My footswitches are doing the wrong thing
The unit is in Preset mode
Working as designedPress FS6, marked MODE. This is the single most common question on every Helix.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)Reference
Reference
Troubleshooting
Indexed by what you notice, not by what the subsystem is called — because when something is wrong you know there's no sound, not that it's a routing problem.
7 of the 8 problems below are not faults. They are documented behaviour that looks like a fault, and they are marked working as designed. “Your unit is fine” is a useful answer and nobody publishes it.
I can't find the mic input
The LT does not have one
Working as designedMic and aux inputs are Helix Floor features. The LT has a single GUITAR IN.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)My expression pedal and amp switcher won't both work
They share one jack
Working as designedEXP PEDAL 2 and EXT AMP are the same socket on an LT. Pick one, or use the built-in pedal and free the jack for amp switching.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)Turning my headphones down turns the PA down
One knob drives every output
Working as designedThe LT has no separate headphone level. Set VOLUME for the desk and monitor from a separate feed.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)It sounds thin or like half the effects are missing
Using the RIGHT output alone
Working as designedBoth pairs are stereo; LEFT/MONO is the one that sums to mono.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)A cab block into a real guitar cab
Two speakers stacked. Bypass the cab, or use an Amp model rather than Amp+Cab.
Helix 3.80 Owner's ManualThere's hum or buzz
A ground loop
Press the GND/LIFT switch on the rear panel beside the XLR outputs.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)It won't let me add a block
A hard cap, not the DSP ceiling
Working as designedFour amps per preset, two per path. One looper per preset. One poly effect per path.
Helix 3.80 Owner's ManualGenuinely out of DSP
Make a stereo block mono, or swap a Legacy cab for the newer IR-based one.
Helix 3.80 Owner's ManualI lost my changes
The preset was never saved
Working as designedAn “E” beside the preset name means edited and unsaved. Press SAVE twice.
Helix LT Cheat Sheet (Rev B)