Clean channel getting static noise when using reverb.

[willyjacksonjs22]

Not on single notes only when I play chords. For example If a make a bar chord and pick the last note of the chord (while holding the chord )a second later theres like a static noise. The noise is small but I will like it to be clean. If I take the effect off no issues. Is this a normal thing? I’m using an hx stomp and connect it straight to my interface using left mono output ( unbalanced cable). Guitar is a fender mim. I also tried the noise gate and same issue.

[rd2rk]

27 minutes ago, jorgealberto25 said:

Not on single notes only when I play chords. For example If a make a bar chord and pick the last note of the chord (while holding the chord )a second later theres like a static noise. The noise is small but I will like it to be clean. If I take the effect off no issues. Is this a normal thing? I’m using an hx stomp and connect it straight to my interface using left mono output ( unbalanced cable). Guitar is a fender mim. I also tried the noise gate and same issue.

1) In Global Settings, Is the Input Level set to INST or LINE? Set it to INST.

2) Is the Output set to INST or LINE? Is the INPUT on the 6i6 set to INST or LINE? Make sure they match.

3) When you play a chord HARD, is the LED ring on the 6i6 flashing RED? Turn down the 6i6 GAIN. If it's still red, push the PAD button.

 

If none of that helps, attach a copy of the preset so we can have a look at it.

 

EDIT: What version of the firmware are you on? If it's not 2.82, update now. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY!

[willyjacksonjs22]

1 hour ago, rd2rk said:

1) In Global Settings, Is the Input Level set to INST or LINE? Set it to INST.

2) Is the Output set to INST or LINE? Is the INPUT on the 6i6 set to INST or LINE? Make sure they match.

3) When you play a chord HARD, is the LED ring on the 6i6 flashing RED? Turn down the 6i6 GAIN. If it's still red, push the PAD button.

 

If none of that helps, attach a copy of the preset so we can have a look at it.

 

EDIT: What version of the firmware are you on? If it's not 2.82, update now. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY!

Yes all of the is fine. The day I bought it I updated to 2.82. I’ll try to attach a copy when I get home.

[Kilrahi]

1 hour ago, jorgealberto25 said:

Not on single notes only when I play chords. For example If a make a bar chord and pick the last note of the chord (while holding the chord )a second later theres like a static noise. The noise is small but I will like it to be clean. If I take the effect off no issues. Is this a normal thing? I’m using an hx stomp and connect it straight to my interface using left mono output ( unbalanced cable). Guitar is a fender mim. I also tried the noise gate and same issue.

 

It sounds to me like you're hearing the amp artifacts or what anti helixers commonly refer to as "squirrels."

 

It's present in not just chords, but in all notes and it's more easily detectable in some amp models than others. 

 

If I'm right, and that's what you're hearing, it's not a mistake as such stuff is present in real amps too, we're just not used to hearing our full blooded amps in the way we often listen to our HX. 

 

Are you using headphones to monitor?  It stands out even more there. 

[rd2rk]

3 minutes ago, Kilrahi said:

 

It sounds to me like you're hearing the amp artifacts or what anti helixers commonly refer to as "squirrels."

 

It's present in not just chords, but in all notes and it's more easily detectable in some amp models than others. 

 

If I'm right, and that's what you're hearing, it's not a mistake as such stuff is present in real amps too, we're just not used to hearing our full blooded amps in the way we often listen to our HX. 

 

Are you using headphones to monitor?  It stands out even more there. 

 

OH DRAT! You've gone and used the "S" word!

Now I'll have to tell him to go to the Helix thread on TGP and search for "squirrels". He'll read a hundred or so of the 7,655 (conservative estimate) posts on the subject.

His head will explode. He may never recover.

I hope you're happy!

I'm going to go play with my squirrels. I like my squirrels. My very special Helix squirrels. Like no other squirrels. Just like all the other squirrels. 

Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly Squirrelly 

[Kilrahi]

Yeah I get it they're controversial . . . but there's a very good chance it's what the OP is noticing. It depends on a number of variables (how close they listen, experience with gear in general, with multiple types of speakers, what they're using to hear their HX).

