Help. Noise issues with 4CM (Axe FX III, 5150)

eloygperez

Member
Hi everyone!

I got my first Fractal in February of this year. Before this I did all my reamping with my real amps + loadbox. Simple chain:

- DI track -> Creation Audio Labs MW1 reamp box -> Amp -> Loadbox -> RME
(Ground lift was enabled in my MW1 killing the noise)
This is a small clip with my 5150 head. Noise at the beginning it's totally manageable to me coming from a noisy 5150 at gain 4. Don't expect a nice tone, it's just amp without any IR.


This week I thought about the 4CM method and I tried using my Axe FX III like a pedalboard using some drive Blocks, delay Blocks, ect before the amp so I added the Axe into the chain:
- DI track -> Creation Audio Labs MW1 reamp box into Axe FX Input 1 -> (some drive and delay blocks) -> Axe FX Out 3 into my 5150 -> Loadbox -> RME or Axe Input 2 for cab block (Input 2 because my loadbox has XLR output).

After adding the Axe in the chain, all the exact noise previously eliminated by the reamp box comes back again and hit the amp:


Has anyone experienced something similar? Important to know I'm not using a humbuster cable between Axe Out 3 and my amp, just a regular jack. Is the humbuster cable supposed to solve this kind of problem? Or something like the Palmer PLI 01?

I tried removing the reamp box from the chain and use spdif to send the DI track into my Axe FX III but the noise is the same.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Good luck with the humbuster, I’m sure it will sort things out for you.
Try humbuster
Thanks! First thing I´ll try for sure. More suggestions are welcome.

I'm not sure the humbuster will work as per this recent thread on the fm3 forum regarding noise - https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...something-with-4cm-diezel-vh4-and-fm3.199103/

The noise i hear in your 2nd clip sounds very similar to what I get in 4cm
Do you still have the same noise after using a humbuster cable?
If I don't use the Axe in the chain my MW1 takes care of most of the noise but adding the Axe after the reamp box makes the noise comes back again...same noise.
 
Do you still have the same noise after using a humbuster cable?
If I don't use the Axe in the chain my MW1 takes cares most of the noise but adding the Axe after the reamp box makes the noise comes back again...same noise.
I haven't used a humbuster cable myself although I have tried different cables balanced and unbalanced etc - What I've tried is I use the FM3 output 2 spdif to my external dac and I get no noise/clipping and the signal is very good but it does seem an unnecessary step

The original poster of the thread I linked is using a humbuster cable and is still having problems with hum and noise.

If you look at the screenshot from that post you can set the boost/pad of your output 3 (output 2 in this example) to a value like 12/18dB and that does help with the signal noise relationship but you might find you clip the output like I did.
1699019577428.png
from the FM3
 
What I've tried is I use the FM3 output 2 spdif to my external dac and I get no noise/clipping and the signal is very good but it does seem an unnecessary step
Thanks for your answer. Yes, it seems an unnecessary step but if it works...
I have external RME converters so I could give it a try. You´re basically sending the signal from the grid (in my case after my drive blocks and delays) via spdif using Ouput 2 into your converters and then using a jack cable into your amp from the converters, right?

The original poster of the thread I linked is using a humbuster cable and is still having problems with hum and noise.
Yes...Anyway, I'm going to try a humbuster cable and see if it solves the problem....hopefully.

If you look at the screenshot from that post you can set the boost/pad of your output 3 (output 2 in this example) to a value like 12/18dB and that does help with the signal noise relationship but you might find you clip the output like I did.
I tried this too. Noise was identical with any boost/pad setting.
 
Thanks for your answer. Yes, it seems an unnecessary step but if it works...
I have external RME converters so I could give it a try. You´re basically sending the signal from the grid (in my case after my drive blocks and delays) via spdif using Ouput 2 into your converters and then using a jack cable into your amp from the converters, right?
yes essentially you are not using the output 3 so for you I think it would be something like below
- DI track -> Creation Audio Labs MW1 reamp box into Axe FX Input 1 -> (some drive and delay blocks) -> Axe FX spdif out->RME spdif input -> RME analog output into 5150 -> Loadbox -> RME or Axe Input 2 for cab block (Input 2 because my loadbox has XLR output).

