RD1967 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I really need your help with a mystery. I was getting ready for worship practice and had all my sounds programmed in and everything was fine. I use snapshots exclusively. When I got to the church I plugged in my Helix and powered it up and it sounded terrible. The sound in my monitor was really low and nothing sounded even close to how it sounded at my house. The sound seemed heavily compressed and the overdrives didn't sound overdriven at all. I had to have the sound guy turn me way up in my monitor and I had to turn the Helix volume up to 100% just to hear it and it still wasn't as loud as it normally is at 50% volume and a lower setting at the mixing board. At church I plug the Helix into a power strip which is plugged into an extension chord and then into a wall outlet. At home I also plug into an outlet strip but it goes directly into the wall. There is no extension chord in the mix at home. That is the only difference. I've been playing this way at church with my Helix for the past 9 months and there hasn't been an issue. After practice I came home and plugged in and everything sounded just like it did before I went to the church. I'm stumped?? Can an outlet strip possibly let enough power through to turn the Helix on but not enough for it to function properly? I play every Sunday and just can't play this weekend if it sounds like it did tonight. Why would it sound great at home - then not great at the church - then great again when I got home? I'm having a hard time believing it could be the Helix. Does anybody have any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Are you using the XLR out(s) on the Helix? I'd bet you $10 that someone accidentally turned phantom power on the channel you have the Helix connected to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD1967 Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 Yes! I am using the XLR out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I've been having volume drop issues with my XLR out when it's set to line. My issues sound very similar to your description. For some reason if it's set to mic it hasn't happened. I eventually plan on seeing if L6 can fix it, but I keep putting it off, because I don't want to be without a Helix. To prevent a problem like Phil describes, I use a Radial DI box when going to FOH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD1967 Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 Not sure we're having the same issue. I didnt have the issue at home. I only had it at church. Are you having the issue all the time wherever you play or is it intermittent or is it only in a specific place? This is the first time I've had this issue but it only happened at church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Mine is intermittent. It may not be the same problem but your description is similar to what I've experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 This sounds very much like what has happened to some Helix users when the soundman turned on the phantom power in the channel the Helix was plugging into on the mixer. Phantom power can totally muck your Helix sound. Make sure he checks that next time you plug in. Some mixers don't allow phantom power on individual channels and turn it on for a whole bank of channels. Also wanted to share an experience I had at a gig a few years ago. Guitar was distorted with low output for practically the duration of the performance. Soundman tried everything except what seemed obvious after the fact. My cable was not inserted all the way into the DI box(the one he provided and hooked up). It was inserted just enough to look like it was okay. Worth re-seating cables when all else fails, even if everything looks fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 ...it was an act of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 18 minutes ago, soundog said: ...it was an act of God. Bad dog! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I would lay money down that he accidentally plugged his guitar into the Aux in rather than the Guitar input. It's happened to me before and a bunch of other folks and it sounds like the same result. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestOpinion Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 10 hours ago, DunedinDragon said: I would lay money down that he accidentally plugged his guitar into the Aux in rather than the Guitar input. It's happened to me before and a bunch of other folks and it sounds like the same result. Oh yeah, that could easily result in the sound the OP described and an easy mistake to make. I always have an electric in the Guitar input and an acoustic plugged into the Aux input for performances so thankfully I haven't stumbled into that one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Agreed with above, check to make sure phantom power not turned on then make sure you are plugged into the guitar input. If it was phantom power, you can permanently fix that by going 1/4" out to a DI box to your board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicLaw Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 These Sescom In-Line Phantom Power Blocker units are compact, inexpensive and work great! I keep a set with my Helix (in the Helix backpack). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD1967 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Well, it wasn't phantom power. I had two different sound guys check......so I'm hoping I was an idiot and plugged into the aux in. I'll find out in the morning. Thank you all for your responses. I'll keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I was that idiot before and plugged into the Aux, but I had NO sound because I have my input configured for Guitar and not Multi. So I was able to figure it out pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD1967 Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 It remains a mystery. When I plugged in yesterday everything worked flawlessly. I'll keep an eye on it and will post again if it continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdennis Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 On 05/11/2018 at 2:11 PM, MusicLaw said: These Sescom In-Line Phantom Power Blocker units are compact, inexpensive and work great! I keep a set with my Helix (in the Helix backpack). I opted for the TRITON AUDIO Phantom Power Blocker Connector https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1245018-REG/triton_audio_phantom_blocker_phantom_power_blocker_connector.html?ap=y&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMfz4sGF2wIVCxMbCh217wYEEAQYAiABEgL0TvD_BwE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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