Distorted input on Helix LT

[Espexp]

I have an issue with my Helix LT.

When I try to play on any clean patches I am getting this horrible scratchy,buzzy, distorted signal when strumming or playing individual notes.

I have checked the following:

Switched guitar cables twice

Switched guitars (went through all 4 of them)

The sound is coming through headphones and my Amp/FR speakers

It happens on both the neck and bridge pickups (but much worse on the bridge) Pickups are EMG Het Set and 81/60 combos)

Input pad is on

Input gate is on

Impedance is on Auto and I tried other settings

I tried plugging the guitar into return 1

The guitar icon on the unit is staying green so I don't think I am clipping the input

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated

[rd2rk]

In case of unexplainable wonkiness, perform a factory reset:

 

 

Don't forget to first back up any custom preset you've created.

[theElevators]

Check your input cable... Just now my input cable (from wireless to the Helix) died.  But it died in such a way that it mostly worked, except certain clean/acoustic sounds all of a sudden sounded horribly distorted, not loud enough, etc.  So check your cable, guitar, etc -- things can get weird like that.  Some cables die gradually, to a point where it's gradually getting worse and worse...

[spaceatl]

check your guitar on an empty patch...if there is no distortion, then you are likely hearing modeled signal overload...usually this is when you have a particular effect in a part of the chain that is running hot (ie: after amp block)...tape echo can get pretty nasty in a post amp position and it gets hit too hard...You might can locate the culprit by removing one block at a time until it goes away...if you need it, then you will have to lower the incoming level to the block. if it's something like the amp block feeding a tape echo, you might need to lower the channel volume a good bit, put a volume block on the other side to make up the level you want....basically, the level of each effect is modeled and you get modeled overload...sometimes it's pretty nasty...anyway, just a thought...good luck

[PaulTBaker]

Depending on which cab I use, I get the same thing (or what could be called that).  I have found that cutting the highs to between 4 to 8k gets rid of that noise.   you can do that either on the cab itself (which has a slower dropoff curve) or by adding an eq at the end of the chain (steeper cut off).

[Espexp]

Thank you everybody for your input.

I solved the issue by reworking my clean patches a bit, and lowering my pickups a hair.  It didn't take much but it made a huge difference in the sound