For reference this is my setup for the FM3
fm3 input -> output 2 spdif into my Benchmark DAC xlr out-> Friedman IR-X input and then balanced output into my Fm3 input 2 return
 
yes essentially you are not using the output 3 so for you I think it would be something like below
- DI track -> Creation Audio Labs MW1 reamp box into Axe FX Input 1 -> (some drive and delay blocks) -> Axe FX spdif out->RME spdif input -> RME analog output into 5150 -> Loadbox -> RME or Axe Input 2 for cab block (Input 2 because my loadbox has XLR output).
100%. That's the way I had in mind.
Honestly, I had not thought about this option so I will try it in a few hours, thank you. The extra RME conversion won't make a big difference to be honest. I tried recording via s/pdif and via the Axe analog output to my RME converters and the result was practically the same.
 
I had a lot of noise in a stereo amp rig. The radial stage bug solved the problem for me- just a thought. It’s on output 3 which goes into the front of the amp. While I note stereo, I had the noise even using one amp in mono while going 4cm. The radial saved the day.
 
I was actually questioning using my Axe fx 3 for effects only with the 4CM and my 6505+. I have been on the fence with using AF3 and VHT 2/90 combo into a cab or my 6505+ with AF3 handling the noise gates, effects, and cleans. I've heard nothing but complaints with noise with this set up, so will using the humbuster cables solve this issue? I wont be able to try this until this weekend.
 
I was actually questioning using my Axe fx 3 for effects only with the 4CM and my 6505+. I have been on the fence with using AF3 and VHT 2/90 combo into a cab or my 6505+ with AF3 handling the noise gates, effects, and cleans. I've heard nothing but complaints with noise with this set up, so will using the humbuster cables solve this issue? I wont be able to try this until this weekend.
I'm not sure if the humbuster cable will solve this problem but I ordered one of those from G66 so I'll let you know if it works for me by the end of the week. I´ll try it with my 5150 and VHT Pitbull 100CL.
 
I use 4cm with my JVM 410 HJS. Yes, 4cm is noisy if you just slap some cables in place and let it rip.

Here is a description of what I had to do to tame the 4cm noise on my rig:

Post in thread 'Marshall JVM and Axe FXiii'
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/marshall-jvm-and-axe-fxiii.192548/post-2395395

The take away is that the noise is not coming from a single source. There is not a single fix for the noise. Each adjustment I made improved the noise floor, but not by a very meaningful amount. It was the effect off all the adjustments together that brought the noise down to a very tolerable level.

This was a project. It took time and attention to detail to figure out and work through it all. Like I said in the thread I quoted, it was not about the destination for me. The journey was what drove me to do this. I am a software engineer by trade and I love geeking out and solving difficult, hard to crack problems. This fit that bill.

As a side note, I also ran an out to my FRFR speaker. Now I can have JVM presets, FRFR presets, or I can mix the components.
 
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I think this page is exactly what I need.. I'm trying to connect my Axefx3mk2 turbo into my setup. I'm running a boss es8 using loops 1 and 2 4cm for the Axe. My heads are a Mesa JP2C and Badlander 50. To switch the amps I'm using a KHE 4x4 FX, and Furman PL1800 AR conditioner/power. And every time i integrate the Axe into the equation, I get bad hum. Whether its from the es8 into the axe, there's hum, or the return signal as well. My power, in an apartment, is NOT great already I know this, but without the axe it's manageable. Axe by itself is manageable. Axe and everything else, not even remotely. RN I've tried running into the Axe using my pedal snake cables, individual cables, etc. Haven't tried humbuster out back to the ES8, because even going INTO the axe from the ES9 front panel of Axe shows a lot of noise. Maybe these pyle devices would work? HELP PLEASE haha
 
I have an EVH STEALTH 50S. The only way I got pretty much dead silent in 4cm is by using the Lightlaerm Audio “The Key and The Gate” pedal. It has an interesting take on noise reduction which uses a reference signal and allows for a signal path before the amp as well as in the fx loop.

My FM9 is silent on its own or in “pre or “post’ to amp setups. All the trouble started in 4CM and yes I have humbuster cables and messed with the “boost/pad” function.

https://lichtlaermaudio.com/shop/thekeyandthegate

Imo, this is the fault of my amp as well as adding so many places for noise to creep in like in 4CM.
 
@MSS in my rig I use the fortin zuul mini pedal. it definitely helps in the same scenario, but this is more hum than typical hiss type noise which the zuul takes care of with a key input as well.
 
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