Helix 3.8 when?

[Lele]

So, my question was more in that context. Is your combination of settings a bit like that?

I'd say really that it's a matter of preferences.
Just speaking for example about my favorite settings with high bias and very low bias X: among other things, this causes less crossover distortion. And crossover distortion (besides other sound impact that often I don't like) generates a little more odd harmonics.
Are odd harmonics bad?
Well, they are generally perceived a little more aggressive and, unlike even harmonics, they aren't one octave higher or multiples.
But all of this will just give a different character to the sound that you may like or not, often depending also on the context.

 

[mercifulfuzziness]

I'd say really that it's a matter of preferences.
Just speaking for example about my favorite settings with high bias and very low bias X: among other things, this causes less crossover distortion. And crossover distortion (besides other sound impact that often I don't like) generates a little more odd harmonics.
Are odd harmonics bad?
Well, they are generally perceived a little more aggressive and, unlike even harmonics, they aren't one octave higher or multiples.
But all of this will just give a different character to the sound that you may like or not, often depending also on the context.

would you be so kind to paint some other contexts?

Does this also have to do with a more bluesy type of sound compared to metal (just two extremes of each other)?

Just trying to learn here :)

 

[Sascha Franck]

You don't really need to fool around with all these extended parameters. Use the standard tonestack, drive, master and channel volume parameters to get a sound in the ballpark of your desired gain, then fool around with some different cabs and then just play. Add drives. Add FX. That's the fun part of it.

 

[mercifulfuzziness]

You don't really need to fool around with all these extended parameters. Use the standard tonestack, drive, master and channel volume parameters to get a sound in the ballpark of your desired gain, then fool around with some different cabs and then just play. Add drives. Add FX. That's the fun part of it.

The reason the extended tone stack are on 5 is probably because to keep it as neutral as possible?

And the standard tone stack (low, mid, high) is probably how the amp is intended to sound?

I play way to little with the FX and drives

 

[Sascha Franck]

The reason the extended tone stack are on 5 is probably because to keep it as neutral as possible?

Likely. As said, personally I do prefer to turn Hum, Ripple and Sag down. But I'd possibly get useful tones out of things without doing so. And especially all the newer amps seem to work pretty well without giving much about all the additional parameters (that you'd never adjust yourself on a real amp, either). Or to put it this way: In case you can't get a decent tone out of the stock parameters that the real amps would expose, it's likely not worth experimenting with the extended stuff. Once things are fine already, you can (and possibly even should) obviously use those parameters to fintune things. But I wouldn't start with it at all.

 

[mercifulfuzziness]

Likely. As said, personally I do prefer to turn Hum, Ripple and Sag down. But I'd possibly get useful tones out of things without doing so. And especially all the newer amps seem to work pretty well without giving much about all the additional parameters (that you'd never adjust yourself on a real amp, either). Or to put it this way: In case you can't get a decent tone out of the stock parameters that the real amps would expose, it's likely not worth experimenting with the extended stuff. Once things are fine already, you can (and possibly even should) obviously use those parameters to fintune things. But I wouldn't start with it at all.

Yeah makes sense. If you go to the store and try out a Fender Deluxe all these options are not their either.

 

[burningyen]

Any controls that don’t exist on the real amp are set to reflect the real amp’s behavior. Any controls that do exist on the real amp are set to where whoever programmed the defaults or the preset thought it sounded good.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Any controls that do exist on the real amp are set to where whoever programmed the defaults or the preset thought it sounded good.

Just that sometimes the defaults are pretty, pretty bad IMO (and it's not just my opinion by far). When you click through the amp+cab list from the top, using a medium output guitar, there's not one clean amp until you reach the Jazz Rivet. And it doesn't stop there, whomever did this seemed to have tried to make high gainers ouf of, say, the Tweed Blues and several others. IMO that's almost factually/historically wrong. Sure, these amps have as well been used to be cranked up the Wazoo, blooming around and all that - but pretty much everybody knows that they really shine when used in lower gain settings, especially in the delicate breakup area.
And while they possibly tried to make Neil Young proud with all those cranked, farting vintage machines, they also don't exactly lend to trying out the (partially excellent) dirt stomps, simply because an amp that is about to melt down will eat their character for breakfast.
One of my personal hot candidates for "the golden raspberry award of presets-gone-wrong" possibly has got to be the Brit J45 Nrm.
Anderson with a Duncan Mini HB in neck position (medium output, medium bright):



Yeah, that sure sounds like "wow, let me explore this device further!"
And really, it's like that with pretty much all defaults. Now, personally, I actually *do* know how to change things so they work, I also saved my own defaults (and quite some base presets) - but that's not what you do on first contact, even less so when this is your first contact with the modeling world.

Having said all that, it had gotten quite a lot better with the latest updates and their amp additions.
But still, if you want to get an idea of what most of the amps are like, you need to at least grab the Drive knob and pull it way down.

