Helix reference calibration documented

[BinaryRhyme]

Folks:

 

I've been following Jason Sadites' recent gain staging tutorials, and thought I would take a structured approach to creating a reference preset that I can use to normalize other presets to, so that switching pickups / presets / snapshots doesn't result in wild (unintended) swings in gain, and that delivered a nice clean signal to my board with headroom for variation. I then wrote it up, so that my leaky memory might be refreshed at later dates, as need be. I've attached the writeup, which might be of interest to you if such things are on your mind. I highly recommend Jason's vid series.

 

Mike

Helix Configuration v01.pdf

[rd2rk]

I can see that a lot of work went into that!

My only comment is that you should add a note that using a gain block first in the signal chain breaks the Input Impedance function. While there's only a few effects that expect a particular impedance, and using a wireless breaks it anyway, if you're looking for those effects to sound authentic the gain block solution won't work.

[BinaryRhyme]

An excellent note. I haven't observed impedance issues because I bring the G70 in using XLR, but it's a germane concern for the 1/4 inch phono drivers. It might be best to keep the block active and just zero the level, rather than bypassing it, or perhaps the 'first active impedance' option in 3.0 globals might be helpful. Hasn't been the monkey on my back, though. Good catch.

[rd2rk]

Unfortunately, the effects that require a lower impedance to properly load the pickups are mostly the fuzzes that the famous single coil guys (like Hendrix - FuzzFace IIRC) relied upon for their sound, and as soon as you activate that block, "authentic" is out the window.

 

Also, any wireless breaks the Input Impedance function, no matter how you bring the sound into the Helix, because the wireless itself loads the pickups at 1M. Unless you can change the impedance AT the transmitter, and I don't know of any wireless units that have that feature.

[BinaryRhyme]

I hear ya. Perhaps I've dodged the bullet more because I don't tend to use the fuzz distortions you speak of. Your word of caution is welcome. I'm curious - if the boost was done on the input as a dB adjustment vs. using the block, do you think the impedance issue would be avoided?

[rd2rk]

Maybe, but wouldn't upping the Output level on the fuzz do the same without overloading the Input to the fuzz with a hotter signal than what the single coils naturally send?

[BinaryRhyme]

True, that. Yeh, my doc is more about the approach to calibration and how to measure it than any given leveling technique, so if you were tuning an impedance dependent (or any other) block on the input, you'd want to set the input to what works for the block, and adjust level on the output, amp, or wherever made sense. Good point.

[HonestOpinion]

1 hour ago, BinaryRhyme said:

Folks:

 

I've been following Jason Sadites' recent gain staging tutorials, and thought I would take a structured approach to creating a reference preset that I can use to normalize other presets to, so that switching pickups / presets / snapshots doesn't result in wild (unintended) swings in gain, and that delivered a nice clean signal to my board with headroom for variation. I then wrote it up, so that my leaky memory might be refreshed at later dates, as need be. I've attached the writeup, which might be of interest to you if such things are on your mind. I highly recommend Jason's vid series.

 

Mike

Helix Configuration v01.pdf 880.85 kB · 8 downloads

 

Wow, that is an incredibly nicely rendered document. Looking forward to more contributions from you on this forum.

[BinaryRhyme]

Lol. Be careful what you wish for, and thanks.