devices · Helix Rack · learn · 02 of 08 · 6 min
making a sound, correctly
the one thing
Cab block ON into anything full-range. Cab block OFF into anything that ends in a real guitar speaker.
start with headphones
Before you wire anything into an amp or a PA, plug headphones in and load a factory preset. That proves the box works and gives you a correct sound to compare against later.
the cab block rule
A cab block is a simulation of a speaker cabinet with a microphone in front of it. It belongs in the chain whenever you listen on something with no guitar speaker of its own: headphones, a full-range powered speaker, the desk, your computer.
Leave it out when the signal ends in a real guitar cabinet. Two speakers stacked on each other sound muffled and small, and EQ will not rescue it.
plug it into your rig
Once you know what right sounds like, work out what your setup needs. The setup tool covers each case with the cabling and the settings.
rig setup
leave it on
You're feeding a full-range system, so the Helix Rack has to supply the speaker.
the Rack on its own, driven from the front panel and from HX Edit on the computer.
- 01Guitar GUITAR IN on the front panel
- 02XLR OUT LEFT/MONO + RIGHT Monitors or interface
- 03USB Computer
USB Type B
- cab block
- On
- editing
- HX Edit over USB is faster than the front panel