baron55 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 For those new to 4 cable method, in most instances you will develop a ground loop (nasty hum). This is not a Line 6 issue but a normal issue in the audio world when ground from multiple audio signals meet up. There are several ways to fix this: 1. But a Ebtech Hum Eliminator, they use isolation transformers to cancel out the hum. 2. The easy way! On the cables used for the effects send and return that plug into the amp, disconnect the ground (shield) from one side only. Plug the grounded side into the amp and the non grounded side into the HX Effects unit. Remember only 2 cables! This is perfectly safe, because you still have one of the cables connecting to the amp that is fully grounded both ways and that allows the guitar to be also grounded. The cables with ground disconnected from one side are still grounded for shielding purposes. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRENDKILLCFH333 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 I really needed to learn about this - thanks for posting! If I got the Ebtech - where is the best place to put this in the signal? Might have to get 2 of these - 1 for home and 1 for rehearsal space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron55 Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 I really needed to learn about this - thanks for posting! If I got the Ebtech - where is the best place to put this in the signal? Might have to get 2 of these - 1 for home and 1 for rehearsal space! I would just put the Ebtech on the effects send and return cables that go to the amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRENDKILLCFH333 Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Awesome - thanks again. I had put a Noise Gate in front of the amp and in the effects loop and was wondering what that hum was - now I know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschsc Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I rigged up 4 cable method to my mesa mini rec, but none of the knobs on the amp are doing anything and its loud as heck, so I'm guessing I am bypassing my preamp somehow? Anyway, this is not the desired effect, so what am I doing wrong I wonder? Is it that you HAVE to use 4CM type presets only? thanks, just got the hx last night and haven't figured this out yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I rigged up 4 cable method to my mesa mini rec, but none of the knobs on the amp are doing anything and its loud as heck, so I'm guessing I am bypassing my preamp somehow? Anyway, this is not the desired effect, so what am I doing wrong I wonder? Is it that you HAVE to use 4CM type presets only? thanks, just got the hx last night and haven't figured this out yet. You have to insert the FX Loop block in your preset somewhere in order the send and return connections to work. It isn't like the M13, where the loop was kind of always active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschsc Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Ok thanks, I've heard the same thing from someone else, I was pretty close to figuring out I think but haven't been successful yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschsc Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 It works, well sort of, when I put the fx loop block at the end of a Y chain with time fx on top, distortion in bottom path. Still getting a weird blend of clean and distortion though. I need a tutorial video Line 6 please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 It works, well sort of, when I put the fx loop block at the end of a Y chain with time fx on top, distortion in bottom path. Still getting a weird blend of clean and distortion though. I need a tutorial video Line 6 please! You don't need to mess with a parallel path unless you want to do something specific with it. For the 4CM, you would just put all your block in a single serial chain. Any effects that you want before your amp's main input should be placed before the FX Loop block. Any effects you want after your amp's preamp, i.e., in its FX loop, need to be placed after the HX Effects' FX Loop block. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antcinq Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 "Any effects you want after your amp's preamp, i.e., in its FX loop, need to be placed after the HX Effects' FX Loop block." Thanks. This statement should be covered in the manual!!. I've got a couple question. The FX has a send and return DB as well as a mix. What are the recommended settings for those? What is FX2? Is that for a seconded amp? Where is the best place to put the looper in a 4cm method?.... And unrelated to the 4CM, what is the best way to mount the HX to a pedal board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschsc Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 You don't need to mess with a parallel path unless you want to do something specific with it. For the 4CM, you would just put all your block in a single serial chain. Any effects that you want before your amp's main input should be placed before the FX Loop block. Any effects you want after your amp's preamp, i.e., in its FX loop, need to be placed after the HX Effects' FX Loop block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschsc Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 I did figure this out just after posting last time thanks, what I still seem to be hearing is when using some of the HX distortions before my amp I’m getting what sounds like a blended sound of clean and distortion which makes me think something still isn’t right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon_Sud Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 On 2/9/2018 at 3:14 AM, phil_m said: You have to insert the FX Loop block in your preset somewhere in order the send and return connections to work. It isn't like the M13, where the loop was kind of always active. I’m doing this but when the HX loop is active I get no sound at all, when it’s off there’s sound but with all the amp bypassed. