Request related to "hairy, not the good kind"

[Doug6String]

Colleagues:  I've had the Helix a month and it's fantastic and I'm definitely keeping it.  The versatility (especially using IRs) is amazing.  But my experience is a bit similar to "joseroys" who started a thread 2-14-17 with a title like I used here.  I have a high-frequency "fizz" that spans the spectrum when using a flat global eq (turned off).  Rather than take up any time now with what I'm using , etc., if a couple folks could simply recommend factory presets that they find have a clean sound no ovedrive) with global eq off, I will take a listen and be sure my unit is OK.  I want to be sure I'm hearing what you're hearing. I've been a guitar player for nearly 50 years and have played in the modeling/digital realm since I bought my first POD a long time ago and I can be hyper sensitive to certain sounds.  I can get the tone I want using global eq with a couple eq's in the signal chain, but I need to do significant adjusting when going between my ultra strat and PRS custom 24.  I have been reading the forum on this and other topics for a couple weeks and that really helped me get control of the Helix sound.  Thanks in advance for your replies!  Doug

[jbuhajla]

Just one suggestion for starters. I create separate presets for individual guitars. I no longer try to make a preset work with different guitars. 

 

For the fizz, put the word "fizz" or "hiss" in the search bar at the top of the forum to pull up past info on this. 

[PeterHamm]

Some things to check.

 

Input impedance. Auto is not always best.

 

Hi and Low cut on cabs/IRs.

 

And on the amp model, check to make sure that your master is not all the way up. When amps are run flat out at full, they often have artifacts that are modeled in Helix and other devices. Also check SAG/Ripple/Bias/Bias X(mostly if high gain)/hum.

 

Best clean amps, imho, are the Twin, JC120 and Archon Channel 1. HiWatt, Deluxe, and Tweed Blues can get really nice clean stuff, too.

[Doug6String]

Thanks for the quick replies.  I've spent a lot of time on this and searched and read the forum extensively (and watched a lot of YouTube video), which helped me get the tone/sound I want.  Back to my original request, I'd simply like to verify that clean sounds for you all are also clean for me since this fizz seems surprising.  Can you point me to a factory patch you hear as clean or even one you created?  Again, thanks.

[PierM]

Helix should imho use way less "open" low/high cuts, out of the box, as this is most of the time just introducing fizz, boomy tones and unpleasant high frequency noises. This is especially true when using IRs. It's really suggested to set low cuts and high cuts to play around realistic guitar speaker ranges, so something around 70Hz for Lows and 5KHz for highs.

[Doug6String]

Thanks.  I've seen a lot of your posts and appreciate your input.  I think you answered the question with your comment on how Helix is out of the box.  Still a great unit, of course!

[Joepeggio]

Whenever i diagnose issues, i first pull up an empty preset and see how that sounds. Then one by one add elements, amp being first, to help figure out when the offender shows up.

 

Make sure the volume doesnt change too much when adding effects. I think some of the default levels of the effects are too high. Effect on/off = same output level - hopefully to eliminate the rare possibility of digital clipping.

 

In real amp world we do this so we can be in the same room as the amp, in digital world we turn down output and the levels inside Helix may be higher then we normally use.