Does anyone get static in their clean tones?

[Bmicona]

That almost sounds like digital clipping?

 

Doesn't matter what amp model I use, what cabs I use, what IR's I use. There is always background static, even with hunbuckers. It's likely also there when I play with higher gain amps, I just can't hear it. This is a clip of me playing with the static in the background. First clip is humbuckers, 2nd is single coils.  It does seem to be slightly quieter with single coils, but still there. Anyone else have this issue, or have any ideas? TIA

 

Track 1_001.mp3

Track 1_002_1.mp3

[Bmicona]

oh, forgot to mention. This is HX Stomp, and I have tried different cables.

[PierM]

I don't think it's produced by Helix or the Guitar. Sounds like an interference coming from some device/appliance, like an AC or something.

 

Have you tried using a different outlet, better if without any other device connected to that socket, just to isolate the problem. I've exactly the same noise when I play at home, in summer with ACs running. The only way I've found to "fix it" it's to run the Helix using a socket in a different room, which is probably using a different power line. Happen the same when I use the washer.

[codamedia]

That was very similar to my LT. I engaged the input pad and that tamed it for me.

Here are a few things you could try....

• Does the Stomp have an input pad? If so, try engaging that. 
• Is this just the AMP or are there other effects in the chain. With many effects make sure you keep each effect close to unity to avoid clipping anything down chain. 
• Pick an amp (like the one in the sample you provided) and try increasing the BIAS a little... and/or the Bias Excursion. 
• I know you said you tried many cabs/ir's.... but with the stock cabs, try swapping the mic choice for the 121 and pull it back about 6". It warms up the top end of any amp/cab quite a bit. 

10 hours ago, PierM said:

I don't think it's produced by Helix or the Guitar. Sounds like an interference coming from some device/appliance, like an AC or something.

 

Any electrical interference I hear from external devices is constant, it doesn't come and go with my playing dynamics :) 

 

[Bmicona]

So far per suggestions, I have tried an outlet all by itself, and also plugged into my Furman. Neither had an effect on the static.

Unfortunately, the Stomp does not have an input pad. I can change from Instrument input level to Line input level, and that changes nothing for the noise.

 

I'll try the Bias suggestion next (I'm assuming the Stomp has that on it's models) - I'll post an update after I get a chance.

 

Next, I'm going to try https://line6.com/customtone/tone/4118663/ that tone and see if I get the noise, because I don't hear any on his video.

 

I would also be more than willing to email the patch to someone (I'll change it to stock cabs) if they were willing to load it up and see how it sounds for them, but I do realize that's asking a lot more effort.

 

I honestly first thought that it was my headphone impedance and lived with it, but then realized it comes through everywhere. 

[Bmicona]

Ok, so nothing has helped.

 

 

I did a reset on the global settings, in case somewhere along the way I messed something up.

 

Here's a sample of a brand new patch, with only an amp+cab block, (went with the jazz chorus since it's so clean).

I used the 121 and 6" distance, like you suggested.

 

I'm plugged straight into the HX Stomp, with a quality Monster cable.

 

It sounds like i'm clipping the input. But I don't see how that's possible. All 3 of my guitars are the same, and they all have passive pups. Settiing the input to Line instead of Instrument pads the input a bit, but I also think it muddies it up a bit. (This clip is set to Instrument)

amp+cab+rivet.mp3

[PierM]

11 hours ago, codamedia said:

 

Any electrical interference I hear from external devices is constant, it doesn't come and go with my playing dynamics :) 

 

 

Unless you have noise gate. Anyway we are just trying to help, no need to play the smartass.

[codamedia]

6 hours ago, Bmicona said:

Here's a sample of a brand new patch, with only an amp+cab block, (went with the jazz chorus since it's so clean).

 

You may want to try a different amp than the jazz chorus. I seem to recall a thread with the same (or similar) problem and the Jazz Chorus seemed to be the worst amp culprit of the batch. 

 

(edit to add: I just found the thread referencing the JC120. I know the input pad is not an option for you on the stomp, but you might want to take a look at this thread...  https://line6.com/support/topic/41618-guitar-input-pad-does-you-or-doesnt-you/)

 

• Just for the sake of being complete I need to ask the obvious. Are you keeping the DRIVE turned down, and CHANNEL VOLUME up on the amp model? 
• It does sound like clipping. Does it still happen if you don't load any amps or effects? 

4 hours ago, PierM said:

Anyway we are just trying to help, no need to play the smartass.

 

It is never my intention to come across as such, I apologize if it did this time.Without proper emoticons on this forum it is difficult to convey intent... the smiley was meant to indicate "friendly banter". 

[BBD_123]

1 hour ago, codamedia said:

You may want to try a different amp than the jazz chorus. I seem to recall a thread with the same (or similar) problem and the Jazz Chorus seemed to be the worst amp culprit of the batch. 

 

That could have been some of my comments. BUT I have found that when correctly set up, Helix Floor delivers perfectly crystalline clear clean tones using the Roland JC model.

