Line 6 Helix

Drew_TNBD

welshboyo said:

Drew_fx said:

My favourite revelations from the manual:

- Global tempo option
- Trails option on the fx loops
- Instrument/Line level selection for all of the outs. Very cool.

hmm, the only concern I have at the moment is that Volume Knob, can this be locked down parameter-wise somewhere I wonder...just thinking heat of moment gig setup don't want to be worrying about getting that level wrong as that is ultimately setting the whole rig volume....

Not sure I follow you? How would it be any different than setting a regular amps master volume?

welshboyo

Drew_fx said:

welshboyo said:

Drew_fx said:

My favourite revelations from the manual:

- Global tempo option
- Trails option on the fx loops
- Instrument/Line level selection for all of the outs. Very cool.

hmm, the only concern I have at the moment is that Volume Knob, can this be locked down parameter-wise somewhere I wonder...just thinking heat of moment gig setup don't want to be worrying about getting that level wrong as that is ultimately setting the whole rig volume....

Not sure I follow you? How would it be any different than setting a regular amps master volume?

well, if that output volume affects both front of amp and loop (thinking 4CM) if this isn't set right it will affect front end gain (if using amp for some drive) and the pre-power amp volume for overall volume.

I'd rather the volume knob wasn't there at all...

Drew_TNBD

welshboyo said:

Drew_fx said:

welshboyo said:

Drew_fx said:

My favourite revelations from the manual:

- Global tempo option
- Trails option on the fx loops
- Instrument/Line level selection for all of the outs. Very cool.

hmm, the only concern I have at the moment is that Volume Knob, can this be locked down parameter-wise somewhere I wonder...just thinking heat of moment gig setup don't want to be worrying about getting that level wrong as that is ultimately setting the whole rig volume....

Not sure I follow you? How would it be any different than setting a regular amps master volume?

well, if that output volume affects both front of amp and loop (thinking 4CM) if this isn't set right it will affect front end gain (if using amp for some drive) and the pre-power amp volume for overall volume.

I'd rather the volume knob wasn't there at all...

To my knowledge the top volume knob only affects the XLR and 1/4" outputs - ie... the main volume. It does not and never will affect the loops.

Drew_TNBD

So it'd be something like this:

Guitar > Helix Guitar Input
Helix Loop 1 Send > Front of real amplifier
Real amplifiers effects loop send > Helix Loop 1 Return
Helix Main 1/4" output > Real amplifiers effects loop Return

Thus the main volume knob would only control how much signal is being fed to the RETURN of your real amplifiers effects loop. So it's like a master volume at that point.

welshboyo

Ah ok, cool!! cheers Drew @Drew_fx

Drew_TNBD

What is quite cool is you can set the XLR and 1/4" outputs to different levels, so if you're like me and planning on using the Helix in 4-cable-method as well as at home with a computer for direct recording, you can set the 1/4" outputs to instrument level but set the XLR outputs to line level.

Then use the 1/4" for your 4cm rig... and the XLR outputs for your home recording rig. Then you never need to fuck around with those settings again.

You can even set the level for the effects loops on an individual basis - so...

loop 1 might be a drive pedal ... set it to instrument.
loop 2 might be the effects loop for your guitar amp... set it to line level or instrument level depending on what your amp has (my Sig X has a hi mode and a low mode, which I think are both line level but one is -10dB and one is +4dB)
loop 3 might be a rack effect unit... set it to line level.
loop 4 might be another guitar that you've got connected... set it to instrument.

Lots of ways to configure it.

guitargeek62

welshboyo said:

Drew_fx said:

My favourite revelations from the manual:

- Global tempo option
- Trails option on the fx loops
- Instrument/Line level selection for all of the outs. Very cool.

hmm, the only concern I have at the moment is that Volume Knob, can this be locked down parameter-wise somewhere I wonder...just thinking heat of moment gig setup don't want to be worrying about getting that level wrong as that is ultimately setting the whole rig volume....

It's size & placement bugs me a bit too, it's nice to have it accessible like that, but in some ways I'd prefer a set-and-forget location within a menu; or even the ability to re-assign those controls to something else too to create a pseudo exp.pedal perhaps?!

welshboyo

guitargeek62 said:

welshboyo said:

Drew_fx said:

My favourite revelations from the manual:

- Global tempo option
- Trails option on the fx loops
- Instrument/Line level selection for all of the outs. Very cool.

hmm, the only concern I have at the moment is that Volume Knob, can this be locked down parameter-wise somewhere I wonder...just thinking heat of moment gig setup don't want to be worrying about getting that level wrong as that is ultimately setting the whole rig volume....

It's size & placement bugs me a bit too, it's nice to have it accessible like that, but in some ways I'd prefer a set-and-forget location within a menu; or even the ability to re-assign those controls to something else too to create a pseudo exp.pedal perhaps?!

I did think I'll just mark it with a china sharpie, but then its probably data wheel type of pot rather than a good old fashioned pot with stops both ends!!!

welshboyo

AHA!!!, page 42 of the manual states...

Volume knob controls
"Determines which output(s) are affected when turning the top panel VOLUME knob. For example, you may want to control the level sent from the 1/4" outputs to your stage monitor without affecting the XLR level sent to the front-of-house mixer."

