Uses and impact of Input Tolerance parameter

[prudenjim]

Greetings,

 

I’d like to hear how folks leverage the Tolerance parameter on the Input Block.  Not much in the documentation and searching did not yield much (which may have something more to do with my phrasing, but...).

 

For context in case helpful, I use Multi input type.  I mostly use my PRS Custom 24 but also have patches with my JTV-69S as well.  I play into a mixer and out to desktop monitors or L2M.  Pretty simply setup.  Some times other guitars (Strat, ES-330) but really mostly the PRS and 1/3 of the songs the Variax for Eb and open G tunings across various simulated guitars.

 

What does increasing or decreasing the value supposed to do?

 

Thanks in advance!

[rd2rk]

There's no Tolerance parameter on the Input Block of the Helix, at least not the Helix Floor or LT model.

If you mean Threshold, that is part of the Input Gate settings, and determines the level at which the gate cuts in.

[cruisinon2]

I loved The Twilight Zone...

[datacommando]

14 hours ago, prudenjim said:

I’d like to hear how folks leverage the Tolerance parameter on the Input Block

 

Hi,

 

I guess by the "tolerance parameter" to which you refer, you actually mean the input impedance option "Guitar In–Z" and the default setting is "Auto".

 

Here's a quote from the Owner's Manual regarding this:

`'Input > Multi and Input > Guitar blocks have an additional Guitar In-Z parameter. Helix has an impedance circuit on its Guitar Input that affects tone and feel by loading your guitar's pickups as they would by an effect pedal or amplifier. A lower value will typically result in some high frequency attenuation, lower gain, and an overall "softer" feel. A higher value provides full frequency response, higher gain, and an overall "tighter" feel."

 

Essentially, you can override the Auto setting and use whichever you find best for the pickups you are using, eg: 10kΩ for active pickups. Play around to see if there is a setting more useful for your gear.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[prudenjim]

Thanks folks and sorry for the confusion.  The threshold is what I should have stated.  I’ve since started investigating noise gates and results of the parameter.    I haven’t experienced much noise with my guitar but the Input Gate is on by default.  I’ll start with it off and work from there.  If I never need I will look in global to see if off as a default is an option.  Thanks.

[datacommando]

17 hours ago, prudenjim said:

Thanks folks and sorry for the confusion.  The threshold is what I should have stated.  I’ve since started investigating noise gates and results of the parameter.    I haven’t experienced much noise with my guitar but the Input Gate is on by default.  I’ll start with it off and work from there.  If I never need I will look in global to see if off as a default is an option.  Thanks.

 

Hi again,

 

There is a dedicated noise gate on all the Helix input channels and, IIRC, it is off by default. The “Threshold” and “Decay” options only become available when the Gate input is turned on - AFAIK there isn’t a Global override.

 

Noise Gates are one of those pieces of equipment that are often overlooked, but can quickly become an essential item. Simply adjust the “Threshold” until any background noise or hum is suppressed. Then strum your guitar and adjust the “Decay” to vary the time the gate remains open after letting through the wanted guitar signal. This helps to cleanup your sound, but it can also be used creatively by messing with the “decay” release time to create a choppy staccato effect. In recording studios, gates can be used in a “side chain” that can be triggered by another instrument. For example, a sustained synth chord being blocked by a closed noise gate which is then opened by the sound of a snare drum, this will create short bursts of sound locked in time with drummer.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense. The Noise Gate is your friend.

[SaschaFranck]

Fwiw, I would like to be able to adjust threshold globally (as an offset to the programmed value). The Boss GT units do it like that and it's pretty neat as you can program patches with a bare minimum of the kind of gating they may require under "normal" conditions and only turn threshold down globally under critical conditions.

[prudenjim]

Thanks datacommando.