chris_one Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Hi forum, I'm facing the following challenge: I use an HX Stomp that does all of my sound. Typical snapshot includes an amp (say a 2203), bit of reverb, and a split where one path goes to Right Out (my amp) and the other to Left Out (to PA). The Right Out is without cab sim, Left Out with cab sim. I find myself turning the highs on my amp all the way back, whereas on the PA's mixer I need to crank them quite a bit. This is regardless of which amp and which PA I use. On the amp I'm using the guitar-in, i.e. including the pre-amp. This way I can use the amp's EQ as well. What am I doing wrong here? Do I need to insert an EQ or shelving filter for the amp-path and turn the highs down there? Or is this the expected behaviour and I just live with it? Thank you for thoughs and ideas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 On 5/12/2025 at 2:26 AM, chris_one said: … I use an HX Stomp that does all of my sound. …. On the amp I'm using the guitar-in, i.e. including the pre-amp. This way I can use the amp's EQ as well. … First off, those statements are contradictory. I would try using the EQ available on the Stomp and connect the Stomp output to a Return on your amp, not the guitar input. Set your PA EQ to neutral. Experiment with the different EQ features on the Stomp (EQ blocks, hi/lo filters on the cab block, different mics and placements, Tone parameters in FX blocks, Bias level in Master amp section) until you don’t have to do significant EQ on either your amp or most PAs. It is normal to have to do some EQ on the PA due to different room acoustics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_one Posted May 12 Author Share Posted May 12 Agreed, it doesn't really match. If I used the return on my amp, I would have no EQ. This only works if I have extensive EQ-ing in the two paths in the Helix: Massive high-boost for the PA-channel, massive high-cut for the amp. I find the global EQ, which I use mainly for high-cut and low-cut very beneficial for both channels, that's why I'm using not the send-out of the Helix. Apart from that the Global EQ is linear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 On 5/12/2025 at 9:09 AM, chris_one said: …. If I used the return on my amp, I would have no EQ. …. Are you not using an amp model in your preset? This provides the same tone stack as your physical amp. Please attach a copy of your preset and we can have a look and perhaps advise from there. Many, many people are using both an amp and a PA quite successfully and are not using their physical guitar amp preamp. Massive EQing is not required. There seems to be something wrong in your setup. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou-kash Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 input ---- [any effects…] ---- AMP block ---- < ---- CAB block ------------------- MAIN OUT >>> FOH \ path B: \-------------- parametric EQ ---- SEND >>>>>>> my combo power amp input ^ That's how I do it, be it for bass or for guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_one Posted May 12 Author Share Posted May 12 Attached you find such a preset. As stated earlier I use an amp in the Helix, but see for yourself... Scratch- Master.hlx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou-kash Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 On 5/12/2025 at 8:26 AM, chris_one said: I find myself turning the highs on my amp all the way back, whereas on the PA's mixer I need to crank them quite a bit. On a quick look in Helix Native with a random clean sampled guitar MIDI loop in Logic: The cab has the "160 Ribbon" as a mic profile which sounds rather muddy for a guitar. At least as far as my taste is concerned. Try the "57 Dynamic" instead. For a rock guitar, you can't go wrong with that. That's what the vast majority of sound guys would place in front of your real cab anyway. Well, I did for s(h)ure while I used to work as a sound guy in the 90s… Also, you may want to rise the Low Cut a bit. E.g. my guitar presets are usually around 150 Hz. (Me being mainly a bassist, I know how it feels when guitarists or pianists dig in my frequency range. ;) Also, I'd switch the cab block from the "Legacy" type to the new type which allows for more fine tuning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_one Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 On 5/13/2025 at 2:50 AM, lou-kash said: The cab has the "160 Ribbon" as a mic profile which sounds rather muddy for a guitar. At least as far as my taste is concerned. Try the "57 Dynamic" instead. For a rock guitar, you can't go wrong with that. That's what the vast majority of sound guys would place in front of your real cab anyway. Well, I did for s(h)ure while I used to work as a sound guy in the 90s… While I agree that the 160 is not the brightest, what I observe - especially the difference in with cab sim vs without - is an order of magnitude apart. I tested different cabs and mics, and came to like the fullness of the 160. But the 57 did not solve my problem. Also what I'm looking at is not what's within the fine-tuning range of the new cabs. Putting the mic on or off axis is not what would make that much of a difference. That's why I didn't switch to the new cabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adambomb80 Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 Just a quick question.. should you run lineout or instrument out when running HX into PA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_one Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 I tried both, the differences could be adjusted for on the mixer. I'm currently using line level, because I assume this is more robust against noise on my long 10m cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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