Start Here: The three things that decide whether a Helix amp model sounds right:
- The cab matches the amp it was built for. The 3.80 cab list often has a capture from the same amp or maker. Use it first.
- The mic position is set deliberately. Center vs. edge, and distance, move the top end as much as a cab change does.
- The cab block's filters are set. Low Cut and High Cut are on every cab block, and Off is rarely the right setting.
This guide has two parts. The first is the matching table: for each amp family, the cab Line 6 captured from the same amp or the same maker, read from the Helix 3.80 manual's amp and cab lists. The second is a set of starting mic and EQ settings by family, including the departures from the matched cab that are worth making.
How This Table Was Built
The matching table is not taste. The Helix 3.80 manual lists every amp model with the amp it's based on, and every IR-based cab with the cabinet and speaker it was captured from. Where both lists name the same amp, or the same maker, that's a pairing Line 6's own catalogue supports. Model names are exactly as they appear in the manual and in HX Edit.
The mic and EQ starting points in the second half are exactly that — starting points. They're reasoned from the amp's voicing and the speaker, not from a measurement of your rig, and your guitar and monitoring will move them.
Stock cabs vs. third-party IRs: As of firmware 3.50, Helix's cabs are IR-based, and the manual notes they use "significantly less DSP power" than the older Legacy cabs (about 3.33 units against 9.60 for a single cab, in community-measured figures). For most presets, the stock list is the right place to start. Third-party IRs earn their place when you want a cab, mic or room the stock list doesn't have.
The Matched-Cab Table
| Amp model | Based on | Matched Helix cab | Captured from |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Small Tweed | Fender Champ | 1x8 Small Tweed | 1x8 Fender Champ |
| US Princess | Fender Princeton Reverb | 1x10 US Princess | 1x10 Fender Princeton Reverb |
| Fullerton Nrm / Brt / Jump | Fender 5C3 Tweed Deluxe | 1x12 Fullerton | 1x12 Fender 5C3 Tweed Deluxe |
| US Deluxe Nrm / Vib | Fender Deluxe Reverb | 1x12 US Deluxe | 1x12 Fender Deluxe, Oxford |
| US Double Nrm / Vib | Fender Twin Reverb | 2x12 Double C12N | 2x12 Fender Twin, C12N |
| Tweed Blues Nrm / Brt | Fender Bassman | 4x10 Tweed P10R | 4x10 Fender Bassman, P10R |
| US Super Nrm / Vib | Fender Super Reverb | 4x10 US Super | 4x10 Fender Super Reverb, CTS alnico |
| Soup Pro | Supro S6616 | Soup Pro Ellipse | 1x6x9 Supro S6616 |
| GrammaticoLG Nrm / Brt / Jmp | Grammatico LaGrange | 1x12 Grammatico | 1x12 Grammatico LaGrange |
| Essex A15 | Vox AC-15 | 1x12 Blue Bell | 1x12 Vox AC-15, Blue Alnico |
| A30 Fawn Nrm / Brt | Vox AC-30 Fawn | 2x12 Blue Bell | 2x12 Vox AC-30 Fawn, Blue Alnico |
| Essex A30 | Vox AC-30 with top boost | 2x12 Silver Bell | 2x12 Vox AC-30TB, Silver Alnico |
| Matchstick Ch1 / Ch2 / Jump | Matchless DC30 | 2x12 Match H30 or 2x12 Match G25 | 2x12 Matchless DC30, G12H-30 or G12M-35 |
| Jazz Rivet 120 | Roland JC-120 | 2x12 Jazz Rivet | 2x12 Roland JC-120 |
| Interstate Zed | Dr Z Route 66 | 2x12 Interstate | 2x12 Dr Z Z Best, V30 (same maker) |
| Mandarin 80 / Mandarin Rocker | Orange OR80 / Rockerverb | 2x12 Mandarin30 or 4x12 Mandarin EM | Orange 2x12 V30 / 4x12 Eminence |
