Line 6 Helix

TimmyO

gibsongretschfan said:

Drew_TNBD said:

gibsongretschfan said:

Any here rocking the Novation back pack thingy for Helix? How's it holding up? At £30 it's really got me interested considering  how much cheaper it is than the Helix one

It's an excellent bag. No complaints with mine at all.

Sold!

from earlier in't thread:

I got the Novation 25 key gigbag. I can get in it the following:

• Helix
• iPad
• K&M iPad holder
• Mic stand (the Airturn GoStand that collapses down smaller than a normal one) 
• Boom for mic stand
• Mic
• Power cable
• XLR cable
• iPad connector kit

I'd say the level of padding of the bag was just 'ok' particularly on the corners but to be fair having seen the punishment they gave a Helix in testing (Line 6 videos) it's more the passersby and nearby walls and car doors that are in danger I suppose. 

Cabicular

sgosden said:

Anyone got experience of using a power amp with helix to power a standard cab on stage?

I'm weighing up the cost/benefits of the Harley Benton gpa400 vs Matrix GT series.

Any others I should be looking at?

i have used the following (in stereo)
With 2 1x12 orange cabs
marshall 9100 stereo valve power amp
2 x Fryette Powerstations
Harley Benton GPA 400

I would rate them in that order
the difference is not massive
the HB is actually very capable and I doubt I'd be able to pick it out live in a blind test

trolley

Cabicular said:

sgosden said:

Anyone got experience of using a power amp with helix to power a standard cab on stage?

I'm weighing up the cost/benefits of the Harley Benton gpa400 vs Matrix GT series.

Any others I should be looking at?

i have used the following (in stereo)
With 2 1x12 orange cabs
marshall 9100 stereo valve power amp
2 x Fryette Powerstations
Harley Benton GPA 400

I would rate them in that order
the difference is not massive
the HB is actually very capable and I doubt I'd be able to pick it out live in a blind test

I have a similar issue:

I bought a Matrix GT1000 and use it through my Marshall 1936. BUT I haven't tried it at stage volume yet, although it sounds nice in the bedroom

Originally I was thinking of getting a Neolight 2x12 to save weight. But it isn't FRFR, and the Matrix FRFR's are heavy!

I'm not convinced that IRs are essential, but it does mean you could run an out into the band PA, whereas using a cab I'd have to mic it up.

So, are FRFRs really so much better?

Cabicular

trolley said:

Cabicular said:

sgosden said:

Anyone got experience of using a power amp with helix to power a standard cab on stage?

I'm weighing up the cost/benefits of the Harley Benton gpa400 vs Matrix GT series.

Any others I should be looking at?

i have used the following (in stereo)
With 2 1x12 orange cabs
marshall 9100 stereo valve power amp
2 x Fryette Powerstations
Harley Benton GPA 400

I would rate them in that order
the difference is not massive
the HB is actually very capable and I doubt I'd be able to pick it out live in a blind test

I have a similar issue:

I bought a Matrix GT1000 and use it through my Marshall 1936. BUT I haven't tried it at stage volume yet, although it sounds nice in the bedroom

Originally I was thinking of getting a Neolight 2x12 to save weight. But it isn't FRFR, and the Matrix FRFR's are heavy!

I'm not convinced that IRs are essential, but it does mean you could run an out into the band PA, whereas using a cab I'd have to mic it up.

So, are FRFRs really so much better?

Not necessarily
What I used to do was take a split of the path, before the cab emulations and run into a poweramp and a couple of normal 1x12s (or a combo amp)
And just plug the xlrs straight into the desk post the cabinet sims
I set the volume control to only work on the 1\4
That way I got a natural guitar sound on stage whereas FOH got the full emulation
Easier to visualise with the path

Cabicular

Musicman20

I'm wondering about a powered cab for guitar AND bass.....hmmmm....or are they all designed to be used with both?

sgosden

@cabicular - That's pretty similar looking to what I was hoping to set up. Are the EQ's just high/low cuts?

how does the HB do with volume? would it be enough to run a guitar cab (16ohm) or a bass cab (4 ohm) at enough volume to be heard over an ape of a dummer?

