Connecting the Helix Floor up in a live setting

dean111music

I'm planning to run guitar into Helix and then sending it to front of house. On occasions I will use my EV ZLX-12P for a monitor.

Has the current Helix solved the Phantom Power thing i have been reading? Or do i need a blocker or a DI? 

Whats the best, smallest, best sounding Blocker/DI thats doesn't colour the sound out there? Just need to make sure the channel i plug into doesn't accidentally get phantom power sent to it. Not the best design really. 

I'm very new to all this so how would the Helix be connected up? I'm guessing XLR would be better with longer runs to get sent to front of house, and 1/4 jack to the EV ZLX?

For Home 

Is it best to always run it though a speaker(s)? As apposed to headphones as i have read the headphone input isn't great and you don't get the true sound? 

simonk

Phantom power shouldn’t damage Helix but it can mess with the sound. If I’m doing gigs where I’m not running sound I just ask the engineer to ensure phantom is switched off for my channel.

“I'm very new to all this so how would the Helix be connected up? I'm guessing XLR would be better with longer runs to get sent to front of house, and 1/4 jack to the EV ZLX?”

Exactly this. You can set the big volume knob to affect the 1/4” outs only so you have control of your monitor volume whilst FOH gets a constant level feed.

As for how you listen to Helix at home, there’s no ‘best’ method really. I use headphones, studio monitors, a powered PA type speaker or a Powerstage amp and 2x12 cab depending on mood and what I’m up to. It’s probably best to set your live patches up using the setup you’ll be using live though.

dean111music

simonk said:

Phantom power shouldn’t damage Helix but it can mess with the sound. If I’m doing gigs where I’m not running sound I just ask the engineer to ensure phantom is switched off for my channel.

“I'm very new to all this so how would the Helix be connected up? I'm guessing XLR would be better with longer runs to get sent to front of house, and 1/4 jack to the EV ZLX?”

Exactly this. You can set the big volume knob to affect the 1/4” outs only so you have control of your monitor volume whilst FOH gets a constant level feed.

As for how you listen to Helix at home, there’s no ‘best’ method really. I use headphones, studio monitors, a powered PA type speaker or a Powerstage amp and 2x12 cab depending on mood and what I’m up to. It’s probably best to set your live patches up using the setup you’ll be using live though.

thanks so much! Thats made me a feel more knowledgeable and reassured. 

How would you set it up for home practice?For instance jamming using Youtube backing tracks, how would you set it up so you can have either headphones on or have everything going through a wedge where you can jam too?

nickp

don't know about setting up for headphones - I've got an old laptop hooked into the helix which I fire up when I'm thinking about a practice session.  The laptop audio automatically comes out of the helix and into my monitor (watch the volumes!).  I've then got a metronome app, winamp with looper and slow down add ins to loop mp3 tracks and of course the laptop can run you tube stuff as well.

I think you could probably put an ipad through one of the inputs on the helix and do the same, or I can run the ipad straight into the monitor which has additional inputs so I think I can get line in, vocal and helix all out the same monitor.

works well

NelsonP

I haven't tried them personally but these have been recommended

https://m.thomann.de/gb/tritonaudio_phantom_blocker.htm