hum when axe fx is in AMP FX loop only

S

staticdeathnoise

Member
Hi Forum

Just a few quick questions about hum and humbuster cables (possible discussed previously but I couldn't find answers so here I started a new thread)

So I am planning to run my Axe FX in the loop of my amp (although I am leaning more and more towards ditching my amp all together but for now this is the setup) and I get a ground loop hum when it is connected this way. Also I noticed that when the Axe is connected via USB to the computer this increases the hum level. I know that you are supposed to use only one humbuster cable in this scenaro (Axe fx output > Amp FX loop return) however when I was doing some testing I realised that even when I just plugged my amp's fx loop send to the axe fx's input without completing the loop by inserting the second cable I was still getting hum. So my questions are:

- will the single humbuster cables get rid of this hum or will I most likely need 2 cables?

- Will using two cables degrade the signal?

- And will the humbuster technology work if additional hum is being added by the USB connection?

- I am thinking of moving to an Axe Fx and power amp set up and am wondering is there any chance of there being a ground loop hum in this setup? Because I mostly want to change for this reason and I don't want to go down that path if I have to deal with the same mess of trying to fix a ground loop hum.

- and finally where can I actually buy some of these humbuster cables from?
 
A second humbuster cable will not do you any good in that scenario. They will only work with the Axe-fx 1/4 outs. The humbuster cables will do nothing for USB connections.

It is possible to have a ground loop with an Axe-fx poweramp. But if the power amp has balanced XLR inputs, you could lift the ground on the Axe-fx or use the 1/4 outs and humbuster cables.

You can get humbuster cables here:
FAS05-XX
 
Ah ok so in that case I couldn't have my axe connected via XLR to my soundcard and the poweramp at the same time. Unless both were mono. Anyway thanks that clears things up.
 
staticdeathnoise said:
Ah ok so in that case I couldn't have my axe connected via XLR to my soundcard and the poweramp at the same time. Unless both were mono. Anyway thanks that clears things up.
Click to expand...

No, but there are 2 pairs of output 1s (XLR and 1/4). In addition ,there is output 2 which can mirror output 1. You can use humbuster cabes on 1/4 outs to achieve a similar effect as lifting the ground on the XLRs
 
Ok I just got the humbuster cables, and A/B'ed with using the humbuster cables and normal cables, and the humbuster is quieter but there is still a hum.

Then I A/B'ed the humbuster with an isolation transformer and the isolation transformer absolutely kills the hum white the humbuster cable alone still leaves an audible, albeit quieter hum.

Kind of disappointed that I have to resort to the isolation transformers again, part of the reason I upgraded to the Axe was I though I would no longer have hum issues that I have to fix with band aid solutions but it seems that it isn't the case.
 
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