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Line 6 Helix.

fretmeister

By fretmeister,
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Iain Enthusiast

Iain

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[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1464082802' post='3056340']Then there is the rather powerful EQ and compressors too.

I think there is a tendency to look at the guitar models and think it won't work on bass, but the Helix is so flexible that it's probably more useful to think of all the models just as components without being instrument specific.[/quote]

The quality of the compressors is something that's really easy to underestimate - I don't run with a lot on but what is there makes just enough difference without making it sound squashed but not loss of low-end. All the other effects work really well - even though they're mostly guitar focussed. Only thing I've not been able to get sounding good yet is a bass synth sound (think Muse) but that's in part because I've not spent enough time playing with it.

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fretmeister Grand Master

fretmeister

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I've done a lot of controller assignment stuff.

From 1 press swapping amps, turning off chorus and turning on drive pedals and then changing FX parameters all at the same time. Works very well.

ANd I've been mixing cab models with direct - that works exceptionally. Very pleased with that indeed!

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  • 3 weeks later...
Iain Enthusiast

Iain

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[quote name='hookys6stringbass' timestamp='1467398005' post='3083475']
Has anyone used this live yet?
As in instead of an amp...
[/quote]

I've only used it live into my amp but that's set flat (Markbass Big Bang) into a BF SuperTwin2. I've also used it with that plus DI into FoH.

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fretmeister Grand Master

fretmeister

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Firmware V2 is out!

And it has "Snapshots" which is basically Fractal's "scenes" on steroids.

Single stomp within a patch to not only activate a full memory of blocks on/off, but also it can remember 64 parameter changes too!

I can't wait to try it!

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Sonic_Groove Rising Star

Sonic_Groove

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[quote name='hookys6stringbass' timestamp='1467398005' post='3083475']
God this looks fantastic!!!
The price doesn't though
Has anyone used this live yet?
As in instead of an amp...
[/quote]

I would also like to know if anyone who has used a HD500 in anger has also used Helix? Any real world sound comparisons? Live practicality? Ect

Some thing that sounds like a major upgrade is the ability to run cab sims to PA & no sims to Amp, I understand it can do that?

I thought price would come down, but they are going up :(

B

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fretmeister Grand Master

fretmeister

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Yup - you can run the 1/4 jacks with Cab sims and the XLR without, at the same time. Or the other way round.

Why would the price come down? Demand is far higher than supply. Prices never come down in that situation. And don't forget the pound is in the toilet against the dollar now too.

The amp models have been tweaked a bit in V2 firmware as well. Definite improvement on the ones I use a lot. It's one of those rare things that I haven't had a millisecond of buyers remorse about.

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  • 1 month later...
skelf Experienced

skelf

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If anyone is interested this Fusion bag works very well for the Helix floor unit. Loads of additional pockets and has rucksack straps as well.

[url="https://www.fusion-bags.com/products/sa-workstation-controller"]https://www.fusion-bags.com/products/sa-workstation-controller[/url]

I have the floor unit which I intend to take to shows to demo basses and guitars.

I have used many multi-effects units over many years and this is by far the easiest to use.
Fairly new to the modelling aspect of it but so easy to edit every thing it is proving pretty easy full stop.

On the whole I still prefer the bass without the modelling but that could just be down to many years of recording via DI.
Still found some excellent sounds using the modelling and have made up several banks with just cab/amp to demo the basses.

Brilliant unit very pleased I got it first outing will be to the Holy Grail in Berlin.

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  • 3 weeks later...
charic Veteran

charic

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[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1473625488' post='3131823']
My Helix is making a trip back to L6 via PMT this week... Unit has died after trying to patch the firmware to 2.01. L6 and PMT both providing excellent customer service so far.
[/quote]

That sucks! But atleast the support is good so far!

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Iain Enthusiast

Iain

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1473664736' post='3131979']
That sucks! But atleast the support is good so far!
[/quote]

Arrived back via DPD this morning - PMT Techs managed to fix it by patching it - something that had failed on two of my computers with L6 support hits and tips.

Unit seems faster with this patch in terms of working with Helix Edit and, oddly, less noise when connected via USB to my PC.

Been playing this morning with a base patch using the Template for Parallel paths. Got one setup now with simple EQ to provide a clean low freq route and a high freq route for FX.

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fretmeister Grand Master

fretmeister

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[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1474108952' post='3135659']
Fretmeister - any patches you feel like sharing?

I find the L6 Custom Tone library frustrating to find bass-specific patches!
[/quote]

I've got a couple I'm very happy with. I've never uploaded anything before. I shall have to investigate.

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charic Veteran

charic

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[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1474273885' post='3136603']
I think (do check) that the AX8 doesn't do twin amp pathways. The Full Axe-FX does and the Helix does, but I don't think the AX8 does.

Might not be an issue for you, but I love that flexibility.
[/quote]

Nah, the AX8 doesn't (AFAIK) but from what I hear it has the more extensive library of the two.

Ideally I'll hunt down both to try on guitar and bass and see what's what :)

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fretmeister Grand Master

fretmeister

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If you are metal type chap - Ola has just done a Helix demo and has put his patches up for free.

Apparently Pete Thorn is going to release his Helix patches too.

I've got 2 main bass patches - my Cliff Burton inspired Mesa 400 rock / metal type, with clean options; and a GK based super-versatile patch with some switchable EQ curves, bit of drive and compression etc for just about everything else.

Then I've got a shitload of weird noise ones! :D

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Iain Enthusiast

Iain

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[font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif]Just had a play with IR Models - I was specifically looking for some acoustic bass stuff and found a generic patch for acoustic with a bunch of IR models of a Taylor 314CE with a bunch of different mics... Flipping brilliant![/font]

[font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif][color=#000000]The patch: [/color][url="http://line6.com/customtone/tone/2324697/"]http://line6.com/cus...e/tone/2324697/[/url] [/font]
[font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif]The IRs are on google drive: [color=#000000][url="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1XgNa5vH3j1ZkVoTFJLQ241WTg/view"]https://drive.google...FJLQ241WTg/view[/url] [/color][/font]

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charic Veteran

charic

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[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1474316200' post='3137129']
[font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif]Just had a play with IR Models - I was specifically looking for some acoustic bass stuff and found a generic patch for acoustic with a bunch of IR models of a Taylor 314CE with a bunch of different mics... Flipping brilliant![/font]

[font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif][color=#000000]The patch: [/color][url="http://line6.com/customtone/tone/2324697/"]http://line6.com/cus...e/tone/2324697/[/url] [/font]
[font=tahoma,geneva,sans-serif]The IRs are on google drive: [color=#000000][url="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1XgNa5vH3j1ZkVoTFJLQ241WTg/view"]https://drive.google...FJLQ241WTg/view[/url] [/color][/font]
[/quote]

How do the IR Models work?

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Iain Enthusiast

Iain

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1474356929' post='3137280']
How do the IR Models work?
[/quote]

It's either Voodoo or Black Magic!

It's (simplistically) a definition of the response of a system to a given input. More specifically it's how much of the modelling is done in Kempers and the like.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Working_Guitarist_All_About_Impulse_Responses

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