AX8 through a DXR10, getting hum using 1/4 inch outs

Easy J

Member
I am new to using a Fractal products. I am using a Yamaha DXR10 for amplification with my AX8. When I connect the AX8 to the DXR using the 1/4 inch outs, I am getting a loud low humming. I can connect my Line 6 HD500 to the DXR10 using 1/4 inch connections without any hum. Maybe I am overlooking something. I am looking for some advice on resolving this problem.
 
I am new to using a Fractal products. I am using a Yamaha DXR10 for amplification with my AX8. When I connect the AX8 to the DXR using the 1/4 inch outs, I am getting a loud low humming. I can connect my Line 6 HD500 to the DXR10 using 1/4 inch connections without any hum. Maybe I am overlooking something. I am looking for some advice on resolving this problem.
Are you using a TS-TS standard instrument cable? Or is it TRS? Is it plugged in all the way to the AX8?
 
I am using two TS-TS standard instrument cables. They are plugged all the way in. I need to resolve this problem in order to use the AX8 live.
 
Last edited:
I am using two TS-TS standard instrument cables. They are plugged all the way in. I need to resolve this problem in order to use the AX8 live.
You’re using the same cables with the HD500 with no issue? Can you try a different 1/4” cable? Have you tried just one as a test?

I use the 1/4” outputs all the time with the AX8 with no issues, so it may be something specific to your setup.
 
Have you tried setting up in a different room? I had a hum but it was because I had light dimmers in that room.
 
I had a hum using an instrument cable, but when I switched to TRS or XLR The hum went away.
 
I had a hum using an instrument cable, but when I switched to TRS or XLR The hum went away.
this shouldn't be common. an instrument cable doesn't always cause noise. or we'd never ever use them.

glad it worked for you, but for those new to audio, it doesn't always work that way.
 
this shouldn't be common. an instrument cable doesn't always cause noise. or we'd never ever use them.

glad it worked for you, but for those new to audio, it doesn't always work that way.

I’m going to try just one cable, in another room, but I am losing confidence in taking it to a gig. The hum is substantial and is way more than should be caused by a noisy cable. I’m not ruling out the DXR10 as the cause though.
 
Last edited:
I have 2 dxr10's. No noise whatsoever.I use xlr lately, but tried instrument cable after reading your post. Still zero noise.
 
I normally use Monster cables with my tube rig. They have the metal casings on the jacks. If I try to use them with the Ax8 they hum like crazy. Switched it out with a cheaper plastic one and the hum went away. I assume the metal was causing it, but that is just an guess.
 
The DXR10 has L and R inputs. If you are only plugging in one 1/4 cable from the AX8 , plug it into the L jack, then you need a dummy or null 1/4 plug in the R jack. That will do the trick....guaranteed.

If you are running L and R cables from the AX8 to the DXR10 and getting noise, this obviously won't fix it. I have no experience with that, as I run 2 DXR10s stereo and the dummy/null plugs solved the problem for me.
 
The DXR10 has L and R inputs. If you are only plugging in one 1/4 cable from the AX8 , plug it into the L jack, then you need a dummy or null 1/4 plug in the R jack. That will do the trick....guaranteed.

If you are running L and R cables from the AX8 to the DXR10 and getting noise, this obviously won't fix it. I have no experience with that, as I run 2 DXR10s stereo and the dummy/null plugs solved the problem for me.
wow really? usually something that says "Left/Mono" has that figured out. interesting. i've never owned a DXR, nor used the 1/4" input.

worth a shot.

Screen Shot 2019-03-09 at 12.27.29 PM.png
 
The DXR10 has L and R inputs. If you are only plugging in one 1/4 cable from the AX8 , plug it into the L jack, then you need a dummy or null 1/4 plug in the R jack. That will do the trick....guaranteed.

If you are running L and R cables from the AX8 to the DXR10 and getting noise, this obviously won't fix it. I have no experience with that, as I run 2 DXR10s stereo and the dummy/null plugs solved the problem for me.

I can confirm this.
 
I can't. I go with a single 1/4 TS plug directly in the L input of my DXR10 and it just works fine for me.
 
