Helix Floor/LT/HX/Stomp/PodGo owners' Club - Tips, Ideas & Patches

[LukeFRC]

turn the gain right down. 

Channel volume doesn't effect tone so have that up and if it's the power amp sim adding distortion turn that down. 

I got it working with my old G&L L1000 which had a lot hotter pickups than most basses out there.

Also if the signal is coming out the compressor you don't need to change the input pad from Inst to Line do you? 
 

Edited January 14, 2021 by LukeFRC

[Greg Edwards69]

28 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Also if the signal is coming out the compressor you don't need to change the input pad from Inst to Line do you? 

I think I read somewhere that switching the Stomp's input to Line works well to reduce the input gain in lieu of the input pad that the larger Helix devices have.

[Al Krow]

Just had an email from Line 6. I think 3.01 has been out a while, however the fact that there is a severely corrupted audio output issue it is addressing is worth being aware of:

" We have just released an update to version 3.0 of the Helix® and HX firmware. The 3.01 update addresses potential severely corrupted audio output. Due to this, we recommend updating your Helix or HX firmware as soon as possible."

[dave_bass5]

On 06/12/2020 at 08:41, Al Krow said:

Thanks for sharing that. Apparently: "The Helix 3.01 update addresses potential severely corrupted audio output. Due to this, we recommend updating your Helix family device as soon as possible. This issue may also be experienced on Helix Native; an update for Native will be available in the very near future."

😁

[uk_lefty]

I've got my Helix Stomp on pre order, should be here at the end of the month. I've been through the demos of the bass amps and I'm not seeing any "super clean" bass amp sounds. For example, my Boss GT10B (now departed) had sims for a "super flat" amp and a trace elliot. My old Fender Bronco modelling amp modelled an SWR. These are my favourite amp sounds to then layer drive etc. on top of if and when I want it. Will I be able to get "super clean" amp sounds from the Helix by lowering gain and sacking in compression? Or would I need to import third party IRs? 

[Al Krow]

58 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

😁

Which goes to prove how great my short term memory is eh? If I can't remember what I posted on here 6 weeks ago, what possible chance have I got of remembering yours from 18 months ago? 😂

[Osiris]

58 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

I've got my Helix Stomp on pre order, should be here at the end of the month. I've been through the demos of the bass amps and I'm not seeing any "super clean" bass amp sounds. For example, my Boss GT10B (now departed) had sims for a "super flat" amp and a trace elliot. My old Fender Bronco modelling amp modelled an SWR. These are my favourite amp sounds to then layer drive etc. on top of if and when I want it. Will I be able to get "super clean" amp sounds from the Helix by lowering gain and sacking in compression? Or would I need to import third party IRs? 

Yes, clean sounds are easy enough to obtain, as you say turn the gain down on some models or use something like the Acoustic 360 (I think?) amp model or something like whichever Ampeg model isn't the B15 or the SVT (can't remember what model that is either ) as it is clean and flexible. There's a ton of other tone shaping options too including various pre-amps - both pedals and from the amp models - as well as the different EQ choices, for example I got a great retro sound from my Mustang with just the Tilt EQ block with the Tube Compressor after it. 

[krispn]

Or use the clean tube pre amp amp setting add a bit of comp (if you like) and a bit of the parametric eq and you can tune it to suit more or less exactly the clean sound you’re after. 

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Which goes to prove how great my short term memory is eh? If I can't remember what I posted on here 6 weeks ago, what possible chance have I got of remembering yours from 18 months ago? 😂

Nooo, ours were conversations, not just a one off discussion. It went on for months on and off 😁

Edited January 20, 2021 by dave_bass5

[ratman]

I'm using the Princeton amp model for some of my clean bass tones now. It sounds fab.

[javi_bassist]

Do you guys use any cab simulation or IR when going FOH? 

[krispn]

Yup I have also put a cab IR on a footswitch so I can darken things a touch. It’s basically a very simple eq option run in parallel on one patch. Depends what you want as an end result but it works on that patch for me. 

[ratman]

16 hours ago, javi_bassist said:

Do you guys use any cab simulation or IR when going FOH? 

Not yet. I have a Stomp, so the number of blocks I can use is limited. Even with the recent step up to 8 blocks I don't bother with IRs. Back in the good old days before modellers we mostly used to DI the amp or bass anyhow, so no cab sound ever got to FOH. I think my Stomp presets sound great through my PA.

If I had a Helix or an LT I'm sure I would use IRs but I don't at all feel like I'm missing out the way I use my Stomp.

[javi_bassist]

1 hour ago, ratman said:

Not yet. I have a Stomp, so the number of blocks I can use is limited. Even with the recent step up to 8 blocks I don't bother with IRs. Back in the good old days before modellers we mostly used to DI the amp or bass anyhow, so no cab sound ever got to FOH. I think my Stomp presets sound great through my PA.

If I had a Helix or an LT I'm sure I would use IRs but I don't at all feel like I'm missing out the way I use my Stomp.

I have the Stomp as well and I use my own preamp with the loop. But I thought exactly as you: I've always been DI'ed instead of mic'ed. And it sounded good.

[krispn]

I found switching to iem (very cheap behringer kit) in conjunction with the stomp IR’s made for a very convincing tone for me and the band mates. The same tones coming out the FOH were great too. Folks can argue over better or not but it’s nice to have options. 

[Greg Edwards69]

7 hours ago, ratman said:

Back in the good old days before modellers we mostly used to DI the amp or bass anyhow, so no cab sound ever got to FOH. I think my Stomp presets sound great through my PA.

This is my thinking too, but it depends on the users needs. Cab blocks and IR’s are the sound of a mic in front of a single speaker, not the sound of an actual cab. If you’re used to the sound of a mic’d cab in the PA and fold back and don't hear you actual cab on stage behind you then go for it. 
 

