Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Helix rant…


NicoMcJ
 Share

Recommended Posts

So my brand new and shiny Helix Floor (not LT) was meant to be my all-in-one do everything solution for vocals and bass.

 

I was expecting to be able to plus my wireless into that and then have it straight into the PA and, as a result, have an easy life.

 

Alas…

 

1. The tuner is crap.  Therefore I still need to use my Polytune.

 

2. You CANNOT use the polyphonic drop-tune pedal unless you only want an amp, cab and compressor.  It literally devours all the DSP. Ergo, I still need my Digitech Drop.


3. There is no fuzz model with a blend control, so I have to use my Big Muff in one of the loops and blend that way.

 

4. I’m far too lazy to make patches for each song so I still need to use my Sadowsky preamp pedal for level matching between my basses.

 

So that’s 4 pedals plus a wireless on a mini board next to my “all-in-one” solution.

 

I’m starting to think the honeymoon period is over.

  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this is my "all in one" with a Helix Stomp....

 

There's not enough buttons on it so I have an external tuner. And external buttons for scrolling through presets. I need a volume boost pedal sometimes on stage so I got one of those. The Helix doesn't play nicely with an expression pedal and doesn't have a bass wah anyway so I need a bass wah (plus the extra buttons are in the socket the exp pedal would plug into). The Helix doesn't do synth sounds very well so I bought a Boss SY1 and use the expression pedal with that. All these extra pedals need powering so I need a power pack.

 

Really I could ditch the Helix for a good preamp pedal with a drive option and a good chorus pedal.

 

IMG20220121203310.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm guessing it might not be the unit for you.

 

But just in case...

 

1. The tuner is crap.  Therefore I still need to use my Polytune.

(It's not great, but turn the bass down a bit and always pluck at the same spot)

 

 

2. You CANNOT use the polyphonic drop-tune pedal unless you only want an amp, cab and compressor.  It literally devours all the DSP. Ergo, I still need my Digitech Drop.

(6 months ago the Poly model wasn't even in it. There is a simple one, but L6 customers just wouldn't shut up about it even when they were warned it would eat all the DSP.

 

To be fair to L6 - every modeller of any brand and money suffers in a similar way for poly tuning shifting. And none of them - even the stupid money Axfx3 or the QC are as good as the Digitech Drop is. Task specific kit wins every time.

 

Tune your bass to the lowest it needs to be for the entire set and then play the other stuff higher up the neck.)

 


3. There is no fuzz model with a blend control, so I have to use my Big Muff in one of the loops and blend that way.

(They can all be blended with a clean signal.  Just drag the Muff downwards and you'll automatically get a blending signal path)

 

 

4. I’m far too lazy to make patches for each song so I still need to use my Sadowsky preamp pedal for level matching between my basses.

(Can't help you there)

 

So that’s 4 pedals plus a wireless on a mini board next to my “all-in-one” solution.

(2 pedals and the wireless. You can learn the tuner and you can blend the Muff, or indeed any other block)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I'm guessing it might not be the unit for you.

 

But just in case...

 

1. The tuner is crap.  Therefore I still need to use my Polytune.

(It's not great, but turn the bass down a bit and always pluck at the same spot)

 

 

2. You CANNOT use the polyphonic drop-tune pedal unless you only want an amp, cab and compressor.  It literally devours all the DSP. Ergo, I still need my Digitech Drop.

(6 months ago the Poly model wasn't even in it. There is a simple one, but L6 customers just wouldn't shut up about it even when they were warned it would eat all the DSP.

 

To be fair to L6 - every modeller of any brand and money suffers in a similar way for poly tuning shifting. And none of them - even the stupid money Axfx3 or the QC are as good as the Digitech Drop is. Task specific kit wins every time.

 

Tune your bass to the lowest it needs to be for the entire set and then play the other stuff higher up the neck.)

 


3. There is no fuzz model with a blend control, so I have to use my Big Muff in one of the loops and blend that way.

(They can all be blended with a clean signal.  Just drag the Muff downwards and you'll automatically get a blending signal path)

 

 

4. I’m far too lazy to make patches for each song so I still need to use my Sadowsky preamp pedal for level matching between my basses.