I just ran into a similar problem with my XiTone using either XLR or 1/4 inputs. I had the XiTone checked out and the very capable tech I used told me there was 'nothing wrong' with it. I brought my AX8 in, connected it & was able to replicate my problem and they eventually came to the conclusion I needed to connect either a line isolator, or a DI box (which does the same thing) in between the AX8 out and the XiTone in. I went with a Radial IC-1 Icecube (which is XLR only) and it solved my problem. I tried some of my other DI boxes and they also resolved the issue, but they lowered my output. Probably because they were not particularly high quality DI boxes. The Radial fixed that too. Very transparent in every way that matters.

My symptoms were identical to what you describe too. I could connect other modelers to my XiTone and they did not produce the hum, but the AX8 did regardless of whether I used 1/4" or XLR. I never got this hum when I had used my other powered FRFR monitors with my AX8 - only with the XiTone - which was why I took the XiTone to the shop. Ultimately I was told this was due to "incompatible differences" between the power supplies (& transformers) between the two devices. They told me that bassists come into their shop all the time with the same problem & symptoms as what I had.

Anyway, have you tried using a ground lift on your DXR10, or via the switch on the AX8? When I switched the ground switch on the AX8 the hum was worse. When I used a physical ground lift adaptor on my XiTone's AC cable - that would eliminate the hum, both at home and at the tech's shop.

This is by far the weirdest, most inexplicable hum issue I've ever come across. Usually it's a bad cable, or bad power. That was not the case for me. It required an additional device (the IC-1) to remedy the problem. I gigged it last night for the 2nd time since I started using the Radial IC-1. My rig was dead quiet. YMMV
 
Last edited:
I just ran into a similar problem with my XiTone using either XLR or 1/4 inputs. I had the XiTone checked out and the very capable tech I used told me there was 'nothing wrong' with it. I brought my AX8 in, connected it & was able to replicate my problem and they eventually came to the conclusion I needed to connect either a line isolator, or a DI box (which does the same thing) in between the AX8 out and the XiTone in. I went with a Radial IC-1 Icecube (which is XLR only) and it solved my problem. I tried some of my other DI boxes and they also resolved the issue, but they lowered my output. Probably because they were not particularly high quality DI boxes. The Radial fixed that too. Very transparent in every way that matters.

My symptoms were identical to what you describe too. I could connect other modelers to my XiTone and they did not produce the hum, but the AX8 did regardless of whether I used 1/4" or XLR. I never got this hum when I had used my other powered FRFR monitors with my AX8 - only with the XiTone - which was why I took the XiTone to the shop. Ultimately I was told this was due to "incompatible differences" between the power supplies (& transformers) between the two devices. They told me that bassists come into their shop all the time with the same problem & symptoms as what I had.

Anyway, have you tried using a ground lift on your DXR10, or via the switch on the AX8? When I switched the ground switch on the AX8 the hum was worse. When I used a physical ground lift adaptor on my XiTone's AC cable - that would eliminate the hum, both at home and at the tech's shop.

This is by far the weirdest, most inexplicable hum issue I've ever come across. Usually it's a bad cable, or bad power. That was not the case for me. It required an additional device (the IC-1) to remedy the problem. I gigged it last night for the 2nd time since I started using the Radial IC-1. My rig was dead quiet. YMMV
Ground lift affects the XLR only.
 
Ground lift affects the XLR only.

Which one, a physical ground lift on a power cable, or the ground switch on the AX8?

IIRC we tested this with both 1/4" as well as XLR audio connections between the AX8 output & XiTone input. Putting the physical ground lift on the XiTone power cable resolved the hum regardless of what type of audio cable we used between the two. We also tested both 1/4" connections and XLR connections with a DI between the both AX8 1/4" out & XLR outs into both of the XiTone input options. The DI box resolved the hum in every combination of instances. This was a very thorough cable by cable troubleshooting exercise.
 
Thank you all for your input, I really appreciate it. I learned something from all this. Here’s what I actually did, and I really don’t fully understand why this happens:

I had the DXR10 plugged into an outlet, the DXR has a three prong plug. I plugged in a Pod HD500 into a DIFFERENT outlet, the pod does not have a three prong plug. I connected them together with TS cables. There was no hum.

When I swapped in the AX8, it was setup exactly like the pod, but the AX8 has a three prong plug. It hummed.

So, I believe I created a ground loop, because the outlets are on different circuits.....or maybe I have no idea what I am talking about.
 
Back
Top Bottom