rd2rk

Oranges yes, apples, never!

Patriotic finger food. I like it! Don't forget to put the BBQ sauce on FIRST!

In honor of the 4th, I think that today's off-topic discussion should be freedom of speech...... Happy 4th everybody! Don't forget to do your patriotic duty by eating a roasted animal and blowing something up (inanimate objects only, please!)!

Where is that blasted tongue-in-cheek emoji?

What phil_m just said is essentially what I've been telling you, the second path in your example preset is unnecessary.

If the entire signal (backing/previously recorded tracks AND guitar) is coming out the monitors DURING recording, you've still got the monitor switch on. Configured as I've described, the guitar signal should be separate from the rest, which allows you to hear it better (and without latency or crackling) during recording. Playback will be the mix, all in the monitors. CracKling at low buffer settings indicates that your computer is low on resources. Since I don't use a MAC, I can't tell you how to optimize it for audio. Certainly, at the least, all non-essential programs should be closed and wireless turned off. Those are the basics, you should Google for more info on optimizing a MAC for Audio production. Any crackling should be audible regardless of whether you're listening on headphones or speakers. If it's only on your headphones, try better (newer?) headphones. What are the HW specs on your MAC?

Here's the Preferences and track setup for recording Processed and Clean tracks simultaneously. Remember, on the full Helix the Clean track is set to 7/8

If you like to waste money, by all means buy another interface. I also use Live 10. Works FINE with Helix. Here's my Preferences and the Track setup, Inputs and Outputs. I'm using the Helix Stomp in this example, so the CLEAN Input is 5/6 not 7/8 as on the full Helix. EDIT: Images removed to recover attachment allotment

It would help if you identified your DAW. In your DAW's "Options" or "Preferences", is the Helix and all it's inputs/outputs selected as the ASIO device? This might be called something different on a MAC. On the guitar track, is the input set to 1/2 (Helix processed) or 7/8 (Helix clean)? Either will work, and I usually use both, on separate tracks, in case I want to use a plug-in to get a different tone on the clean track. Usually, the RECORD button on the guitar track needs to be activated, whether the track is actually recording or not. Just remember to keep the Track Monitor button OFF or you'll get an echo effect that reflects the latency difference between the LIVE signal and the signal from the DAW.

The usual way to do this is to set the output on your guitar path to 1/2 with the BIG KNOB set to control the 1/4" outs. That controls the guitar>Headrush level. In GLOBALS/INS-OUTS set "USB 1/2 Destination" to XLR. >In your DAW, turn OFF the guitar track monitor button.< With your DAW Master set to Output 1/2, now you're hearing your tracks thru your monitors, but your guitar is LIVE thru the Headrush - ZERO LATENCY! Control the track mix and levels with the track sliders and Master slider. If you're using 3/4 to further process the guitar signal through effects in your DAW, you're SOL. THAT'S what's causing the latency. You should be able to set your buffers down to at LEAST 128 without crackling/popping, unless you're using an ancient Mac with less than a Core 2 Duo and 8mb memory. It would have to be REALLY old!

Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful reply! A few question, if I may: I take it that you liked the Tweaker's native sound. Apart from max volume and the obvious L6 integration features, how do you think it compared tone-wise to the DT25 as a straight-up amp? I'd be using whichever I get with Helix in 4cm, but on their own merits, how do they compare? I too had a HD500X. Now I have Helix. 'Nuff said. JC40 is also in consideration, though I think they're a bit overpriced. The JC120 sounded good? If forced to choose between the DT25 and the Powercab, which way would you go? Sorry for all that, but it sounds like you've ridden the same mental-go-round as I'm currently on. Appreciate your time!

This I agree with! Back in my SW development days, manuals were hard-copy, and constant updates were both impractical and not economical. With the advent of PDF manuals, this should no longer be as big an issue. Still, with their admittedly small staff, I'd rather see them working on updates to the product than the documentation. They've promised a major re-vamp to the documentation with 3.0, so I'm hopeful! True dat! Are we reading the same thread?

