Setting Up Your Line 6 Helix For The Absolute Best Results | Create A Great Tone 

Thank you Jason. After 1.5 years, I am still learning my Helix and you just pointed out a lot of good tippers.

I love the Helix Floor and Power Cab+ which I have had about a year and have made a few presets that I like and sound really good, really have just barely scratched the surface but there are days when I just like too plug my guitar directly into my 65DRRI and just play. the best of both worlds. Thanks Jason for the great info.

As always ... great video. You do an amazing job of explaining things clearly.

Watching your videos today has me sold on getting a Helix

Holly crap. I never looked at the input/output before. I'm using monitors and switched the output to line and what a difference. Thank you so much.

Want to thank you so much for this , I'm new to helix and I have a few different scenarios of how ill be using it from my regular amp to a.power cab or frfr speaker and really needed this help.

This is a brilliant video thanks Jason. First time anyone has explained why you make these settings...that I know of.....👍

Great video. I am using Helix with a Kemper in 4CM. Have to go double check my Send/return settings now...

Jason I was at to thank for your videos . So informative. Helped me a lot with 4 CM and so many things . Thanks again

awesome and informative as always!!

Great video once again. Thank you!

So glad I rewatched this. I’m using a FRFR at home. I bought a DI to avoid the sound guy saying sorry I thought I had phantom off. I originally had my 1/4 to instrument then the direct box. The life got sucked out of it. I went back to setting the 1/4 to line then the Di a little more life. I may even set my xlr to line & just go with that. Thanks so much for helping us use this great too. I’m using your Soldano preset love it.

Jason you are seriously the best!

This was a great video. I have been wanting to use my amp for the power and by pass the preamp...i never fully understood it till now. I am on my way to having a good sound at gigs. ...😁. I got a few more things to learn on set up stuff...Thanks for the info!

I'm doing a variation of the last idea, the split outputs. I run my full signal chain to an XLR out, then split off another path just before the speaker cab with only the room verb at the end which goes to the 1/4" out. The XLR full signal goes to my interface (or FOH live), and the 1/4" goes to the power amp in on a combo amp. This gives me the full signal to recording, and everything except the cab block for the amp-in-the-room monitor. All of my presets for both guitar and bass are set up this way. Works great for me. I, too, never thought to look at the outputs in the global settings. Fortunately, everything there is correct. I was NOT looking forward to changing all my levels again. Great video, Jason.

I came back to watch this again and now learned you can send part of the signal chain to different places like stage monitor or front of house using a send block and you can put that send block anywhere in the sig path...then (wait there is more..lol) or you can split the path anywhere and send somewhere else to do same thing...holy cow, the sky is the limit. How long did it take to figure this out is what I am glad I didnt have to go thru before I seen this. Amazing video as always bro. Thanks again!

Very usefull! Thanks Jason

good techie stuff as always JS. you rock. Im sure many dont understand how to properly setup their Helix for best souds, especially if they bought it used off of CL or EB and it was all messed up in the global settings by the previous owner. Always a good idea to do a global reset to factory settings if you buy used gear :)

Great video. Thanks.

Ok big help thanks 🙏

Great video, clear explanation and the Jason Sadites style, what do we need more? Did I read that right that you always put the volume knob on its maximum? (The side note around 7:55)...

Thank you for this video. I've learned a lot. Just wondering if you can provide us the link for your other indepth video on the 4CM that you mentionned at 9:11, it will be nice.

Great “cut to the chase” video. I’m using a Line 6 PowerCab with my Helix Floor & PodGo. Based on your video, it seems like I should be going Line out from the 1/4” to the PowerCab, not Instrument, right? But when going XLR out direct to FOH @ church I would use Mic level?

Greetings from India 🙏 I absolutely love your videos, I am new to Helix and I wanted to know how to set a tone like John petrucci along with his Delay tricks, but the problem I had was the noise issues when I kept my volume knob on 9o'clock, it was fine but as soon as I raised the volume knob to 12 o'clock, there was this huge noise even after adding a Horizon gate in front, How should I make my tones on Gain setting aswell as volume knob level settings ?? On low mid or maximum? I totally got lost here, Please help 🙏

Thanks. I have a mission Gemini 2 and things are not sounding good. I will try some of these things to correct

Thank you so much for all your videos. How would you connect a Heil Talk box? All I know is that I use to connect it between the Amp and the cabinet of my Amp (not virtual) and that it is a passive drive.

