SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 So I've been having audio issues since I upgraded to 3.0. Yes I tried 3.01 and still had the same issues. Right now I went back to 2.92 and I'm still having issues. Here's my setup currently. Ibanez EHB1505ms wireless to a Line 6 Relay G90. The only non stock thing in the wireless is I'm using a Shure WA304 cable since the original one crapped out. Cable out from wireless to in on LT. Using the Send/Return loop 1 into and out my Darkglass MT900v2 bass head, then out the 1/4 output to the return on the head. The head is connected with a speak on cable to a Hartke HD410 cabinet. I have checked all 4 cables in my snake straight from bass to amp with no buzzing. As soon as I plug anything from either the send or 1/4 out into my amp the buzz begins and it is audible as long as the volume is up on my head even if I mute the amp head, but is not there if nothing is coming from the Helix. Now I thought this was the Helix for sure and started a support ticket, but now I'm not so sure because I also tried just going straight from the wireless to the input on the head and am getting the same thing. Anyone have any ideas? I've tried downgrading and factory resetting my Helix with no change, and the wireless causing the same problem is throwing me for a loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I'm sure you must have tried this, it's not rocket science, but I have to ask - did you try using a shielded guitar cable from the guitar to the amp input - like, no wireless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Just now, rd2rk said: I'm sure you must have tried this, it's not rocket science, but I have to ask - did you try using a shielded guitar cable from the guitar to the amp input - like, no wireless? Thanks for the reply, yes I have tried with wireless all switched off and straight from guitar into Helix. Same issues. I can plug from the 1/4" out to my interface and turn up my preamp a tiny bit and start to hear the crackle even without a guitar plugged in/playing etc. The same thing happens if I take a 1/4" out from the wireless unit, not even playing it or anything. If I just use my basses and head I have no issues, but as soon as I add either of my Line 6 products to the mix I start to get issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Not sure exactly what thing I did that fixed the issue, but after hours of trying cables, plugging in different instruments and trying out with my interface instead of amp I finally got it working. The last things I did was to update again to 3.01, factory reset, and restore my backup. I had already done this before with no change, but this time it seemed to do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Actually scratch that we are back to it making the same noise this morning. I find it interesting that it makes the buzz/crackle even if the Helix is off. It stops if I unplug the cord that is going from my 1/4" out to the return on my amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkelley Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 It's possible, although not very likely, that something is electrically wrong with the instrument input on your amp (just because it's a great amp doesn't mean it is problem free, although unlikely). It might have a non-zero voltage on it, or it might have ground connected to one of the pins, and the result could be what you're hearing. since the helix can be powered off for this to occur, you know it's not firmware related - it's a simple electrical issue. To make sure I have this all straight: Does it happen with helix connected from amp-out (like the left channel 1/4" output, for example) to the amp's instrument (guitar) input, with the helix powered off? If the above question is true, does it only happen with the helix power cable connected to power (but still powered off, but plugged in and ready to be turned on)? OR does it also happen if the helix doesn't have anything else connected to it, not even it's own AC power cable? I'm not a helix repair person, but as someone who works with electronics a fair bit, those are critical details to know before understanding what could possibly be going wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 2 minutes ago, donkelley said: It's possible, although not very likely, that something is electrically wrong with the instrument input on your amp (just because it's a great amp doesn't mean it is problem free, although unlikely). It might have a non-zero voltage on it, or it might have ground connected to one of the pins, and the result could be what you're hearing. since the helix can be powered off for this to occur, you know it's not firmware related - it's a simple electrical issue. To make sure I have this all straight: Does it happen with helix connected from amp-out (like the left channel 1/4" output, for example) to the amp's instrument (guitar) input, with the helix powered off? If the above question is true, does it only happen with the helix power cable connected to power (but still powered off, but plugged in and ready to be turned on)? OR does it also happen if the helix doesn't have anything else connected to it, not even it's own AC power cable? I'm not a helix repair person, but as someone who works with electronics a fair bit, those are critical details to know before understanding what could possibly be going wrong. Thanks for the reply! I just checked those couple things out. so connected to amp in from 1/4 out it makes the buzz if the helix is connected to power or not. Interestingly I knocked my USB cable out when I was taking the power out and that is actually what stopped the noise. I tried another USB cable with the same effect. As soon as it was plugged in I got the noise again, but if I unplug the USB it goes away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Looks like it's an issue with the USB hub I was using. I tried it plugged into my other hub and we are golden. Weird but I'm glad it seems to be something minor! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkelley Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 ok, so we have the answer USB... so the helix has been connected to yoru computer this whole time via USB? It is your computer's USB port that is generating the noise. This is a common problem. Some computers, actually many computers, have a lot of power supply noise on their usb ports. I have owned 2 laptops over teh past year for DAW (audio recording) use, and both were bought used, and both had after market replacement power supplies. Both had terrible USB noise. I searched craigslist and with incredible luck found original power supplies used for sale for both the toshiba and the dell laptops. in both cases, the original (and apparently much better designed/built) power supplies solved the problem. This is true of desktop computers as well as laptops, but of course with desktops you have to take it apart and the power supply is huge and it takes more work, and some are just like that from the factory. You don't normally notice things like this until you connect something through usb audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkelley Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Ah, just read your next post! that's great! So the hub was the problem. Was the usb hub a powered one with external power supply? If so then that totally does make sense - same thing as my laptop problem - cheap power supplies that aren't designed for very low noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSBass10 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Just now, donkelley said: Ah, just read your next post! that's great! So the hub was the problem. Was the usb hub a powered one with external power supply? If so then that totally does make sense - same thing as my laptop problem - cheap power supplies that aren't designed for very low noise. Yup the hub has it's own power supply. I'm going looking for a new hub now since that's the one I use for my E drum kit and MIDI keyboard too. Thanks a ton for your help, I'm good with a lot of technology stuff, but the electronics and noise from power has always just stupefied me haha. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 52 minutes ago, SSBass10 said: Yup the hub has it's own power supply. I'm going looking for a new hub now since that's the one I use for my E drum kit and MIDI keyboard too. Thanks a ton for your help, I'm good with a lot of technology stuff, but the electronics and noise from power has always just stupefied me haha. If you find a powered USB hub that works for you, please report back. I have a similar noise problem if I have both my Helix (direct to the laptop) and my Powercab (connected to my powered hub) connected at the same time. Annoying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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