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Line 6 HX Effects

#981
I finished programming everything for next week's gig. Took me two patces because I couldn't fit the synth string into my main patch. Everything else is in one patch with parallel routing and snapshots automate everything, even the channel switching for the tube pream pedal in one of the effect loops. If you go this route there is a neat trick for the bank select buttons. Hold down both for a while and they will switch modes to preset up and down and eventually snapshot up and down. In snapshot mode tapping both gives you access to the current bank so you can switch between 4 presets, so if you can fit everything in one bank it's a nice way for avoiding accudentally switching presets. I know I don't make much sense but try it and you'll understand. :)
 
#982
Spent 2 hours with mine last night - initial impressions are...I'm super impressed. This is definitely better than any multi effects I've had before. Agree with the sentiment about the Obsidian 7000 - definitely usable and definitely gets a lot of the "feel" of the B7K. I'm going to take some time to side by side the real pedal with the sim, but at this stage I think the real one is going to go up for sale.

Octaver tracking using the Bass Octave (legacy effect) is actually really good, in my experience. I can get it solid to low F 95% of the time. Low E is solid about 70-80% of the time, so usable if I'm careful and feed it a strong signal. Did a 30 second test with the simple Pitch as others have suggested - need more time with it to compare but I feel the Bass Octave gets me closer to what I want. Also, despite them being "legacy" effects, they sound MUCH better than my M9. I should side-by-side the two while I still have it.

I think I can improve the octave tracking further by putting a compressor and maybe drives before it...dunno, so much to experiment with! Not yet at the point of putting it on my board but I can tell I'm going to have one hell of a weekend soon running my "real" pedals into it via the effects loop.

I find I work 90% of the time in Signal Flow mode when building patches, I feel like it makes much more sense to how my mind works. Had/having a few issues getting the parallel chains to work as I want them to in my head, can't get the "blend" idea to work but I think that's more my inexperience at this point.

Less cool - looks like mine has a fault. The middle-bottom screen flickers. Not all the time, but I can definitely make it repeatable by doing certain things, such as using Patch Mode and selecting the middle-bottom patch, or by being in Signal Flow mode and adding an activated block. Have lodged a support case with Line 6 and contacted the store I bought it from. They've offered to replace it already though so I think/hope this will be a happy ending. Will keep you all posted.
 
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#983
been_effected said:
Spent 2 hours with mine last night - initial impressions are...I'm super impressed. This is definitely better than any multi effects I've had before. Agree with the sentiment about the Obsidian 7000 - definitely usable and definitely gets a lot of the "feel" of the B7K. I'm going to take some time to side by side the real pedal with the sim, but at this stage I think the real one is going to go up for sale.

Octaver tracking using the Bass Octave (legacy effect) is actually really good, in my experience. I can get it solid to low F 95% of the time. Low E is solid about 70-80% of the time, so usable if I'm careful and feed it a strong signal. Did a 30 second test with the simple Pitch as others have suggested - need more time with it to compare but I feel the Bass Octave gets me closer to what I want. Also, despite them being "legacy" effects, they sound MUCH better than my M9. I should side-by-side the two while I still have it.

I think I can improve the octave tracking further by putting a compressor and maybe drives before it...dunno, so much to experiment with! Not yet at the point of putting it on my board but I can tell I'm going to have one hell of a weekend soon running my "real" pedals into it via the effects loop.

I find I work 90% of the time in Signal Flow mode when building patches, I feel like it makes much more sense to how my mind works. Had/having a few issues getting the parallel chains to work as I want them to in my head, can't get the "blend" idea to work but I think that's more my inexperience at this point.

Less cool - looks like mine has a fault. The middle-bottom screen flickers. Not all the time, but I can definitely make it repeatable by doing certain things, such as using Patch Mode and selecting the middle-bottom patch, or by being in Signal Flow mode and adding an activated block. Have lodged a support case with Line 6 and contacted the store I bought it from. They've offered to replace it already though so I think/hope this will be a happy ending. Will keep you all posted.
Click to expand...