| Brit J45 / Brit Trem / Brit Plexi | Marshall JTM-45 / JTM-50 / Super Lead 100 | 4x12 Greenback20 or Greenback25 | Marshall Basketweave 4x12, G12M-20 / G12M-25 |
| Brit 2203 / Brit 2204 | Marshall JCM-800 | 4x12 1960A T75 or 4x12 Brit V30 | Marshall 1960A, G12T-75 / 1960AV, V30 |
| Brit P75 Nrm / Brt | Park 75 | 4x12 Blackback30 | 4x12 Park 75, G12H-30 |
| WhoWatt 100 | Hiwatt DR-103 | 4x12 WhoWatt | 4x12 Hiwatt AP, Fane |
| MOO)))N T Brt / Jump | Sunn Model T | 4x12 MOO)))N T75 | 4x12 Sunn, G12T-75 |
| Cali IV Rhythm 1 / 2 / Lead | Mesa Mark IV | 1x12 Cali IV | 1x12 Mesa Mark IV combo |
| Cali Rectifire | Mesa Dual Rectifier | 4x12 Cali V30 | 4x12 Mesa 4FB, V30 |
| German Xtra Blue / Red, Mahadeva, Ubersonic | Bogner Ecstasy / Shiva / Uberschall | 4x12 Uber V30 or 4x12 Uber T75 | 4x12 Bogner Uberkab |
| ANGL Meteor | ENGL Fireball 100 | 4x12 XXL V30 | 4x12 ENGL XXL, V30 |
| Solo Lead Clean / Crunch / OD | Soldano SLO-100 | 4x12 SoloLead EM | 4x12 Soldano, Eminence |
Two corrections to pairings that get repeated a lot, including in an earlier version of this guide:
- The Deluxe Reverb cab is not a C12N. Helix's 1x12 US Deluxe is captured with an Oxford speaker. The C12N cab is the Twin's 2x12. If you've been pairing US Deluxe with a C12N because that's what "Fender clean" is supposed to use, try the matched cab — it's the speaker in the cab Line 6 actually captured for this amp.
- Not every Fender-family cab is a Jensen. The Super Reverb 4x10 is captured with CTS alnico speakers; the Bassman 4x10 with P10Rs. They're both "Fender 4x10," and they're different speakers.
Starting Mic and EQ by Family
Every cab block has the same core parameters: Mic, Distance (1 to 12 inches), Position (center to edge of the cone), Angle (0 or 45 degrees), Low Cut, High Cut and Level. Set the filters on every preset — the two defaults at the end of this section apply almost everywhere.
Marshall family
| Amp model | Cab | Mic position | EQ starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brit Plexi Nrm | 4x12 Greenback25 | Toward the edge, 1–2 in | Cut 5–6 kHz by 2–3 dB if spiky |
| Brit Plexi Brt | 4x12 Greenback25 | Center, 1–2 in | Cut 5–7 kHz by about 3 dB |
| Brit 2204 | 4x12 1960A T75 or 4x12 Brit V30 | Toward the edge, 1–2 in | Cut 4–5 kHz by 2 dB; +1 dB at 400 Hz if thin |
| Brit J45 Nrm | 4x12 Greenback20 | Toward the edge, 2–3 in | Cut around 6 kHz by 2 dB |
The bright-channel Plexi carries a lot above 5 kHz. If it reads as ice-pick treble, check the Input block's Guitar In-Z setting before reaching for EQ. The manual's description: a lower value gives "some high frequency attenuation, lower gain, and an overall 'softer' feel," a higher value "full frequency response." Dropping In-Z one or two steps is the gentler fix, and the high cut can then be smaller.
Vox family
| Amp model | Cab | Mic position | EQ starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| A30 Fawn Nrm | 2x12 Blue Bell | Center, close | Often none; cut around 3 kHz if bright |
| A30 Fawn Brt | 2x12 Blue Bell | Toward the edge, close | Cut 6–7 kHz by 2 dB |
| Essex A30 | 2x12 Silver Bell | Toward the edge, close | Cut 5–6 kHz by 1–2 dB |
| Essex A15 | 1x12 Blue Bell | Center, close | Usually none |
A Greenback cab under a Vox model works, and it gives up the bell-like top end the Blue Bell carries — the AC30 starts sounding like a small Marshall. Keep the alnico cabs for the Vox models unless that's the sound you want.