 

To the OP, check out this thread. I found it to be the best example of the subject and it still has some audio examples up that might fit what you're hearing. If it's not, then at least you can dismiss this possibility and move on:

 

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/helix-tell-me-what-im-hearing-here.1826645/

[rd2rk]

I like to believe that I'm VERY objective in my subjective blovinionating, so I once again listened to the audio sample, downloaded the sample preset and played the preset through first my Rokit6 monitors, then through my FRFR112, and finally through my tube amp power section (6v6). And, oh yeah, my Sony MDR-V6 headphones. My final blovinion on the subject:

 

When I listened to the audio sample through my headphones I thought I might've heard......something. Like.....very quiet evil demon squirrels scratching, scratching, scratching.....very subtle evil demon squirrels. Or maybe my internet connection sucks.

 

When I played the preset through the same headphones I heard.... nothing.

Through the Rokits I heard....nothing.

Through the FRFR112 I heard....nothing.

Through the tube amp I heard....nothing.

 

THEREFORE MY CONCLUSION - the evil demon squirrels live in .WAV FILES! ONLY audible only on high end stereo equipment that I can't afford.

No, wait, that's silly. Let me listen again....

 

HARRUMPH...OK, MY CONCLUSION IS - I've been hearing this sound all my life, to the point where, to my ears, it's a natural part of what a live guitar and amplifier played in the real world sounds like. I don't doubt the existence of the phenomenon - like UFOs, so many people have reported it that it must be real, and to those poor souls who've been abducted and subjected to invasive aural testing by evil demon alien squirrels (EDAS), I offer my heartfelt condolences. I hope that somewhere, somehow, YOU TOO will find an amplified guitar experience free of the terror of EDAS.

 

If not, there's always the ukelele......

 

 

[Kilrahi]

48 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

HARRUMPH...OK, MY CONCLUSION IS - I've been hearing this sound all my life, to the point where, to my ears, it's a natural part of what a live guitar and amplifier played in the real world sounds like. I don't doubt the existence of the phenomenon - like UFOs, so many people have reported it that it must be real, and to those poor souls who've been abducted and subjected to invasive aural testing by evil demon alien squirrels (EDAS), I offer my heartfelt condolences. I hope that somewhere, somehow, YOU TOO will find an amplified guitar experience free of the terror of EDAS.

 

If not, there's always the ukelele......

 

 

 

That's kind of my conclusion too. I''m a nitpicky perfectionist, which you wouldn't know by hearing me play the guitar. I've always loved music though, and when I was as young as 3 years old I'd lay in front of my parent's stereo speakers and listen to songs . . .  and hear strange garbled noises occasionally, randomly, it was clearly related to its attempts to play music, and yet it wasn't music I was hearing.  I didn't notice it if the stereo was loud and I didn't have my head up to the speaker, but obviously they were still there, just drowned out. 

 

These noises bugged me, but I learned to live with them. Years later my parents upgraded to some much nicer speakers, and I remember I was excited that those noises would likely be gone. 

 

They weren't. Still there. Still imperfect. Over the years I came to realize that that kind of imperfection seems to live within ANY attempt to produce sounds. Over time, I came to forget about them. 

 

Fast forward decades later, when I first got the HX Stomp, one late night I was playing on headphones . . . and heard it again.  I wasn't expecting it at all and it irritated me in the same way it did when I was 3, but at the same time, I also couldn't help but conclude that IF they are in the original amps then surely they MUST be in the model. 

 

Now, if I could snap my fingers and and make it go away, I would. I've heard some claim Fractal finally eliminated them (I don't know, as I've never had a device to study that intently), but even if they have, it's not worth me ponying that much extra money for it. I've heard some people say that what irritates them about Line 6's version is it sounds fake - they agree they're in real amps, but those squirrels are "done better."

 

Without knowing why they're there, I really can't speculate.  Could they be removed? Do they sound fake (since the real ones sounded fake to me that's hard for me to fairly judge)? Is this the territory of the Helix 2?

 

Bottom line - nothing is ever perfect. Helix comes pretty damn close, squirrels and all. 

 

Hell, I'm just glad they aren't *?!@#!ing frogs. 

[willyjacksonjs22]

ok then so its normal doesnt matter i still love my hx stomp! i lower the high cut and that helped a little. :) i noticed it more with reverb effects. .. odd 

[rd2rk]

23 minutes ago, Kilrahi said:

 

Fast forward decades later, when I first got the HX Stomp, one late night I was playing on headphones . . . and heard it again.  I wasn't expecting it at all and it irritated me in the same way it did when I was 3, but at the same time, I also couldn't help but conclude that IF they are in the original amps then surely they MUST be in the model. 

