Helix Rack: Input clipping to silence intermittently; newly noisy FX loops

[Sjaltenb]

Hi all,

 

I’m experiencing two issues with my Helix Rack:

 

1) Randomly, on any patch/cable/guitar/day/setting if I strum the volume quickly cuts to zero and then quickly “releases” back to normal volume.  It almost sounds like clipping but there is no distortion, just volume drop and then return. Soft strumming helps.  No issues with the AUX so I’ve been using it. Very low output strat pickups on both guitars.

 

Lately i switched back to the front input and was pleased that the issue has resolved unexplainably.
 

2) unrelated, I use the FX loops for favorite pedals.  In fact, I place an RJM Rack Gizmo in the loops for about 12 pedals via midi.  The loops have always been dead quiet. Almost indistinguishable on/off no matter the patch.

 

randomly I started getting extreme hiss in any loop. So I removed the RJM after extensive testing and did a simple patch from send to return with many different patch cables. All very noisy. All 4 loops on clean / factory patches.
 

did factory reset and 3.5 upgrade and on my first try before I reloaded, the noise was fixed but the input issue returned. 

 

I tried all the different loops and low or no noise on multiple patches. The loops were fixed.

 

I reconnected the RJM and still no loop noise. Great, I thought. 
 

I reloaded my presets and the noise returned and the input issue persists.

 

any ideas here??? I’m thinking it’s time to send it in….
 

 

[MayPRS]

The "noisy loops" seems be some kind of issue with your presets. You stated that, after factory reset, the noise was gone and when you reloaded your presets the noise return. So I'm thinking that must be some kind of issue on how you build your presets. 

 

Have you tested/tried all potential noise issues? Guitars, cables, amp (if you use an amp), outlets, ground issues...?

 

For me, one day, at a gig, the amp started with an annoying buzzing coming from nowhere... once I put the Helix ac cable on the same outlet of the amp ac cable, the buzzing was gone.

 

Hard to pinpoint the issue.. even if you attach one of the presets, unless someone haves a RJM pedal to try, it will be hard to reproduce the issue.

[theElevators]

On 4/5/2023 at 7:30 AM, MayPRS said:

The "noisy loops" seems be some kind of issue with your presets. You stated that, after factory reset, the noise was gone and when you reloaded your presets the noise return. So I'm thinking that must be some kind of issue on how you build your presets. 

 

Have you tested/tried all potential noise issues? Guitars, cables, amp (if you use an amp), outlets, ground issues...?

 

For me, one day, at a gig, the amp started with an annoying buzzing coming from nowhere... once I put the Helix ac cable on the same outlet of the amp ac cable, the buzzing was gone.

 

Hard to pinpoint the issue.. even if you attach one of the presets, unless someone haves a RJM pedal to try, it will be hard to reproduce the issue.

With me I had the opposite problem: Helix and the amp were running out of the same outlet and the ground loop / 60-cycle hum was unbearable.  When I switched the amp to another outlet, the noise was diminished.  Also the noise was exacerbated by the yellow lights in the venue... when we started playing, it was only the stage lights and the noise was gone. 

[Sjaltenb]

Thanks all, to clarify - the loop noise continued even on a factory preset, after I reloaded the backup. 
 

it got me thinking maybe it was a global setting issue but I can imagine any global setting that would impact noise when I’m simply patching the send to the return. I’ve tried instrument and line levels. 
 

again, for clarity, for the same preset adding a loop had no change to the noise level after factor reset, but after re-loading, the exact same loop in the same place on the same factory preset made the noise come back. 
 

in general, is it fair to say that a patched FXLoop with a good cable should not introduce any noticeable / bad noise? 

[MayPRS]

On 4/5/2023 at 3:24 PM, Sjaltenb said:

Thanks all, to clarify - the loop noise continued even on a factory preset, after I reloaded the backup. 
 

it got me thinking maybe it was a global setting issue but I can imagine any global setting that would impact noise when I’m simply patching the send to the return. I’ve tried instrument and line levels. 
 

again, for clarity, for the same preset adding a loop had no change to the noise level after factor reset, but after re-loading, the exact same loop in the same place on the same factory preset made the noise come back. 
 

in general, is it fair to say that a patched FXLoop with a good cable should not introduce any noticeable / bad noise? 

 

I might be understanding wrong but - it seems to me that, as soon as you reload your backup, the noise appears. This points me to something on your backup settings. Have you tried recreating one of your presets by hand on a "freshly" reset'd unit? Same blocks, signal path, etc to check if there's any noise? If not - then it surely must be something globally configured that your backup haves. Did you take note of any differences between your backup global settings and reset's unit?

[Sjaltenb]

That’s a good idea.  I will try re-building a patch from the ground up on a newly rebuilt machine to see what happens.
 

I’d also describe it as white noise Hiss, not 60cycle hum.