Klaim

To add to these valid solutions: I got a lot of random Windows crashes (as in blue screen of death) coming from Asio4All when I was using it all the time, I think it's best to first see if switching between the constructor-provided Asio drivers isn't working well enough for you. That being said it was more than 2 years ago and there have been updates so I don't know. It's just good to know that there might be stability issues with it. An alternative to Asio4All for Asio driver working as an aggregator: VoiceMeter Banana - it works well but in my experience it was slow (as expected for this kind of feature I guess) to the poitn I couldnt use it for recording guitar, and it was super hard to understand all the parameters (I feel like it have more than Asio4All.

Thanks everybody and in particular @datacommando for the clarifications and historical quote! I'll add that I remembered today that I have the Big Book Of Helix Tips And Tricks which also have a section explaining the Headroom setting, and with the background given by Ben Adrian it makes a lot of sense. I'm also noting that I didn't think it would be related to distorsion because the noise felt like lattency issues instead of distorsion to me, so I learned now that actually it can be distorsion. Thanks again everyone!

Yes, I tried to explain this happens without any DAW and the recording is only the SPDIF digital output, there is no audio processing happening here. Without a DAW I can hear the crackling directly on the speaker which is plugged directly on the Helix. Maybe I was not clear: this is a FACTORY preset, it's located at position 96 in the FACTORY 1 bank, "RABEA AMBI LEAD" to be very precise. So can you try it and tell me if you observe the same thing? The solution given by DuneinDragon works but I don't understand why yet. Or maybe the reverb's "Headroom" should be considered as a buffer size? Though I did reset it completely after upgrading the 3.15 version. I can try again, will report.

Only the delay on the right channel (the one which is crackling in this preset) have a headroom parametter set to +2.7dB I pushed it to +6dB and now it doesnt crackle anymore indeed! Thanks! It is not clear to me how the crackling and the headroom are related technically so if you have an explaination I'm interested (I'm a software engeneer and knows a little bit about audio processing but not enough for understanding that particular case) Sidenote: Helix did something weird when I first bootup to try this: the signal went through the first processor but not the second, so I wened up with no sound on this particular preset. I think it's again a bug of when you change preset quickly (using the rotation button) and I just rebooted the Helix and it worked. Hopefully it will not happen in live ....

For some time now I have been noticing sometime when working with my own presets on my Helix (Floor), almost randomly, crackle noises, similar to what would happen if your processing chain couldnt match the given latency goal (like if you didn't set enough buffer in an audio interface, you know what I mean I guess). It happens randomly and rarely enough in my own presets that I didn't mind, but I have been noticing it for several months to a year now, not sure exactly. Today while trying random presets (I'm on v3.15, everything reset to factory, then I added my own presets in one of the empty library) and I noticed that I can hear it systematically with the RabeAfro Lead Ambiant preset, but only on the right side, and only when trying to play chords loudly (my guitar is a TAM10 so it's 8 string with lower strings, but the mic is not loud). I started analyzing whats going on: - this is a preset where the left and right side have different chain of blocs and different amps etc, with just a gain pedal and a compression pedal in common at the beginning - even the reverb and delays are different on each side; - on this specific preset I can only hear the crackles (when trying chords) on the right side; I changed the output node to go to the left side and of course I heard it on the left side, to be sure it was very specific to that chain; - the preset itself don't have a loud output, actually the output level of both sides are reduced, and the guitar's mics are not super hot either (I usually use compressors to bump the guitar signal a bit actually, but here it's not a preset I made); - suspecting my new pair of speakers (Headrush 108, getting the jack output from the Helix) I recorded (see below) through Reaper the signal coming from the RCA output which goes into my audio interface (Focusrite Clarett 4Pre Usb), so it is the digital signal but not going through usb but through the S/PDIF channel in. I can hear the exact same crackles and you can hear it in the recording. - we can hear that the crackles feels coming from before the reverb and delay and I managed to remove the crackles by disabling the amp block on the right side, but it kind of kills the whole thing doesnt it? XD So right now I feel like the issue is coming from the preset itself, the block being maybe overloaded in some way, but that feels also wrong from my understanding of how it works, it should not do this kind of thing? Questions: 1. Am I alone observing this? I wonder if my unit have an hardware issue, so if I'm alone it might mean it is. 2. If not, what would be the cause? Specific to some blocks? 3. Should I consider this a software bug? My (limited but a bit educated) knowledge of the subject suggests that for this crackle to happen the block in question or the chain of block must spend more time than the specified processing deadline, which should not be the case here I think? So...bug? I didn't find this issue when searching for known issues, the closer I found was issues when using the Helix as audio interface, that I basically never do. Recording: Rabeafro Ambiant Lead preset, playing chords, with a TAM10 set to position 2 full gain knob, and the recorded through the SPDIF output -> cable -> Focusrite Clarett 4Pre USB -> Reaper (ASIO/Windows10). I hear the same thing (different of course) with speakers (both monitors blugged through the XLR output of the Helix and Headrush 108 speakers plugged to the jack output of the Helix). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nrh5QJ2dkLmr18NYezK5K9H_CLz5DgAz/view?usp=sharing

