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I just setup 4 basic sounds as I would with a normal valve amp and pedal setup. Then I have basic delay, chorus, reverb tremolo etc to add to those basic sounds.
Works perfectly this way. I don’t want to sound like the recorded tone. I want it to be my version of that sound.
I also have 4 base sounds and can add any effect or try different amps *if I want* but I tend not to - it's good enough to gig with - I sold my Victory V30 and 1x12 with no regrets. It's about simplicity, options and for me, sound. Lightweight, quick to set up and tear down and works in many configurations.
All our needs are different - for those of us who love Helix it's checking enough of the boxes. For those that tried it and can't get on with it, move on and go back to amps and pedals - there's room for all of it.
As an aside - I was trying some gear in a shop and asked to use the Helix in store and it sounded awful - had I been demoing it to buy I would never have touched it. Setting up some good patches and sticking it in a good cab/FRFR would have made all the difference.
My idea was to get a powerful yet small setup that will spend most of its time connected to a Yamaha THR10 or a small bass amp for home playing.
I've seen the silly routing in a few patches and by removing them, it sounds so much better to my ears.
This week, I'll get stuck into making the patches I want, along with the patch cables I need!
I love that setup! I could also get away with just a Stomp in our covers band - very tempted, especially for rehearsal!
I don't think that I am going to really need a ton of effects, so for home use and messing aroung in a rehearsal room, I hope this will be adequate.
My only consideration is how you patch in the H9. I either stick it in the loop or use it in pre/post mode and have to option to put it in front or after the HX. I'm leaning towards the loop right now and have ordered the requiste cables to make a stereo patch lead.
I might ditch the tuner once I've got my head around how I'll be patch switching on the HX Stomp. I was considering a boost or drive pedal in that spot, but given that 3 of my guitars have a 20db boost built in, there's not much need for that either!
That said, it's an easy way to add a little more grit when it's needed on the fly, as opposed to fumbling with patch editing.
I'm not sure I'd use it as an all in one solution, however I'm thinking of using it 4CM with my Dual Rectifier.
Basically to replace my pedalboard.
Is this a possibility:
The send from the Helix to the amp. Is it possible to route that to two outputs?
1. Line level to the amp so the wet signal hits the fx loop return on the amp and functions as normal. I.e. the delays/reverbs hit the power stage of the amp as usual and are then output to the power stage of the Dual Rec and then to the cabinet as normal.
2. Could that same signal, i.e. the send (preamp) from the amp, which is then effected with delays/reverb etc be sent to another output (simultaneously to the amp), with power amp and cabinet modelling direct to the PA??
Thus eliminating the need to mic the amp?
So basically it'd be the tone of the amp but with a modelled back end to output through the PA, but my on stage sound would be the actual/real amp and cabinet.
Is that doable? Hope that makes sense.
Cheers.
EDIT:
I also need alternate volumes. So if I hit the solo boost button, it would be useful for that to happen in the PA too.
Im assuming the way around that, would be to set up a separate block in the Helix to act as a line level boost. That way, when activated, it'd also increase the volume of the "modelled" output to the PA also??
However. I've used just the preamp feed into a cab sim to the pa and it sounds immense. Tried the slave out too and didn't get much benefit to be honest. And theres more cable to set up.
I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.
For the last bit, about the level boost, you could do that with one block or, better IMO, two blocks - one on the path to the amp's power amp and one to the PA, both engaged with a single snapshot. That way, you can have different levels of boost for each output path.
It could be done with a single gain block before the split to the outputs, but honestly...my experience is that it might cause problems trying to balance the amp's output (which you're effectively using as a monitor) with the level at the desk.
if you are someone who really relays on having the amp on the stage thing as part of your vibe, plugging in to a PA won’t float your boat.
Personally I use a 1x12 and a Fryette Powerstation for monitoring and I think this set up is capable of getting very close to the experience of using a real amp on stage. The
Had and some issues with pedals and a valve amp at recent gigs and struggling to get the consistency and reliability of the sound I have at our rehearsal room when I set it up somewhere else. Mainly with drives and their volume levels being all over the place.
Also, I’m finding more and more at gigs that I’m needing to turn the amp down so much that the back breaking weight I’m lugging around is a waste of effort and a risk. Perhaps I need a smaller low watt amp of course but I’m getting a beautiful room filling sound at praccy with the amp I’ve got.
the biggest issue I have with the helix is the old tech shelf life thing. I’m probably wrong but I’m thinking iPhone scenario. I generally (‘have to’) upgrade my iPhone every two years when they become redundant. My current one is more expensive than the helix but in two years when my contract runs out I’ll end up recycling it for about £200 and get the next new one as it’ll be old and out of date and I’m stuck in that hole.
For the outlay of a helix and the extra kit I would need for the rig that would keep me going I would expect that cost outlay to be a forever thing to some extent. I just feel that in five or six years time (or maybe sooner) I’ll need to make a similar size investment. I would hope a helix would still be working after that long but surely all digital tech is vulnerable to failure after a while.
As are pedals of course course but you can swap and change and a good amp should last a life time with servicing etc