Release Notes 2.30 - Helix

Released 11/21/17

UPGRADE NOTES

STEP ONE: Check to see what firmware your Helix Floor/Rack/LT is running: Press MENU, press Knob 6 (Global Settings), and look in the upper right corner of the main display.

Firmware Version 2.20.0 OR HIGHER?—follow the GREEN steps below

Firmware Version 2.12.2 OR LOWER?—follow the BLUE steps below

Updating a Helix Floor/Rack/LT Running 2.20.0 or HIGHER:

  1. Download the all new HX Edit application here (this will also install the latest version of Line 6 Updater):

Mac OS X: https://line6.com/software/readeula.html?rid=7877

Windows 7/8/10: https://line6.com/software/readeula.html?rid=7878

  1. Connect Helix to your computer and launch HX Edit. From the File pull-down menu, select "Create Backup…" Follow the prompts to create a full-state backup of your Helix (Global Settings, IRs, setlists, and presets).
  2. Close HX Edit, open Line 6 Updater, and follow the prompts to update your Helix's firmware. Helix will begin rebuilding presets. Wait for this process to complete.
  3. Close Line 6 Updater, reopen HX Edit, and from the File pull-down menu, select "Restore From Backup…" Follow the prompts to restore Helix to its previous state.

Updating Helix Floor/Rack/LT Running 2.12.2 or LOWER:

  1. Shut down all Line 6 software as well as any software that streams audio, including, but not limited to: iTunes, Spotify, DAWs, browsers, etc.
  2. Use your CURRENT EXISTING Helix application to back up all of your presets and IRs (if you want to keep them). For example, if you're running Helix FW 2.12, your current Helix application version should be 2.12.
  3. Quit the CURRENT EXISTING Helix editor application and download and install the LATEST HX Edit application, available here (this will also install the latest version of Line 6 Updater):

Mac OS X: https://line6.com/software/readeula.html?rid=7877

Windows 7/8/10: https://line6.com/software/readeula.html?rid=7878

  1. Open Line 6 Updater and update Helix to the newest firmware. At the end of the update process, Helix will reboot automatically and begin rebuilding presets. Wait for this process to complete.

YOU MUST RESET GLOBALS AND RESTORE PRESETS, OTHERWISE HELIX WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. DO IT. DO IT NOW!

  1. To reset globals and restore presets, turn off Helix.

HELIX FLOOR OR LT ONLY: While holding footswitches 9 and 10 (middle two switches on the bottom row), turn on Helix. Wait for the message "Will reset Globals and restore stock Presets, Setlists and IRs…" to appear and let go.

HELIX RACK ONLY: While holding knobs 5 and 6 below the screen, turn on Helix Rack. Wait for the message "Will reset Globals and restore stock Presets, Setlists and IRs…" to appear and let go.

  1. Using the NEW HX Edit application, reload the user presets you backed up in step 2.

New Amps

  • Voltage Queen, based on* the Victoria® Electro King
  • Derailed Ingrid, based on* the Trainwreck Circuits® Express
  • Brit Trem Nrm, based on* the normal channel of the Marshall® Plexi Tremolo 50
  • Brit Trem Brt, based on* the bright channel of the Marshall® Plexi Tremolo 50
  • Brit Trem Jump, based on* the normal and bright channel (jumped) of the Marshall® Plexi Tremolo 50
  • Cartographer, based on* the Ben Adrian Cartographer
  • Agua 51, based on* the Aguilar® DB751 bass amp

New Effects

  • Distortion > Kinky Boost (Mono, Stereo), based on* the Xotic® EP Booster
  • Distortion > Thrifter Fuzz (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original
  • Dynamics > Kinky Comp (Mono, Stereo), based on* the Xotic® SP Compressor
  • Modulation > Bleat Chop Trem (Mono, Stereo), based on* the Lightfoot Labs© Goatkeeper
  • Modulation > Double Take (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original doubler
  • Delay > Cosmos Echo (Mono, Stereo), based on* the Roland® RE-201 Space Echo
  • Volume/Pan > Stereo Width (Stereo), Line 6 Original utility to collapse stereo paths