For those of use who are used to going direct, or use back line to fill the room, then I would urge you to avoid cab blocks or IR’s and try a simple eq block instead. I use a simple high and low cut that brings my frfr speaker into bass combo realms - honestly it sounds like a real bass combo/ half stack behind me.  Likewise, If you’re used to sending a DI signal then a sound engineer will normally top and tail it with hpf/lpf and eq it anyway. 
 

[Jack]

My main sound in the indie rock band is based around a modelled Aguilar 751 with no cab, sounds great. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Jack

[ordep]

saw this on the Helix FB group; like an M9 on steroids.

Edited January 23, 2021 by ordep

[Al Krow]

Well spotted and it's for real! Looks like NAMM 2021 has finally got interesting on the pedal front. 

In terms of design - they've sliced off the right edge where the volume knob previously was (the vol knob is on the back now) and the D & B buttons have been added to the left of the screen instead. AND then the other 4 stomp buttons on top.

So in effect you've now got a Stomp with as many stomp buttons as HX Effects (and obviously the amp and cab sims which HX Effects doesn't have) in a package that is probably slightly smaller than the HX Effects. Interesting.

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Al Krow

[LukeFRC]

That is probably a good all-in-one solution for bass players.
Unless you are an absolute pedal fiend I think for bass players the full fat Helix and LT are a wee bit big - This  has a fair bit of the functionality that would add to my hx stomp without adding masses of real estate and that and a exp pedal would be a nice setup that you wouldn’t need a pedalboard for. 
 

plus we might not have the HX effects owners bi-Monthly “why can’t I have this form factor with the amp sims?“ questions!   

[uk_lefty]

Any clues as to when this is out? Might cancel the pre order for my HX Stomp and if its a case of waiting 3 or 4 weeks get the bigger version... 

[Al Krow]

3 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

That is probably a good all-in-one solution for bass players.
Unless you are an absolute pedal fiend I think for bass players the full fat Helix and LT are a wee bit big - This  has a fair bit of the functionality that would add to my hx stomp without adding masses of real estate and that and a exp pedal would be a nice setup that you wouldn’t need a pedalboard for. 
plus we might not have the HX effects owners bi-Monthly “why can’t I have this form factor with the amp sims?“ questions!   

Interesting point about the expression pedal - I know some folk specifically have mentioned that they are turned off by units that oblige them to have an EP attached which they won't be using.

Also agree that this could choke off sales of the HX Effects going forward - depending on the price point of course.

2 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Any clues as to when this is out? Might cancel the pre order for my HX Stomp and if its a case of waiting 3 or 4 weeks get the bigger version... 

Good question and also what it costs? If it's the anything like the £ equivalent of the $ price on ordep's post i.e. £749 that is almost double the price of a £399 Stomp and I can't see it flying off the shelf at that price point. I'm guesing folk may be willing to stump up maybe up to around £500, given it doesn't cost a lot more to add a couple of footswitches. But I'd certainly balk at much beyond that, particularly with a nearly 6 year old chipset and comments about running into DSP limitations after release 3.0.

Be good to get your thoughts on how much extra you'd be comfortable with paying for the Stomp "Estate"?

Edited January 23, 2021 by Al Krow

[uk_lefty]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Interesting point about the expression pedal - I know some folk specifically have mentioned that they are turned off by units that oblige them to have an EP attached which they won't be using.

Also agree that this could choke off sales of the HX Effects going forward - depending on the price point of course.

Good question and also what it costs? If it's the anything like the £ equivalent of the $ price on ordep's post i.e. £749 that is almost double the price of a £399 Stomp and I can't see it flying off the shelf at that price point. I'm guesing folk may be willing to stump up maybe up to around £500, given it doesn't cost a lot more to add a couple of footswitches. But I'd certainly balk at much beyond that, particularly with a nearly 6 year old chipset and comments about running into DSP limitations after release 3.0.

Be good to get your thoughts on how much extra you'd be comfortable with paying for the Stomp "Estate"?

Not a great deal extra! It is just added switches, not exactly hugely expanded functionality. 

[dave_bass5]

2 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Not a great deal extra! It is just added switches, not exactly hugely expanded functionality. 

This would be the exact reason i would go for this. I almost went for a Pod Go last year. I loved the Stomp but needed more buttons for live use AND Amp/Cab sims for home use. The Stomp has less buttons, the HFX has no amp sims as such. What put me off the PG was that it had the expression pedal. Something i would never use. Obviously i could just not use it, but it seemed like a waste and made things larger than maybe they needed to be. 

The XL would have been  perfect, but as has been said, its a bit too expensive if it seems for the projected price. I’d still get this over the LT though, for the reasons above. Even if the prices were close. Not that i need it now, but a year ago I’d be all over this. 

 

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

This would be the exact reason i would go for this. I almost went for a Pod Go last year. I loved the Stomp but needed more buttons for live use AND Amp/Cab sims for home use. The Stomp has less buttons, the HFX has no amp sims as such. What put me off the PG was that it had the expression pedal. Something i would never use. Obviously i could just not use it, but it seemed like a waste and made things larger than maybe they needed to be. 

The XL would have been  perfect, but as has been said, its a bit too expensive if it seems for the projected price. I’d still get this over the LT though, for the reasons above. Even if the prices were close. Not that i need it now, but a year ago I’d be all over this. 

Yeah very much had you in mind with the EP comment, mate.

But if they are going to be adding £250+ [TBC] for the privilege of not plugging in an external stomp switch pedal, that's asking a lot from punters!

Edited January 23, 2021 by Al Krow