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I have been thinking about upgrading my audio equipment to a rack system.

It is going to be nothing crazy, just a

  • Audio Interface
  • Guitar Interface (multi-FX processor)
  • Power Conditioner

Here are ones I've been looking at:

Audio Interface

Focusrite Clarett 18i20

Guitar Interface

Line 6 Helix Rack Mount

Power Conditioner

Furman PL-PLUS DMC

I guess I just have a question about how to connect these pieces and what the chain of the signal would be. How would I hook up the Helix to my audio interface so that I could have everything hooked up to my monitors at once?

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    The power conditioner does not pass signal at all, it's just for power. So it's not part of the signal chain at all.
    – Todd Wilcox
    Jan 31, 2019 at 1:23
  • I'm not sure what I was thinking there. I guess, my question is how do I hook up the audio interface and the Helix both to my monitors? Would I chain the Helix through line inputs on the audio interface? I know the Helix can be plugged in via USB.
    – Cody Mitchell
    Jan 31, 2019 at 1:48

2 Answers 2

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All the powered devices in your rack will be powered by the Power Conditioner - it's basically a rack mounted power-strip.

The Guitar Interface takes a guitar input and modifies it with guitar effects. It then supplies the output to any of it's output ports - quarter inch, USBMidi, etc.

The Audio Interface takes a guitar, mic or Midi Keyboard input and presents it at a USBMidi output.

There are two things missing from your setup; A Computer, to process any USBMidi information being supplied by either interface (this is optional), and an amplifier (unless you have powered monitors).

If you only play guitar, there is some duplication here. I'd bin the Audio Interface, and just use the Guitar interface. If you play keys as well, or sing, then that's where the Audio Interface comes into its own; it will supply that information to a computer for further processing.

If you do want to use both devices, then (personally) I wouldn't chain them; I'd get a rack mounted mixer, and feed four channels (stereo from the guitar rack, and stereo from your computer) into your mixer, and run outputs to an amplifier (or just run left/right from the mixer into powered monitors).

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    Thanks a ton. Doing more research I realized that it would not even be worth getting the rack version of the Helix as there is a native version instead that would suit my needs. I'm not gigging or anything, so no need to have a physical piece of hardware. I did however find your routing them both to a mixer idea very helpful in my understanding of all this equipment. Thanks!
    – Cody Mitchell
    Jan 31, 2019 at 19:06
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The power conditioner supplies power to all your audio gear. It isn't in the audio signal chain though.

The Helix, apart from it's other functions, seems to BE an 8-in 8-out audio interface. So you maybe don't need another one.

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