Really cool hearing stuff like this. Not the screen flicker. But cool all around. It’s cool that L6 is on the spot to make it right too. Looking forward to seeing more of what you have to say about after you get it on your board with other effects. Also makes me think about putting all my dirt in the effects loop.....hmmmm
 
#987
gregmon79 said:
Really cool hearing stuff like this. Not the screen flicker. But cool all around. It’s cool that L6 is on the spot to make it right too. Looking forward to seeing more of what you have to say about after you get it on your board with other effects. Also makes me think about putting all my dirt in the effects loop.....hmmmm
Click to expand...

This is basically, long term, what I have planned.

I've been thinking I'll grab one of these: Morningstar Engineering
Then use the HX to send MIDI signals to the ML5 to switch pedals in/out as required.
 
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#988
LSMFT6 said:
Anyone having noise/hiss issues with theirs? Seems to be a happening to a few people on TGP
Click to expand...

I haven't yet, but early days. I've only been using headphones as well which probably gives me a better idea about noise, and I haven't been using the HX with any of my other effects, or running it through the same power supply as my other pedals (which is where you sometimes see noise arise). Mine's been dead quiet aside from the usual noise added with drive pedals.
 
#989
I know, this is specific for the HX but none of the Helix posts have as many comments as this thread does....so until you guys tell me to go away...

My replacement LT arrived yesterday (AMS and their 2 day shipping turned into one day since they ship out of northern New Jersey and I'm in upstate NY). Got to run it through my Quilter and GK RBX 210 cab at rehearsal tonight. I've been alternating between Mesa 400 model and SVT models, with a compressor out front into the Obsidian 7000 model, then into a chorus and flanger that get used sparingly. DI has a cab sim on it. 1/4" out has no cab sim. It sounded really good going from 1/4" into the front of the Quilter tonight, once I got the low end under control (I had the growl turned on the Obsidian 7k and didn't adjust the low end appropriately, though sounded fine in headphones).

There is a very good chance that this will replace my entire pedalboard as well as my Ampeg SVP-Pro. Oh, and since I ordered new I took advantage of the free backpack offer, which fits all my cables as well as the Quilter in the front pocket.
 
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#990
Boot error on mine when I powered it up at the gig this weekend. First issue I've had with it. Haven't had a chance to look into it yet.

Probably factory reset required? I haven't updated it recently or made any new patches. Not sure what could have caused it. I think I'm on 2.50.
 
#991
ChubbyJerk said:
Boot error on mine when I powered it up at the gig this weekend. First issue I've had with it. Haven't had a chance to look into it yet.

Probably factory reset required? I haven't updated it recently or made any new patches. Not sure what could have caused it. I think I'm on 2.50.
Click to expand...

Dirty power?

You'd be amazed how often that causes high tech gear to do some truly weird things.

Do you see the same issue at home?
 
#993
ChubbyJerk said:
Boot error on mine when I powered it up at the gig this weekend. First issue I've had with it. Haven't had a chance to look into it yet.

Probably factory reset required? I haven't updated it recently or made any new patches. Not sure what could have caused it. I think I'm on 2.50.
Click to expand...

Be careful, I have had some boot errors, and finally my store replaced it by a new one.

been_effected said:
I find I work 90% of the time in Signal Flow mode when building patches, I feel like it makes much more sense to how my mind works. Had/having a few issues getting the parallel chains to work as I want them to in my head, can't get the "blend" idea to work but I think that's more my inexperience at this point.
Click to expand...

+1 Signal Flow mode. I adjust the A or B level in the Mix point
 
#994
been_effected said:
Dirty power?

You'd be amazed how often that causes high tech gear to do some truly weird things.

Do you see the same issue at home?
Click to expand...
Haven't had a chance to try again at home. I've powered it the same way on the same outlet previously however. I'll try tonight.

I was using a basic splitter straight off the outlet. B3n on the other side. No daisy chain. No extra power brick.
 
#995
been_effected said:
Octaver tracking using the Bass Octave (legacy effect) is actually really good, in my experience. I can get it solid to low F 95% of the time. Low E is solid about 70-80% of the time, so usable if I'm careful and feed it a strong signal. Did a 30 second test with the simple Pitch as others have suggested - need more time with it to compare but I feel the Bass Octave gets me closer to what I want. Also, despite them being "legacy" effects, they sound MUCH better than my M9. I should side-by-side the two while I still have it.
Click to expand...

