Sonic Port VX is the only mobile recording interface that puts the power of a studio into the hands of songwriters on the go. With Sonic Port VX, you can finally. Apr 14, 2017  Join Paul Hindmarsh as he takes a look at how to use a Spider V guitar amp as a USB recording interface with the bundled Cubase LE recording software, and how you can even record your guitar parts.

By Alex HawleyLine 6 is definitely celebrating its 20tl wedding anniversary this yr. From 1996's AxSys digital modeling flute amplifier, Series 6 quickly extended into pedalboards and stomp boxes with the POD amplifier modelers, mainly because nicely as cellular techniques, the Variax modeling guitars, more powerful DSP amplifiers, ánd audio interfaces.Thé brand-new Collection 6 flagship acoustic guitar processor, Helix, will take the user knowledge to a whole new level.

It functions as the sensors center for your entire electric guitar rig. Concentrated on authenticity, realism, and an intuitivé interface, Helix offers a lot to provide for the récording and touring guitarist.Helix can be very forward-thinking; loaded with abundant I/O and flexible internal routing, it suggests a great deal of ways it can become used in yóur rig. It cán become used as a conventional stompbox/amp modeIer as an aIl-in-one device - it'h packed with results, amps, and impulse responses to simulate the sound of miked cupboards. But that just scratches the surface area!Top side, back aspect, insideHelix can be made of solid aluminum, so it's obvious that it has been designed with weekend players and serious touring works in mind. The front panel is usually smooth; it's i9000 put out quite intelligently without too much going on to clutter the settings. The centerpiece of the top panel has to be the 6.2″ high-rez colour LCD screen display screen, which provides a lot of colour coded icons and simple to read through fonts.

1. POD Studio ™ Series interfaces, combined with the included POD Farm® 2.5 plug-in suite and Cubase LE, is a complete recording toolkit for guitarists or other musicians. Enter the world of professional multi-track recording¬–with pristine audio and renowned guitar tones. ¼' guitar/bass input with low noise and wide dynamic range.
2. Line 6 has also solved the latency problem that has kept many players from recording with an interface - ToneDirect monitoring allows you to record exactly what you’re hearing without having to dry out your signal. With the TonePort GX, Line 6 has streamlined the technology it created and continues to improve on.

There't minimum eyestrain if you possess to fine-tune any configurations on the journey. There are usually backlit LCD “custóm labels” above éach of the 12 touch-sensitive footswitches. These screen the impact names, which you can modify when adjusting tasks on your very own saved preset files. There'beds furthermore one for the large, smooth-feeling expression your pedal. Helix'beds rear cell is loaded with an amazing I/U complement. On the left aspect, there are usually 1/4″ jacks for two additional reflection pedals, EXT amp out, Handle Voltage insight, Guitar input, and Aux in. The appearance pedals can end up being designated to any electronic effects parameter, and the EXT amp out will be meant for an amp channel or reverb on/off changing relay.

The guitar input provides a selectable input impedance, accessible on the front panel display.Next comes an XLR Mic insight with switchable 48V phantom energy, and four pairs of 1/4″ send out/returns for mono or stereo FX loops. The results can end up being utilized for linking key-boards or drum machines if you need additional I/O, ánd you can use the Mic input for words prepared with the inner results, or to practice a miked amp indication along with the immediate Guitar input.Next on the back again panel are usually the major stereo XLR results, as nicely as stereo 1/4″ outs (to take care of your guitar amps, speakers, etc.) and 1/4″ headphone result. These results are changeable by the Volume and Phones cooking pots on the top board.The final bit of I/U contains a Variax input, MIDI In ánd Out/Thru slots, coaxial S/PDIF I/O, AES/EBU L6 Link, and USB to link to a computer for make use of as a récording interface.

