Global Input Gain Control?

[KingKavolus]

Hey!

I have a small problem, hopefully someone knows the answer to it.

I have programmed many presets with one of my guitars (Solar 1.7 with stock Duncan Solar pickups).

Now here is the problem: if I want to play another guitar of mine with active Fishman Fluence pickups, some presets are clipping.

Does anything exist like a global control for the input gain/volume if one wants to play the same presets with different guitars?

 

Greetings Fabian

[rd2rk]

The Floor/Rack/LT have an Input Pad. The HXS has a INST/LINE setting that does the same thing.

Unfortunately, these are GLOBAL settings, and can't be accessed per preset.

[SaschaFranck]

2 hours ago, rd2rk said:

Unfortunately, these are GLOBAL settings, and can't be accessed per preset.

 

How is that unfortunately? Not only that this is what has been asked for, in case you wanted per preset gain control, just add a gain block as the first thing in your signal chain.

IMO, the only bad thing here is the rather huge differences between Input Pad on and off. I'd vastly prefer if this was done the Boss way, the GT-1000 offers 1dB steps for the global input control and 10 presets, which should suit pretty much any guitar just fine.

[rd2rk]

Because if the pad were accessible per preset, you could just use a a FS or SS to turn it ON/OFF.

As for "THE BOSS WAY", more flexibility is always a good thing, but it should still be adjustable per preset, even if it's in steps.

Maybe BOSS has a different definition of GLOBAL than L6 but if so, I doubt that's going to change.

It's a lot more likely that L6 could implement this in the Input Block, like they did with the impedance setting.

[SaschaFranck]

9 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

Because if the pad were accessible per preset, you could just use a a FS or SS to turn it ON/OFF.

 

As said, you can do that with a gain block already.

And well, you'd have to do it for *each* preset - which is pretty much the polar opposite to a global solution (which is what has been asked for).

 

10 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

but it should still be adjustable per preset, even if it's in steps.

 

No. A global adjustment should explicitely *not* be adjustable per preset. As it's global.

[rd2rk]

A gain block is a wasted block. Not as practical on HXS as on the full Helix.

It's only Global unless it isn't. There's no law that says it HAS to be Global.

 

I'm pretty sure that OP just wants something that works.

And, as said, flexible is better.

If L6 can incorporate the flexibility of the gain block into the Input Block, what's wrong with that?

[SaschaFranck]

6 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

There's no law that says it HAS to be Global.

 

No, there isn't. But there's a question asking for a global option. Apparently you don't seem to understand that, for whatever reasons. A switchable gain control in the input section - as useful as it might be - would not adress this even remotely.

[rd2rk]

"I want to be able to fly by flapping my arms."

"Create arm attachments made of feathers and wax."

"It would be easier to fly if you built a flying machine."

"NO! OP wants to fly by flapping his arms! Why don't you understand that?"

"OP - I just want to be able to fly!"

 

So, you think that OP would be happier changing his Global settings every time he changes guitars, vs being able to build multi guitar flexibility into his presets?

As usual, you'd rather be insulting than reasonable.

 

OP - what say ye?

[SaschaFranck]

26 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

So, you think that OP would be happier changing his Global settings every time he changes guitars, vs being able to build multi guitar flexibility into his presets?

 

At least that is what has been asked for. And it could obviously be switchable. And guess what, Sherlock? I had it like that on my analog boards for ages - I simply used a small booster as the very first thing my guitar was running into. Worked like a charme. The rest of the switching was largely programmable (the on/off status of things at least), that booster wasn't. No idea why you wouldn't understand why this is useful - but all too apparently, you just don't. Probably says more about you than about me.

 

26 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

As usual, you'd rather be insulting than reasonable.

 

All throughout this thread (or should I say as usual?), you show a lack of comprehensive reading.

 

To recap:

 

5 hours ago, KingKavolus said:

Does anything exist like a global control for the input gain/volume

 

4 hours ago, rd2rk said:

Unfortunately, these are GLOBAL settings

 

Pure comedy gold.

 

I'm done here.

[SaschaFranck]

Oh, one last thing, where's your FR on Ideascale for a switchable input gain in the input section, @rd2rk? Can't find it. I mean, in case it'd be so tremendously useful, you should've posted it there, no?

