Helix Cabs

[SillyOctpuss]

Is anyone getting on with the SM57 on the newer Helix cabs? I'm struggling to get a usable tone with any cab I've tried using a SM57. Obviously I could just ignore the 57 but IRL I use one all the time, often on its own and it sounds ace.

So what mics and cabs are you all using that work for you?

 

[Orvillain]

Honestly?? I'm not really using the stock cabs. They aint to my tastes. I'm using custom impulse responses, which as it happens, I meant to link on here the other day. To the new thread button Robin!!

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Honestly?? I'm not really using the stock cabs. They aint to my tastes. I'm using custom impulse responses, which as it happens, I meant to link on here the other day. To the new thread button Robin!!

I've been quite enjoying some of the 1x12 and 2x12s with the u67 or 906 but haven't had any success with the 4x12s or any mics I've used IRL.

I'm predominantly still using York Audio IRs like the Mesa 2x12 or MRSH MV30 4x12 cabs.

Are these impulse responses you shot yourself? Looking forward to your thread that sounds interesting.

 

[vino_buono]

I like the new cabs a lot, and I specifically like the 57 mic. Matter of fact, I am moving from my usual 57+160 combination to full 57. I like it in the cap edge, 1” distance, 70 Hz low cut and no high cut. With greenback 25, and G25+V30 combination. For rehearsal and live.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I like the new cabs a lot, and I specifically like the 57 mic. Matter of fact, I am moving from my usual 57+160 combination to full 57. I like it in the cap edge, 1” distance, 70 Hz low cut and no high cut. With greenback 25, and G25+V30 combination. For rehearsal and live.

Which V30 cab have you been using? Also are you going straight to PA or through a powered cab?

 

[the swede]

Uber V30 has always been a nice option… now I don’t know if that stock cab is like a replica of the real thing. But it sure helped to get really good sounds pre 3.5. It has a very balanced sound.

When I was using IRs I often compared them to the stock helix cabs and the Uber V30 was always very close in sound signature.

This might very well have changed after 3.5 and now that there is several new cabs. But back then, it was my go to.

I look forward to try the new 1x12’s!

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Uber V30 has always been a nice option… now I don’t know if that stock cab is like a replica of the real thing. But it sure helped to get really good sounds pre 3.5. It has a very balanced sound.

When I was using IRs I often compared them to the stock helix cabs and the Uber V30 was always very close in sound signature.

This might very well have changed after 3.5 and now that there is several new cabs. But back then, it was my go to.

I look forward to try the new 1x12’s!

I really like the new crate and cream 1x12 cabs, the other big standout for me is the 1x10 princess cab.

 

[DieSchmalle]

I've had loads of fun with the 1x12 Open Cream this week.
SM57, 2.4, 1.00", 0°, Off, Off
Deluxe, Vox, Matchless, JTM, Park - all sound wonderful with it.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Still mostly using my own IRs. I use the new cab engine sometimes when recording and enjoying the SM7 over the other dynamics.

 

[James Freeman]

Is anyone getting on with the SM57 on the newer Helix cabs? I'm struggling to get a usable tone with any cab I've tried using a SM57. Obviously I could just ignore the 57 but IRL I use one all the time, often on its own and it sounds ace.

What is your other reference of a good SM57+Cab IR?

 

[SillyOctpuss]

What is your other reference of a good SM57+Cab IR?

The only IRs I've spent a lot of time with have been some Ownhammers which I didn't gel with and some of the York Audio packs I've bought. I really like the Marshall MV30 and the Mesa 212 pack. In the post above though I was primarily talking about my own experience of using a real 57 direct onto a cab for recording or playing live. I only started using any form of digital modelling in late 2020 when I couldn't meet up with any of my bandmates due to lockdown.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I think the Helix cabs are done well, but as with any library of IR's it comes down to the particular speaker/cab/mics in their collection. Line 6 definitely have some gems in there, and also a few that I dont think are particularly good examples of a particular cab. Just personal opinion there though, everyone has what they like and things like this fill the gaps nicely.

Its hard to find a bass cab IR library as comprehensive as Helix's, that has been really valuable to me.

 

[vino_buono]

Which V30 cab have you been using? Also are you going straight to PA or through a powered cab?

The Mesa V30. I also like the XXL. I don’t like the Brit V30, it sounds too fizzy to me. I go to a high quality FRFR which I use as a backline, plus some reinforcement from the PA. But mostly FRFR.

 

[James Freeman]

I don’t like the Brit V30, it sounds to fizzy to me.