Like most users, I haven't delved too deeply into those settings. They don't seem to affect the sound I'm talking about, but I definitely should look into it some more, as it's more pronounced on chords than single notes, and occurs on both the FRFR112 and, to a lesser extent, on my studio monitors. Thanks!

I'm sure that the DT25 would provide more than enough volume for my needs. I hadn't heard about a "notorious power transformer problem". Since that is also a problem with the Egnators I'd be interested to learn more about it. Actually, the "low volume setting" I was referring to is this, from the manual: "15. Low Volume Mode - If you need to tame your DT25 power section, set this switch to ON to reduce your the output volume of your DT25. Now you can set your Master Volume for whisper quiet operation." It's on the back panel - maybe the DT50 doesn't have this? Living in an apartment, this could be useful. The Egnators have a "Modern" mode switch which boosts the high and low frequencies, which is where you lose tone at lower volumes due to the Fletcher-Munson effect, and at higher volumes it gives more of a "Boogie" type sound. I'm guessing that the "Low Volume" switch on the DT25 does something similar, but more directly aimed at playing at lower volumes.

The DT25 sounds like a great amp, and if the Egnator doesn't work out, I'll probably try that or a Powercab next. With two DT50s, it's probably silly to ask how the low volume setting sounds? :-)

Good thoughts as always, DD! Certainly, listening position relative to the speaker makes a big difference. The FRFR112 def sounds better across the room where the blend of woofer/tweeter comes together, and a bit off axis makes it less harsh. But the sound I'm talking about is still there. I wish I could describe it better than "grainy", it's kind of like the opposite of "creamy". :-) Using cuts and different mics, distances, and the cross speaker/off axis IRs that are in the Redwirz package improve the overall sound, but the sound that bothers me is still there. One of those things where once you hear it you can't un-hear it? I dunno, but I'm definitely through with the IR rabbit hole, they all have their uses, but they don't solve my problem, and I'd rather play my guitar - I'm getting better, but still have a long way to go! As for the overdrive amount, less overdrive works, in fact, clean tones are perfect, and sound really good through the FRFR112. But overdrive is one of those things that enough is enough, too much or not enough is pointless. When I listen to most modern metal, the only difference I hear in the guitar sound from one band to the next is more or less TMB. I can't tell a Strat from a LP! Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. My problem is that more than a little crunch brings on that annoying sound! The LA2 at the end of the chain is one of the best tips I got out of the Jason Sadites vids, but no, not the solution. Like I said in an earlier post, I could be crazy. I'll try the tube amp guitar cab thing, maybe a DT25 or a powercab. The choice is complicated by living in an apartment. Whatever the solution turns out to be, it has to sound decent at <75-80db, which brings our old friends Fletcher-Munson into the picture. AARGH!

Thank you! There's a used DT25 at a GC that I might try if the Egnator doesn't work out. Only negative I've seen is the weight - 47 lbs! But then, I do deadlifts at 250 3 times a week, and can pull 310 once on a good day, so what's 47 lbs if it sounds good? I'm waiting to hear from someone about how it sounds at the 10watt low volume setting, 'cause I know that using it at 25 watts at home WILL get me evicted!

I know you mean well, and I appreciate your attempt to help, but you're putting words in my mouth and misinterpreting what I'm saying. I never said anything about "nasty distortion". I'm not talking about fizziness or squirrels or any other form of digital wildlife. I'm saying that there's a kind of "graininess(?)" to the overdriven sounds that is not like anything I've heard from real world guitar amps. I don't think that it's inherent in the Helix's sound, I think that it's related to the way that my particular FRFR speakers handle that sound. I've tried EQ cuts down to 5k which seem to me to take away something from the "liveliness" of the sound, and doing a scientific study of how to get that sound out of every piece of equipment modeled in the Helix is in any case not a rabbit hole that I'm willing to go further down. I'm ready to try something different. If I run the Helix through a real tube guitar amp and the overdriven sounds STILL don't sound right, and the amp's native overdrive sounds that way too, then I'll have to admit that it's my ears that are the problem, and I'll learn to live with the sound that everybody else thinks is natural, because maybe it is, and I'm crazy! I'm totally open to the possibility that I'm crazy. I once bought a Blackstar HT5R Combo because every reviewer LOVED the overdrive channel. I thought it sounded like a dried out turd sliding down a sand dune! I COULD be crazy. After all, I AM primarily a bass player! And I HATE distortion on bass! Oh, and no fair calling the Pete Thorn card. Dude could plug into a transistor radio in a garbage can and make it sound good.