 

Now, if I could snap my fingers and and make it go away, I would. I've heard some claim Fractal finally eliminated them (I don't know, as I've never had a device to study that intently), but even if they have, it's not worth me ponying that much extra money for it. I've heard some people say that what irritates them about Line 6's version is it sounds fake - they agree they're in real amps, but those squirrels are "done better."

 

Without knowing why they're there, I really can't speculate.  Could they be removed? Do they sound fake (since the real ones sounded fake to me that's hard for me to fairly judge)? Is this the territory of the Helix 2?

 

Bottom line - nothing is ever perfect. Helix comes pretty damn close, squirrels and all. 

 

Hell, I'm just glad they aren't *?!@#!ing frogs. 

 

Our Helix squirrels are PERFECTLY modeled!

 

If they found a way to exterminate our squirrels, people would complain "I don't know what it is, but it just sounds fake". Just like they do now!

 

I, too, am glad it's not frogs. They'd be PERFECTLY modeled.

 

Then we'd have the Bullfrog Blues! :-)

 

 

 

OK, it's late. Sleep now......

[rd2rk]

10 hours ago, jorgealberto25 said:

ok then so its normal doesnt matter i still love my hx stomp! i lower the high cut and that helped a little. :) i noticed it more with reverb effects. .. odd 

 

The reason I didn't go straight to "squirrels" is that it is possible (but not easy) to cause distortion within a signal chain. When creating a preset, it's good practice to pay attention to "gain staging". For example. You start with an amp and cab. LISTEN. How loud is it? Add an OD. Listen. How loud is it? By keeping an ear on the overall level, you can prevent unwanted distortion down stream. Also, some reverb/delay/mod effects are actually VALUED for the slight dirt that they add to the signal. The Transistor Tape delay for instance, modeled on the Echoplex EP3, it's part of the effect's character, and it even has a "headroom" setting to control the level of dirt. Jimmy Page, EVH and others have used the Echoplex preamp as distortion effects on famous recordings, and there are hardware effects that mimic just the preamp part of the Echoplex.

 

But it's probably those darn squirrels................

[willyjacksonjs22]

26 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

 

The reason I didn't go straight to "squirrels" is that it is possible (but not easy) to cause distortion within a signal chain. When creating a preset, it's good practice to pay attention to "gain staging". For example. You start with an amp and cab. LISTEN. How loud is it? Add an OD. Listen. How loud is it? By keeping an ear on the overall level, you can prevent unwanted distortion down stream. Also, some reverb/delay/mod effects are actually VALUED for the slight dirt that they add to the signal. The Transistor Tape delay for instance, modeled on the Echoplex EP3, it's part of the effect's character, and it even has a "headroom" setting to control the level of dirt. Jimmy Page, EVH and others have used the Echoplex preamp as distortion effects on famous recordings, and there are hardware effects that mimic just the preamp part of the Echoplex.

 

But it's probably those darn squirrels................

oh ok thanks for the advice. im starting to get a little used to it. maybe because i love my hx stomp and i feel like a kid again lol

 

i dont know how to explain this but when i play on a clean channel and i start strumming a  open G chord ala acoustic style.  the 5th and 6th string sound weird even

though the intonation is fine. its like a metallic hum noise idk how to put it. it happens more on the neck pickup of my strat. is this a normal thing? sorry maybe this

question for another forum.

[rd2rk]

1 minute ago, jorgealberto25 said:

oh ok thanks for the advice. im starting to get a little used to it. maybe because i love my hx stomp and i feel like a kid again lol

 

i dont know how to explain this but when i play on a clean channel and i start strumming a  open G chord ala acoustic style.  the 5th and 6th string sound weird even

though the intonation is fine. its like a metallic hum noise idk how to put it. it happens more on the neck pickup of my strat. is this a normal thing? sorry maybe this

question for another forum.

 

Whenever you ask "Why does this sound like this?", unless you either record it and attach a .wav file or (better) attach a copy of the preset, all we can do is scratch our heads and go "HUH?".

[Kilrahi]

Definitely agree to the need to hear the actual sound.

 

For example, in your first description you described it as follows: "second later there's like a static noise"

 

This description sounds very similar to the "squirrels" phenomenon, but then later you described it as a "metallic hum" which doesn't sound at all like it.

 

This isn't your fault. Describing sound is hard, but it's why an actual audio clip will do wonders when that's possible, or if that can't be done, posting the preset for others to try and mimic it.