Digital Igloo (Eric Klein, YGG)

Digital Igloo said:
The main reason is that Helix/HX boxes don't contain any hardware to wirelessly communicate with Android or iOS devices. HX Edit was originally supposed to be Bluetooth only (no tethered Mac/PC because we didn't have the cycles to support both) back when it had a touchscreen. We took a poll of 100 guitarists and literally all 100 preferred tethered Mac/PC over Bluetooth/WiFi.

Tethered Android is pretty finicky and tethered iOS (with or without a camera kit) is sort of half-assing it, IMO.

It's not like we don't know how to do wireless editing—Stagescape M20d had an iPad editor via WiFi and AMPLIFi was the very first guitar product with wireless editing and cloud-based, crowdsourced content.
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Thank you for the answer! I have Catalyst Edit for Android, so I wondered about HX Edit but I'm sure there are a lot less parameters to handle with that app.
 
Digital Igloo said:
The main reason is that Helix/HX boxes don't contain any hardware to wirelessly communicate with Android or iOS devices. HX Edit was originally supposed to be Bluetooth only (no tethered Mac/PC because we didn't have the cycles to support both) back when it had a touchscreen. We took a poll of 100 guitarists and literally all 100 preferred tethered Mac/PC over Bluetooth/WiFi.

Tethered Android is pretty finicky and tethered iOS (with or without a camera kit) is sort of half-assing it, IMO.

It's not like we don't know how to do wireless editing—Stagescape M20d had an iPad editor via WiFi and AMPLIFi was the very first guitar product with wireless editing and cloud-based, crowdsourced content.
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I think the acceptance of Bluetooth/Wifi devices was pretty different back then, probably around 2012/2013 when you were designing the Helix? So I'm not surprised by those results.

For perspective, this was around the time the iPhone 5 came out.
 
BahamaDada said:
Weird queston @Digital Igloo .... but do you think a Catalyst 200 (2x12) could work as "bass amp" with the HX as preamp? Just some little monitoring. "Big" signal always comes from PA
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I use guitar amps with bass tracks and bass amps with guitar tracks all the time. It wouldn't be my first choice, but in a pinch, I suppose it could.
laxu said:
I think the acceptance of Bluetooth/Wifi devices was pretty different back then, probably around 2012/2013 when you were designing the Helix? So I'm not surprised by those results.

For perspective, this was around the time the iPhone 5 came out.
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Bluetooth hardware's range, reliability, latency, and transfer speed were much worse back then too.
 
Digital Igloo said:
I use guitar amps with bass tracks and bass amps with guitar tracks all the time. It wouldn't be my first choice, but in a pinch, I suppose it could.
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Just don't want to blow out the 2x12 speakers. Modern bass cabs often are often 1x12/2x12 now, too (Darkglass?), but I suppose those are different speakers than in the Catalyst?
 
Peripherally related- just want to say that I am loving my Stomp through the Catalyst. I’ve been insanely busy these days, so I don’t get a lot of time to play and it has been so satisfying to be able to just plug in and go.
 
ragingplatypi said:
Peripherally related- just want to say that I am loving my Stomp through the Catalyst. I’ve been insanely busy these days, so I don’t get a lot of time to play and it has been so satisfying to be able to just plug in and go.
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Are you going direct, Power Amp mode, or 4CM? I keep changing between direct and power amp mode.
 
Byrdman said:
Are you going direct, Power Amp mode, or 4CM? I keep changing between direct and power amp mode.
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Power amp mode for now. I’ve got all kinds of ideas for what I want to do re: 4CM but don’t have the time yet. I’m also just enjoying the Catalyst on its own.
 
Hi Eric. helix marketing consultation.
Why hasn't line6 promoted renowned musicians who use or used Helix? Today I saw that Fender (which came out just a few days ago) already sent its pedaboard to Bonamassa! Although I use it as a paperweight, the fact that Bonamassa has uploaded a photo with the pedal board is a great promotion, since it is the king of analog.
We all know what Metallica, Megadeth, VAi use.... but it is not common to see on Line6 those who use or used Helix at the time, or how Rhon Tal currently uses it live (to name one). Aren't you interested in that promotion?
 