Great video Jason... was curious, what settings would you recommend for running to the power cab 212 plus? I believe I run my aes/EBU cable to power cab on digital output with line signal. Have been noticing at higher volumes from powercab that my tones sound harsh

Have you found a way to separate the preamp & power section in the amp models such that you can swap out different preamps? For example, it would be cool to put a Cali Rectifire pre with the power section of a Tweed Blues Nrm, bypassing the pre of the power section of course.

Nice helpful video! You may also want to cover the USB connection. When you do this the Helix becomes an audio device option on your PC. I actually use my Helix LT as the audio device at all times, not just playing or recording. I found it drives my studio monitors (also acting as my computer speakers) way better than the PC motherboard audio device.

Hi Jason, great video. I've a Helix and buyed a Catalyst. Whats the best way to connect with Helix ? Thanks

Great video Jason. I wouldn't mind some global output clarification on FoH though....any reader comments welcomed. Right now I read online that mixers like MIC level, not LINE from Helix...is this correct? But maybe it depends which port the helix runs into on the mixer and cable choice? 1) Helix direct to mixer using either XLR or 1/4 depending on available ports (venues have big mixers with lots of free XLR, garage bands might have 3-4 XLR all used for vocals so guitars have to use one of the free 1/4 hybrid ports on a small mixer). Then I use IEM. 2) another common one, helix out to a various sized mixer with another cable to FRFR, again both using 1/4, or maybe XLR to mixer/AES to FRFR, or maybe 1/4 to both mixer and FRFR. I come across all of these depending on where I jam. I carry a selection of cables when I show up. Have to really. It gets confusing with cable selection leaving the Helix because you can use 1/4 XLR or AES. I can't say I've really looked into which cable selection is even preferred if they had to ranked from best setup to least preferred. Maybe using all 1/4 is best, or all XLR? No idea really. I just have everything on hand to make it work being proactive for a location setup. Again this is all for live band various situations. Love to get comments on this.

I like the setting " Send to Amp " for monitoring, but the sound of Helix go to front House P.A. where i can see this video explain ? I love this Video find today. Regards from Portugal

Regarding running to FOH and a real guitar amp simultaneously (17.53). I've done this myself for a couple of years but, you need to place the FX send and the CAB/IR blocks at the end of the Helix signal chain. Otherwise you don't get any of the post CAB/IR block effects making to your on stage amp. Which would be a bit weird.

Jason, anything different you would do when running Helix direct to FOH (which is what we do in church), other than making sure the XLR out is set to MIC, not Line?

If only this video was 8 seconds shorter! ;) As always, amazing content!

Hi Jason, quick question. If you use the L6 link on the rear panel of the LT, are you also able to still use the XLR outputs for other speakers at the same time?

Hi Jason Thanks for making this video's. I think a lot of us are going to buy one i'm certainly do thanks to your video's. So i'm gonne make a call with Line 6 to upgrade your bank account. 🤣 Keep up the good work and again many thanks.

Real amp,loaded down with a load box going into Helix....can I use the Aux in for this??or would I insert it into the instrument input??Or the FX loops on the Helix??although I am trying to save my loops for other outboard FX..

Helix question, I'm adding more and more presets, can you add new user folders? In HX edit?

Hey Jason, have you ever thought about a biamp scenario? Using the Helix and a tube amp in a biamp config? Running mono out of the Helix into a separate power amp and then taking an output of a separate preamp and using that signal into the poweramp and creating two distinct sounds. Say my Triaxis pre amp into my 50/50 power amp and using the Helix biamped to it.

Bit confused on 4 cable method as described .. I select the fx loop so I can get my amp sound but use some amp models (no cabs) for my clean amp sounds and helix fx .. I find the speaker sim or IRS even through my laney frfr1/12 really muddy the effects and if I dial out the low cut they really get lost 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

So I just bought an Orange Crush Pro 120h and decided to see what happened when I simply put the Helix into the front of the amp. Without thinking I left the amp and cab blocks on and it sounded killer! Then I thought to turn off the amp and cabs because that's what the internet said t do :) The sound was uninteresting and anemic. So now I simply run the Ubersonic amp block through two 4x12 amp blocks and various effects in the Helix and it sounds really good running through the head and a 2x12 marshall cab. I'm wondering why? Is it because this is a solid state amp? Is there a better way or is there something I might be missing? It seems hard to imagine that I could get a better sound turning off the amp and cab blocks but I'm new to using this with an amp. However, if it really is this easy to get suburb tones from a Helix with a real amp I'm wondering why the straight in method isn't talked about more. This is one of the only videos that even touches on the topic.Thanks! And love the Caress of Steel on your wall \m/

Hi Jason.... I'm in two minds to upgrade to GT1000 or Helix lt.... getting there. But I think the GT is the one for me.... Bur can you tell me if for example..... can I have say 4 OD's, 4 EQ's 4RV's etc etc any where in the chain. Your help would be much appreciated...