(Can't help you there)

 

So that’s 4 pedals plus a wireless on a mini board next to my “all-in-one” solution.

(2 pedals and the wireless. You can learn the tuner and you can blend the Muff, or indeed any other block)

Number 3 can’t be used in my specific case - I’ve tried it but you can only do it once per path and other stuff takes priority.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, NicoMcJ said:

Number 3 can’t be used in my specific case - I’ve tried it but you can only do it once per path and other stuff takes priority.

 

You can use patch cables and IN OUT blocks to effectively give other blend options. So you are basically using the OUT to then jump to a new IN location somewhere else in the chain - or even onto the other path.

 

I've not needed it personally so I haven't tried it, but a few guitarists I know have done it that way. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

You can use patch cables and IN OUT blocks to effectively give other blend options. So you are basically using the OUT to then jump to a new IN location somewhere else in the chain - or even onto the other path.

 

I've not needed it personally so I haven't tried it, but a few guitarists I know have done it that way. 

I know you’re trying to be helpful but I’ve genuinely explored all options 😊

 

Because I’m using the guitar side AND the vocal side and each XLR out has a different signal - which in turn is different to the 1/4” out - I don’t have anything left for a blended fuzz other than using a physical pedal in one of the FX loops.

 

I really can’t get my head around why there is 3 bass specific overdrives (all with clean blends) but no flipping fuzzes - I’ve even tried “making” a fuzz from the Darkglass but it just sounds poop 😢

Edited by NicoMcJ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, fretmeister said:

The fuzz models are based on real pedals. If they don't have a blend in real life then they don't have one in the Helix.

 

Would be nice if L6 did a few more of their own ideas for the pedals like they have with a couple of the amps.

Definitely! That would be superb! Even some of the Legacy pedals are based on their own fun ideas I believe.
 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My list would be:

 

  1. Accessibility/workflow: I wasn't keen on the hands-on (& foot-on) accessibility and getting used to the preset and snapshot programming mindset.
  2. Sounds: Mid-range individual pedals usually sound better (and have better hands-on editing and their individual footswitches) and I don't often use more than about 5 different pedal types so having them as individual pedals is a better option for me. 
  3. Digital: A nagging issue for me is that Helix things startup like a Laptop or phone. That reminder of it being software with potential for bugs, needing to plug into a Laptop for firmware updates, planned obsolescence and a slight feeling of 'is it going to start up properly when I really need it to' meant I never really jelled with it (in the same way as being quite excited when getting a new Phone or Laptop, but the honeymoon period wears off fairly quickly and there's no attachment to them once they become outdated). I'm not against digital pedals in terms of sound - I like them when they are like the EBS dPhaser, adding a usb socket often adds a world of frustration though.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are all things that I will happily put up with simply because I know when I hit the relevant footswitch I will get EXACTLY THE RIGHT SOUND for that particular part of the song EVERY SINGLE TIME.

 

Prior to getting my first programmable multi-effects unit (a Roland GP8) my effects set-up filled a 14U rack case, and almost every sound was a compromise so I didn't have to fiddle with about 50 different controls between songs.

 

Also in the early 80s I used a semi-modular synthesiser live. Changing sounds between songs at gigs could be interesting, especially if the lighting engineer decided to dim the stage. In order not to have to take patch charts on stage with me I had to memorise the settings of 30 knobs and switches as well as the positions of 6-7 patch leads for each of 8-10 songs. In order not to bore our audience with massive gaps between songs while we set up the synths, each song had an atmospheric 20-30 second intro where only the backing tape played. Of course that meant there was no possibility to try out the sound before you were actually playing. One wrongly positioned patch lead could result in either silence or an out of tune screech instead of the sound your were hoping for. For me, affordable, programmable synths couldn't come quick enough. That's why I'll live with all the apparent compromises of the Helix (although TBH for me there are none I discovered since I started using it).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, BigRedX said:

BTW for me the tuner is perfectly fine (and has got even better after the last firmware update) to the point where I have sold my Peterson Strobo Rack because there wasn't any point in having it. I use it with both 5-string (BEADG) and 6-string (EADGCE) basses.

It’s definitely better than the one on the HX FX which I had prior to this, but still not as “good” (if that’s the right word) as my Polytune.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...