Loved this. Thanks so much Jason. The other thing to check, is to play the settings through an amp that reproduces frequencies 20-100 Hz. Playing with bias and hum settings can introduce low frequency hums that when amplified through a big PA sound horrendous. Beware of using headphones without full frequencies to set your tones otherwise you could have surprisingly bad results. :-)
Thank you for your videos they help alot to a guy like me who sometimes don’t get the manuals explanations but do better by seeing and hearing it the way you do it. I know I would not be as far along with the helix as I am. Thanks for all you do
Jason is your day job in education? You remind of a high school teacher I had. Your explanations are very in depth and by far the best tutorials for the Helix on the internet brother! Keep up the great work for us 🤘
My ears really liked the 3-4ish bias range with the low/high cut engaged. Not hearing much sag influence over my speakers. Need to reproduce this in person so I can hear the influence of sag. Great video!
I like the lower bias. I'm always trying to dial in that kind of bite to my distortion tones. And, it got me thinking: Maybe this is part of EVH's "Brown" sound? Since he used a Variac to lower the voltage to 90, wouldn't that lower the bias as well?
Damn, I actually like the higher bias settings with the volume equalized (when usually I run it lower than 5), at least with this amp. Maybe 10 was too extreme, but something around 6-7 I bet would sound great, especially if you bumped the presence a bit
Fantastic video! A question that I have. I have been using the HX stamp with the matchless/AC 15 variation, I was wondering how I could use external IR‘s in a similar fashion, using low and high, cut to produce a tone using snapshots. In this example that you used of a rev Amp, I would be interested to see how you would do some thing similar to shape tones using a cleaner amp such as the Essex 15.
Hello Mr Sadites, since you are in relatively close contact with Line 6, could you tell them that the level meters in the HX Edit would really be very useful for everyone? That would be very helpful for a whole horde of HX Edit users. It's always a pain to adjust the volume of individual presets and snapshots. Thanks in advance and thanks for the great content!
I really wish line 6 had done some kind of volume compensation for these parameters (sag, bias) to make comparison easier. In those details they went a little too realistic for my taste. And I hope, soneday there'll be power amp simulations to pair with different preamp blocks, like two notes for example have in the CabM+.
Hey Jason, Thank you so much for your videos, I learn a lot from you! And what tones you get! Speaking of them, I have a frustration with my Helix and Fractal AX8 etc… I try to get a decent sound connecting directly to my QSC K12 but it sucks! Then I hear your recordings with a patch that is basically nothing and it sounds great! What am I doing wrong? Is it that you have interfaces going to a computer that will make it sound better? Then you can send that to the mixer?
Hi 👋 Wondering if you have any tips on how to get good overdrive/distortion tones with acoustic? I'm struggling to get a good tone and feeling under the fingers?
I have always thought when playing around with bias that is seems to affect some kind of phase relationship with the sound. Like if I go to bias 5-6 it sounds in phase, but if I push it to 7 or 3 it starts to lose it's edge.
@@eddiejr540 Just yesterday, I started thinking of suggesting on IdeaScale that Line 6 add a Parameter, Node, or Block that will allow Users to emulate various Voltages for Amps, and DC Battery Voltages for Effects. That could give their Modelers even more super powers. Edited: I just submitted it to Line 6 Idea Scale. It is titled "Variable Voltage Simulation - DC Effects, and AC Amps."
I have owned and used a Kemper and an FM3 in the past and worked with them extensively. Sold both of them and now work exclusively with Helix. I can easily sound good on any of the units. If you can't, the problem is most certainly not the device of choice.
It seems like a lower bias setting gives the distortion more growl. I'm loving these recent videos. Thank you so much.
Nice! This is the best explanation I've seen yet on this particular parameter... Looking for to learning about bias x a little more.
Loved this. Thanks so much Jason. The other thing to check, is to play the settings through an amp that reproduces frequencies 20-100 Hz. Playing with bias and hum settings can introduce low frequency hums that when amplified through a big PA sound horrendous. Beware of using headphones without full frequencies to set your tones otherwise you could have surprisingly bad results. :-)
Dam, didn't realize it made this much difference. I could see double tracking and just change the bias instead of searching for a different amp.
Thank you for your videos they help alot to a guy like me who sometimes don’t get the manuals explanations but do better by seeing and hearing it the way you do it. I know I would not be as far along with the helix as I am. Thanks for all you do
Jason is your day job in education? You remind of a high school teacher I had. Your explanations are very in depth and by far the best tutorials for the Helix on the internet brother! Keep up the great work for us 🤘
My ears really liked the 3-4ish bias range with the low/high cut engaged. Not hearing much sag influence over my speakers. Need to reproduce this in person so I can hear the influence of sag. Great video!
