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Which Helix? LT or Stomp?


geoham

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3 hours ago, tandark said:

Potential Option 3?

Buy stomp and HX Effects. Gives you a modular set up, smaller footprint, access extra functionality in the stomp by using the HXe as a midi controller. Just add the cheap L6 expression pedal and you're good to go...

Certainly an interesting idea, thanks.

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I think using stomp , HX and an expression pedal will give you most (not all) the functionality of a Helix, with a lot of added complexity, two power supplies (or one big expensive one) cables, programming etc

I have the stomp for bass (3 sounds under my feet and a tuner) but struggling to make it work for guitar where I use a lot more effects, for that I have a Helix.  It's big, heavy, expensive but brilliant!  

You could expand the stomp functionality with a midi controller, but IMO that detracts from the simplicity of the stomp, and is a bit of a half-baked solution

The HX FX, I personally wouldn't bother with as the amp modelling is important to me

The LT is good value, but I know if I'd bought one I'd with Id spent the extra on the full fat model

Edited by JohnA
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1 hour ago, Musicman20 said:

I'm back in decision mode with this.

Seen the HX Stomp drop to £390....seen the  LT for around £720-740. However the main Helix floor has risen to £1150-1200+ from around £900-950 when I first tried one. 

 

Where are you seeing the LT for this price? Spent some time trawling yesterday and £769 seems to be the best.

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Hello guys!

I've been reading this thread because I am lately thinking about selling most of my pedals and go with the Helix. The reason is that, even though I love pedals, I don't use most of them. In 99% of my gigs I only use HPF->LPF->Compressor->Overdrive->Tone Hammer DI. However, I like to experiment sometimes, so that's why I am thinking about the Helix. However, I have some doubts that I hope you guys could help me to solve.

I like the LT, but it is kinda big in the stages I usually play and I don't think I will use most of the features. So I am leaning towards the HX Stomp. To ones who use it or have experience with it

-Do you guys miss the DI out? Most of sound guys just use the DI out and assume it will be there.

-I have some pedals that I like, for instance, my Black big muff. The question is, using the FX send/return, can you place pedals in the middle of the chain? Mi idea would be: two different signal paths: the first one just the bass (maybe with a HPF). The second one: HX Stomp (Envelope Filter->Compressor->Octaver)->Pedals outside the HX like my Ampeg Scrambler or the EHX Big Muff->Return of the HX (Chorus->Bass amp and cab). Would it that be possible? I guess it is, but I'm not sure.

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Just now, javi_bassist said:

 

-Do you guys miss the DI out? Most of sound guys just use the DI out and assume it will be there.

 

Don’t worry about the DI, most of not all desks have an unbalanced channel so they just take it out the 1/4” jack.

If you really want, get a cheap passive DI as well, will be smaller

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31 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Don’t worry about the DI, most of not all desks have an unbalanced channel so they just take it out the 1/4” jack.

If you really want, get a cheap passive DI as well, will be smaller

I think the DI out of the stomp is balanced if you use a TRS jack plug. I have a TRS to XLR lead to get a balanced signal to the desk.

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5 minutes ago, mr zed said:

I think the DI out of the stomp is balanced if you use a TRS jack plug. I have a TRS to XLR lead to get a balanced signal to the desk.

It is indeed, both outputs are balanced so as @mr zed says all you need is a TRS to XLR cable, or just run a regular unbalanced cable if it's only a short run to the desk. 

43 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

-I have some pedals that I like, for instance, my Black big muff. The question is, using the FX send/return, can you place pedals in the middle of the chain? Mi idea would be: two different signal paths: the first one just the bass (maybe with a HPF). The second one: HX Stomp (Envelope Filter->Compressor->Octaver)->Pedals outside the HX like my Ampeg Scrambler or the EHX Big Muff->Return of the HX (Chorus->Bass amp and cab). Would it that be possible? I guess it is, but I'm not sure.

As far as I understand it, if you have any pedals in the Stomp fx loop you can place them anywhere within the Stomp signal chain, although it's not something that I have personally done. But before you do this it's worth having a look to see what models the Stomp currently has as there are models of both the Ampeg Scrambler and the EHX Big Muff so it might be that you can do away with both of these and just use the Stomp as a stand alone unit. 

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25 minutes ago, mr zed said:

I think the DI out of the stomp is balanced if you use a TRS jack plug. I have a TRS to XLR lead to get a balanced signal to the desk.

14 minutes ago, Osiris said:

It is indeed, both outputs are balanced so as @mr zed says all you need is a TRS to XLR cable, or just run a regular unbalanced cable if it's only a short run to the desk. 

Did you gents land on a particular brand of TRS cable?

If we get a normal guitar jack to guitar jack TRS cable would that also work just fine from bass to amp? That would make it a more general purpose cable. Or would you only want to use for a balanced output?

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1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Did you gents land on a particular brand of TRS cable?

If we get a normal guitar jack to guitar jack TRS cable would that also work just fine from bass to amp? That would make it a more general purpose cable. Or would you only want to use for a balanced output?

Err, I'm not sure I understand what you're asking?

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32 minutes ago, Osiris said:

Err, I'm not sure I understand what you're asking?

a) Make of TRS cable you're using - any particular recommendations?

b) Can a TRS cable that has 1/4" jacks be used in place of a normal guitar lead e.g. if you weren't using a Stomp on a particular gig i.e. can we use a TRS as a general purpose lead for all uses?

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1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

a) Make of TRS cable you're using - any particular recommendations?

b) Can a TRS cable that has 1/4" jacks be used in place of a normal guitar lead e.g. if you weren't using a Stomp on a particular gig i.e. can we use a TRS as a general purpose lead for all uses?

TRS is a 1/4” jack with three contacts I think

You may have some issues with active basses as they normally use the middle ring and bottom bottom being linked to turn on the active circuit. A TRS to TRS might not do this.

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1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

a) Make of TRS cable you're using - any particular recommendations?

b) Can a TRS cable that has 1/4" jacks be used in place of a normal guitar lead e.g. if you weren't using a Stomp on a particular gig i.e. can we use a TRS as a general purpose lead for all uses?

A, Mine are Lynx cables but there's plenty of options at different price points.

B, why would you want to??? Try it and let us know how you get on. 

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6 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

TRS = Tip, ring, Sleeve

whats your Jack? Mono vs Stereo

Get into the guts and find out

No need to 'get in to the guts' it's pretty obvious just looking at them

TS top

TRS bottom

TS-TRS.jpg

Edited by JohnA
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19 minutes ago, JohnA said:

No need to 'get in to the guts' it's pretty obvious just looking at them

TS top

TRS bottom

TS-TRS.jpg

 

Yep, that bits very obvious

Guts of your bass to see your jack - less obvious from the outside 

Edited by Cuzzie
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5 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

 

Yep, that bits very obvious

Guts of your bass to see your jack - less obvious from the outside 

Or easier just have mono jack cables for mono jack use and TRS-XLR for plugging balances signals into the PA.

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One of these will get you form the HX Stomp to the XLR input of your desk (see image below)

A 1/4” instrument cable (1/4”>1-4”) from the Stomp ‘out’ to the 1/4” input on your desk will likely not cause you any issues. 

I’m not sure the benefits of using a 1/4” TRS>1/4”TRS or the potential pit falls but I’ve never tried one.

F2650411-6435-47A6-9F28-041E333589BC.jpeg

Edited by krispn
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