This one is the absolute worst V30 cab I've heard anywhere.
The Brit V30 sounds nothing like the Marshall 1960AV from any IR vendor or youtube video.
I mean, all members of the sound design team at Line 6 actually listened to the captures of this cab and said "Yeah, sounds great!"?


edit:
I often blend cabs like Mandarin 30+Cali V30, and Mandarin 30+Greenback 25.
I carefully adjust the Delay, High Cut, Level and Position and Distance to create the perfect blend, then it sounds equal and even better than the commercial IRs I have.

A single raw SM57 without any EQ doesn't work for me in the Helix world, I have to blend cabs and carefully adjust the settings and maybe add some EQ.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

The Mesa V30. I also like the XXL. I don’t like the Brit V30, it sounds too fizzy to me. I go to a high quality FRFR which I use as a backline, plus some reinforcement from the PA. But mostly FRFR.

This one is the absolute worst V30 cab I've heard anywhere.
The Brit V30 sounds nothing like the Marshall 1960AV from any IR vendor or youtube video.
I mean, all members of the sound design team at Line 6 actually listened to the captures of this cab and said "Yeah, sounds great!"?


edit:
I often blend cabs like Mandarin 30+Cali V30, and Mandarin 30+Greenback 25.
I carefully adjust the Delay, High Cut, Level and Position and Distance to create the perfect blend, then it sounds equal and even better than the commercial IRs I have.

A single raw SM57 without any EQ doesn't work for me in the Helix world, I have to blend cabs and carefully adjust the settings and maybe add some EQ.

The Brit V30 fizzfest was the reason I started this thread. I've been unable to get anything usable out of it so I've mainly been sticking to IRs for 412s.

The Mandarin 30 212, princess 110 and some 112s are the Helix cabs I've been using. I'm hoping the interstate cab makes it into the next update, that was one of the better legacy stock cabs.

 

[Orvillain]

A single raw SM57 without any EQ doesn't work for me in the Helix world, I have to blend cabs and carefully adjust the settings and maybe add some EQ.

It's mad isn't it! I have exactly the same experience.

I've got three cabs here at home:

Egnater Tourmaster 4x12 with Chinese V30's - this is the cab I posted IR's for, and it sounds great!
Marshall Mode Four 4x12 with Celestion K100's - I've not done any IR's of this cab yet, but it sounds really meaty and has pleasant fizz, not nasty fizz.
Marshall JCM800 1960 4x12 with British T75's - I've not done any IR's of this yet either, but again... it sounds great!

I can get great tones with an SM57 on any of these cabs.

I don't know why, but I just don't ever get the tones I want with a single 57 in Helix land... it's maddening.

 

[James Freeman]

If you ask me, I think something went wrong with the capture of the Brit V30 cab, maybe they forgot to turn something off when capturing the Marshall 1960AV cab?
All Vintage 30 are slightly different but this one is not even in the ballpark.

That's another Marshall item that's not so great in the Helix, Line 6 really doesn't have any luck with Marshall stuff.

Helix V30 cabs:

 

[DieSchmalle]

The Brit V30 fizzfest was the reason I started this thread. I've been unable to get anything usable out of it so I've mainly been sticking to IRs for 412s.
[...]

This one is the absolute worst V30 cab I've heard anywhere.
The Brit V30 sounds nothing like the Marshall 1960AV from any IR vendor or youtube video.
I mean, all members of the sound design team at Line 6 actually listened to the captures of this cab and said "Yeah, sounds great!"?

Here is my unpopular opinion for you:
The Brit V30 might be the best sounding cab for old school Marshall sounds in the Helix IMHO.
67Cond, Center...Cap Edge, 6", 0°

This cab (and the Greenback20) might be an explanation for Line6's tendency towards non-bright cap Marshalls.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

If you ask me, I think something went wrong with the capture of the Brit V30 cab, maybe they forgot to turn something off when capturing the Marshall 1960AV cab?
All Vintage 30 are slightly different but this one is not even in the ballpark.

That's another Marshall item that's not so great in the Helix, Line 6 really doesn't have any luck with Marshall stuff.

Helix V30 cabs:

View attachment 6920

Thanks for posting that plot, it's nice to be able to see the differences like that.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I like some of the Helix cabs with a single sm57. I’ve captured around 5 different Mesa cabs and the Line 6 one definitely falls somewhere inbetween. It’s not my absolute favourite, and it’s also not the worst speaker I’ve heard.

They have some other nice IR’s in there but it’s just down to the particular unit in their collection. I really do wonder about that Brit 30 one though - if that’s the best sounding speaker in that cab, what on earth do the others sound like?