 

All I can suggest is that the OP does the basic sound-check:

 

1/ Play hard through an empty patch (no blocks at all) - is there clipping? If YES then either the input or the OUTPUT is too hot. Fix that and problem should resolve

 

2/ If the empty patch is clean, establish UNITY GAIN by adding the JC amp+cab block (stock settings) and turning down the CAB BLOCK level until the output is roughly equivalent with the amp+cab block OFF (empty patch).

 

Unfortunately, I have the floor unit, not Stomp and I don't know my way around Stomp so I cannot go into specifics. However, the general principles are universal - don't clip the input or have a hot output clipping whatever you connect the unit to next. Don't stray too far from unity gain (empty patch signal vs populated patch signal).

[Bmicona]

So it happens with any amp model. I didn't know that the JC was problematic, but that's not typically what I use, I only used that one to demonstrate. 

 

I don't hear any clipping on an empty patch with no blocks, only when I add an amp.

 

So I've fiddled around and I've got it to all but disappear by turning drive to 0, channel and master volumes down below 50%. Cab volume I dropped a few db, and lowered the overall output at the end of the patch. But at that point, I couldn't even really hear in my headphones, but I recorded it and then raised the volume in my DAW. But that static seemed to be gone.

 

I'm not interested in adding a headphone amp. I got the stomp to keep everything small and mobile. Hope I figure this out.

 

I should be able to load an empty patch, load up a stock amp + cab block without touching any settings, and play without digital clipping. Maybe something is wrong with my unit.

[robertgoddard]

Is it sitting near a phone or computer?  That's usually the culprit for me.

[Bmicona]

Relatively close to my laptop, but wasn't yesterday when I tried a different outlet and had the same result.

[njglover]

I think this question actually comes out pretty often around here, or at least I've seen many threads about it in the past couple years, though everyone seems to call it something different. Fizz, static, clipping, distortion, etc. The last thread I remember looking at suggested messing with the bias values for the amps to see if that helps, but ultimately it's just something you kinda have to live with. Some amps are worse than others, some people are more bothered by it than others. Anyway, try messing with the bias and see if that helps. If not, you could search around and see if there are other ideas (I honestly can't remember), but just know that it's normal.

 

Edit: Here are two threads. This one doesn't really offer many solutions, but might be interesting reading: 

This one is better on the solution front, they suggest messing with bias and also with hi cuts on your cabs: 

 

[steelstringer]

I often hear that kind of fuzz/fizz on cleaner tones when I use the bridge pickup, which means, in my case anyway, that it is too hot. I tamed the issue by switching to the middle position (Les Paul style guitar) for clean/edge of breakup tones. That, in combination with low/hi cuts recommended by others on this forum, fixed the issue for me. 

[BBD_123]

2 hours ago, Bmicona said:

So I've fiddled around and I've got it to all but disappear by turning drive to 0, channel and master volumes down below 50%. Cab volume I dropped a few db, and lowered the overall output at the end of the patch. But at that point, I couldn't even really hear in my headphones, but I recorded it and then raised the volume in my DAW. But that static seemed to be gone.

 

Could you just confirm your setup - are the headphones connected directly to Stomp?

 

And do you have the output set to INST and the phones monitor to MAIN L/R?

 

What's your VOLUME control knob on Stomp set to (eg. 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock etc)

[Bmicona]

13 hours ago, BBD_123 said:

 

Could you just confirm your setup - are the headphones connected directly to Stomp?

 

And do you have the output set to INST and the phones monitor to MAIN L/R?

 

What's your VOLUME control knob on Stomp set to (eg. 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock etc)

Headphones are connected directly, yes.

 

Output is set to INST

 

Phones/monitor is set to Main/LR

 

Volume is set to 2 o clock thereabouts.

 

 

 

 

I think I can live with it. Setting the input to line level helps enough to where it isn't distracting, which was my gripe. I will survive. I love the form factor of the Stomp, I love it being on my nano sized board with a few other pedals and I can just grab it and hang in the living room and play guitar after hours. 

 

But I do want to say thank you to everyone who chimed in. Communities rule.

[lawrence_Arps]

the correct Output volume setting is full up...
The Channel volume does not affect tone and if there are no FX after the amp cannot cause clipping...so for a dead clean tone can be on full.....

more importantly - you have not described the full set up.  How did you record the samples?

[surfsup1955]

I get an annoying noise/digital artifact only when my iMac is running and I’m using single coils. It doesn’t show up in the recorded tracks (via USB) or when playing just the Helix (floor) via my FRFR or amp.

 

Not much help, but you’re not alone..

[rodgerraino]

Brand new Helix owner here. Initially I had a distortion that might be similar to yours (hard to hear on current PC). It happened on everything but could get masked by heavier tones. One characteristic is that the distorted sound was always at the same pitch. Playing different notes did not cause the distortion to vary pitch like normal distortion does.

 

Turned out that I'm using the digital out to connect to my audio interface and the sample rates were set differently between the two. Once I fixed that the Helix sounds super clear.

[dbraman]

Are you  using the vintage delay? If so, turn the headroom setting all the way up. That totally solved my static, digital artifact issue in my cleans completely.