The Váriax input provides power, digital audio, and immediate recognition between Helix and a Collection 6 Variax guitar. The L6 Link provides an simple connection between Helix and the Series 6 StageSource monitors and DT séries amplifiers. This addresses a great deal of angles here, so nearly any possible settings of Helix should become feasible through the available We/O. Making use of Helix as án audio recording intérface is certainly smooth with the USB jack port on the back again screen - it's á full-on 8-in/8-out interface, full with a great quality mic preamp!Helix comes packed with 48 amps, 30 cabinets, 16 microphone versions, and 91 results, with the capability to run four under the radar stereo transmission pathways and up tó four amplifiers simultaneously. Third-party impulse reactions can furthermore be imported and positioned anywhere in the signal path. You can shop up to 128 1024 or 2048-point Irs .

gov, with the abiIity tó run up to fóur at oncé (DSP permitting). Linking via USB with your DAW enables you to set up Helix for reamping previously recorded harmonica tracks.Helix provides some severe strength under the hood. It can be powered by a powerful dual-DSP processor running what Collection 6 calls the HX modeling engine.

The mission behind the HX modeling motor will be to achieve a level of fine detail, firmness, and experience that was previously unattainable. The majority of effects on Helix have been designed from the terrain up for the brand-new HX platform. All amps and cabs have been constructed from scrape, and only a several well-known HD effects models (like Elektrik, Doom, and Epic) have got been transformed and improved for the brand-new platform. ConfigurationsLine 6 place a lot of thought into how music artists are usually recording ánd gigging in thé contemporary age group, and Helix is definitely a versatile device that can integrate all of your hues into one road-ready floor device. (A rack edition with optional floor remote control is furthermore obtainable.) The amplifier and cab models are conveniently bypassed, so you can select to use Helix solely as a electronic effects processor with your amplifier. Helix can furthermore host all of your very own custom made impulse replies (IRs). In this settings, you can operate a pipe amp into a load box, after that the line óut of the weight container into Helix fór an IR profile.

This functions brilliantly for house recording setups.Another method to use this concept is implementing one of thé FX loops ón Helix. You cán fixed up all of the desired front-end results, then put in an FX cycle block delivering signal to an exterior amp/load container. You can then get the line óut from the insert box back into Helix viá one óf its results, for a cupboard IR to complete out the chain (I'll obtain into configuring signal stores with FX Ioops below). In thát scenario, you are using all of the electronic results from Helix, then integrating your personal amp rather than a digital model of an amplifier, and operating it through an impulse reaction of a cabinet. You can listen to and mic your own amplifier, and the cabinet IR gives a full, live sound to the immediate signal put to your DAW. This really pays off if you add stereo effects to the string as well; a lot of the onboard results really make use of the stereo spectrum, therefore just running sign out to an amplifier in a mono setup can give up some of the stereo depth that Helix has to offer.Helix can be much even more than your typical digital effects processor because of its versatile routing.

I've currently talked about the capability to run inline with pedaIs and amps, thanks to the four rear-panel effect loops. In simpler designs you can merely use the loops to put your own pedals. They can be placed anyplace in the indication string by editing the inner signal circulation on the LCD display display (which we talk about below).InterfaceThe GUI will be fast, reactive, and easy to make use of. Contemplating how much ground Helix covers, I had been amazed at how controllable it was to have an knowing of the different functions and configurations after just a few of hrs of hands-on work.I started by flipping through some présets, and tweaking parameters with the six pulls that live simply below the LCD display screen. These pulls have various assignments based on what wedge of the indication chain is definitely chosen.

The signal chain can be creatively shown, with various icons and colour coding to symbolize EQ, characteristics, distortion, delay, reverb, amp, cab, and so on.For example, preset 05C is definitely labeled British Plexi Bright. The sign chain on the screen shows a quantity pedal assignment first in the chain, after that a Scream 808 and a Transistor Record Delay going into the British Plexi amp, with a dish reverb and looper adhering to the amp. However, not really all of these results are active when you switch to the preset. Every effect proven on the signal chain provides a footswitch associated with it - ás if you had a TS808 and a Transistor Recording pedal at your foot to toggle ón and off ás you require. These are usually pointed out by the custom made labels above each fóotswitch.The footswitches possess color LED halos for fast id in dim lighting. They are usually also touch sensitive, so if you want to draw up the guidelines of a certain impact without activating it by completely stepping on it, gently coming in contact with the footswitch will select that effect and pull up the variables on the LCD display screen to start tweaking. This feature is typical among digital mixers, therefore it's really cool to see these touch-sensitive footswitches incorporated with a electronic results stompbox.

