guitarman2323 Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I wanted to see if anyone had ideas on this. I play through a couple of very nice Category 5 amps. The one I'm using currently live is set up with a nice warm tone that can break up well when you dig in. I'm using the helix as a pedalboard only. When I plug in the helix the treble frequencies increase to the point it almost hurts--not really--but the tone thins out and gets a lot brighter. That's with no effects engaged just helix straight into the front of the amp. Any ideas or thoughts on this one? Thanks all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 In my experience, front of amp = huge (often noisy) mess. If there's an FX loop, use it and see if the same symptoms appear. Even with no FX engaged, nothing you run the signal through is ever totally transparent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I wanted to see if anyone had ideas on this. I play through a couple of very nice Category 5 amps. The one I'm using currently live is set up with a nice warm tone that can break up well when you dig in. I'm using the helix as a pedalboard only. When I plug in the helix the treble frequencies increase to the point it almost hurts--not really--but the tone thins out and gets a lot brighter. That's with no effects engaged just helix straight into the front of the amp. Any ideas or thoughts on this one? Thanks all!! Might be worth experimenting with the input block impedance and turning on the pad. Also the usual advice about setting a high cut filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musiclover7 Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Try turning the volume down on the Helix. I had a similar problem with my amp, and eventually discovered that I was sending way to hot of a signal to my amp. I run now with the volume between 10 and 11 o'clock. It made a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strabes Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 How long of a cable are you using from your guitar to the amp? Are you plugging straight into the amp or do you have other pedals? The helix could be acting as a buffer, so the cable you're using from the helix to the amp is not rolling off the high end as much as it would if you were plugging your guitar straight into the amp with the same cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarman2323 Posted September 15, 2016 Author Share Posted September 15, 2016 Try turning the volume down on the Helix. I had a similar problem with my amp, and eventually discovered that I was sending way to hot of a signal to my amp. I run now with the volume between 10 and 11 o'clock. It made a big difference. I'll give that a try and see if it helps How long of a cable are you using from your guitar to the amp? Are you plugging straight into the amp or do you have other pedals? The helix could be acting as a buffer, so the cable you're using from the helix to the amp is not rolling off the high end as much as it would if you were plugging your guitar straight into the amp with the same cable. I'm running 20ft Mogami cables but that makes sense. I don't have an effects loop on this amp. Might be worth experimenting with the input block impedance and turning on the pad. Also the usual advice about setting a high cut filter. Sounds great but I have no idea what any of that is. LOL! I guess I gave more reading to do. I really want the helix to work and then I look at my board full of analogman and mojo hand fx pedals and wonder what I'm doing. Again, I want the helix to work so I can use different boards for different gigs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 ... Sounds great but I have no idea what any of that is. LOL! I guess I gave more reading to do. I really want the helix to work and then I look at my board full of analogman and mojo hand fx pedals and wonder what I'm doing. Again, I want the helix to work so I can use different boards for different gigs! The "Pad" setting can be found under Global Settings --> Ins/Outs. Try setting the "Guitar In Pad" parameter to "On". The impedance setting can be found on the "Input" block under each preset. Experimenting with this may help. The High Cut filter can be set by inserting either the "Low Cut/High Cut" EQ block into your preset path or any of the other EQ blocks that include a Low Cut/High Cut. Also make sure you have "Mic" or "Line" selected properly for the output to your amp if you are using XLR outputs, if you are using the 1/4 output choose "Line" or "Instrument" (see manual for output settings); this is also found under Global Settings --> Ins/Outs. Lastly experiment with the levels used in your effects and the output block as well as the large output knob as musiclover7 suggested. Your output signal from the Helix may be too hot or it could be too low, either could potentially cause thinness or a tinny sound. Also, I am not sure if you are using the factory presets or designing your own but you want to make sure the mix for the signal is set and routed correctly to the outputs particularly if the preset has merge/split routes or multiple outputs set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakeItShredNo1 Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 As others have suggested, I would try turning the helix down and the amp up. Running a super hot signal from X into Y and then compensating by turning the volume down on Y can often result in increased treble. You can see this if you take on old delay pedal (like a vintage Memory Man) and put it in an fx loop. Instant icepick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshboyohelix Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Try disabling the big Volume knob in global - this will put the Helix out at Unity, also if you are running into the front end of your amp then it's expecting an instrument level signal, make sure the Helix out is set to instrument. Might also be worth engaging Global EQ to dial out the highs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Try disabling the big Volume knob in global - this will put the Helix out at Unity, also if you are running into the front end of your amp then it's expecting an instrument level signal, make sure the Helix out is set to instrument. ^^^ +1 and good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarman2323 Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 It didn't look like there was a way to completely disable the knob in settings. Let me know if I'm missing something. The Helix is set to instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 It didn't look like there was a way to completely disable the knob in settings. Let me know if I'm missing something. The Helix is set to instrument. If you look under Global Settings --> Ins/Outs on the third page there is a "Volume Knob Controls" parameter. Although there is not a "None" choice you can set it to something you are not outputting to such as "Digital". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarman2323 Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 If you look under Global Settings --> Ins/Outs on the third page there is a "Volume Knob Controls" parameter. Although there is not a "None" choice you can set it to something you are not outputting to such as "Digital". This worked! I used the Helix at church through my tube amp and things sounded very good. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 This worked! I used the Helix at church through my tube amp and things sounded very good. Thanks! Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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