understanding of what the Helix reverb models actually are (apart from the spring reverb which I don't think is best for this application), and what the parameters in the more complex reverbs actually do?

Can anyone enlighten me on what actually is modelled and how to best set the parameters for what I am trying to achieve?

I am very pleased with the basic amp models and have two go-to IRs, so no problems with the overall sound and feel of the Stomp.  

With headphones make sure you are running in stereo. So everything after your stereo or legacy reverb (legacy reverbs are all stereo) must also be stereo i.e. EQ or compression etc

For a realistic "in a room" sound try putting a room reverb  with short decay and mix at the end of your chain even if you have a spring or plate reverb before it

this works less well with the more complicated HX reverbs

TimmyO

paulphoenix said:

Small fact omitted   - I'm on HX stomp (only posted in this thread as it was most recently active) so global output is instrument or line only. I don't own a DI box. 

Should I therefore take my amp and pedals to be on the safe side? 

The thing phantom power from the desk mucking up the sound is relevant only if your using the XLR out to the desk - if you're using 1/4" you'll be fine - and if you use XLR but tell the sound guy you need phantom power to be off on your channel you'll be fine (I'd be surprised if at this event it was impossible to accomplish that) 

You sound keen to take your other gear to be safe though so by all means do! 

shuikit

NPP said:

can I ask a question about the reverb models in the Helix? 

I use the Stomp exclusively for headphone practice at the moment. I'd like to create the most realistic sensation of being in a room. The obvious solution seems to be to use reverb with mix and reverb time set low. However, I have no understanding of what the Helix reverb models actually are (apart from the spring reverb which I don't think is best for this application), and what the parameters in the more complex reverbs actually do?

Can anyone enlighten me on what actually is modelled and how to best set the parameters for what I am trying to achieve?

I am very pleased with the basic amp models and have two go-to IRs, so no problems with the overall sound and feel of the Stomp.  

Have you tried turning up the early reflections parameter on the cab block instead of a reverb block?

WiresDreamDisasters

Whilst all my stuff is at the studio for bass recording, I'm using my Helix as a soundcard again. I forgot how cool it was hooked up to a computer. Epic shhiiiiiiii -- !!

simonk

Yep. Try doing that with a Kemper Carpet or whatever they’re calling it.

NPP

shuikit said:

NPP said:

can I ask a question about the reverb models in the Helix? 

I use the Stomp exclusively for headphone practice at the moment. I'd like to create the most realistic sensation of being in a room. The obvious solution seems to be to use reverb with mix and reverb time set low. However, I have no understanding of what the Helix reverb models actually are (apart from the spring reverb which I don't think is best for this application), and what the parameters in the more complex reverbs actually do?

Can anyone enlighten me on what actually is modelled and how to best set the parameters for what I am trying to achieve?

I am very pleased with the basic amp models and have two go-to IRs, so no problems with the overall sound and feel of the Stomp.  

Have you tried turning up the early reflections parameter on the cab block instead of a reverb block?

initially that's what I did but then found IRs that sounded so much better (to my untrained ears) than the stock cabs that I am using these now. There's something counter-intuitive going on - you'd assume that reflections are what you need if you play through headphones, but the reflection-free IRs I use have a far more natural, pleasant feel to them so I'll stick with these and add in a bit of room through reverb. This does work, I just want to move from random fiddling with the controls and reverb types to intelligently adjusting them. Using stereo reverb as suggested above is a good point. 

Jetfire

Anyone using a Yahama DXR10  with their Helix? What settings are you using? I normally have all the EQ off (so no DSP EQ or D contour) but Im trying different things out. 

Any advice on these (bar use your ears...) 

simonk

Jetfire said:

Anyone using a Yahama DXR10  with their Helix? What settings are you using? I normally have all the EQ off (so no DSP EQ or D contour) but Im trying different things out. 

Any advice on these (bar use your ears...) 

I set mine flat if using it on the floor. I put an EQ block in front of the 1/4” out feeding it though to dump some bass... it’s way too boomy else and the temptation is to EQ your whole patch around that sound. In which case it’ll end up very thin through FOH.

Jetfire

@simonk ;
You mean "off" for both settings on the DXR10? 

simonk

Jetfire said:

@simonk ;
You mean "off" for both settings on the DXR10? 

Yep.