 

Over and out.

[rd2rk]

5 minutes ago, SaschaFranck said:

I'm done here.

 

THANK YOU!

[rd2rk]

1 minute ago, SaschaFranck said:

Oh, one last thing, where's your FR on Ideascale for a switchable input gain in the input section, @rd2rk? Can't find it. I mean, in case it'd be so tremendously useful, you should've posted it there, no?

 

Insert eyes rolling emoji....

[KingKavolus]

OMG! Guys, calm down please :). I am very thankfull that all of you have different solutions and ways to solve a problem. Thank you very much for all the answers!

 

Greetings! F

[SaschaFranck]

4 hours ago, KingKavolus said:

I am very thankfull that all of you have different solutions and ways to solve a problem.

 

In fact, for the moment, there's 3 options for you, only one of which has been mentioned so far:

1) The (global) Input Pad setting. Which can't be finetuned and might hence be too much (or too little, even if that's unlikely) of a difference.
 

2) Using an external booster (or an EQ or whatever, but a small booster would likely cause the least hum). No fuss, easy to operate.

Downside: You will completely lose the input impedance feature of the Helix as soon as it's switched on. Personally, I wouldn't be bothered too much, pretty much depends on whether you're using HX drives that just don't sound well without that feature.

 

3) Using an external switch (on/off type) for the EXP input (in case it's not used already). This is what I'm doing (for some patches, as it's kinda like working globally and patch based at the same time, if you want).
Note: Before going that route, you should make sure that even your highest output guitar won't clip the Helix' input. You might want to set it to "on" in case that's happening, then readjust all (unfortunately) your patches according to the new input setting. But from my experience, input clipping is really only happening when using pretty hot pickups (they designed the HX input pretty well, so it offers a lot of headroom).
You would now insert a simple gain block or an EQ (I'm using the latter) as the very first thing in your signal chain (these are using *very* little CPU, so at least on the Floor/LT/Rack units you should be able to add them to pretty much any patch). Then you would set the on/off status to be controlled from your external switch. Adjust the block itself so it compensates nicely for the pickup level differences and keep it the same all throughout your patches (or maybe don't, in case you feel there's patches that may need different treatment). Due to the block being controlled by a hardwired on/off switch, the setting of that switch will be valid globally. Sidenote: This is really the *only* way you can control something happening within a patch globally.
Downside: You will not lose the entire input impedance feature but the "auto" part of it once the gain/EQ block is active. Doesn't bother me at all, as pretty much all my patches are using a fixed impedance setting.

It's also not exactly a global setting, only the on/off status is, so if you later on decide that the boost/cut was too much or too little, you'd have to go through all the patches using this boost and re-adjust/re-save (which is exactly one of the reasons why having a "global blocks" feature would be kickass, but that will never happen with the HX family anymore).

[KingKavolus]

Hey Sascha,

thank you very much for your effort und vielen Dank für die Mühe!

The last point you mentioned sounds nice, so I will try that out and compare it to the Input Pad.

 

Thanks!

F

[codamedia]

On 12/10/2021 at 2:31 PM, KingKavolus said:

Now here is the problem: if I want to play another guitar of mine with active Fishman Fluence pickups, some presets are clipping.

Does anything exist like a global control for the input gain/volume if one wants to play the same presets with different guitars?

 

Are you clipping the actual input... or just coming in way too hot for the preset? 

That latter is easy... this is how I approach it... which includes a simple "gain block" at the beginning of each preset. 

 

I use the same "live" preset for everything... it's complex in snapshots & stomps, but it's still just one preset.  I also have about 5 guitars I may use.... and ONE preset is not practical for the "minor" differences between them.  I create on my main guitar, copy..... then adjust for the next guitar. When I change guitars, I change presets - but it's just minor adjustments between each.  The main change is at the input level.... then MAYBE a little AMP tone. 

 

[theElevators]

https://line6.com/support/topic/62215-building-presets-to-accommodate-multiple-guitar-output-levels-eg-les-paul-tele-using-return-1-2-etc/?tab=comments#comment-404576
 

we discussed it recently, and I offered a workaround.