Kemper into Line 6 Helix FX Loop Questions?

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    I guess I'm not following why you're doing that. I thought we were speaking of connecting the Kemper to the Helix via S/PDIF for live applications. What does the Fireface 800 have to do with it?


    guitar goes in fireface S/PDIF, some other signals ( E-drums, Vocals) go into the analog inputs of the fireface. Fireface output goes to the PA when we play live. So I use the S/PDIF both for live applications and for recording.

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    Digital Igloo has explained the connection through spidf. IIRC you don't use the Helix' loop but its digital send and return.


    Would you provide a link?
    I can not find the member Digital Igloo on the Kemper Forum.

    Quote from p8guitar

    guitar goes in fireface S/PDIF, some other signals ( E-drums, Vocals) go into the analog inputs of the fireface. Fireface output goes to the PA when we play live. So I use the S/PDIF both for live applications and for recording.


    This is quite different from what was being discussed though. Sure, using SPDIF for a regular output is fine, even with the Kemper. But for use of the Kemper in a loop of the Helix, you would have to use the analog outputs.

    Quote from viabcroce

    Uh, my bad.
    It is in t he Helix main thread on TGP.


    You might want to try by yourself tho... IIGIR you just set the correct routing is software (L6-side).


    That is not the way you do this since there are no Digital Send/Return in the Helix (technically speaking). All Send/Return blocks are for the analog I/O found on the unit.


    What you CAN do is assign the Output of Path 1 of the Helix to S/PDIF, and the Input of Path 2 to S/PDIF in order to create an "FX Loop". However, as I've mentioned before in this thread, there are limitations presented when connecting the Kemper this way.

    Quote from p8guitar

    Would you provide a link?
    I can not find the member Digital Igloo on the Kemper Forum.


    I don't think Digial Igloo has a Kemper forum account. You'd have to search for him in The Gear Page forums. There's a huge Helix thread there that I'm not sure you'll be willing to read completely, lol.

    It would not be necessary to read it all... just search for "kemper" in DI's posts history. The date is in the first two weeks of September, shouldn't b so hard to find the post.


    I did not read the entire thread here, sorry if this doesn't help. DI said there would be no Master\Slave problem...

    Two year old thread I realize, but...


    I'm trying to put this same sort of rig together as I have a Variax JTV59 that I am wanting to incorporate into the setup for adding open tunings, acoustic stuff, multiple guitar models. I was hoping to combine the Kemper and Helix via spdif but I just discovered that if you use the VDI digital input to do all the Variax coolness, the spdif ports are unavailable. Can't use both digital connections at the same time on the Helix. Bummer. Gonna look into the analog connections. Could be a beast of a rig if I can get it figured out. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

    I've been teying to connect the Kemper via S/PDIF. It didn't work for me. I made took a blank Helix preset, changed the output of path A and the input of path B to S/PDIF. On the Kemper Input menu I set the input to "S/PDIF re-amp" because that was the only place I found the words "input" and "S/PDIF" in close proximity.


    What I got out of the Helix headphone out was an unprocessed signal in only the left channel. I know the Kemper sends the unprocessed guitar in the left channel when you use it to re-amp through S/PDIF. It was late and I was slow, so I started thinking maybe I've misunderstood how S/PDIF works, or there is something obvious I'm not realizing, or there's something wrong with one of the S/PDIF connectors on either the Helix or the Kemper. Then I just gave up cause goddamnit and watched some TV instead lol. I made one of those suggestions for S/PDIF loop blocks, but I am wondering if I was asking for the wrong thing or that I've misunderstood something essential.


    Are you guys saying you managed to get sound through the kemper and back into the helix and out to the speakers, and that worked? What did you do to get the Kemper to pick up the S/PDIF signal?

    Quote from chopsfromhell

    Two year old thread I realize, but...


    I'm trying to put this same sort of rig together as I have a Variax JTV59 that I am wanting to incorporate into the setup for adding open tunings, acoustic stuff, multiple guitar models. I was hoping to combine the Kemper and Helix via spdif but I just discovered that if you use the VDI digital input to do all the Variax coolness, the spdif ports are unavailable. Can't use both digital connections at the same time on the Helix. Bummer. Gonna look into the analog connections. Could be a beast of a rig if I can get it figured out. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

    Similar problem, i use L6 link to Powercabs. I hardly ever play with anything but FRFR or LF Raw, and then it's just for fun, so XLR or 1/4 is an option if I can even get S/PDIF to work. A good secondary solution is Mogami patch cables. There's an assembler on Amazon that I can recommend, WORLDS BEST CABLES. We're talking like 40 bucks for a 3-pack of top notch Mogami patch cables. Also, if you get a 50cm cable to go with them, the front input of the Kemper is less noisy than the alternative input (higher dynamic range). That's how I currently have mine connected. Last tip, if anyone goes for cables from them, make sure it's the 2524 cable. They also make cables using the Mogami 2319 cable, and I have A/B'ed them. 2524 is better it seems.

    Thanks for the info, Preacher!


    Had a bit of time to mess around with things last night. My main goal for now really is to be able to use my JTV59 Variax with the Kemper and be able to change guitar models and tunings on the JTV with a button press. So I settled on JTV59 to Helix via VDI then mono 1/4" main out via Magami cable to front input of the Kemper then out to my Camplifier and finally out to a physical cabinet for stage monitoring, also using the Kemper main outs to run to FOH - using the Helix as a pedalboard for any pre-Kemper effects and using the Helix as a midi controller for the Kemper. How's that for a run-on sentence? I was trying to figure out how to put the Kemper in a send/receive block and using the outputs on the Helix to go FOH via XLR and 1/4" back to the Camplifier, but I thought why bother with all the extra hassle and cableage. This way I just need to run a 1/4" cable and a midi cable between the two units. Digging the results so far...


    I can also incorporate an iPad into the mix hooked up to the Helix via a single USB cable for triggering samples, converting the guitar signal to midi and triggering iOS synths, using looper apps on the ipad, playing backing tracks, adding iOS effects apps to the chain...it's crazy. This signal can be sent on its own to FOH via 1/4" or XLR out of the Helix.


    I'm pretty sure there isn't a tone not to be had (or approximated at the very least) with this sort of setup.