Line 6 Helix Megathread - 2.80 update

[Iron1]

I've used the EQ as a boost, but not directly in between the amp & cab.

 

[Iron1]

@Iron1 Not too sure what to recommend. I've checked on my Helix LT 2.92, just Amp -> IR, and throwing in several high gain amps, including the 5150, all of them have more or less the same default volume level. Here's what the default settings are for my unit, in case that helps somehow:

View attachment 83658

I noticed you were at v2.92 and I was still on 2.91, so I updated yesterday and now it seems to be fixed - so weird. That's at least the 3rd Firmware update I've done, if not the 4th, and none helped before. Either way, glad it's useable finally. Now to figure out how best to set the ripple, hum, bias x, etc... thanks for your help!

 

[nickgray]

I noticed you were at v2.92 and I was still on 2.91, so I updated yesterday and now it seems to be fixed - so weird. That's at least the 3rd Firmware update I've done, if not the 4th, and none helped before. Either way, glad it's useable finally. Now to figure out how best to set the ripple, hum, bias x, etc... thanks for your help!

Nice!

Ripple and hum are completely useless, unless you're looking to recreate some very specific weird ass tone from a 60s album or something. Bias X works in conjunction with Bias and Master, sound wise it seems to control how strong the power amp smashes shit. But you have to crank the power amp (i.e., the Master control) first, otherwise it's not in the overdrive and Bias X will do nothing.

Overall, I highly recommend to play around with the Master control most of all, it has a super dramatic effect on the sound, but trouble is, it also affects the volume. Try this - make a simple preset, and set the Master control and the volume to be changed on a snapshot change (I recommend changing the IR block volume instead of the Ch Vol of the amp block). Then set Master to 10, and adjust the volume so that it doesn't kill you. And then, for the next snapshot, set Master to 9, and match the volume level to the first snapshot, etc..

Iirc, Stomp only has 5 snapshots, so you'd need 2 presets in order to run through the full range of Master in increments of 1.

After you're done, try doing a similar thing with Bias, it also changes the tone, but typically in a more subtle way. The problem here is that in works in conjunction with Master and Bias X, so there are a lot of possibilities.

In general, the whole power amp cranking is about bringing out the mids and taming the highs, while also introducing compression. Works differently for every amp, and it takes a while to get your hand around it, but overall I'd use it as a tool to "beef up" the sound and control the tone as if it was something like an EQ. If the amp sounds a tad thin and the EQ doesn't help - try cranking the Master and tinker with the Bias and Bias X, there's usually a sweet spot where the sound gets beefed up a tad, but you don't go overboard.

Oh, and another recommendation - for IRs, I highly recommend finding two very similar sounding IRs, and putting the two in parallel, panning them left and right. If the IRs don't sound similar, you'll just get a weird effect where the left channel is pretty different from the right channel, but if they are very close tonally (but no quite), it makes for a very natural "in the room" stereo effect. It's way better than any kind of stereo widener or that short delay trick. Make sure to put a subtle stereo reverb as the final block.

 

[Iron1]

Nice!

Ripple and hum are completely useless, unless you're looking to recreate some very specific weird ass tone from a 60s album or something. Bias X works in conjunction with Bias and Master, sound wise it seems to control how strong the power amp smashes shit. But you have to crank the power amp (i.e., the Master control) first, otherwise it's not in the overdrive and Bias X will do nothing.

Overall, I highly recommend to play around with the Master control most of all, it has a super dramatic effect on the sound, but trouble is, it also affects the volume. Try this - make a simple preset, and set the Master control and the volume to be changed on a snapshot change (I recommend changing the IR block volume instead of the Ch Vol of the amp block). Then set Master to 10, and adjust the volume so that it doesn't kill you. And then, for the next snapshot, set Master to 9, and match the volume level to the first snapshot, etc..

Iirc, Stomp only has 5 snapshots, so you'd need 2 presets in order to run through the full range of Master in increments of 1.

After you're done, try doing a similar thing with Bias, it also changes the tone, but typically in a more subtle way. The problem here is that in works in conjunction with Master and Bias X, so there are a lot of possibilities.

In general, the whole power amp cranking is about bringing out the mids and taming the highs, while also introducing compression. Works differently for every amp, and it takes a while to get your hand around it, but overall I'd use it as a tool to "beef up" the sound and control the tone as if it was something like an EQ. If the amp sounds a tad thin and the EQ doesn't help - try cranking the Master and tinker with the Bias and Bias X, there's usually a sweet spot where the sound gets beefed up a tad, but you don't go overboard.

Oh, and another recommendation - for IRs, I highly recommend finding two very similar sounding IRs, and putting the two in parallel, panning them left and right. If the IRs don't sound similar, you'll just get a weird effect where the left channel is pretty different from the right channel, but if they are very close tonally (but no quite), it makes for a very natural "in the room" stereo effect. It's way better than any kind of stereo widener or that short delay trick. Make sure to put a subtle stereo reverb as the final block.

Ok, I'll try that out - thanks. Any recs for where to get better cab IRs?

 

[nickgray]

Ok, I'll try that out - thanks. Any recs for where to get better cab IRs?