New Features

  • Helix FW: Support for HX Edit—Helix, Helix Rack/Control, and Helix LT now work with the new HX Edit application (Mac/PC)
  • HX Edit: Full State Backup and Restore—The all new HX Edit application can perform a full state backup and restore of your Helix, Helix Rack/Control, and Helix LT presets, IRs, and global settings. IMPORTANT! You MUST back up a Helix running firmware 2.20 or higher and MUST restore to a Helix running 2.30 or higher! From the File pulldown menu, select "Create Backup…" Click Create Backup to confirm. To restore from a backup, from the File pulldown menu, select "Restore From Backup…" From the Backup File pulldown, select the desired backup and click Restore Backup. You may choose to restore any combination of 8 setlists, IRs (including the index order), and/or Global Settings
  • Helix Native+HX Edit: Show/Hide PRESETS/IMPULSES List—Click the icon to the left of the preset name to show or hide the PRESETS/IMPULSES list
  • Helix Native: Plug-in Window Resizing—Click and drag the lower right-hand corner of Helix Native to resize the window and view more or fewer parameters and model list items
  • Helix FW: Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Duplicate PC Send—Before 2.30, Helix would purposely omit MIDI PC messages with an identical value as the previous PC message. You may now choose to send duplicate PC messages
  • Helix FW: LFO reset—Stepping on TAP once now resets any LFO-based effects, such as tremolos and rotary speakers
  • Helix FW: Support for Variax Shuriken banks—When a Variax Shuriken is connected, Helix's Input > Multi and Input > Variax blocks will reflect the proper factory bank names. These bank names are retained until a James Tyler Variax or Variax Standard is connected

Improvements/Changes

  • The Distortion > Obsidian 7000 model has been tweaked to sound and feel even more like the original

Bug Fixes

  • Helix Native: In the rare case that all paths are full, it is possible to drag more blocks into them, which may result in the error "Failed to move item. (Unknown. )" -FIXED
  • Helix Native: On rare occasions, a warning dialog may appear during AU Validation scan of other AudioUnit plug-ins -FIXED
  • Helix Native: After updating from OS X 10.12 Sierra to OS X 10.13 High Sierra, Helix Native may not load properly in GarageBand -FIXED
  • Helix Native: After importing an IR file in a certain instance of Helix Native, the same file may not automatically appear in subsequent instances -FIXED
  • Helix FW: Turning the Cali IV Rhythm 1 model's Master knob down can occasionally cause an increase in output volume -FIXED
  • Helix FW: When UK 846 and Teardrop 310 wah models' Level and Mix parameters are set to 0, ~3dB of gain can be added -FIXED
  • Helix FW: Pitch blocks' Interval parameters may not be properly restored after exporting and then importing a preset -FIXED
  • Helix FW: MIDI clock could become unstable for a brief time after adjusting certain parameters on the Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo page - FIXED
  • Helix FW: In the Command Center, if an Ext Amp message is assigned to a footswitch, Ext Amp messages assigned to Instant commands may not restore properly -FIXED
  • Many other minor bug fixes and optimizations
  • General stability improvements

Known Issues

  • HX FW: In rare cases, MIDI note commands set to momentary can switch to "latching"
  • HX FW: If its Mid and Bass parameters are set to 0.0, the Cali IV Lead Amp/Amp+Cab model sometimes exhibits a decrease in gain
  • HX FW: If snapshot names have been cleared, preset names can sometimes appear blank when switching from Snapshot footswitch mode to Preset footswitch mode
  • HX Edit: In rare cases, moving a block from Path A to Path B can result in the Split block being created in the wrong position
  • HX Edit: In rare cases, importing an IR file into the current "Empty" slot of an Impulse Response block can cause audio output to mute Workaround: Drag impulse response files directly into the IMPULSES list
  • Helix Native: Recalling an effect or instrument rack in Ableton Live with Helix Native instantiated can mute the track. Workaround: Uninstantiate and re-instantiate the plug-in
  • Helix Native: In rare cases, clearing Helix Native's preset library while the DAW is under high CPU loads can cause the plug-in to become unresponsive. Workaround: Close the Helix Native plug-in window and reopen
  • Helix Native: EXP pedal assignments may not automatically be assigned
  • Helix Native: The copy/paste clipboard may be cleared after closing and reopening Helix Native