Verne-Bunsen Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Not "What is the input pad FOR", I get that, but "What does it actually DO?" I only want to use it on a couple of patches, but since it's a Global parameter I have to go and manually turn it on when I want it and off when I don't. Which is to say I have to remember to do that. I would like to just build it in to those patches and call it a day. From looking at my raw signal at the input meter on my DAW, it looks like the pad drops the input signal by about 6db. Is there more to it than that or will an eq/gain block set to -6db at the beginning of the chain accomplish the same thing? Thanks! VB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennDeLaune Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Even though all of the guitars I am using lately are passive, I am using the input pad. I find I am able to drive the amps distortion farther without it sounding "unnatural". To my ears it gives me a more 'Creamy" "Smoothed out" overdrive sound. Kind of like compression but without the squash and added noise!! If that's makes any sense. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvroberts Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I think the question might work like this - does the input pad happen before the AtoD conversion? Then there would be a difference between you doing in in globals and you doing it as a first step in a patch. If not then they would have to be the same. Again, if by using the input pad, you are only reducing gain at the start of an effects chain - it would not matter. But if you are actually getting a better Analog to Digital conversion by using or not using the pad, you would want to know which produces the best result. (Probably relates to conversations about some form of metering in Helix.) If you are recording into a DAW, maybe do both and see if you can hear a difference? Probably hearing is the best way to judge. I think using an overdrive or distortion might help uncover any difference? Let us know your results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verne-Bunsen Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 Even though all of the guitars I am using lately are passive, I am using the input pad. I find I am able to drive the amps distortion farther without it sounding "unnatural". To my ears it gives me a more 'Creamy" "Smoothed out" overdrive sound. Kind of like compression but without the squash and added noise!! If that's makes any sense. Interesting... and intriguing... I'm using all passives myself, but I have two guitars sporting humbuckers and, while the humbuckers aren't "hot" by my standards (Gibson Classic 57s and 498T/490R), I have a very difficult time controlling them in Helix. They play nicely with the pad. Maybe that will be something to try: turn the pad on and leave it on, see if I like how my single coils play with it? I think the question might work like this - does the input pad happen before the AtoD conversion? Then there would be a difference between you doing in in globals and you doing it as a first step in a patch. If not then they would have to be the same. Again, if by using the input pad, you are only reducing gain at the start of an effects chain - it would not matter. But if you are actually getting a better Analog to Digital conversion by using or not using the pad, you would want to know which produces the best result. (Probably relates to conversations about some form of metering in Helix.) If you are recording into a DAW, maybe do both and see if you can hear a difference? Probably hearing is the best way to judge. I think using an overdrive or distortion might help uncover any difference? Let us know your results. Good observation. Perhaps a Line 6 insider will chime in on where the pad is applied? I'll do some listening/recording and see what I can hear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncann Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I turn pad on, for reasons that Glenn articulated rather well in his above post. Also, my guitar uses passive humbuckers, dimarzio evolutions, and are maybe a bit hotter than other pickups. Depending on how close they are to the strings, I can pretty easily get the input signal (usb7) to clip when using a DAW as the meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo_Maina Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Not "What is the input pad FOR", I get that, but "What does it actually DO?" I only want to use it on a couple of patches, but since it's a Global parameter I have to go and manually turn it on when I want it and off when I don't. Which is to say I have to remember to do that. I would like to just build it in to those patches and call it a day. From looking at my raw signal at the input meter on my DAW, it looks like the pad drops the input signal by about 6db. Is there more to it than that or will an eq/gain block set to -6db at the beginning of the chain accomplish the same thing? Thanks! VB It does the same think but you save a block slot and it's a global parameter so if you use always the same guitar you'll set it only one time for all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocco_Crocco Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I leave the pad on because most of my guitars have hotter pickups, but even my guitar with PAF's sounds great through my presets with the pad on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verne-Bunsen Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 Thanks for all of the input (no pun intended... Maybe a little...), much appreciated. I think I'm going to try applying