Ownhammer, ML Sound, York Audio. Personally I like Ownhammer's 4x12 Recto. Ownhammer has tons of different IRs to mix and match, but for some the sheer amount can be confusing. The other two have less options.

 

[Iron1]

Ownhammer, ML Sound, York Audio. Personally I like Ownhammer's 4x12 Recto. Ownhammer has tons of different IRs to mix and match, but for some the sheer amount can be confusing. The other two have less options.

Thanks, I'm gonna have to get that Mesa 412 set.

 

[Metropolis]

Thanks, I'm gonna have to get that Mesa 412 set.

If you're into Mesa and want more aggressive sounds check out Bogren Digital. Here's a video of them through Helix, sounds completely different than for example Ownhammer which is too tame sounding in my opinion. Whole pack has 27 impulses instead of hundreds or thousands which many others have.

 

[sleewell]

https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/steve-howe-why-i-ditched-my-pedals-for-the-line-6-helix

 

[Schivosa]

If you're into Mesa and want more aggressive sounds check out Bogren Digital. Here's a video of them through Helix, sounds completely different than for example Ownhammer which is too tame sounding in my opinion. Whole pack has 27 impulses instead of hundreds or thousands which many others have.

Do you know what the actual cabs are? I haven't seen it listed anywhere.

 

[Metropolis]

Do you know what the actual cabs are? I haven't seen it listed anywhere.

Jens himself said that they're mostly Mesa Boogie 4x12 cabs, probably Oversized. V30 most likely but there could be something else too. He also said that they're doing an update for the cab pack with info sheet of cabs and mics used. It should be updated in september, and ir's for lead tones are coming too.

 

[Iron1]

I was able to download Ola Englund's oversized Mesa 412 IR and it sounds incredible. Way thicker, deeper and more present than any of the stock cabs.

 

[sirbuh]

IRs make a big difference (across all of the modelers).

 

[lewis]

I was able to download Ola Englund's oversized Mesa 412 IR and it sounds incredible. Way thicker, deeper and more present than any of the stock cabs.

oh sweet!
is that available somewhere?
or did you have to pay for it?

 

[Iron1]

oh sweet!
is that available somewhere?
or did you have to pay for it?

It's available to members of his Youtube channel. So, for the price of one of the packs listed upstream, you get access to all of Ola's IRs plus other stuff for 6 months (it's $5/month).

 

[sleewell]

How do you all setup a patch for live use? I've been changing mine around over the last year in this band and after our last show here is what I've ended up with. Using a Fuchs Viper in 4cm.

4 snapshots across the bottom row for gain flavors - fuchs clean channel, matchstick ch2 for crunch, fuchs gain channel, line 6 doom.

Effects: ts9, fuzz face, chorus, phaser, trem, ping pong, digital delay, particle verb.

I also use the la studio comp that comes on for the amp sims. Noise gate that comes on for the high gain stuff. And an eq after the amp that is always on.

On the top row the 4 buttons control the boost, fuzz and then 3rd controls the chorus, trem, delay and reverb together and the 4th controls the phaser and ping pong. Gives me two different ambient sounds.

Works great for our stuff but I'm sure it will keep evolving. I like having the 4 gain options.

 

[Avedas]

I use separate patches for dirty rhythm, lead, and clean, and separate versions with a pitch shifter if necessary since carrying 2 guitars to a gig just isn't an option. Then I use 4 snapshots on the bottom row to switch between gain levels and delay or some other FX if necessary. I mostly don't use FX beyond delay/reverb so there's no pedal DDR going on. No 4cm or anything since I never know what amp will be available at the venue.

Simple and failproof.

 

[vilk]

Just got a Pod Go and been experimenting with some stuff. Anyone else move the "mic" as far back as possible and turn up the early reflection? I play with headphones a lot and I noticed that this makes it sound more like an "amp in the room" (comparatively, at least). People who complain that modelers sound like a recording and not like a real amp, or if you can't get on with the way it sounds through headphones, I recommend giving this a try. Don't turn up the early reflection too high though or it will start getting a little weird.

 

[Spinedriver]

Ownhammer, ML Sound, York Audio. Personally I like Ownhammer's 4x12 Recto. Ownhammer has tons of different IRs to mix and match, but for some the sheer amount can be confusing. The other two have less options.

Actually, the 'new' Ownhammer irs the "(r)Evolutiuon" packs are pretty good and very streamlined so you don't have to sift through dozens of mics and even more placement options.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Just got a Pod Go and been experimenting with some stuff. Anyone else move the "mic" as far back as possible and turn up the early reflection? I play with headphones a lot and I noticed that this makes it sound more like an "amp in the room" (comparatively, at least). People who complain that modelers sound like a recording and not like a real amp, or if you can't get on with the way it sounds through headphones, I recommend giving this a try. Don't turn up the early reflection too high though or it will start getting a little weird.

I like the tile reverb with a very short Decay. It feels like there's an amp to my side when im wearing headphones

 

[lewis]

@Digital Igloo

Dude!, is it possible to request Line 6 to start making pedalboard power supplies?
Really need a power brick that powers the official line 6 products (HX Efx etc) but also has regular 9v and 12v power.

Would buy one right now if it existed.