Yeah, in doubt I got a midi cable branded from Boss, but I didn't try it yet.

I just got my SY-200 but didn't try yet the midi stuffs, so this is very interesting. I still need to buy a midi cable. I just checked and apparently most cables I see online do not explicitly state if it's type B or type A - this is annoying...

I am also considering getting a Boss SY-200 too. However, did you try it? In conjonction with an Helix? My experience in the past with synth pedals (mostly from Electro Harmonics) have been mitigated.

Oh thank you silverhead, I didn't realize that! Ok good to know about rebooting, that would also explain a lot of random behavior I saw in the past too that was fixed with a reboot.

I just booted my Helix (floor) and noticed it was taking time and actually it was rebuilding the presets. I am surprised because: I did not upgrade anything since the release of 3.11.0 I did not request the rebuild and there was nothing over the buttons to accidentally request that The only thing I did before turning the Helix off yesterday is adding all the presets (about 200?) from the Helix Tips book mentioned in another thread. This means I used the banks 3 and 4 (I used the 3rd in the past but deleted its content in the beginning of the year). As far as I know, this should not trigger a preset rebuild either? Or am I missing something? Basically it looks random so I'm a bit scared that it might be a sign something is wrong. (I just made a backup in doubt)

That's weird, the difference in volume between on and off should be drastic... did you check in an empty preset?

In process of becoming an habit (until I get some automatic thing someday). I am now convinced it is not but the fact that it was only happening with the Helix and only with XLR in/out was disturbing enough for me to be sure, because if need to repair the Helix it will probably not be cheap (I think I passed the 2y guarantee). So far I've been lucky but I guess I'm a bit anxious. Yes it's line level. Also I don't think it's related to sounds produced by the Helix anyway as it appears when the screens get powered, before the firmware screens even appears. Though I might be wrong. A power related thing is probably the source. I tried before with an empty preset, no change in behavior (it's one of the clues that it's not related to generated sound). As a variation of all my other attempts, I also tried this just now: Global EQ activated with level -60dB Result: still the pop at both startup and shutdown. Yeah it appeared weird to me mainly because - I started music+guitar late so most hardware I used so far is very modern (and definitely not old school in any way - and I avoid real amps because they are too expensive, big and fragile XD) so I probably dodged this kind of issues involuntarily; - Since I got my Helix I never experienced this until I decided to plug the XLR output of the Helix directly in the speakers instead of passing through the input of the audio interface. I guess I was just not exposed to this kind of issue until now. Lesson learned.

I know, I already said (multiple times) I change setup to do that easilly (I couldnt before). But that doesnt clarify if the issue is with the Helix, it's just a general good practice/workaround. BTW I did a few more tests and can reproduce the issue (but far less loud) with a Zoom G3X, so I suppose the issue is with the speaker or interraction between speaker and Helix. The message from usedbyanr also goes in that direction. What I didn't try is to do the same with different speakers. Anyway ok.

I totally missed your post, thanks for the info.

