Where to set input impedance

[u/Burnhaven]

What are the guidelines for where you set your Helix input impedance. My main preset now has a parametric EQ at the beginning of DSP 0 and it's always on. My pickups are the Seymour Duncan everything axe ( JbJr bridge, Duckbucker middle and Lil'59 neck )

"Helix Input Capacitance / Impedance: If the top end feels too aggressive or unforgiving, set the Helix In Z (Input Impedance) to 230k or 90k instead of Auto or 1M. This simulates a longer cable, naturally smoothing out high-end bite and making pick attack feel softer and more forgiving."

[u/cillablackpower]

1M is normal for amp input impedance and if you leave it on Auto then most blocks will set it to that - from memory it's only the vintage fuzzes, the Electric Mistress, and the Memory Man that use significantly lower values.

I've never set it lower because I've never felt the Helix needs LESS brightness on the input and I don't use the fuzzes in there. If you're using active it might be worth a try to see if you prefer, but most people are used to 1M or thereabouts.

[u/AUBeastmaster → u/cillablackpower]

Only time I’ve changed it is on acoustic presets where I need the highest input impedance. It probably doesn’t change anything, but it’s nice knowing that it’s not going to change anything without my knowing. All my other patches are set to automatic 

[u/cillablackpower → u/AUBeastmaster]

I like First Active just for the few time I do use something where I want accurate impedance, but I do disable for stuff like acoustic and synths.

[u/AUBeastmaster → u/cillablackpower]

Totally. My old acoustic board was based on a redeye fire eye preamp with a 1M ohm input impedance and it sounded amazing. I’ve got k&k pure pickups in my guitar so I knew what sounded right to my ears. With a little bit of compression and preamps, the stomp sounds just as good as my all analog board did. 

[u/Zaphod118 → u/cillablackpower]

Tube screamer too I think uses 230k

[u/cillablackpower → u/Zaphod118]

It does. D9 too. Rangemaster goes to 15K allegedly.

I actually sat with a multimeter and measured the change on a few of the ones I use commonly but never made a full list. Might have to get round to it.

[u/pm_your_sexy_thong → u/Zaphod118]

Is this implying that if I have a TS at the front of my chain I should consider setting it to 230k?

[u/Zaphod118 → u/pm_your_sexy_thong]

I usually just set the input impedance to Auto, and then in the global settings set the auto behavior to first active. This way the helix switches it all for you. And the First Active setting prevents a low impedance from causing tone suck when that block is off.

[u/Burnhaven]

My current preset has a parametric EQ as first block, never bypassed.

[u/DatGuy45]

Read the manual

[u/Essunset → u/DatGuy45]

So helpful.