Cabicular

Yes the EQs are just what I use instead of the globals
usuallu knock down to about 4.5k on the high cut and low cut depending on room/stage etc
the HB has a ton of volume
In stereo it covered me on a Vocal PA only gig
in mono it would blow your rocks off at 4 ohm

Aidanspaghetti

Any latest news on Helix Native? Was supposedly a spring release? Guess theyre ironing out the bugs which is reassuring

hubobulous

Or maybe waiting to align with the next firmware update?

fretmeister

Aidanspaghetti said:

Any latest news on Helix Native? Was supposedly a spring release? Guess theyre ironing out the bugs which is reassuring

Technically spring ends on 21st June.

So it's not late yet.

Aidanspaghetti

Time to git naked and down to stonehenge before then I guess

firepaulmusic

My back went (again) the other day so I couldn't carry my Redplate Blackverb to rehearsal. The upshot being that I took my Helix, which I have only just started looking at going direct with. I haven't had much success with tones as yet so wasn't hoping for much. Anyway plugged into the PA and started twiddling. I found a great cleanish tone (Dr Z) and added a TS808 for more drive. We were rehearsing the Bowie song 'Let's dance' and this nailed the tone for the solo. Very chuffed...

Cabicular

It's a good option if you don't want to carry a lot of gear (or in my case can't)
I really don't fancy using an amp at all these days
Thebinly time it causes me issues is with pubs that have their own PA
And the problem is always monitors

DanR

I think I'm going to take the plunge and get one tomorrow.

robinbowes

My latest success story...

I wanted to get somewhere close to the sound Eddie Perez from The Mavericks uses on All That Heaven Will Allow in this vid:



Looking at the vid, I can see two amps in the background - one Fender Silverface, and one odd looking thing combo with 1x12 and 1x10 speaker.

Doing a bit of research, I reckon that's a Gibson of some description, possibly a Gibson GA 30RV.

Now, these are a 4xEL84-based amp and are thought to sound somewhere in the Vox AC30 ballpark. So, I created a preset using the AC30 amp into a 2x12 Blue something-or-other cab (I forget the details), cranked the gain a bit, and ... boom! Sounds just like the vid!

Liking this Helix thing more every day.

R.

Sporky

I finally remembered to try something.

Red compressor into Matchless amp (gain up a bit so digging in generates some dirt) into autopan/tremolo into reverb.

Then assign the tremolo duty cycle to an LFO from the Source Audio Reflex.

Mmm. Swampy. But the change in duty cycle adds lots of texture.

Cabicular

I redid my live patch last night
put the octave up whammy back on the momentary switch and switched the volume boost to external expression pedal so I can use the onboard one for wah duties
every time I do even a minor update I have to reset some of my 3 part harmony patches
I have a fsw that changes key in a couple of them and every time it resets the Vpitch value to -9
most irritating

Drew_TNBD

Here's a cool thing... if you setup your amp in 4cm with the Helix, but instead of the main output going into the amps return, you use send 3 .. and set the patch output to send 3/4 .... you can then use the Helix in 4cm and as an audio interface with your computer at the same time!!

Just remember to assign the master volume to the 1/4 inch so you can control the level of the computer playback.

fretmeister

I've been playing a lot with the AC30 at the moment.

I've never had a go on a proper one so I have no idea how close it is - but I like it. But there is no Treble Boost effect at the moment so I'm fiddling with EQ blocks and the lower gain drives to try and get closer to a Brian May sort of saturation.

If anyone has any ideas for the treble boost thing that would be nice.

As an aside - the Helix is making me play far more guitar than I have for years (as opposed to bass) and I'm thorougly enjoying it.