Could it maybe be the fact that helix has better ints/outs/DAC than the M9? Maybe with the M9 there was some signal degradation entering/leaving the unit, even though the model itself is the same.
 
#996
Just modeled a bassmaster. It’s so cool! Used the octave fuzz and a noise gate. I modeled off of my actual bassmaster. Got it pretty damn close. I may add a slight high mid EQ bump. But overall it’s pretty aweome. And mean. Yus!

Octave fuzz:
Drive 60%
Bass 60%
Mid 70%
Treble 65%
Output to taste/room

Noise gate:
I pretty much left it at the settings it was on when I added it.
Tresh 25.5 db
Decay 500ms
Level 0.0 dB

This thing rules.

Then you can even try it in a parallel path and mix it in with the crossover or A/B. That could even give you more bassmaster flavor.

Edit: I also added some simple EQ to add a tad more high mids. It’s even better now.
 
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#997
Has anyone tried using the effects in stereo? I do a lot of my playing at home through headphones so I hooked up to my interface in stereo tonight. It’s awesome the delays and modulations are so much more lush in stereo.

My guitarist runs a stereo amp setup and this is in no way practical for us to use live but to record or something it would work just fine.
 
#998
I haven't run mine in stereo, but a close second (and even more useful in a live environment) has been running a Wet/Dry Setup. Definitely lush, just a little different than running things stereo. I have found that the sound guys I have worked with actually like it because they can control your Wet and Dry signals on a song by song basis. Plus there is always that "how do you get the stereo signal to translate when you are playing in a big mushy concert hall" thing.
 
#999
grimmchaos said:
I know, this is specific for the HX but none of the Helix posts have as many comments as this thread does....so until you guys tell me to go away...

My replacement LT arrived yesterday (AMS and their 2 day shipping turned into one day since they ship out of northern New Jersey and I'm in upstate NY). Got to run it through my Quilter and GK RBX 210 cab at rehearsal tonight. I've been alternating between Mesa 400 model and SVT models, with a compressor out front into the Obsidian 7000 model, then into a chorus and flanger that get used sparingly. DI has a cab sim on it. 1/4" out has no cab sim. It sounded really good going from 1/4" into the front of the Quilter tonight, once I got the low end under control (I had the growl turned on the Obsidian 7k and didn't adjust the low end appropriately, though sounded fine in headphones).

There is a very good chance that this will replace my entire pedalboard as well as my Ampeg SVP-Pro. Oh, and since I ordered new I took advantage of the free backpack offer, which fits all my cables as well as the Quilter in the front pocket.
Click to expand...
Had the flu for 10 days and could only read and like sometimes and finally able to comment haha. I too have an LT and been loving it to death. Im similar to you but I run Comp into Teemah into Obsidian into California 400 CH1 into High/Low cut (recommended in other threads to have after Amp/Cab) going into a pair of ZLX12P powered monitors. I'm really happy with my bass tone. I'm home again today and Def going to plug in as the last 10 days haven't had energy to. I really wanna try get a nice synth bass tone using octave, fuzz, filter and modulation. I've never ever tried this route before so might make for an interesting afternoon. If anyone has some tips I would love to hear your thoughts. Cheers!
 
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#1,000
gregmon79 said:
Just modeled a bassmaster. It’s so cool! Used the octave fuzz and a noise gate. I modeled off of my actual bassmaster. Got it pretty damn close. I may add a slight high mid EQ bump. But overall it’s pretty aweome. And mean. Yus!

Octave fuzz:
Drive 60%
Bass 60%
Mid 70%
Treble 65%
Output to taste/room

Noise gate:
I pretty much left it at the settings it was on when I added it.
Tresh 25.5 db
Decay 500ms
Level 0.0 dB

This thing rules.

Then you can even try it in a parallel path and mix it in with the crossover or A/B. That could even give you more bassmaster flavor.

Edit: I also added some simple EQ to add a tad more high mids. It’s even better now.
Click to expand...
Gonna try this today!
 
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