gbakerjr Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 So what I'm trying to do here is to have two different amps in the same patch, but switch between them, not have them active simultaneously. Initially, I put two different amp blocks in the same path next to each other, and assigned both to the same FS, one on one off. The FS then alternates between the two amps being active or bypassed with a single press. When I go to the second amp via the FS, and then back to the first amp via the FS, the first amp winds up being about 1.5-2 db louder than what it is initially when the patch is selected. No tone change, just volume. Note that nothing changes in the amp settings, the FS is simply turning them on and off. I know there is a volume change because I can hear it, and I can see it on my mixer meters, but the amp settings do not change. I am going out to the mixer via XLR, but I tested using the 1/4's and also the phones...Same result. I thought maybe it had something to do with having two amps inline next to each other. So I tried the attached routing. Here I have the amp blocks in a 1A and 1B scenario. The volume block immediately in front of each amp block is the gain module, set at -120 db. I have both volume blocks assigned to the same FS, one on and one off, so the FS again alternates between the two with a single press. I tested this out, and it indeed does "mute" the respective path when a given volume block is turned on. Path 1B then merges back into 1A just before the cab block. Again, no changes to the amp settings...The FS is simply alternating between path 1A and 1B. Same result. The amp on 1A is the default amp when the patch is selected. When I move to the amp on 1B via the FS, and then back to 1A via the FS, 1A winds up being about 1.5-2 db louder than it was originally. Any thoughts or ideas? In case it helps, my goal here is to switch between a lead and rhythm sound with as little latency as possible. Either scenario works very well in that respect....The switch is instantaneous. It's just that pesky volume change that's throwing a wrench into the works. Lastly, note that I'm not complaining about the switch latency. There's going to be some degree of latency with modelling units like this, and the Helix is no worse in this respect than any other processor I've used. The normal latency is not a major issue for me by any means. I was just looking to see if I could improve it. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb7170 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I've done this many times -- get the 2 amps sounding like you like them, switching back and forth, then save the patch. After that switch between the two and use the channel volume on each to even them out, then save. The different amps have some differences between their volumes as they initially load when you choose them. The Channel Volume (Ch Vol) parameter does nothing to the tone, only the loudness. Sometimes when using 2 different channel models of the same amp, like the A30 Fawn (normal & bright channels) that use the same speaker models, I use the amp (not amp and cab) models, then use a cabinet model of their normal cab, so I save a little DSP to add more FX to the preset without eating all the memory up with 2 full amp & cab models.... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbakerjr Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Hi Dave. It's not a volume difference between the two different amp models...I'm actually looking for a volume difference there. What's happening is whichever amp model is on by default when the patch is initially selected, when I switch to the second amp and then back to the first amp, the volume of the first amp is changing from what it was initially. None of the amp parameters have changed (the FS is just toggling between them), but the volume of the first amp is noticeably different. So if I select a patch, toggle to the second amp within that patch, then toggle back to the first amp within the patch, that first amp is louder after the toggle back and forth than it was originally when the patch gets called up. It's not quite as noticeable between the toggles (although it *is* noticeable), but once I'm back to the first amp, if I then recall the patch from the preset footswitch, you can really hear the difference. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glideman Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 That's really strange there... Wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joepeggio Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 share the patch. We can see if our units behave the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb7170 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Just an idea, don't know if it's the deal. I set my volume pedal in the global settings to be globally remembered (don't recall the actual term), not per patch. What I did not like about the per patch setting was the preset would save the last volume you had it at when saving the preset and load it with the patch, so if you saved it low then edited it would jump once it recognized the actual pedal position. If you saved in a higher volume state it would start out that way, then lose volume suddenly when editing. I like to ride volume at gigs, so don't want my volume jumping up or down when I change presets. The setting was added in one of the early firmware revisions, and once it was available, I made sure I set it that way. Don't know if this is your issue, but it's worth a look. Dave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbakerjr Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Dave - The volume pedal is definitely worth a look. I've noticed this behavior in more than one patch, so I'm thinking maybe not, but who knows. I'm coming from an HD500x, a HD500 before that, and a XT Live before that. The Helix editor is a bit different than the other three and I've caught myself several times unintentionally changing something because I was doing what I would've done on the HD editors. I save as I go along....So it's definitely possible that I could've inadvertently saved with the volume pedal in a different position. I'll try and check that at some point today. If that doesn't appear to be the problem, I'll upload the patches. If nothing else, I'm definitely setting the volume pedal up for the global remembering. Great idea! Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbakerjr Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Well boys, it wasn't the volume pedal setting. However, it *is* the compressor at the end of the chain. I have the LA-2A at the tail end with just a touch of compression to glue everything up. It's not doing much, but it must be the way it's reacting to the differences in volume levels of the two amps blocks. I never thought to check that simply because it's a static setting....Nothing changes with it. Take it out of the chain, everything works as expected. Sorry to bug y'all with something that I should've researched more thoroughly before I posted. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fukuri Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 No need to apologise I learned something new because of it :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmp22684 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Hello, Excuse me resurrecting an old topic but I have a similar issue but not.... I notice as I am playing in a patch that my volume will drop a bit with no changes being made. Load the patch... play for a bit... volume drops outta no where... I haven't noticed this on too much of anything else except for this one specific patch and I will upload it. I am not using a volume pedal exactly .... I do use the expression pedal to change some parameters in some of the effects and save the patch with the pedal in heel position. Anyways here is the patch and let me know if you notice the same thing... try kicking on the dirty amp and then switching back to the clean amp and play for a while. Not sure what's going on but I was just doing this and the volume was jumping all over the place. Gate on, gate off.... still does the same thing. I haven't noticed this on other patches yet. Oh and this was tossed together REALLY quick so please don't judge ; ) Okay for some reason I can't upload the file... Here is a share link to my cloud drive: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aqfw3qt8NXQUgd1Sml0WWRdDXcRhQA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmp22684 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I should add to this... There is an effects loop block in there. This is just for my FV-500L. The Mixer is an RM32ai The speakers are JBL PRX715 Everything is brand new (though I bought the pedal used through guitar center). The inputs on the board which the Helix is plugged into have only been used a few days now. I thought about perhaps the inputs being bad on the board but this is a stereo setup and both sides drop in volume... quite the coincidence for both channels to be bad at the exact same time. The system is not being pushed too hard, so far it has only been used in my studio for setup purposes. The PA system won't see live use for another month or so. I need to know that this is a reliable pedal as it will get used live quite often as my sole piece of equipment run into the board. I am using this for the convenience of not needing to lug an amp, if I planned on bringing a back up amp that would defeat the purpose of this purchase. :P please let me know if there is any additional relevant information that would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k3nshin Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Hey there, My turn to try and bump this topic from the graveyard. Yesterday the same thing happened to me during rehearsal. I use only one patch with several snapshots and in the middle of a song, the volume dropped to half without any motive. I know it's not the PA on which I was running through because I was using one of the outputs from the helix lt connected to my audio interface and it recorded the volume drop. No phantom power turned on any of the groups to which the helix lt was connected. It was the first time it happened, I've been using the helix at home without every noticing this, but I haven't gotten the helix for a long time. I'm at the latest firmware 2.54. Any ideas on why this occurred? I was secure enough to use the helix at my next gig but now, not so much.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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