jclarkguitarist Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Does anyone know where the top volume knob is adjusting the level. Is it in the digital domain or if it is an analog adjustment after the D/A?. I seem to be running into what sounds like clipping on several patches the master is over half way up unless I bring the amplifier out put levels way down so I'm guessing it is in the digital domain. There are no specs in the manual for the I/O (or maybe it was mentioned and I missed it. I have no idea where things like the returns and outputs actually clip at. Meters would sure be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 The master volume knob is in the digital domain, not an analog volume control. Check out Ben Adrian's post here. Ben is the lead sound designer for the Helix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicBlaze Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Does anyone know where the top volume knob is adjusting the level. Is it in the digital domain or if it is an analog adjustment after the D/A?. I seem to be running into what sounds like clipping on several patches the master is over half way up unless I bring the amplifier out put levels way down so I'm guessing it is in the digital domain. There are no specs in the manual for the I/O (or maybe it was mentioned and I missed it. I have no idea where things like the returns and outputs actually clip at. Meters would sure be nice. I had the same problems figuring how to balance the channel volumes in the patches with the top level knob. I think my channel volumes were too high and I heard clipping also. I now have the channel volume between 4-5.5 on most patches. I generally have my master volumes around 4 or 5 if its a master volume amp. I leave my top level volume knob about 3 oclock with these settings when sending to my studio monitors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STPLE Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 I was wondering if someone could explain to me what Ben Adrian was meaning from the link above? I'm a total newbie at the Helix and want to understand it better. I haven't used it live yet with PA - just getting familiar building patches and exploring right now. Everything right now is with good headphones. Is he suggesting that as you add the amp, effects, etc. - the overall volume of the present shouldn't get loader in your ears? Put it a different way, that you can bypass all the amps, effects, etc. and as you add them in one by one it would be a good idea not have the volume of the overall preset increase?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarleyUK Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 I was wondering if someone could explain to me what Ben Adrian was meaning from the link above? I'm a total newbie at the Helix and want to understand it better. I haven't used it live yet with PA - just getting familiar building patches and exploring right now. Everything right now is with good headphones. Is he suggesting that as you add the amp, effects, etc. - the overall volume of the present shouldn't get loader in your ears? Put it a different way, that you can bypass all the amps, effects, etc. and as you add them in one by one it would be a good idea not have the volume of the overall preset increase?? I *think* what he's saying is that the master volume knob acts as the overall volume and if set too high (in conjunction with a real amp in either direct-to-front or 4 cable method, or the amp models in the Helix) can potentially lead to clipping. Maybe. Possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricksteruk Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 Is he suggesting that as you add the amp, effects, etc. - the overall volume of the present shouldn't get loader in your ears? Put it a different way, that you can bypass all the amps, effects, etc. and as you add them in one by one it would be a good idea not have the volume of the overall preset increase?? Yes - that is what he is saying - you should not dial in big level increases when adding amps and FX or you may risk clipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STPLE Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 Thanks. Here are my assumptions and would be glad to know if I'm on target or totally missing the boat. I feel like I've been having some undesirable fizz or what may be clipping in my headphones as I build these presets. My headphones were at 9 oclock and really loud in my ears. So I believe I am running everything way too hot. I assume I would treat the amp and IR or Cab as one block for this purpose - one should take those together when trying to keep things level? I assume Channel volume is the best resource to lower the volume in the "digital world" for this purpose. Drive or Master Volume on the amp model will change the characteristics of the tone whereas the channel volume should only increase the signal strength and volume down the path. What does: "It's floating point once the signal is in the digital domain, so you don't have to worry about digital clipping in linear effect" mean?? Is that talking about when the signal is all done with effects and amps, etc and being sent to the PA, Mixer, computer for recording, etc. that the master volume (big volume knob on the Helix) will not add to digital clipping within the preset?? What does: "However, non-linear effect/amps are designed to clip with the same signal as in the real world" mean?? Does that mean that each block - compression, distortion, amp/cab, reverb, etc. can all add to digital clipping and as a general rule the preset shouldn't get remarkably louder as you add effects?? I would think though some distortion pedals, etc. will for sure add the overall volume of a preset but if you are diligent with the other effects and amps you should be safe (from bad clipping). Correct?? Lastly, the headphones are not the end result for what I will use Helix for. I'll go direct out to the PA. I think I should be safe if I like the present tone in my headphones and adjust the Helix Master volume once I hook it all up. I know things never sound the same through a PA and headphones but it usually should be a pretty good indication. If I don't hear a lot of clipping, etc. in the headphones I should be ok when I run it through the PA (if I don't have phantom power on, etc.). Correct?? Sorry for all the dumb questions - a little bit of understand can save a lot of time and effort and sometimes even frustration. Thanks again. I appreciate the feedback and information. It's extremely helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I had the same problems figuring how to balance the channel volumes in the patches with the top level knob. I think my channel volumes were too high and I heard clipping also. I now have the channel volume between 4-5.5 on most patches. I generally have my master volumes around 4 or 5 if its a master volume amp. I leave my top level volume knob about 3 oclock with these settings when sending to my studio monitors. Great comment, dialing back the channel volumes on my amp blocks to closer to 5 than 10 seems to have made my presets way easier to manage. Small changes on the volume pedal no longer result in deafening changes in the PA. I hope this has not negatively impacted unity gain, it seems to have helped. It made the presets easier to control and I think they even sound better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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