the pad and working with it across the board. I've been putting compressors up front on even my single coil clean tones, this might just be a good thing all around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshow Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Interesting... and intriguing... I'm using all passives myself, but I have two guitars sporting humbuckers and, while the humbuckers aren't "hot" by my standards (Gibson Classic 57s and 498T/490R), I have a very difficult time controlling them in Helix. They play nicely with the pad. Maybe that will be something to try: turn the pad on and leave it on, see if I like how my single coils play with it? I have pretty much the same Pickups in my second guitar. My main guitar is a Strat with vintage style pickups (lower output). I noticed that with the humbucker guitar works better when the Pad is on. Strat works better with Pad off. Therefore I'd love to have the Pad in the Patch in addition to the global setting. There's already an Idea to vote on Ideascale: http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Guitar-in-Impedance-and-input-pad-per-patch/800290-23508 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital_Igloo Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Helix's Guitar Input has a digitally-controlled analog pad before A/D conversion. FWIW, the impedance circuit is the same. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verne-Bunsen Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 I have pretty much the same Pickups in my second guitar. My main guitar is a Strat with vintage style pickups (lower output). I noticed that with the humbucker guitar works better when the Pad is on. Strat works better with Pad off. Therefore I'd love to have the Pad in the Patch in addition to the global setting. There's already an Idea to vote on Ideascale: http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Guitar-in-Impedance-and-input-pad-per-patch/800290-23508 Voted! Helix's Guitar Input has a digitally-controlled analog pad before A/D conversion. FWIW, the impedance circuit is the same. Thanks for that DI, good to know that definitively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickBosworth Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 From my experience. If you are using a real world amp and using Helix as effects only then switch the pad off. It sounds as though there is a blanket on my Deluxe Reverb with it on.....so much so I was considering a speaker swap. Other factors to consider are cable lengths / capacitance /pickups used. In the case of real world amps what strength signal the amp is expecting. I would suggest that the Pad is for active Pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 On 9/1/2016 at 8:04 PM, Digital_Igloo said: Helix's Guitar Input has a digitally-controlled analog pad before A/D conversion. FWIW, the impedance circuit is the same. Hey DI. I have a JTV Variax. Does the input pad work if I select the JTV Variax mag pickups instead of the JTV Variax modelling? I'm guessing not but I am curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 2 minutes ago, brue58ski said: Hey DI. I have a JTV Variax. Does the input pad work if I select the JTV Variax mag pickups instead of the JTV Variax modelling? I'm guessing not but I am curious. No... The input pad only affects the 1/4" Guitar In. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfet Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 On 8/29/2016 at 2:56 AM, GlennDeLaune said: Even though all of the guitars I am using lately are passive, I am using the input pad. I find I am able to drive the amps distortion farther without it sounding "unnatural". To my ears it gives me a more 'Creamy" "Smoothed out" overdrive sound. Kind of like compression but without the squash and added noise!! If that's makes any sense. This is interesting. I'll have to check if I'm using the input pad, I think I do (passive humbucker bass). Electrically, there should be a bit of noise added if impedance stays the same and you're turning the (amp) gain up higher, but maybe the Helix has a high enough signal to noise ratio that it doesn't matter in practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meiannatee Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 On 9/1/2016 at 2:55 PM, Dshow said: I have pretty much the same Pickups in my second guitar. My main guitar is a Strat with vintage style pickups (lower output). I noticed that with the humbucker guitar works better when the Pad is on. Strat works better with Pad off. Therefore I'd love to have the Pad in the Patch in addition to the global setting. There's already an Idea to vote on Ideascale: http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Guitar-in-Impedance-and-input-pad-per-patch/800290-23508 For input pad per patch, just add a volume block at the front, set to however much to pad, and you can toggle on and off. For me, like you, I use the pad for humbuckers and turn it off for single coils. It reduces the gain difference, but still not enough to be able to use the same patch on both guitars. Perhaps an option to change the amount of padding will help? E.g -3db, -6db, -9db, -12db 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshow Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Sounds like a good idea - thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanecgriffo Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 i notice things seem to just sound a bit nicer with pad on - using texas strat pickups and P90's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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