Very informative. I have a slightly different use case, and wonder what guidance you would offer. I run a Strymon Iridium in the FX loop of my Stomp. Should the Send and Return be set for Instrument or Line level?

Just got a Helix today and I'm trying to get it to play nicely with my Headrush FRFR 112 monitor. I've been tinkering with the global EQ to cut some of the bass frequencies out and it is still really bass heavy (also comparable to as it someone put a blanket over the speaker). I also went into the amp and EQ blocks on a factory preset to cut more of the bass out and then it just gets really thin. Oh, and I've also messed with swapping mics and increasing/decreasing mic distances, and switching from single to dual cabs. Anyone else run into this with an FRFR monitor? I had this same problem when running Bias FX to my same FRFR speaker and I very quickly fixed it with a global EQ in Bias. But, for some reason the Helix just doesn't wanna budge lol

another Great Video Jason., George Amodei :)

Jason, great videos and very informative! Question. Can in 4cm one easily switch between standard 4cm using amp channel with stomp for effects in front of amp and in fx loop, AND using a preamp in the stomp and bypassing the preamp in your tube amp? Seems most videos describe 4cm for actual amp and stomp effects only, and dont address using stomp preamp/amp modeler. Thanks!

Using my Helix LT with my headphones 🎧 which method should I used ?

Nice Canuck shirt.

So for something like an Orange pedal baby you would do line level?

Damn... I had Line6 POD HD500 , floorboard unit. I liked it, I could dial in nice tones... but I've never could get exactly same tone with headphones plugged in. Now I had some ideas why.

Great video but I have a question.... If you use 4cm & run helix out to a mixer & pa speakers via XLR, what settings would you advice please? Thank you 👍🏼

For 4CM you say the amp return should be line level, is that a Helix specific thing as if I had say a standard delay pedal in the loop and bypassed it , wouldn't that be an instrument level signal?

Jason, so I am using both my 1/4 outputs to going into my audiobox 1/4 in left and right into my studio monitors. Just to clarify I should be using “line” instead “instrument” ?

Hello!Man, my Helix on the headphone like interface, sounds terrible!😢I don’t know why….thank you!👍🙏

I'd like to put an external EQ between the 1/4" out of the Helix LT and my FRFR cabinet so I can optimize the tone of the FRFR without affecting the direct send to front of house. Will a guitar EQ pedal work with a line level signal? Any advice would be appreciated. I was looking at a Wampler Equator or an MXR 10 band.

I assume AES link Out is basically line out? Do you you the AES out in any scenarios?

I'm coming in three years late. Thank you for your instruction.

Say you're playing in a quieter setting (like a church service) - going out of the Helix XLR into the house PA using the "line level" setting might be too hot for that scenario unless you want that volume level. Or would you suggest just doing a level cut with a gain/volume block, or using the 10db pad on the PA channel receiving the Helix signal? I have been using the Mic level on the XLR outs, otherwise and sound man has to have my channel volume level too far below unity gain. Also, do you always have your Helix volume all the way up when playing live? I'm also curious as to how the "guitar pad" setting affects the quality of the signal.

Comparing the FRFR usage vs the 4CM, I find it interesting that everyone defaults to putting delay/modulation FX after the cab. But with 4CM, it's effectively between the amp and the cab instead. Do you ever arrange you blocks in such a way there is FX between the amp and cab?

I see Eddie!

What types of devices expect Instrument vs Line outputs (5:48)?

Great stuff! Can someone explain why when I've purchased IR's they appear on my computer but they don't appear as an audio file so I can drag into my HELIX LT. Therefore I have not been able to use the IR's I've put and downloaded thus far.

What are the best settings for using with headphones?

Why do you always keep the Helix volume full on. I have a FRFR set-up. I notice on some of your presets the amp models have the master set to 10......... doesn't this blow your ears off?

"I've actually included in my Line 6 marketplace presets eh hendy little P JEE EFF MEñUEL." You're awesome bro.

I had to watch a lot of pointless helix videos to get here. Ty.