Sorry to bother you with this but I do belive there's room for a big improvement in this area given the Helix aspiration to be the central hub of our dream rig. The same big improvement fw updates brought with the introduction of "snapshot bypass" / "snapshot control" options and the new command center before that.

Currently there's no "snapshot bypass" / "snapshot control" option for instant commands assigned to footswitches via command center.

An instant command like the ext amp relay (or a midi message) is vital for those who use hybrid real amp/helix setups and, in my opinion, this command should have a snapshot bypass option like any other block within the helix signal flow. I mean now that we've seen what can be done if you stay 100% "in the box" we want it also when pairing the Helix with an actual amp.

This "little" change is important because otherwise users with channel/feature switching amps can't use snapshots and direct footswitch assignments at the same time. They have to choose between controlling their amp using only snapshots and not using snapshots at all.

I'd love to see this changed in the future.
I patiently waited for the "snapshot bypass" / "snapshot control" options for years, I can wait a bit more the have them up and running everywhere in the Helix.

Cheers!
 
Perrymusica said:
Hi Eric. helix marketing consultation.
Why hasn't line6 promoted renowned musicians who use or used Helix? Today I saw that Fender (which came out just a few days ago) already sent its pedaboard to Bonamassa! Although I use it as a paperweight, the fact that Bonamassa has uploaded a photo with the pedal board is a great promotion, since it is the king of analog.
We all know what Metallica, Megadeth, VAi use.... but it is not common to see on Line6 those who use or used Helix at the time, or how Rhon Tal currently uses it live (to name one). Aren't you interested in that promotion?
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I'd certainly be interested in something like that, although I suspect most users care more about what their idols are playing currently. Also, as soon as my brain attempts to weasel itself into a different department, it begins to melt down. For example, if you want your company to go broke, hire me to do anything with Excel.
HotRats said:
Sorry to bother you with this but I do belive there's room for a big improvement in this area given the Helix aspiration to be the central hub of our dream rig. The same big improvement fw updates brought with the introduction of "snapshot bypass" / "snapshot control" options and the new command center before that.

Currently there's no "snapshot bypass" / "snapshot control" option for instant commands assigned to footswitches via command center.

An instant command like the ext amp relay (or a midi message) is vital for those who use hybrid real amp/helix setups and, in my opinion, this command should have a snapshot bypass option like any other block within the helix signal flow. I mean now that we've seen what can be done if you stay 100% "in the box" we want it also when pairing the Helix with an actual amp.

This "little" change is important because otherwise users with channel/feature switching amps can't use snapshots and direct footswitch assignments at the same time. They have to choose between controlling their amp using only snapshots and not using snapshots at all.

I'd love to see this changed in the future.
I patiently waited for the "snapshot bypass" / "snapshot control" options for years, I can wait a bit more the have them up and running everywhere in the Helix.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
My understanding is that if an Instant command's MIDI value doesn't change, it effectively acts as if a snapshot bypass switch has been turned on, although you're right—this doesn't apply to Amp control messages; I'll ask the team about it.
 
Hi DI, thanks for the opportunity to ask you questions. Hopefully I'll phrase this in a way you can give your opinion without you having to say something your employer/stockholders/government regulators would prohibit.

Do you think it would be a good idea to have a future Line 6 floor or desktop modeling/multieffects unit to include the ability 'host' captures, either made by Line 6 or by a third party tech like NAM? It seems like it is a technology that is here to stay. You have amp blocks, preamp blocks, etc, so why not a Capture block?

And if you have any kind of positive outlook toward this please elaborate right up to the absolute edge of divulging too much info ;)
And, if it is a dumb idea, or otherwise not wise for Line 6 to do please elaborate on the reason up to that same limit.

Thanks for your participation in our obsession!
 
Enchilada Jones said:
Hi DI, thanks for the opportunity to ask you questions. Hopefully I'll phrase this in a way you can give your opinion without you having to say something your employer/stockholders/government regulators would prohibit.

Do you think it would be a good idea to have a future Line 6 floor or desktop modeling/multieffects unit to include the ability 'host' captures, either made by Line 6 or by a third party tech like NAM? It seems like it is a technology that is here to stay. You have amp blocks, preamp blocks, etc, so why not a Capture block?