I did a last test: plugging the XLR cable into the monitors while both are powered, both powered minutes before. I was expecting a noise at plug, but nope, no noise. So for now the only source plausible is "signal coming from the XLR output of the Helix". Meh. Yeah @datacommando I think I will stop here for the weird search and just use the new (less simple) setup I have to avoid doing the noise.

It took me a while but I finally found the time to use my cable tester to check the XLR cables: there is no apparent issue, no variation in the signal at all. So the issue seems to come from the Helix, but it's not clear why the XLR output only are affected. Meanwhile I started changing my setup to be able to easilly switch on/off my monitors so that I can switch them off before turning the helix on. That helps but it's annoying compared to when I was sending the audio directly in the audio interface, there was no such noise. Is it possible that the issue comes from the speakers XLR input?

Though retro compatibility is a key feature of Windows platforms... Here the app runs apparently and it only uses a USB protocol, so there is no reason for having issues. Except if it's the audio system that changed (again) in Windows 11! I don't have Windows 11 available but I think it's possible the audio-interface system and related security features might be at play here. Can you check the audio related and app/security related settings of Windows see if it didn't, for example, deactivate some features by default?

It is not related to presets but startup, before presets are loaded. I tried with empty presets with no difference.

It's not that easy in my setup to do so, but I will try a way to be able to easily turn on and off the speakers, so that I can do that before and after turning the helix on/off. I note the power sequencer idea as a potential future investment. I don't think that's the issue as the pop happens exactly when I switch on/off the Helix, that is when switching it on it is heard exactly when the screens turn on, before the Helix even really started to boot on the screen. I also tried with an empty preset just to be sure but it doesn't change a thing, as expected. Also my XLR output are at Line level (all the output are).

You just reminded me that I do have one of these, will try to check them ASAP. I also noticed that the Jacks TRS seem to generate a very low background noise in the speakers (Presonus Eris 5) even when the Helix is turned off, so I would prefer to use the XLR as there is no noticeable background noise with these. Same, it's past midnight here.

By the way, the sound also happen when I turn the Helix off while the monitors are on. It's even louder when turning off. I also just tried: having the audio interface turned off does not change a thing removing all input source didn't change a thing Another info: the monitors and the Helix are on the same power strip, not sure if it plays a role or not but it would still be weird that it would only affect XLR

Yes, I experimented with turning every volume knob to 0 and it still did the pop. I think it's more electric than anything but it's weird that it only happen with that output + cables. Could it be a cable issue? I assume not but just to be sure...

I recently changed how I setup my Helix Floor in my "studio", now I have USB going to the PC, S/PDIF going into my audio interface and I hear the Helix by default directly on my audio monitors. However, I remarked that when I turn on the Helix while the monitors are on, I got an scary "pop" sound immediately when igniting power (yes I know it's not the best order to turn on devices but it's more practical for me at the moment to have the speakers on most of the time and turn on the helix when I need to use it). I did some experiments: helix ==S/PDIF and any numeric signal from USB==> audio interface ==RCA==> monitors : no signal on helix boot helix ==Jack L&R ==> monitors : no signal on helix boot helix ==XLR==> monitors: scary "pop" on helix boot previous setup: helix ==XLR (not sure if it was the same cables)==> audio interface ==Jack-to-XLR==> monitors : no signal on helix boot (did that for years now) I can continue to just use the jack output, but I was wondering if that's normal or if I should be aware of some potential issues?

When I had to decide between the Floor and the LT, I checked the differences and noted these things: I needed (at least in studio) to be able to combine the Helix with as many as other devices (pedals, amps) as possible - so the more FX loops the better; I wanted the clearest output possible because I can easily forget what button is mapped to what, in particular in live, because I dont'live often; I wanted to be able to use a mic and to use some other connectics, because I couldnt afford more hardware for some time and needed it to be the most versatile; I wanted to use some combination with synths so I went with the Helix Floor. If it was only for doing normal/classic live shows, I think I would have gone with the LT, because of the weight.

Can you try to see if there is a difference if you record with Audacity? Or any other cheap/free DAW like Reaper? There should not be a difference but it's a basic check to do. Also you record through USB, are you sure you are recording the right channel(s) in Garageband?