Helix WIP

[ThePhilosopher]

Here's a medium length tune that I've been working on for a while now (darned toddler getting in the way of recording). I've got quite a bit of tweaking to do and I need to record all the bass tracks.
[youtube]jvAmR5SQFN8[/youtube]

 

[fdesalvo]

I like the direction it’s headed in and the drum samples are clean. Guitars are fat. Def update this as you move along.

How old is your toddler?  I’ve got a 10 month old. What an adventure and treasure he is.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

Thanks, my little one is 18 months old. I can post up the patch I'm using for any Helix users as well (I'm using Ownhammer IRs though).

 

[ltwhite]

How do you use your Helix?

I demo'd the software and got some actually pretty decent tones going straight into my interface, or with a couple drive pedals in front.

However, after getting the actual physical unit, I find that even with custom IRs, those amps sound absolutely awful.  They could work in a pinch, but at this point it's just a 10 pedal multi-effects unit for me. Which is fine, and handles all my modulation, delay and looping; but I can't quite tell if it's digitizing the signal on the way to the amp in a harmful way.

I've tried to A/B test it in and out, and can't figure out if it's me being crazy or just trying to hear differences that aren't really there, and now I'm hearing different things from my amp since I'm listening for nuances more than before.

 

[TBurst Std]

How do you use your Helix?

I demo'd the software and got some actually pretty decent tones going straight into my interface, or with a couple drive pedals in front.

However, after getting the actual physical unit, I find that even with custom IRs, those amps sound absolutely awful.  They could work in a pinch, but at this point it's just a 10 pedal multi-effects unit for me. Which is fine, and handles all my modulation, delay and looping; but I can't quite tell if it's digitizing the signal on the way to the amp in a harmful way.

I've tried to A/B test it in and out, and can't figure out if it's me being crazy or just trying to hear differences that aren't really there, and now I'm hearing different things from my amp since I'm listening for nuances more than before.

Amp? Hopefully you mean power amp and neutral speakers.  Otherwise you are using an amp sim and speaker IR into an amp which has a biased speaker.  That results in no good. 

 

[ltwhite]

How do you use your Helix?

I demo'd the software and got some actually pretty decent tones going straight into my interface, or with a couple drive pedals in front.

However, after getting the actual physical unit, I find that even with custom IRs, those amps sound absolutely awful.  They could work in a pinch, but at this point it's just a 10 pedal multi-effects unit for me. Which is fine, and handles all my modulation, delay and looping; but I can't quite tell if it's digitizing the signal on the way to the amp in a harmful way.

I've tried to A/B test it in and out, and can't figure out if it's me being crazy or just trying to hear differences that aren't really there, and now I'm hearing different things from my amp since I'm listening for nuances more than before.

Amp? Hopefully you mean power amp and neutral speakers.  Otherwise you are using an amp sim and speaker IR into an amp which has a biased speaker.  That results in no good.

Yes, I know how speakers work and how the Helix amps are 'intended' to be heard.  And no, those amps still sound awful to me through FRFR speakers with a neutral power amp.

And as I said, I use the Helix as a multi-effects unit at the moment, so yes, I plug into a guitar amp with guitar speakers.

 

[TBurst Std]

That’s fine.  Seems like a Helix isn’t for you.  Or I should say overkill using it only for efffects. 

Just wanted to make sure.  Plenty of people have plugged modelers into guitar amp/speaker and not gotten good results.  Just wanted to make sure you were aware.

 

[stratamania]

That’s fine.  Seems like a Helix isn’t for you.  Or I should say overkill using it only for efffects. 

Just wanted to make sure.  Plenty of people have plugged modelers into guitar amp/speaker and not gotten good results.  Just wanted to make sure you were aware.

Why would it be overkill?

It does not have to be amps and effects or total modeling of the signal. There is no problem using a Helix in four cable method for example and it even has extra loops to add in some other effects pedals if one so wishes. It is a flexible unit that can be put to good use in many ways.

Here is a video of Sean Halley, when he still worked for Line6 demonstrating such an approach with a prototype prior to release. In one patch he uses no amp or speaker modeling or IRs in the other, he uses a modeled preamp and bypasses the amps preamp. One of the reasons there are preamp models in the unit is so that you can do things like that.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FEhXjJgZFo[/youtube]

If you have more time even more flexibility shown using a Helix with amps and cabs.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvarQIPwchE[/youtube]

Another thing to consider even if all you use the Helix for is FX and switching to do the same with traditional pedals only and a loop switcher plus power supply you will be looking at several times the cost of a Helix. The Helix can be used in many ways as the individual user wants to, there is no right way to use it.

Sure it can just be used as a full modeler with FRFR type monitors, but it does not have to be.

 

[TBurst Std]

I guess your right.  I just view one of the main strengths of a modeler to be speaker IRs with mics. 
Back when I was analog, I can’t tell you how many times I would go to a venue with a great tone to only have it crap out as they wanted to use their mics and placements through their board.
Now I roll in and just go direct to board.

 

[stratamania]

That's the cool thing about modelers you can use them in many different ways and use cases.