And if you have any kind of positive outlook toward this please elaborate right up to the absolute edge of divulging too much info ;)
And, if it is a dumb idea, or otherwise not wise for Line 6 to do please elaborate on the reason up to that same limit.

Thanks for your participation in our obsession!
Click to expand...

I'll second this Enchilada Jones ! :)

If I could add just one thing re: a future L6 product making/hosting Captures.

L6 already has a massive library already of super detailed component modeled pre-amps [and power amps].

I.m.h.o the future of "real" / "genuine" / "real amp responsive and sounding" captures is no longer in single snapshot static Captures ie: NAM, Tonex, QC and Legacy-Kemper Profiles.

As we all know ... they all sound great at those static settings, but they all start to degrade very quickly once you start to adjust their in-built generic G/B/M/T/P controls they each have.

The future ... which is here already is hybrid-capture's where the Amp you are profiling has the actual Amp's Gain and Tone Stack burned into the Capture so that you can adjust the Capture like a real Amp and it will sound and respond like a real Amp.

Kemper are already doing it brilliantly with Liquid Profiles.

However ....... Kemper are very limited in that their list of "Amp Channel Models" is very modest - although it is growing very slowly.

L6 have already done the heavy lifting of having a mountain of detailed-component-modelled-Amps - they have a massive inbuilt head start.

" All " they need to do is build and incorporate the Capturing methodology and link-burning the real Amp being Captured with the matching pre-existing Helix model of that amp.

I'm no techie ... I suspect this is easier to say that do (?) ... but I have no doubt L6 have the people to do it and do it brilliantly.

The only [possibly massive] "catch" is not being "caught" or "blocked" by the current Kemper Patent ..... which again may be much harder to do that say.

All the best,
Ben
 
Just thanks to you and all team for great 3.70.
Edit : "booster" is awesome ! Could it be implemented in every amp (or as a single block) ?
 
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Enchilada Jones said:
Do you think it would be a good idea to have a future Line 6 floor or desktop modeling/multieffects unit to include the ability 'host' captures, either made by Line 6 or by a third party tech like NAM? It seems like it is a technology that is here to stay. You have amp blocks, preamp blocks, etc, so why not a Capture block?
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I've answered this before, but the gist is that we've looked very closely at it and understand both the theory and the math. I will say we have zero plans to give up on proper component-level modeling, however.

The thing with NAM is that it's not particularly scalable. Other methodologies like what're found in IK and QC tend to work better in embedded, non-desktop environments.
BenIfin said:
"All" they need to do is build and incorporate the Capturing methodology and link-burning the real Amp being Captured with the matching pre-existing Helix model of that amp.

I'm no techie ... I suspect this is easier to say that do (?) ... but I have no doubt L6 have the people to do it and do it brilliantly.

The only [possibly massive] "catch" is not being "caught" or "blocked" by the current Kemper Patent ..... which again may be much harder to do that say.

All the best,
Ben
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It wasn't so much Kemper's patent that's kept Line 6 from pursuing profiling as us having respect for Christoph. And not wanting to be copycat douchebags.
zib said:
"booster" is awesome ! Could it be implemented in every amp (or as a single block) ?
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We can't add boosts to existing amps as they'd add DSP and users would run the risk of breaking presets.
 
" ..... It wasn't so much Kemper's patent that's kept Line 6 from pursuing profiling as us having respect for Christoph. And not wanting to be copycat douchebags ..... "

As I typed my original note .... I not-surprisingly expected that to be the L6 position :)

Massive Respect !

Ben
 
Digital Igloo said:
I've answered this before, but the gist is that we've looked very closely at it and understand both the theory and the math. I will say we have zero plans to give up on proper component-level modeling, however.

The thing with NAM is that it's not particularly scalable. Other methodologies like what're found in IK and QC tend to work better in embedded, non-desktop environments.

It wasn't so much Kemper's patent that's kept Line 6 from pursuing profiling as us having respect for Christoph. And not wanting to be copycat douchebags.
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Interesting word choices.

So you're saying maybe ... something like a capture. :-)
 
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