Thin sound through studio monitors

[hh858]

Hi All, recent Helix Stomp owner here and loving it so far. I’m using my helix as an ‘all in one’ desktop solution in my apartment as I can’t get away with a proper valve amp etc. My setup is Gibson SG / PRS 24 into helix, output to Presonus studio monitors (yes I have output set to line). 
 

My initial impression of the sound was that it’s a bit thin / tinny, not particularly full bodied or boomy. It’s not the speakers because I’ve previously used Bias Fx on my laptop through them and that can sound very fat. It’s ok for clean but I find lots of the distortion very high fizzy and thin rather than hitting you in the face, like a deep punching fuzz. 
 

I’ve read topics about global eq, double cabbing, pitch shift, high low cuts etc to beef up the sound. But to me it feels more like I’ve got a general setting wrong for my setup, rather than making nuanced tweaks? Any help / advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks 

[rvroberts]

There’s nothing “nuanced” about high and low cuts. 
well not if you do the sort of thing that makes the full frequency Helix output sound like a decent guitar amp. Typically you cut below say 100hz drastically and above say 5.5Khz also drastically. That’s because a guitar amp into a typical guitar speaker box has almost all its energy in that range. 
If you want to sound really fat you might go down to 80hz, but even that gets muddy in a band contest if you have keys.

How you do it is up to you. Purists will tweak it for every patch, but I have a basic global EQ and then do the fine tuning with an EQblock in my patch. I’m not using the Stomp, so I’m not needing to be economical with modules. 
Try it. Start with some drastic EQ and the ad an amp and speaker in front of that - so you are tuning the amp with the EQ right from the start. 
and while you are at it, boost some midrange to taste for balls and thickness - picking the right frequencies to boost a little brings a lot of OK tones to life. 
Then, obviously tweak to taste!

[codamedia]

9 hours ago, hh858 said:

I’ve read topics about global eq, double cabbing, pitch shift, high low cuts etc to beef up the sound.

 

• IMO... if you have to resort to extreme EQ to make something right, something is already wrong that needs addressing first. The default "cuts" on the cab block are a good "starting point" and should only require minor adjusting. 
• Global EQ should be reserved for emergency "room adjustment" when moving between several different environments, not used to create tones. 
• Double Cabbing does not count in either of the above.... that is used to create great tones, but not required to get great tones. 

9 hours ago, hh858 said:

... to me it feels more like I’ve got a general setting wrong for my setup, rather than making nuanced tweaks? Any help / advice would be greatly appreciated.

... It’s ok for clean but I find lots of the distortion very high fizzy and thin rather than hitting you in the face, like a deep punching fuzz. 

 

This sounds like "cab" issues to me... might I suggest you try some of the following. 

 

The Helix cabinets don't have the ability to "move the microphone" from center to edge, and it appears the cabs are all miced at the CENTER which is the brightest/thinnest part of the speaker. There are two "work arounds" that I find work REALLY WELL to thicken tones.

• Try changing the MIC to a Ribbon or Condenser, then pulling the distance back a little. The 57 at 1" is default on many cabs and that is the brightest/harshest combination in the Helix. Change that to a 121 and set the distance to 4"-6".... you will instantly hear more smoothness and warmth. 
  • expand on this by getting familiar with the different tones from the mics, and the distance. Over time you will build a favorite "go to" list for different situations.
• To simulate moving a mic from "center to edge".... insert a TILT EQ after the amp/cab block. Leave the default settings for now, but dial back the TILT toward the DARK settings. DARK 40 or DARK 50 often takes the brightness off the tone while thickening it a little. (That is similar to a mic being about half way between center and edge on a speaker, which is very common with live techs)

 

[rvroberts]

Well, it’s only going to take you say 10 mins to test my information. 
if it works- then it works!

If not, you lost 10 mins