Line 6 Helix

Heartfeltdawn

^^
I'll see how they go with my M50X headphones and compare how the unit sounds with Native going through an NI KA2 interface. 

Heartfeltdawn

SO more playing last night and today with Native. Did Line 6 make any changes? I wasn't wowed by this when it first came out but now I really am. 

LT won't be here until next week. So that gets me thinking: do I need it? Would Native be enough for me? 

If I went Native only then I'd need a floorboard. Outside of the Behringer FCB1010, what options are there? 

guitargeek62

My Helix Floor arrived this morning (thanks @kennedydream1980!) and I'm very much looking forward to playing it tonight and over the long weekend. A lot's changed in the four years since I first had one!

@HeartFeltDawn - I was tempted to go down the Native route too but like having the hardware. That said, it looks like there's some really nice MIDI options out there to give you switching and rack-style controls. I might still get one of these (<£40!) to keep on my desk when recording just for ease of access - will see how I get on with the Floor model first though. Also, @guitarmansteve77 has been using a HX Stomp with a Morningstar MC6 as well - that looks like a really cool setup, but for me I'd have wanted more blocks, there's no reason (I think) that you couldn't use something like that with Native though.

PolarityMan

Oh I have one of those Akai things.,...how does it integrate?

PolarityMan

Meh having looked at the manual it needs CC changes but I have the MPX8 which only sends note info

guitargeek62

Ah damn, I hadn't got that far yet - my knowledge of MIDI is minimal-to-non-existant  

PolarityMan

I think the one you linked might be ok...it says it has this:

8 backlit velocity-sensitive drum pads to send note or program changes

I have a slightly different model. 

Heartfeltdawn

@guitargeek62 Thank you for the tip on Morningstar. The MC8 looks splendid. DPD turned up this morning at 9am with an LT to my surprise as I hadn't had any shipping notification from PMT. Definitely no complaints with their service, ordered Wednesday at 2pm so less than 48 hours in these times when they say their service might be impacted. 

So half an hour with the LT. Liking the interface but it's taking time to get used to menus and knobs after working with computers for so long. Headphones work fine, no issues there with distortion. 

Will get HX Edit on the laptop ASAP and update to the latest firmware...

guitargeek62

Aye - really cool bit of kit!

I haven’t tried mine with headphones yet - I only have a set of “normal” ones (Sony WH-1000MX3) though, nothing studio-orientated unfortunately; what’re you guys using?

Jetfire

I think the stock answer for Headphones will be DT 770s which Im thinking of getting. 

 

JohnCordy

@Jetfire it's worth considering trying some open back headphones - apparently the drivers in open back headphones are a little more advanced

Jetfire

Is it possible to use the Helix as an audio interface to drive a Plug in? For example, there is a Nueral Plini amp sim which Ive been looking at but to use it, Ive been switching back to my UX2 sound card to use. Surely the Helix could do this? 

Jetfire

JohnCordy said:

@Jetfire it's worth considering trying some open back headphones - apparently the drivers in open back headphones are a little more advanced

Its funny you mention this, I had the same thought as I typed that out as it may be a little more "natural" for want of a better word...

sgosden

Jetfire said:

Is it possible to use the Helix as an audio interface to drive a Plug in? For example, there is a Nueral Plini amp sim which Ive been looking at but to use it, Ive been switching back to my UX2 sound card to use. Surely the Helix could do this? 

Yeah, just run a dry signal path from input to USB put 1/2 . Then you'll get dry signal input into your DAW. 


Helix is also set up to record dry signal incase you want to re-amp. Can't remember what USB inputs these are. But you'd get the same end goal using those or just an empty signal path I think. 

Heartfeltdawn

guitargeek62 said:

Aye - really cool bit of kit!

I haven’t tried mine with headphones yet - I only have a set of “normal” ones (Sony WH-1000MX3) though, nothing studio-orientated unfortunately; what’re you guys using?

I'm using ATH-M50Xs with the following things: 

SPL Crimson interface and Helix Hative on the desktop
NI Komplete Audio 2 and Native on the laptop
Helix LT

Not hearing a major difference between both interfaces and phones verus LT and phones. SPL Crimson is the best headphone amp on paper and has more range than the KA2. 

Heartfeltdawn

sgosden said:

Jetfire said:

Is it possible to use the Helix as an audio interface to drive a Plug in? For example, there is a Nueral Plini amp sim which Ive been looking at but to use it, Ive been switching back to my UX2 sound card to use. Surely the Helix could do this? 

Yeah, just run a dry signal path from input to USB put 1/2 . Then you'll get dry signal input into your DAW. 


Helix is also set up to record dry signal incase you want to re-amp. Can't remember what USB inputs these are. But you'd get the same end goal using those or just an empty signal path I think. 

@sgosden Recording dry signal is useful. Is there a way of doing the following: 

Using a patch in Helix to go into Reaper, adding plugins in Reaper, and monitoring on headphones connected to the LT that only get the Reaper output? Right now I'm getting Helix output + Reaper output in the cans. 

Heartfeltdawn

RTFM Mr HFD

Page 56 by the look of it sorts it. 

guitargeek62

Spent a few hours with the Helix last night and this morning and my (new) first impressions are very positive again. At the moment I’ve just been playing it into the FX return on my Katana 100 (50w mode for headroom, daytime neighbour-friendly-ish volumes) and even through that it’s sounding a lot more amp-in-the-room-like than I remember it being with my HS7s from before! It’s hardly an ideal rig to be playing it through, but it seems to be working well enough currently and gives me hope for this approach!

Some of the new models are great - particularly enjoying the Uberschall one! I haven’t plugged it into to HX Edit yet, but will do so over the weekend as I bought a couple of artist patches from Matt Chalk that seemed to have potential (99p each too, bargain). 

mikenetic

One of the things that really helped me get some solid sounds of the LT was using 'mastering' style blocks at the end of my signal chain. Parametric EQ, studio-style light compression, high and low pass etc. I invested in some DT 770 Pro headphones too, went for the 80 ohm variant. To my ears they are an excellent match to the unit.

I'd suggest plugging for one amp model initially and then exploring it properly, I have to say I found the choice all a bit overwhelming.

It's one of those bits of kit I have absolutely zero regrets about buying - it's made me want to play more, which is pretty much the best endorsement I can give.

Heartfeltdawn

@guitargeek62 I demo'd Helix Native right at the start and wasn't impressed. Redownloaded it this week and it's blown me away hence the purchase of the LT. It feels a lot more reactive, far less brittle in the top end, and I'm really enjoying it today. Need to reorganise my lounge desk (the only bit of the house which is mine in the lockdown period) and then I can integrate some rack gear in with it.