Line 6 Helix

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

sweepy said:

gibsongretschfan said:

sgosden said:

gibsongretschfan said:

sgosden said:

whilst I love the space echo, I've really got into the way the el-capistan can manipulate tape age and crinkle for really gritty/warbly repeats. Is there a way do to similar on helix?

Isn’t there age and warble settings on the Transistor Tape Delay??

Nope, wow& flutter. But no age.
Gives some nice modulation, but is more chorusy than the gritty broken sound I'm chasing

Could have swore there was a way to dirty that delay up

Add a bit of overdriven compression perhaps ?

Yeah well to be fair Helix could split that signal into 8, add a different effect to 8 different bandwidths and have it played back through 8 different loudspeakers

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

So a Fryette Power Station arrived in the post yesterday and I went to work connecting it all up...

guitar -> Helix guitar input

Helix path 1a goes out a send into my valve amp instrument input

the amp goes into the Power Station

Power Station fx send into Helix fx return path 1a into 2a

Helix 1/4 our goes to Power Station FX return and out to the cabinet

2a splits into 2b which goes via IR to Helix XLR out for FOH/USB for recording

had to use an EBTech Hum Eliminator to break ground between Helix and amp instrument input but apart from that all good

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

Basically I have an attenuated amp in a loop of Helix which can either be amplified into a cab via the Power Station or go direct for headphone/FOH/Recording

sgosden · June 2018

gibsongretschfan said:

Basically I have an attenuated amp in a loop of Helix which can either be amplified into a cab via the Power Station or go direct for headphone/FOH/Recording

how does the amp sound through the power station as opposed to just driving the cab from power amp?

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

sgosden said:

gibsongretschfan said:

Basically I have an attenuated amp in a loop of Helix which can either be amplified into a cab via the Power Station or go direct for headphone/FOH/Recording

how does the amp sound through the power station as opposed to just driving the cab from power amp?

Can’t really tell any difference but I run an open backed 1x12. It may be more obvious into a 4x12

John_A · June 2018

That all sounds like a lot of gear and work for a small benefit. The best thing for me about the Helix is I just use that, and nothing else and it sounds great, set up in 5 mins and need one guitar lead.

robinbowes · June 2018

John_A said:

That all sounds like a lot of gear and work for a small benefit. The best thing for me about the Helix is I just use that, and nothing else and it sounds great, set up in 5 mins and need one guitar lead.

I concur.

gibsongretschfan said:

<description of complex setup>

gibsongretschfan also said:

sgosden said:

how does the amp sound through the power station as opposed to just driving the cab from power amp?

Can’t really tell any difference but I run an open backed 1x12. It may be more obvious into a 4x12

Seems literally pointless if you can't hear any difference, no?

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

robinbowes said:

John_A said:

That all sounds like a lot of gear and work for a small benefit. The best thing for me about the Helix is I just use that, and nothing else and it sounds great, set up in 5 mins and need one guitar lead.

I concur.

gibsongretschfan said:

<description of complex setup>

gibsongretschfan also said:

sgosden said:

how does the amp sound through the power station as opposed to just driving the cab from power amp?

Can’t really tell any difference but I run an open backed 1x12. It may be more obvious into a 4x12

Seems literally pointless if you can't hear any difference, no?

Lol no, I meant I can’t hear the difference as in it’s transparent when played at unity. My amp is horrifically loud and this is a way to be able to use the gain on the amp again in a dependable and consistent manner that I can also send front of house to forgo the need for mic’ing up.

the routing is complex but once that’s patched up it’s done. Cable wise it’s still only 4cm and the EBTech can live in the rack case with the Power Station.

One rig for live, for direct and for recording.

(the power station will also double as an ever present back up, a compact rig with my Tech 21 RK5 and for a stereo rig into my 2x12 if I ever play gigs that call for it again)

John_A · June 2018

I have one rig for live, for direct and for recording too, a Helix

What amp are you using? How does a Helix model of the amp compare?

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

John_A said:

I have one rig for live, for direct and for recording too, a Helix

What amp are you using? How does a Helix model of the amp compare?

Haha that’s fair enough.

im using a Cornford MK50ii, I have a few drive pedals on the board with Helix too. I didn’t buy Helix for the modelling, I bought it as a next hen G System but the modelling is handy too

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

Helix has also replaced my audio interface which I didn’t expect would happen but it really does a good job and the mic pre sounds good too

John_A · June 2018

A MK50 is a pretty special amp, I suppose the main reason I use what I do is convenience/laziness

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

John_A said:

A MK50 is a pretty special amp, I suppose the main reason I use what I do is convenience/laziness

yeah pretty especially hard to get a good sound out of! It only does gig volumes so there’s no setting it up before hand or trying out new things and even then it’s too loud for most before it even starts getting gooey (this amp is even louder than the single channel MK50 I had)

its also exceptionally sensitive to different guitars. All my guitars sound great through my pedals with zero or minimal readjustment. Through the Cornford it can go from sonic nirvana to omg burn it very quickly

so so it’s nice to have a way to tame the beast and even get a bit of practice done through it at home for a change

John_A · June 2018

Sounds like more trouble than it's worth

. My advice would be get rid and enjoy the portability and consistent good sounds a Helix can offer on its own

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

John_A said:

Sounds like more trouble than it's worth . My advice would be get rid and enjoy the portability and consistent good sounds a Helix can offer on its own

I might consider when they model an MK50

guitarfishbay · June 2018

Not a hardware Helix user but I have both a GT1000FX and a Mesa 2:90. I think the low end thump is different between the two, with the valve amp sounding subjectively better at volume through my closed back cabs. But I still like the results I get with the Matrix poweramp, it just isn't quite as punchy as the Mesa valve one.

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

Sooooooo... Apparently the Deluxe model into the PS into my open back V30 cab is pretty good. In fact it’s so good it might be in danger of making me stop missing my Super Reverb. With the modelled 808 in front it really does sound and feel like the real thing. In fact it sounds like a really good Deluxe, not just a passable soundalike.

I did wonder if i was being stuoid spending £700 on something that is first and foremost a way to attenuate another amp but after hearing the possibilities it has of turning my rig into a fender combo I’m starting to sit a little better with the purchase. The Cornford power amp always added a little too much “something” and although you could hear what it was meant to be never gave me that immediate “THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE” feeling running it through the PS did.

welshboyo · June 2018

The Joystick (the one you use to select models etc etc) gave up the ghost at the weekend - I can still move around the screens and scroll but the push function has stopped working :-(

Looks like it needs to go back to L6 for repair..

Slightly pissed off but at the same time this unit has done a lot of gigs and has been used daily since I bought it when they 1st came out..

gibsongretschfan · June 2018

welshboyo said:

The Joystick (the one you use to select models etc etc) gave up the ghost at the weekend - I can still move around the screens and scroll but the push function has stopped working :-(

Looks like it needs to go back to L6 for repair..

Slightly pissed off but at the same time this unit has done a lot of gigs and has been used daily since I bought it when they 1st came out..

Now is when you buy an LT for back up

welshboyo · June 2018

gibsongretschfan said:

welshboyo said:

The Joystick (the one you use to select models etc etc) gave up the ghost at the weekend - I can still move around the screens and scroll but the push function has stopped working :-(

Looks like it needs to go back to L6 for repair..

Slightly pissed off but at the same time this unit has done a lot of gigs and has been used daily since I bought it when they 1st came out..

Now is when you buy an LT for back up

yep, the thought has crossed my mind!!

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