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin5150 Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 On 1/31/2018 at 9:55 AM, baron55 said: 2. The easy way! On the cables used for the effects send and return that plug into the amp, disconnect the ground (shield) from one side only. Plug the grounded side into the amp and the non grounded side into the HX Effects unit. Remember only 2 cables! Are you saying to disconnect the soldered ground connection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footlooselive Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Where is the "4CM" preset in Helix HX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seratone Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 I'm in the thick of this too. Instead of an Amp I'm using the Atomic Amplifire Modeler - which has an effects loop (mono out - stereo return). When I apply the four cable method - I'm missing one. With that little graphic on page <9> of the manual - where does the other cable come from? that goes in my second stereo effects return does it come from the 'right' output? Or like the 'ghost' 7 cable method suggests - from the second 'return'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bergie450 Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 If i am using the 4 cable method, and i want to use my own drive pedals first, what do you recommend? Guitar > drive pedal > hx input? Or Guitar > hx input and hx loop send > pedal input, pedal output > hx loop return. Then add that loop as an effect block into my signal chain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyaken Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 I tried to remove ground as you said and the noise is still here : / So do you think the problem cant be solve with the hum eliminator ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanesinu Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 On 1/31/2018 at 4:55 PM, baron55 said: For those new to 4 cable method, in most instances you will develop a ground loop (nasty hum). This is not a Line 6 issue but a normal issue in the audio world when ground from multiple audio signals meet up. There are several ways to fix this: 1. But a Ebtech Hum Eliminator, they use isolation transformers to cancel out the hum. 2. The easy way! On the cables used for the effects send and return that plug into the amp, disconnect the ground (shield) from one side only. Plug the grounded side into the amp and the non grounded side into the HX Effects unit. Remember only 2 cables! This is perfectly safe, because you still have one of the cables connecting to the amp that is fully grounded both ways and that allows the guitar to be also grounded. The cables with ground disconnected from one side are still grounded for shielding purposes. Sorry, just to clarify things. I don't get which send/return are you talking about, amp or hxfx. On the second method, you talk about "effects send and return that plug into the amp". Well, in the image the modded cables are the HX Return and OUTPUT. Not send. Other people puts a hum eliminator into (HXFX SEND -> Hum eliminator -> AMP INPUT) but in your image that cable isn't modified. So, to try grounding mod, do I have to do it in these cables? HXFX RETURN (Not grounded ring) -> AMP LOOP SEND (Grounded ring) HXFX OUTPUT (Not grounded ring) -> AMP LOOP RETURN (Grounded ring) Would this be correct? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanesinu Posted November 8, 2023 Share Posted November 8, 2023 On 11/3/2023 at 10:58 AM, joanesinu said: Sorry, just to clarify things. I don't get which send/return are you talking about, amp or hxfx. On the second method, you talk about "effects send and return that plug into the amp". Well, in the image the modded cables are the HX Return and OUTPUT. Not send. Other people puts a hum eliminator into (HXFX SEND -> Hum eliminator -> AMP INPUT) but in your image that cable isn't modified. So, to try grounding mod, do I have to do it in these cables? HXFX RETURN (Not grounded ring) -> AMP LOOP SEND (Grounded ring) HXFX OUTPUT (Not grounded ring) -> AMP LOOP RETURN (Grounded ring) Would this be correct? Thank you! Jus here to report the tests I've done. I just tried the method2 and IT WORKED :O I modified 2 guitar cables, cutting the ground from a side of each one. Then I connected them EXACTLY as the image of the first post. HXFX RETURN (Not grounded ring) -> AMP LOOP SEND (Grounded ring) HXFX OUTPUT (Not grounded ring) -> AMP LOOP RETURN (Grounded ring) The ground hum is completely gone. Maybe I will do a video. I will post it here. Thank you for the tip! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanesinu Posted November 19, 2023 Share Posted November 19, 2023 Just wanted to share this here. I know isn't in english but the subtitles are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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