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Distortion on Acoustic IR


wesomo
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Hi

 

I made myself a patch on the Helix LT that I'ld like to use with an acoustic (piezo pickups) using an IR.

Sounded good first, but as soon a I start playing a bit punchier, I have really ugly distortion.

 

Some facts:
 

Gain is leveled correctly.

There's no distortion with the IR bypassed (constant volume)
I already tried another guitar - same problem.

Batteries are alright.

 

I tried several IRs (including a package from 3 Sigma Audio). Some causing more, some less distortion, but there's distortion with every one!

 

I also tried using a new / blank preset with only the IR-Block inserted. Same problem!

 

 

I made recordings with the IR bypassed, set to 60% and 100%

 

Does that sound familiar to anyone?

I'm running out of ideas!

 

Thanks.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6rniykfn2rv39ox/AAAT3ggK-qwTghp-Q3JBqjOza?dl=0

 

 

 

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Gain is NOT set up correctly.  Sounds like the input gain is way too high?

 

What do you mean by 60% and 100%?  Is that the "mix"?

What is your "level" set at?

 

My bet is that the IR's aren't meant for this application?  Aren't they meant to take an electric guitar pickup signal and make it sound acoustic?  I have no idea, I don't have those IR's.

 

I have yet to find an IR that works well with my acoustic piezo signal.  They seem to take body away from the guitar.  But, again, I don't know if that's the correct application for the IR's I do have.  I've had my best luck with the acoustic simulator in my StageSource L2t.  I keep hoping they'll add that to the Helix.

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Input pad? There's no level metering so it's hard to know if you're clipping something, but that seems like the most likely culprit.

I would start here as well.

 

If your pad is on, then what you could do is put a volume block at the beginning and lower the volume until the distortion you are hearing fades away at the desired aggression of your playing.

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Thanks for you answers

 

 

Input pad? There's no level metering so it's hard to know if you're clipping something, but that seems like the most likely culprit.

 

 

Why is then no distortion with the IR bypassed???

I already tried lowering the guitar's output to 50%. Still distortion

 

 

 

What do you mean by 60% and 100%?  Is that the "mix"?

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

Aren't they meant to take an electric guitar pickup signal and make it sound acoustic?

 

 

Some of the 3 Sigma Audio IRs are made specially for piezo pickups.

 

 

 

The level on the IR might be set too high. Some of mine need to be at -6db and some at -18db.

 

I'm gonna try that. I set the level quite high indeed BECAUSE I tried taming the input signal and need some extra power to get a useful output.

 

 

Next point:

I use the Mic Preamp (forget the name, but there's only one) that gives the sharp IR-sound a bit roundness and thickness. But with the gain low (I already have enough distortion ;) ) it swallows lots of volume too.

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If you have blocks after the IR, you are most likely sending too hot a signal to them. Commercial IRs are normalized to line level, so that's why the IR block comes in with a default level of -18dB. If you need more output, the best way to do is to increase the level parameter at the output block.

 

Also, if you're using the Studio Tube Pre, you'd want to have the sensitivity parameter set to Line instead of Mic.

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Thanks again

 

 

 

If you have blocks after the IR, you are most likely sending too hot a signal to them

 

 

I already tried a clean patch and put only the IR-block in there. Distortion there as well.

But I'll definitely try lowering the IR level. 

 

 

 

If you need more output, the best way to do is to increase the level parameter at the output block

 

It's already set to + 10 because. I'm losing lots of volume with the Studio Tube Pre and a compressor that I put into the beginning of the signal chain in order to lower the input gain for the IR... But I can change that of course ;-)

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