DT25 is on the table, which is why I'm asking for personal experiences with them. Have you tried them?

Like I said, no amount of eq, cuts, whatever, gets rid of it. I've been around here a long time, and I've tried all the suggestions including different cab cuts with different amps/speakers/mics/distances and IRs including OH, Rosen, 3Sigma and many variations from the Redwirz BIG BOX collection. Clean sounds are great, but as soon as I get into overdriven sounds, it's right there. All our ears are different of course, and it could well be that some people LIKE that sound. I hate it. I keep going back to the tweeter in the FRFR because I don't really notice it when I record, and it's not as pronounced when I play direct through my Rokit6 studio monitors.

Seems logical that FRFR would be the way to go with Helix, and clean stuff sounds fine. It's just the overdriven/hi-gain sounds that have that annoying (to my ears) raspiness that no amount of eq tweaking seems to cure. Don't actually have the Egnator yet, I'll get to do a trial-by-fire with it in 2 weeks when I'm in MI. If I don't like it, I might try a DT25, if I can find a good used one, and if my continuing research doesn't turn up any serious negatives. Or, if I find overwhelming positives....

I've been using the Helix through an FRFR112, which is just an Alto TS312 sans preamp. Great for bass, not so good for guitar. How is your DT25 at the 10watt setting?

Looking for advice from players experienced at public performance. Help me decide! My Performance experience (since 1963) has always been on bass, though I've always dabbled at guitar. Since I've been retired I've had time to play more guitar, and I'm starting to imagine myself getting good enough to look for people to jam with - rock, blues, psychedelic stoner ambient craziness (second childhood?). I have a Helix Floor and a Stomp. I've been playing guitar and bass through an FRFR112. I should note that I live in an apartment and 75db in the afternoon is about all I feel good about inflicting on my very tolerant neighbors (they tell me they LIKE my playing!). The FRFR112 sounds GREAT with bass, not so good with guitar. It doesn't sound BAD, but there's an upper end raspiness on overdriven/hi-gain tones that I THINK is a result of the tweeter, and it defies all attempts to eq it out. This has led to G.A.S. for an old school tube amp, which I've never used for guitar. I happened upon a used Eganator Tweaker 15/112 combo at a GC in Grand Rapids, where I'm going for a family thing in July. It sounded like just what I'm looking for, and after reading the 4 part thread over on TGP (I know all about the reliability issues), decided to go for it. I'll try it out on my family with the Stomp and see if I like it. There's also a used DT25 available at a GC in NC. Since 2.8 (with my Floor) will be able to fully support it's features, that's tempting too. Opinions, advice, warnings, especially from tube amp and DT users, would be much appreciated. Thanks All!

Whenever someone calls me a fanboi my chest swells with pride, since I know that I've just irritated someone who NEEDS and DESERVES to be irritated, several times a day! "Make someone happy! Make just one someone happy! And you will be happy too!" Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

My experience in dealing with people in your line of work is that your profession is herding sheep. Sheep LIKE to be managed. Many of us do not see ourselves as sheep. Have you ever watched a sheep dog herd sheep? They do it by barking and nipping at their heels. I'm sure that's the last thing your clients want to hear. Hope you're not offended, I personally think that lamb is one of the tastiest red meats. Here's another perspective. Have you ever been part of a team whose team leader excels at criticism, cracking the whip, and kowtowing to the suits in the boardroom? Having read many of DI's posts, both here and on TGP, I know that he is both helpful (with technical issues), and as informative as someone in his position can be. I also know that if you kick him, he kicks back! Corporate types and "entitled" consumers often seem to have the attitude that they can say anything they want to "the help" (aka monkeys). They get really ticked when the monkey bites back! I give kudos to DI for standing up for his team!