Helix 3.2 when?

[Lysander]

Just did a search on Youtube, all the big and "important" Youtubers did make a 3.5 video. Not sure if you categorize them as shills or not, but there is no lack of 3.5 videos.

Eh, there's a surprising number of guitar YouTubers who normally shill releases like this to no end, and completely ignored Helix 3.5.

@Whizzinby 's Modeler Wars series makes good fun of a couple of them :)

 

[eggpl@nt]

I caved and ordered a Helix Rack. Found one locally for a good price. I like Native but hate being bound to a computer. I’m excited to hook the Rack up to my Matrix power amp and cabinets.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Eh, there's a surprising number of guitar YouTubers who normally shill releases like this to no end, and completely ignored Helix 3.5.

@Whizzinby 's Modeler Wars series makes good fun of a couple of them :)

Eh Rabea has never done anything L6 to my knowledge. The usual L6 suspects all have videos.

 

[Lysander]

Eh Rabea has never done anything L6 to my knowledge. The usual L6 suspects all have videos.

Let the record state, i was really trying not to name names here!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Let it stand on record, i was really trying not to name names here!

View attachment 2281

He switched to Fractal a ways back.

 

[HotRats]

I've made some experiments today, trying to get close to commercial IRs using the new cabs and, while is neither easy or fast to reverse engineer the recording technique, you can clearly get really close.

We need a blind test now.

 

[Lysander]

He switched to Fractal a ways back.

Oh, i know. He's one of those figures who always has a video ready when something launches though.

 

[SeeD]

Have you watched The Modeler Wars lately?

I did today..
And he needs to get a new camera ( that does more then 12 fps ) It`s like looking at a stop motion

I mean Tone Wars

 

[Stone]

John Nathan, man can that guy ever play
great comparison video here with new cabs

 

[Lysander]

Yeah, i have to sat

John Nathan, man can that guy ever play
great comparison video here with new cabs

This really mimics my experience with Helix 3.5. The fact that you can visually adjust parameters for great sounding, IR-based cabs really means i never felt the need to go folder diving for a discrete IR while building patches. It's a remarkable update.

This was also one of the things i liked the most about the Quad Cortex; Helix now does that trick just as well.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I did today..
And he needs to get a new camera ( that does more then 12 fps ) It`s like looking at a stop motion

I mean Tone Wars

 

[James Freeman]

A few words about the future of cabs and IRs.

To me it seems like the next logical step is to integrate the virtual moving mic and IRs together, for example, a system where the user can load his own 10 IRs and the virtual mic smoothly interpolates between them like the Helix and QC do now.
The intention is to replace the long IR list with something more intuitive like moving a mic and allow the massive variety of third party IRs at the same time.

Combine these and everyone wins.

 

[molul]

A few words about the future of cabs and IRs.

To me it seems like the next logical step is to integrate the virtual moving mic and IRs together, for example, a system where the user can load his own 10 IRs and the virtual mic smoothly interpolates between them like the Helix and QC do now.
The intention is to replace the long IR list with something more intuitive like moving a mic and allow the massive variety of third party IRs at the same time.

Combine these and everyone wins.

That sounds good, but not sure if they would develop such a system, especially when they've delivered such a great cab system that so many people will use instead of IRs.

I'm guessing they'll focus their efforts on updating all existing cabs to the new engine for a long time.

 

[James Freeman]

The two approaches complement each other.
One allows to quickly find the spot that sounds best by smoothly interpolating between several points, the other has infinite variety of cabs.
It's an idea for the future, not a Helix request.

I can get fantastic tone and even recreate album tones with the new cab system, it is extremely versatile when you know how to use it and maybe know a few tricks. I can wholeheartedly say that I can get excellent guitar tone for any genre without the need of third party IRs.
But, I will also say that it is not perfect, some cabs like the Brit V30 are just awful and not representing the Marshall G12 Vintage speaker well at all, so this amazing technology of freely and smoothly moving a virtual mic is still "limited" by the source.

 

[molul]

If anyone wonders what 22 cabs weren't updated in 3.50, they are:

Soup Pro Ellipse
1x8 Small Tweed
1x12 Blue Bell
1x12 Cali IV
1x12 Celest 12H
1x12 Del Sol
1x12 Field Coil
1x12 Fullerton
1x12 Lead 80
1x12 US Princess
1x18 Del Sol
1x18 Woody Blue
2x12 Interstate
2x12 Match G25
2x12 Match H30
2x12 Silver Bell
4x10 Ampeg HLF
4x12 Greenback 20
4x12 WhoWatt 100
4x12 SoloLead EM
6x10 Cali Power
8x10 Ampeg SVT E

 

[James Freeman]

They have plenty of fantastic Greenbacks, G12H, Classic Lead 80, and Mesa Black Shadow (Cali IV) speakers.
I hope to see them shot in a 4x12 cab because openback and small 1x12 cabs don't do justice to these speakers.

Also, each speaker in a 4x12 cab sounds different and the axial direction you capture it matters too, I hope to see more of the Greenback 25, 20, 12H and Match 25 speakers in a 4x12, and the Brit V30 needs another attempt it's godawful.

Line 6 can do a LOT with what they already have, just choose the good sounding speaker (or two) from that cab, and move the 1x12 Celestions to a proper 4x12 for capturing.
* Disconnect the other 3 speakers terminals if you are capturing one different 'implant' speaker in that 4x12 to not add coloration from the other speakers, and never leave speaker holes open, the cab needs to be air tight.
This is my advice, and again Line 6 can do A LOT more with what they already have by moving stuff around.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

To me it seems like the next logical step is to integrate the virtual moving mic and IRs together, for example, a system where the user can load his own 10 IRs and the virtual mic smoothly interpolates between them like the Helix and QC do now.
The intention is to replace the long IR list with something more intuitive like moving a mic and allow the massive variety of third party IRs at the same time.

This x10000000. It baffles me that IR loaders are still so stuck in the past. Even the better ones out there rely on tons of clicking around and folder diving to get what you need and the experience isn’t inspiring at all.

Melda MCabinet has the ability to put any IR into a custom interface with its own UI and interpolate between them. I experimented a little with it with some success but it involves a lot of dicking around and the interface is still overwhelming at the best of times. They could probably port the tech over and tweak it a little to fit that specific need.

There’s also stuff that annoys me about current IR loaders - they never give the option to EQ the mics before they’re summed together. A good UI should simplify this stuff and give the user something more representative of a studio experience of micing and routing signal chains.

Just to compare - drum VSTi’s have evolved so much. They usually offer a UI with graphics and you select your drums and cymbals (or entire kits) accordingly. No folder hopping, all the mics/bleed/routing is dealt with behind the scenes and you get a nice mixer with the ability to process/sum/pan etc all in one.

 

[James Freeman]

Melda MCabinet

Ooh, just noticed they are using some of my IRs and even have a visual Cab with "Freeman" on it.
They politely asked for permission (LINK).
MeldaProduction = good people.

I love this movie.

 

[Los-D]

Is your home studio dependent on it like that guy with his FM3?

 

[James Freeman]

Melda MCabinet has the ability to put any IR into a custom interface with its own UI and interpolate between them.

What we call "interpolation" is not much different than basic stereo L/R panning.
It turns down IR1 volume while turning up IR2 volume, the resulting mix is an automatic product, I don't think there's much math involved.