Fender family
| Amp model | Cab | Mic position | EQ starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Deluxe Nrm | 1x12 US Deluxe | Toward the edge, close | Cut 200 Hz by 1–2 dB if muddy |
| US Deluxe Vib | 1x12 US Deluxe | Center, 2 in | Cut 200 Hz by 1 dB |
| US Double Nrm | 2x12 Double C12N | Center, close | Cut 300 Hz by 1–2 dB; 8 kHz by 1 dB |
| US Princess | 1x10 US Princess | Toward the edge, close | Usually none at low gain |
| Tweed Blues Nrm | 4x10 Tweed P10R | Center, 1–2 in | Cut 250 Hz by 1 dB if it booms |
The original Fender circuits were never scooped in the midrange, so don't EQ the mids out of the models. The 200–300 Hz cuts above are for cab boom, not for hollowing the middle. The Twin is the one to watch: its reference cab is an open-back 2x12, and a closed-back 4x12 under the US Double models sounds thicker and less airy than the amp ever did.
Mesa and modern high gain
| Amp model | Cab | Mic position | EQ starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cali Rectifire | 4x12 Cali V30 | Toward the edge, close | Cut 5–6 kHz by 3 dB; cut 150 Hz by 1–2 dB |
| Cali IV Rhythm 1 | 1x12 Cali IV | Center, close | Cut 4 kHz by 2 dB |
| ANGL Meteor | 4x12 XXL V30 | Toward the edge, close | Cut 5 kHz by 2 dB |
| Line 6 Badonk | 4x12 Brit V30 or 4x12 Uber V30 | Toward the edge, close | Cut 5 kHz by 3 dB |
The Rectifier model has a lot of energy between 4 and 6 kHz. That's accurate to the amp, and it gets fatiguing over a set. Don't over-correct: past about 4 dB of cut at 5 kHz it turns dark and tubby and sits behind everything. Keep the V30 under it — a Greenback under a Rectifire piles up upper mids that are hard to EQ back out.
Clean platforms
| Amp model | Cab | Mic position | EQ starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz Rivet 120 | 2x12 Jazz Rivet | Center, 2 in | Usually none |
| Cartographer | 1x12 Open Cream or 2x12 Match G25 | Center, close | Usually none |
| Line 6 Clarity | 1x12 Open Cast | Center, 2 in | High Cut around 8 kHz |
Cartographer is based on the Ben Adrian Cartographer, which has no matched capture in the list — the two cabs above are reasonable open-back and 2x12 starting points, not a catalogue match.
Two defaults for nearly every preset
Low Cut around 80 Hz on the cab block. It removes content below the guitar's useful range that a PA subwoofer will happily reproduce. On drop tunings, lower it to about 55–60 Hz — the low C and B fundamentals sit at 65.41 and 61.74 Hz.
High Cut between 6 and 8 kHz, by ear. A real guitar speaker passes very little above about 5 kHz, and an IR at Off can carry more top than a speaker in a room ever does. Bring the High Cut down until the fizz goes and stop before the pick attack dulls.
Blending Two Cabs
A Cab > Dual block costs twice a single cab — about 6.67 units — and gives you two cabs, each with its own mic and settings plus Pan and Delay. The choice that matters is the pair, and the published speaker figures help: the Greenback and the V30 both resonate at 75 Hz, so that classic blend changes the mids and the top, not the bottom. A 4x10 Tweed P10R (97 Hz) with a 4x12 V30 is the stock pairing that actually changes the low end. The Dual Cab article has the pairing table and the Delay settings that fall apart on a mono PA.
The Two Most Common Pairing Mistakes
1. A 4x12 under a combo model. The Deluxe Reverb, Princeton and AC15 models were built around their own 1x10, 1x12 and 2x12 cabinets. Pairing them with a 4x12 gives you the real sound of a combo's output driving a 4x12 — some players do exactly that on purpose — but it isn't the combo. For combo accuracy, use the matched cab from the table.
2. A Greenback under every high-gain amp. The Greenback's upper-mid emphasis is what Plexi and JCM800 tones are built on. Under a Rectifire or a Bogner model it turns honky. Those amps were built around V30 cabs, and the matched cabs say so.
What a cab actually passes at the low end is the companion to the filter defaults above, and the preset-budget article covers why a Legacy cab block left in an old preset is costing you about 6 DSP units for nothing.
