Line 6 Helix

Jota

AsterixTG said:

Jota said:

3.15 is close!

I think it will be availble next week.

This would be my first update while owning the Helix - what's the deal, back up everything (how's that done, copy all the presets you want to keep?, do the update, re-load presets?

Before updating you'll be asked to do a backup.

After the backup is done you just have to update.

Usually everything stays (presets, etc) but if there's something that got erased, just load the backup.

Sometimes some Global settings need to be reset to your specs.

AsterixTG

Jota said:

AsterixTG said:

Jota said:

3.15 is close!

I think it will be availble next week.

This would be my first update while owning the Helix - what's the deal, back up everything (how's that done, copy all the presets you want to keep?, do the update, re-load presets?

Before updating you'll be asked to do a backup.

After the backup is done you just have to update.

Usually everything stays (presets, etc) but if there's something that got erased, just load the backup.

Sometimes some Global settings need to be reset to your specs.

Thanks - appreciated.

Jota

Bod said:

Jota said:

3.15 is close!

I think it will be availble next week.

Really!?  Exciting!  Any leaks about what it includes?

At least a new delay, new reverb and 1 new amp, IRC.
What they said is that the simple stuff is done. Next effects will be in line with more complex stuff like Meris style stuff. And now that they have the team that made the Digitech reverbs working for Line 6, it's expected that something on the Lexicon vein is coming.

BlueStrat

is there a way to delete patches from Helix before backup? I've put a ton of cra pon there I'd like to clean out

Jota

BlueStrat said:

is there a way to delete patches from Helix before backup? I've put a ton of cra pon there I'd like to clean out

Factory reset?

Or just copy an empty preset and replace the ones you want to erase with it.

Bidley

smudge_lad said:

Bidley said:

normula1 said:

What I can't seem to properly determine is whether within a snapshot I'd be able to dedicate footswitches to toggle individual blocks on and off in the same manner as I do today.

Yes - you can do that with a Helix. If you have a block assigned to a footswitch, it will still bypass/activate regardless of the snapshot. You can also set blocks to ignore snapshots, which is handy.

Of course I've never used a third party midi controller with mine, but I don't see why it can't be done.

I can do this with my MC6 and Stomp.

I have my 3 x Stomp footswitches set for Snapshots, then on my MC6 I have switches for the individual blocks in the snapshots, so reverb on/off, delay on/off etc.

The only downside (unless I’ve just not got it configured properly) is that while you’re still in that preset, the Stomp remembers the changes you’ve made. So if you turn off reverb in snapshot 2 and then you went back your snapshot one, the reverb is still off in snapshot 2. This will stay this way until you either turn it back on, or move away from the preset and back into it.

I’ve sometimes been caught out in a live situation with this, when changing stuff on the fly

You can set it to automatically recall or discard snapshot changes in the global settings. I always set mine to discard (recall is default) because the behaviour you described annoys me too.

You can also set a block to "snapshot bypass" which sets the block to only be bypassed/activated if you hit the assigned footswitch - snapshots don't affect it. Which is useful on occasion too.

chrishill901

sgosden said:

@chrishill901 the 5150 and 800 models in the helix are pants in my opinion. 
The archon is ok. 
Placater is brilliant. 

Its likely to do with how their modelling procedure / software has improved since the early amp versions. 

That's kind of good to know that it's not just me. Maybe it just doesn't excel at the kind of amps I lean towards? I've never had problems with these models in things like Headrush and Fractal devices...

NPP said:

Anyway, sorry to hear about your troubles @chrishill901 . I am not a heavy rock player but from what I've read on various websites (so it's all second hand knowledge) possible solutions to get to grips with the higher gain amps would be (1) lower the sag setting, (2) apply a massive low-cut in front of the amp and an equally massive low boost after it or (3) run the master very low and add a gain block after the amp to compensate for the volume loss. All three solutions seem to be based on the idea that the simulated power amp flubs out if you work it too hard.

Sorry if all that is too obvious - so difficult to judge without any context whether such comments are vaguely helpful or likely to waste the recipient's time.  

These are some good tips actually - I was approaching it from a 'what should work' way rather than a 'what does work'... so for the JCM800 I was running the gain at about 7, master at about 6 and TMB to taste but I tried what you said and reduced the master right down and pushed the channel volume and it felt a bit better. Still not amazing but better.

Thanks @duotone for sharing the video - I've tried all of those before and I also run into a poweramp and cab and find the high gain models lacking even without IRs or stock cabs...

...but the Placater Dirty. I still can't better that tone!

Maybe the problem is me, maybe I expect too much and should just be happy. If I spent £££ on a Friedman amp and was satisfied I wouldn't think anything of it, so getting a great Friedman tone out of the Helix for a lot less I should be over the moon...

TTBZ

Placater Dirty is the best amp in the Helix imo! Not worth bothering with the other Marshall style ones even for lower gain, they just don't sound right.