Agreed…the 3-4 range sounded best…but I’m biased…see what I did there 😳
@@eddiejr540 😅😅
I think sag has more effect on certain amp models than others. I like using it to add a little more tightness to overdriven amps
I like the lower bias. I'm always trying to dial in that kind of bite to my distortion tones. And, it got me thinking: Maybe this is part of EVH's "Brown" sound? Since he used a Variac to lower the voltage to 90, wouldn't that lower the bias as well?
Yup
Epic. I love these deep dives...
Awesome video!! More tools to play with!
Damn, I actually like the higher bias settings with the volume equalized (when usually I run it lower than 5), at least with this amp. Maybe 10 was too extreme, but something around 6-7 I bet would sound great, especially if you bumped the presence a bit
Fantastic video! A question that I have.
I have been using the HX stamp with the matchless/AC 15 variation, I was wondering how I could use external IR‘s in a similar fashion, using low and high, cut to produce a tone using snapshots. In this example that you used of a rev Amp, I would be interested to see how you would do some thing similar to shape tones using a cleaner amp such as the Essex 15.
Hello Mr Sadites, since you are in relatively close contact with Line 6, could you tell them that the level meters in the HX Edit would really be very useful for everyone? That would be very helpful for a whole horde of HX Edit users. It's always a pain to adjust the volume of individual presets and snapshots.
Thanks in advance and thanks for the great content!
Fractal has it in editor and it is super helpful
Thank you Jason
My pleasure!
I really wish line 6 had done some kind of volume compensation for these parameters (sag, bias) to make comparison easier. In those details they went a little too realistic for my taste.
And I hope, soneday there'll be power amp simulations to pair with different preamp blocks, like two notes for example have in the CabM+.
Great informative Video. I like the track you're on.
Separate question, why cant they put a meter in the Helix Edit?
That would be great for equalizing preset/snapshot volume levels. Wish they would add one!
Hey Jason,
Thank you so much for your videos, I learn a lot from you! And what tones you get!
Speaking of them, I have a frustration with my Helix and Fractal AX8 etc… I try to get a decent sound connecting directly to my QSC K12 but it sucks! Then I hear your recordings with a patch that is basically nothing and it sounds great! What am I doing wrong? Is it that you have interfaces going to a computer that will make it sound better? Then you can send that to the mixer?
Im getting a Tonex pedal now but am afraid it’ll be the same frustration …
Very helpful, thanks!
Very usefull indeed. I fear I have still a lot to learn in order to master my hx stomp ...
If will all click eventually, then you will edit on the fly.This is the right channel for that.
Hi 👋
Wondering if you have any tips on how to get good overdrive/distortion tones with acoustic? I'm struggling to get a good tone and feeling under the fingers?
I have always thought when playing around with bias that is seems to affect some kind of phase relationship with the sound. Like if I go to bias 5-6 it sounds in phase, but if I push it to 7 or 3 it starts to lose it's edge.
I believe the bias control has it’s own frequency crossover. Try adjusting the bias frequency center point or w/e it’s called. 😊👍 (bias x)
This is the key!
Fascinating. Does the Bias Control do the equivalent to what a Variac would do to a "real" Amp?
Agreed…I wish there was a variac in there as well
@@eddiejr540 Just yesterday, I started thinking of suggesting on IdeaScale that Line 6 add a Parameter, Node, or Block that will allow Users to emulate various Voltages for Amps, and DC Battery Voltages for Effects. That could give their Modelers even more super powers.
Edited: I just submitted it to Line 6 Idea Scale. It is titled "Variable Voltage Simulation - DC Effects, and AC Amps."
Ha ha. I’ve spent money and hours with IRs, presets, and endless tweaks and this one amp virtually sounds better than the crap I have…
👊😎❤️ thanks Jason
thanks !!
Less Bias sounds more "articulated" to me. Thanks!
True but more Bias is very touch sensitive with higher Sag too, make sure to compensate for Channel Volume.
The one single thing for better Helix tones … learn to use the tuner! 😅
The one simple trick for Helix tones: get Tonex and try to EQ the helix to sound like it! 😅
First
Seems a little bias to me.....
I know a better way sell your Helix and buy a Kemper or a FM3 or FM9 respectfully 🙏
I have owned and used a Kemper and an FM3 in the past and worked with them extensively. Sold both of them and now work exclusively with Helix. I can easily sound good on any of the units. If you can't, the problem is most certainly not the device of choice.