BYOT - Build Your Very own ToneEven though there are usually pages and web pages of stock presets that include everything from blistering Hendrix tones to, nicely, whacky tones you've possibly never even thought - there's something rewarding about developing your own from damage. Pressing down on the Preset knob opens up the various setlists.

This is usually where you can jump into a user setlist and begin creating banking institutions of your very own tones. Editing itself is definitely aided enormously by a multifunction button that can end up being turned, pressed, or tilted ás an XY jóystick.For one óf the transmission stores that I created, I began with a compressor to assist force the top end. I used the Are generally Compressor into the Scream 808 Get pedal. From now there I included a minor contact of '70s refrain before hitting the amp and cab. I achieved for the Essex A new30, which will be patterned after a Vox Air conditioning unit30. I wished a clear color with some bite to it, simply on the advantage of break up, so I lowered the get and made modifications to the EQ artists on the amplifier.

Next, I began to call in the cupboard configurations. There's a fair amount of mike choices to choose from, and they play a massive role in framing the overall color. Helix gives you manage over the microphone model, the positioning, distance, channel quantity, and amount of earlier reflections.I got with a cIose-miked Sénnheiser MD421 for the overall tone I was trying to catch; it sets well with the mid-range chew of the characteristic Air conditioning unit30 audio. That being stated, the patterned versions of the CoIes 4038 and Royer R-121 ribbon mics also sound excellent.

Helix conveys a surprising amount of nuance and level overall in the mike selection; I could quickly recognize the comfortable features that those laces and ribbons bring to the desk for guitar cabs.Adjusting the distance of the mic positioning isn't totally believable by itself; the transmission appeared to just attenuate rather than spatially modifying the mic with a area audio, as I has been planning on. That's when I began to change the earlier reflections parameter. For a area miking scenario with Helix, the relationship between distance and early reflections is definitely essential to getting the space to lifestyle - with some twéaking, you can sense the length in the area between the cab and the microphone!The entire process of generating and modifying signal stores is amazingly intuitive. When I in the beginning began, I was anticipating to become flicking through the guide halfway through to understand how to get around that portion of the intérface, but l didn't want as well.

On the LCD display, it's easy to scroll to different boxes in the signal chain, click on them, and add whatever impact or amp model you desire. You can furthermore place any of the send/return loops into a specific place in the string, to incorporate analog pedaIs in Iine with the electronic modeling.It's i9000 also simple to alter up the purchase of the indication chain without having to begin from nothing. In one instance, I built a firmness and desired to include another effect before the preamp routine. I worried that I wouldn't be able to shift everything downstream in order to just place one even more effect previously in the string and three ticks of later, it had been carried out.The following step will be to give each of the effects in your string to a fóotswitch. For this, aIl you have got to perform is definitely scroll over to the impact you wish to designate, then gently contact the footswitch you would including to assign (remember - these footswitches are touch delicate!). Hold the footswitch for three mere seconds, and then a discussion will appear wondering to assign that impact to the related footswitch. This can be furthermore where you can alter the name of the impact, so you can customize the identifiers on the scribble pieces in whatever way makes feeling to you.

Determining footswitches gives you the energy to toggle ón/off any óf the results in your chain very quickly.ConclusionsHelix addresses a great deal of sonic facets, everything from lush reverbs and deIays to gritty distórtion and overdrive. Thé interface is definitely quick and dependable, and provides you the power to alter anything and éverything in your transmission string down to the microphone placement on the cupboard. The I/O is versatile enough to combine Helix to a amount of different designs for the facilities or phase - and it performs well running into pipe amps acting as a electronic effects processor. It'beds constructed like a tank, and the sounds sense and respond like their anaIog counterparts.I cán see this pedal as a workhorse effects rig in the studio for technicians that work with a variety of bands and need a range of colors on a every day foundation. If you combine studio function with live life taking part in, Helix could become the solution you've long been searching for in purchase to make simpler and consolidate your rig. It lights as an aIl-in-one ámp modeling and results processor chip, and adds great sound and variety to a live life rig already packed with pedals and tube amps.With its smart touch-sensitive footswitchés, and insanely powerful yet intuitive routing and configurations navigation, Helix can match into any clarinet rig in whatever role you énvision it. If yóu are an engineer or music performer that covers a broad range of makes and textures, after that Helix may become just what you need.

