Helix Native

BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
Hi All

Going to get back into home playing again and notice I am still eligible for discount on Helix Native because I used to own an LT. 

Is this a good setup for home playing? At $99 seems to make more sense than paying for a basic home amp.

What do I need in order to use it with an iMac. Just an interface? I have a Scarlett 2i2 which I presume will do just fine? 

For basic home noodling and pissing about will the iMac speakers do an ok job or will I need
some monitors? I’ll only be playing at low volumes in a small room (the iMac speakers pack a good punch - I can’t run them at full volume in the room it’s in when playing music as it’s too loud - so hopeful they might be adequate for low volume pissing about - looking to spend as little as possible!! 

Thanks 
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Comments

  • yes its awesome...my main demo tool now on both bass and guitar
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited October 2019
    You can use your Scarlett as your audio interface. If you've got a Scarlett Gen 2 or 3 you may get low enough latency. 

    Alternatively you could use your Helix LT as your audio interface, but you'll need to connect your headphones or monitors to it.

    Also, my experience is that the Helix as an audio interface won't give low enough latency to use a DAW hosted Helix Native ampsim during recording. However, you can use your Helix LT sounds while recording for monitoring purposes, but set it to record dry then play back the track through the Helix Native ampsim. That way you get very low latency during record monitoring plus the benefit of re-amping (and tweaking) using Helix Native during playback.

    It's not a competition.
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  • jimkehoejimkehoe Frets: 208
    I would be very interested to know what the advice is for this.
    Currently I own a HX FX but have previously owned the full fat and LT version of Helix.
    I too am tempted by Helix native to just use on my Mac with monitors but I believe you can only do that utilising a DAW which in my case would be garage band.
    I don’t want that hassle and really like the simplicity of HX edit on my Mac but believe that Native cannot exist in any environment/t but a DAW.
    Is that correct?
    Sorry for hi-jacking your thread.
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  • Go for it. I recorded most of our album with it (a few bits at the beginning were done with the LT), and without blowing my own trumpet...it sounds bloody brilliant.
    <space for hire>
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    edited October 2019
    Thanks guys. Just to clarify I don’t have the LT anymore - bht when I log into my line 6 account it still says I’m eligible for the cheap download because I have purchased the LT. I have nothing save for the Scarlett (gen 2 I think)

    I didn’t realise native wasn’t a standalone application and had to be used in a DAW - that’s a bit of a pain but not a major problem I guess. 
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited October 2019
    Weirdly I didn’t like Native when I tried it but I’m fairly happy with my Stomp. I had an Edirol interface at the time so I guess the dedicated input/preamps etc in the Stomp do a better job than that did. With your Focusrite it’ll probably be ok!

    You may also consider the Neural DSP stuff - the demos all sound better than Helix imo and the latest Nolly one looks like it has a really good selection of amps for clean to filth.

    Mercuriall Spark is also amazing for Marshall tones. Miles better than anything in Helix imo. There’s also the licensed Marshall Softube UAD plugins which sound really great too.

    Pretty sure you can get standalone VST loader apps if you don’t want to load up your daw each time.
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  • Out of curiosity, I did a quick search and found a freebie called vPlayer 2. It lets you load VSTs and AU plugins without starting up the whole DAW. 
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  • Fairly sure you can get a two week free trial of Native - just download it and try it. 
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    Go for it. I recorded most of our album with it (a few bits at the beginning were done with the LT), and without blowing my own trumpet...it sounds bloody brilliant.
    Where can I hear it please @digitalscream ?
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  • BRISTOL86 said:
    Go for it. I recorded most of our album with it (a few bits at the beginning were done with the LT), and without blowing my own trumpet...it sounds bloody brilliant.
    Where can I hear it please @digitalscream ?
    Not released yet (but soon...). I'll PM you...
    <space for hire>
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  • Being on a Mac I would suggest buying Mainstage 3. It’s well worth the £30.
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    edited October 2019
    Being on a Mac I would suggest buying Mainstage 3. It’s well worth the £30.
    Don't really know much about it - is it just a toned up version of Logic / beefed up version of Garageband?

    Are you suggesting that instead of Helix or as a DAW in which to use it?
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  • BRISTOL86 said:
    Being on a Mac I would suggest buying Mainstage 3. It’s well worth the £30.
    Don't really know much about it - is it just a toned up version of Logic / beefed up version of Garageband?

    Are you suggesting that instead of Helix or as a DAW in which to use it?
    Yeah sorry, it would be to host Helix Native inside.

    Mainstage is basically Logic but for live performance. So there is no ability to record but you have access to all the instruments and plugins that come with Logic as well as any other software you might have. It can get as complicated as you like or as simple and comes with many templates.

    I run guitars and keyboards through Mainstage with one of my bands. It’s a really great program and I know it’s very popular with many touring acts
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