This is probably what we need!!!

guitargeek62

Good point - I'd hoped that the pots were analogue/traditional types, or at least free-turning, but they still had intervals in use. I can't remember if the same was true for the Vol ones though.

hugbot

welshboyo;797669" said:

guitargeek62 said:



welshboyo said:



Drew_fx said:

My favourite revelations from the manual:



- Global tempo option

- Trails option on the fx loops

- Instrument/Line level selection for all of the outs. Very cool.










hmm, the only concern I have at the moment is that Volume Knob, can this be locked down parameter-wise somewhere I wonder...just thinking heat of moment gig setup don't want to be worrying about getting that level wrong as that is ultimately setting the whole rig volume....







It's size & placement bugs me a bit too, it's nice to have it accessible like that, but in some ways I'd prefer a set-and-forget location within a menu; or even the ability to re-assign those controls to something else too to create a pseudo exp.pedal perhaps?!





I did think I'll just mark it with a china sharpie, but then its probably data wheel type of pot rather than a good old fashioned pot with stops both ends!!!

It does stop at the max setting/Doesn't rotate continuously if that's what you mean.

guitarfishbay

Obviously I'm guessing, but I'd be surprised if you weren't able to see volume parameter as a percentage value somewhere on the system.

bendeloup

Pwalo said:

rossyamaha said:

@Pwalo it's essentially a PA speaker but a very clever one. You have a number of I/O options but the DSP and sensors are where it gets clever. It will "know" if it's being used upright or as a monitor and adjust the eq accordingly. You also have options to use it like a full range speaker, guitar amp as well as a few other things. It's really very clever. There is an advantage to having the Helix or the HD500x as they work with the L6 link so can even cleverer.

@rossyamaha. Having trawled the bay for one, there's a few l2m models and one l2t. Can't find much info on the difference. Any idea if the m would be ok or should I be after the t?

L2T is identical to L2M apart from the fact L2T has a 2 channel analogue mixer on the side with eq and effects (to DI a mic and an acoustic). You won't need an L2T if you buy a Helix as the Helix will plug into the Line 6 link digital input which is common to both the L2T and L2M. By the way if you intend to buy either, don't buy from Thomann - I've just been refunded by them for a faulty L3T after a 5 month battle which was only brought to a conclusion when I threatened legal action. Don't get me wrong, when your purchase is not faulty they are brilliant, but if you have a fault you will be in for a world of pain to get your money back. I'm never buying from them again.

Pwalo

bendeloup said:

Pwalo said:

rossyamaha said:

@Pwalo it's essentially a PA speaker but a very clever one. You have a number of I/O options but the DSP and sensors are where it gets clever. It will "know" if it's being used upright or as a monitor and adjust the eq accordingly. You also have options to use it like a full range speaker, guitar amp as well as a few other things. It's really very clever. There is an advantage to having the Helix or the HD500x as they work with the L6 link so can even cleverer.

@rossyamaha. Having trawled the bay for one, there's a few l2m models and one l2t. Can't find much info on the difference. Any idea if the m would be ok or should I be after the t?

L2T is identical to L2M apart from the fact L2T has a 2 channel analogue mixer on the side with eq and effects (to DI a mic and an acoustic). You won't need an L2T if you buy a Helix as the Helix will plug into the Line 6 link digital input which is common to both the L2T and L2M. By the way if you intend to buy either, don't buy from Thomann - I've just been refunded by them for a faulty L3T after a 5 month battle which was only brought to a conclusion when I threatened legal action. Don't get me wrong, when your purchase is not faulty they are brilliant, but if you have a fault you will be in for a world of pain to get your money back. I'm never buying from them again.

Nice one Centurion. Was the L3 faulty on arrival or did it go pop later?

FarleyUK

OK, I hear that the units were shipped from Amsterdam to dealers on the 28th September. Andertons tell me it will be available on teh 9th October now, as I was in the first batch.... however, they told me it would be the 25th September previously, and didn't bother letting me know it had slipped, so I'm taking it with a pinch of salt.

Fingers crossed though..... and people have started receiving their units elsewhere!!

Oh, and the manual is now live - http://line6.com/data/6/0a06439cb91a5609df67966ca/application/pdf/Helix Owners Manual (REV - English ( Rev B ).pdf

Gitarrenschlumpf

I ordered on June 16th in Germany (Thomann) and was told I will get the Helix on Oct 30th. So it seems there will be no shipping of the first wave in Germany.  

welshboyo

FarleyUK said:

OK, I hear that the units were shipped from Amsterdam to dealers on the 28th September. Andertons tell me it will be available on teh 9th October now, as I was in the first batch.... however, they told me it would be the 25th September previously, and didn't bother letting me know it had slipped, so I'm taking it with a pinch of salt.

Fingers crossed though..... and people have started receiving their units elsewhere!!

Oh, and the manual is now live - http://line6.com/data/6/0a06439cb91a5609df67966ca/application/pdf/Helix Owners Manual (REV - English ( Rev B ).pdf

I think the units were shipped to Yamaha not directly to dealers..

@rossyamaha is this correct?

Drew_TNBD

RMJ

 

Drew_fx said:

Love the comment someone has put in there about the profile of the 'artists' invited to demo this. 

None of them seemed particularly blown away by it. I thought it sounded pretty good

Drew_TNBD

RMJ said:

Love the comment someone has put in there about the profile of the 'artists' invited to demo this.

They should've got me in there to riff it up. My band is definitely A list.

(lol)