 

[BahamaDada]

Have you guys tried out the bass wah?

Really cool sweep for Drop B and generally lower guitars.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Have you guys tried out the bass wah?

Really cool sweep for Drop B and generally lower guitars.

I need to A/B it against my actual one still. I love the sweep on that wah, even for a standard tuned guitar

 

[dudelectric]

Here is some hidden fixes I found in 3.8

Script mod phase: fix overal frequency response, deeper phaser effect even if placed before amp on distortion, now its chewy and throb just like the real deal

Pebble phaser: sounds better

Legacy 80's flanger: fix inconsistent volume depend on block placement

 

[James Freeman]

Here is some hidden fixes I found in 3.8

Script mod phase: fix overal frequency response, deeper phaser effect even if placed before amp on distortion, now its chewy and throb just like the real deal

Pebble phaser: sounds better

Legacy 80's flanger: fix inconsistent volume depend on block placement

Nice!
I've complained about the Scrip Mod Phase a few months ago and could get much closer results to my real pedal with the Deluxe Phaser.
Somebody's reading these forums.

 

[dudelectric]

Nice!
I've complained about the Scrip Mod Phase a few months ago and could get much closer results to my real pedal with the Deluxe Phaser.
Somebody's reading these forums.

Yes ..I ve tried your version with Deluxe phaser just after someone mentioned it in my own version FB post. It really great emulation.. now seems the 100 hz low cut has fixed anyway this need to be scientificaly proofed .

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I'd swear the straight through signal is different after 3.8. I keep my stomp in a loop Switcher because I didn't like what it did to my sound with it in the chain with no blocks on. It thinned out the bottom end, I felt like I lost a little signal so I'd bump it up by 0.2db to even it out and sometimes compensate with EQ.

I've been switching it in and out at lots of different volumes for the last few days at home and with my band and it sounds noticeably different. I can't hear much change at all with the stomp on my signal path and without it.

It's probably placebo but I'd like to downgrade to 3.71 and run some pink noise through it then update again to 3.8 and do the same to see if I can see any difference or if it's all I'm my head.

 

[I S]

I'd swear the straight through signal is different after 3.8. I keep my stomp in a loop Switcher because I didn't like what it did to my sound with it in the chain with no blocks on. It thinned out the bottom end, I felt like I lost a little signal so I'd bump it up by 0.2db to even it out and sometimes compensate with EQ.

I've been switching it in and out at lots of different volumes for the last few days at home and with my band and it sounds noticeably different. I can't hear much change at all with the stomp on my signal path and without it.

It's probably placebo but I'd like to downgrade to 3.71 and run some pink noise through it then update again to 3.8 and do the same to see if I can see any difference or if it's all I'm my head.

There was that initial issue with 3.8 in HX Edit on Mac that, in some cases, did not fully restore Global Settings. Could it be a change with that (if you had used a Mac)?

 

[SillyOctpuss]

There was that initial issue with 3.8 in HX Edit on Mac that, in some cases, did not fully restore Global Settings. Could it be a change with that (if you had used a Mac)?

I didn't update until after the fix was out.

It's probably placebo but I'm going to try and test it anyway because I'm definitely preferring the stomp in my signal chain to before.

 

[EOengineer]

Interesting about the phase 90 - I’ll need to investigate as it’s a core effect for me and it’s always been off on the Helix, despite L6 nailing it in older products.

I was playing the Mark IV lead the other night and couldn’t tell if I was losing my marbles but that lead channel wasn’t sounding and feeling more lively than I remembered. I haven’t had time to revert and compare against 3.7.

 

[ragingplatypi]

Dag. I finally got to spend time with the Xtra Blue, and now I see why everyone was making so much noise for that one. It’s hard to get a bad sound out of that. Lots of nice complexity in the midrange. I’m excited to hear it in the mix with the band.
I know I’m late to the game, but kudos and thanks to team Helix for more inspiring and practical treats!

 

[dk_ace]

Nice!
I've complained about the Scrip Mod Phase a few months ago and could get much closer results to my real pedal with the Deluxe Phaser.
Somebody's reading these forums.

That’s funny. I tried to use the HX script model several times and just gave up, couldn’t understand what everyone saw in that pedal if that’s what it really sounded like. The bass cut was my biggest gripe. I got on better with the deluxe model. Sounds like I shouldn’t give up on the real phase 90 after all…

D

 

[Lele]

That’s funny. I tried to use the HX script model several times and just gave up, couldn’t understand what everyone saw in that pedal if that’s what it really sounded like. The bass cut was my biggest gripe. I got on better with the deluxe model. Sounds like I shouldn’t give up on the real phase 90 after all…

Nice!
I've complained about the Scrip Mod Phase a few months ago and could get much closer results to my real pedal with the Deluxe Phaser.

I also did not like the Helix Phaser, and found out that I could get a nicer (imho) effect using the Gray Flanger or other "flanger" blocks.
To set the proper parameters, I love this video lesson: