Is This Noise Floor/Feedback Normal?

eNVy

eNVy

New Member
Hello all!

I've had my my Ax8 for 2 months now and I've loved every moment of it (except for the conversion rate of USD to CAD).

It's come to my attention that there may be an irregularity with my noise floor, more-so with my high gain presets. There is a hum in mid-high range frequencies when gating is turned off and is solved (sort of) by adding an input gate at -60dB with a Ratio of 2.7-3.2.

When the input gate is added, it resolves the noise floor hum, but it bleeds through when palm muting and sustaining notes/chords.

It is present in Clean Tones as well, but not as much.

This is usually causing me trouble in both studio and live situations. While I can EQ it out, I'm taking away a lot of my mid range dynamics in the process, which affects my tone. Heavy gating (-30dB) resolves this problem entirely, but it again takes out a lot of my dynamics and kills my sustained notes.

I'm wondering if anyone would have any idea as to why this is happening, whether it be equipment-sided or not. I do have the same problem when using Amplitube (VSTi Amp Emulator) and I'm guessing it would have to do with either my guitar, audio interface, or cable.

Please see the video below as a demonstration of what is happening.

Equipment:​
  • Guitar: ESP LTD EC-400VF (Seymour Duncan JB [Bridge]/'59 [Neck])​
  • Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 1st Gen (Ax8 connected with XLR [Stereo], set to 48kHz Sample Rate)​
  • Ax8 (Hardware input gate set to -6dB)​
  • Cable: Fender FG10BSL Custom Shop Performance Cable​
​
 
guitarzan_josh said:
I can't have a 6db input with either of my guitars with JBs without significant input clipping. Have you tried changing that to 12db?
Click to expand...
My guitar is just tickling the red with -6dB input. From the information I've gathered here on the forums and from YT videos, this is okay. My recordings aren't clipping either and I feel with -12dB that I'm not getting an ideal Signal to Noise ratio.
 
Do you get the noise when not going through the scarlet? I think you said it does. I bought a scarlet 2i2 once and took it back because I thought it was noisy. I wasn't putting the AX through it but it was noisy just putting anything into it. My Les Paul Signature T into AX8 i have at zero db pad and it barely tickles the red even with guitar on 10.
 
Also i just use default noise gate settings on the input that are -80 Intelligent. Only on super high gain patch do i ever have to change this. But I am relative newbie (since May 2018).
 
WhiteSpace said:
Do you get the noise when not going through the scarlet? I think you said it does. I bought a scarlet 2i2 once and took it back because I thought it was noisy. I wasn't putting the AX through it but it was noisy just putting anything into it. My Les Paul Signature T into AX8 i have at zero db pad and it barely tickles the red even with guitar on 10.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I don't have anything for reference. I don't have a power amp for my cab nor do I have an frfr cabinet.
 
I literally just fixed this today on my setup. Same noise exactly. Your guitar is too close to your computer. I bought longer cables and moved my computer approx 6-8 feet away from where I play/record and worked like a charm. Hold you guitar up to your computer with pickups facing it and move it closer than further to see if the noise gets louder or softer to test it out. It’s EMI that your dealing with I believe.
 
Hi Envy,
That (to me) sounds like an LED dimmer - Do you have any LED lights that are dimmed with one of those Chinese dimmers, or a mixing desk or other screen with a variable back light?
If so, put the light to 100% and see if it affects your noise.
Thanks
Pauly


eNVy said:
Hello all!

I've had my my Ax8 for 2 months now and I've loved every moment of it (except for the conversion rate of USD to CAD).

It's come to my attention that there may be an irregularity with my noise floor, more-so with my high gain presets. There is a hum in mid-high range frequencies when gating is turned off and is solved (sort of) by adding an input gate at -60dB with a Ratio of 2.7-3.2.

When the input gate is added, it resolves the noise floor hum, but it bleeds through when palm muting and sustaining notes/chords.

It is present in Clean Tones as well, but not as much.

This is usually causing me trouble in both studio and live situations. While I can EQ it out, I'm taking away a lot of my mid range dynamics in the process, which affects my tone. Heavy gating (-30dB) resolves this problem entirely, but it again takes out a lot of my dynamics and kills my sustained notes.

I'm wondering if anyone would have any idea as to why this is happening, whether it be equipment-sided or not. I do have the same problem when using Amplitube (VSTi Amp Emulator) and I'm guessing it would have to do with either my guitar, audio interface, or cable.

Please see the video below as a demonstration of what is happening.

Equipment:​
  • Guitar: ESP LTD EC-400VF (Seymour Duncan JB [Bridge]/'59 [Neck])​
  • Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 1st Gen (Ax8 connected with XLR [Stereo], set to 48kHz Sample Rate)​
  • Ax8 (Hardware input gate set to -6dB)​
  • Cable: Fender FG10BSL Custom Shop Performance Cable​
​
Click to expand...

Hi Envy,
 
TinMan said:
Same noise exactly. Your guitar is too close to your computer.
Click to expand...

That was/is my problem! But unfortunately I can't move my computer, not enough space! If I move my guitar closer to the front of the PC case, wich has a fan WITH an LED, the noise gets louder! The problem is worse with my 8 string guitar that has a passive Dimarzio, the other one with EMG it's not so prominent but the noise is still there!
 
I have the same issue and it originates from my pc. Someone told me that it's because it's a laptop, would I be able to fix it by getting a desktop?
 
Can you rotate the computer? From what I read getting the guitar parallel to the noise will help. Also as an alternative, most daws have a remote control, maybe get a remote on your phone to start and stop the record function and get a long guitar cable. Then try standing away from the computer and use the remote to engage the record button.
 
Also, wireless mouse, keyboard and anything with LED's or dimmable lighting can cause interference. Every piece of equipment has a cumulative effect.
 
Yeah, I'm in a REALLY tight space! I should have tried to rotate the PC before I got the AX8. Now it sits just besides the PC!
But it's really no big deal. I was just mentioning my case to see if it's the same issue as the OP's. The gate takes care of the noises and I can't hear it in a mix.
I will indeed test to stay parallel to the fan to hear the difference!
 
this high pitched hum could be caused by USB connection... I had the same problem ripping records through USB and i read it might be from a bad USB cable... If the same happens with Amplitube i'm guessing your Focusrite might be powered through USB so that cable could bethe culprit.
 
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