Publisher's Take note: The day we proceeded to go to push, Line 6 announced Helix Edit, a free of charge Helix control plan for Macintosh and Computer. We're also told that it will everything the Helix'beds hardware consumer interface can do, but on your computer. - MMPrice: Helix (as analyzed), $1499.99; Helix Rack, $1399.99; Helix Handle pedalboard, $399.99More from: Range 6,Alex Hawley (alex@recordingmag.com) can be a executing guitar player and recording engineer functioning at Coupe Studios in Boulder, CO (coupestudios.com).sidébar:Studio-Ready Cellular: the Line 6 Exchange Gary the gadget guy10Line 6 also sent us the brand-new Relay G10 cellular guitar system ($179.99). It's developed to provide impeccable sound high quality and best simplicity of make use of, and that's precisely what it will.The Relay G10's transmitter can be a little unit that plugs into your guitar, and its receiver is usually a small box with 1/4″ and XLR results, plus a micró-B USB connection to work with any USB energy source. You plug the transmitter into the top of the recipient to charge it; it will supply 8 hrs of play on one cost and up to 200 hours with automatic sleep setting enabled.

Colored LEDs on both units indicate charging standing and sync.And that will be actually it - no changing electric batteries, nó fussing with fréquencies (it's electronic with automatic channel choice), charge it, put it in, done. Line 6'beds built-in Cable Firmness modeling provides the program a quite natural audio and playing reaction. I obtained at least 40 foot of range on a very clear stage without a tip of interference, and my firmness wasn'testosterone levels affected one bit. A concealed switch on the transmitter also continues it from swallowing when you connect or unpIug it!ln my little home studio room, the Relay Gary the gadget guy10 provides long been a lifesaver.

It provides me crisp and clear sound while allowing me proceed around openly; I needn't get worried about clotheslining myself or harming my gear or musical instruments with snagged wires. It's become an essential part of my acoustic guitar recording chain.

The included Ableton Live Lite gives a full recording experienceLine 6 provides a long history in amp simulation software, starting with the acclaimed Amplifier Farm for Professional Tools systems.And with thé GuitarPort and thé USB connections on some of the POD range, they have got been making the interfacing between electric guitar and personal computer more easy. TonePort may be Line 6´beds most comprehensive incorporation of clarinet and personal computer to time. It is a well-equipped USB audio interface coupled with a set of amp and impact versions in the type of the GearBox software.While TonePort can be indeed an audio intérface and will gladly play back again audio from your pc, it will only put sound into the pc if the incorporated GearBox software is energetic. GearBox can stand by yourself as a supply of noises for practising but can furthermore be utilized in recording as the ‘front side end´ for any sequencer. You play through GearBox and the sounds are recorded on your sequencer, rather like the insert effects used in a transportable hardware facility.

Conversation between TonePort and personal computer will be via USB, but the equipment can also output the GearBox seems through a pair of analogue results to a mixing desk or hardware recorder.TonePort can handle guitar, mike or line level signals through its various advices - acoustic guitar and vocals can end up being documented at the exact same period and sent to different paths on your séquencer, as there are usually two inner stereo system sends. A stereo system monitor input jack lets you monitor external noises alongside the pc sound, while including footswitches allows you to control the several TonePort and sequencer functions.The GearBox software program functions 16 traditional and contemporary guitar amplifiers and 24 clarinet speaker cupboard versions from the P0Dxt, and five largemouth bass amp and cab models from the Largemouth bass PODxt. There are usually furthermore 24 stompbox and facility effects, plus six digital facility preamps for recording words. The entire package also comes bundled with a exclusive release of Ableton Livé Lite recording software.In useInstalling the software program and getting heading with TonePort can be a easy procedure that takes a matter of moments.

When you fire up Gearbox you'll be given plenty of help, with a discussion box swallowing up to inquire whether you want help setting it up, and acquiring you to a nicely laid-out digital guide. There´s lots of features here, with plenty of choices for recording numerous signals with immediate no-latency monitoring of the impacted sound.Mainly because much as that audio goes, anyone acquainted with POD will immediately recognize the collection of amp versions and results here.

With the Fénder, Vox, Marshall ánd other emulations alongside Collection 6´s personal creations it is usually possible to dial in just about any electric guitar build that you would like either for recording or exercise.