TimmyO

Bidley said:

smudge_lad said:

Bidley said:

normula1 said:

What I can't seem to properly determine is whether within a snapshot I'd be able to dedicate footswitches to toggle individual blocks on and off in the same manner as I do today.

Yes - you can do that with a Helix. If you have a block assigned to a footswitch, it will still bypass/activate regardless of the snapshot. You can also set blocks to ignore snapshots, which is handy.

Of course I've never used a third party midi controller with mine, but I don't see why it can't be done.

I can do this with my MC6 and Stomp.

I have my 3 x Stomp footswitches set for Snapshots, then on my MC6 I have switches for the individual blocks in the snapshots, so reverb on/off, delay on/off etc.

The only downside (unless I’ve just not got it configured properly) is that while you’re still in that preset, the Stomp remembers the changes you’ve made. So if you turn off reverb in snapshot 2 and then you went back your snapshot one, the reverb is still off in snapshot 2. This will stay this way until you either turn it back on, or move away from the preset and back into it.

I’ve sometimes been caught out in a live situation with this, when changing stuff on the fly

You can set it to automatically recall or discard snapshot changes in the global settings. I always set mine to discard (recall is default) because the behaviour you described annoys me too.

not sure that's the same thing - it sounds like smudge is saying that he's changing snapshot 1 reverb status, and that's affecting snapshot 2 reverb status - which doesn't sound right... 

normula1

Hope it can be set to ignore or that would mess with my workflow. as I'll quite often kick in a delay and then flick to a different (what would be a snapshot) that would have delay disabled and vice versa actually,
Time to re-read the manual without a glass of wine in hand methinks

Jota

TTBZ said:

Placater Dirty is the best amp in the Helix imo! Not worth bothering with the other Marshall style ones even for lower gain, they just don't sound right.

Well, I actually prefer the Plexi brt!

Less low end, more spank.

sgosden

You can globally set the system to save or discard changes . 

Save = if you adjust the mix of the delay from X to Y. Then next time you go to that snap shot the delay time will be Y. 
Discard = if you adjust the mix of the delay from X to Y. Then next time you go to that snap shot the delay time will be X. 


You can also individually set the bypass of an individual block to ignore snap shot changes . 

E.g. you have a clean / crunch / lead snapshot. 
You have a pitch shifter set to -1 semitone within the patch. 

You can have the pitch off and play in standard. 
Or 
You can turn it on and play dropped. 
All whilst switching the same between snapshots. 

TimmyO

returning to HX after a layoff (HX FX but this thread is where the HX knowledge is at)  

Spring Reverb - what's your go-to block for that?

It looks like the '63 Spring is now a "legacy" model so I'm assuming there's something flashier now? Is Double Tank the one? (it had many parameters so I ran away here to ask before faffing) 

mudslide73

Hotsprings I think. 

TimmyO

mudslide73 said:

Hotsprings I think. 

Cheers

siremoon

AsterixTG said:

Jota said:

3.15 is close!

I think it will be availble next week.

This would be my first update while owning the Helix - what's the deal, back up everything (how's that done, copy all the presets you want to keep?, do the update, re-load presets?

It's quite straightforward.  If you live outside the United States you just follow the upgrade instructions in the release notes one at a time, in order, and it usually works fine.  If you live in the United States then you don't read the release notes, do a set of totally random things you just thought of and then complain on TGP when it doesn't work.   

shuikit

Jota said:

AsterixTG said:

Jota said:

3.15 is close!

I think it will be availble next week.

This would be my first update while owning the Helix - what's the deal, back up everything (how's that done, copy all the presets you want to keep?, do the update, re-load presets?

Before updating you'll be asked to do a backup.

After the backup is done you just have to update.

Usually everything stays (presets, etc) but if there's something that got erased, just load the backup.

Sometimes some Global settings need to be reset to your specs.

You'll only be asked to do a backup if you use HX edit to do the update. You won't if you use the separate updater program.

It is recommended that after the the update has completed that you do a full factory reset (on full helix hold middle two fs while turning off and on), then restore from backup and then do another power cycle to rebuild all the presets

shuikit

BlueStrat said:

is there a way to delete patches from Helix before backup? I've put a ton of cra pon there I'd like to clean out

If you right click on any block then there's a clear all blocks option, but that doesn't clear out the preset name, so I tend to just copy paste a blank preset over it.

OR

If you want to clear out an entire setlist then there's a blank one on here that you can import over the one you want rid of https://line6.com/support/topic/54673-would-someone-be-so-kind-to-share-a-blank-setlist-with-me/

OR

If you're doing a backup and restore, then before you do the restore, you can deselect any set lists that you don't want to restore/import.  Of course, you can do this while doing a firmware update following the recommended backup, update, factory reset, restore procedure.

Digital_Igloo

Helix/HX 3.15 is now available. CLICK THIS LINK AND READ THE RELEASE NOTES!

JohnCordy

Here's the new stuff in 3.15 and a couple features that you ought to know about!