Input/output Clipping Meters

[CiliaGuitar]

New user of Helix,a few questions,Firstly are there any meters,to indicate clipping or on the edge of clipping ? Similiar to what axe fx has

I intend using the Helix with a RCF NX series powered cab,XLR left input,from there the sound guy will run an XLR from the Cab into his mixer for FOH.What should my initial setup be regards to input volumes output volume etc.

I ask cause I also own an Axe Fx,and know that these settings are critical in the setup.

 

Thanks

[willjrock]

Well you cant really change the input levels if you are plugging your guitar directly into the helix, so even if there were input meters, theres not much you could do to make use of them. the best you could do is with your volume knob on the guitar.

 

Your output levels are going to be read on the mixer meters, so seeing the levels on the Helix isnt going to help you any there. 

 

The sound guy should probably take a direct line out from the Helix, or mic the RCF unless the XLR has some sort of speaker emulation on it im unaware of.

 

Im unfamiliar with your speaker cab, but plugging an amplifier speaker output into a mixer, would fry both the mixer channel and the amp.

 

You know your stuff better than i do, but just some things to be cautious of. 

[amsdenj]

Helix is designed to handle a pretty wide range of inputs. The Guitar input should handle anything you give it unless you have an unusual active setup. There is a Pad switch you can use for high output guitars. But other than that, there's no input gain control that you could use meters or not.

 

Helix output is a different matter. You don't need meters on Helix output because likely any FOH PA you plug it into will have input gain controls and its own meters. That's where you'd want to do the metering anyway. 

 

As far as gain staging blocks in your patch, I prefer to keep each block pretty close to unity gain unless its a specific lead boost patch. That makes sure there's now accumulation of gain buildup that could be resulting in digital clipping between blocks, or at the output. It also ensures that each block is seeing an input that's near its input design point or sweet spot. Effects tend to depend largely on the level of signal they receive as input and are usually designed for a specific input range. This will also avoid clipping the outputs or their converters.