Is this normal behavior? Squeked AX8

L

Lecchu

Inspired
Definition: MySqueak = squeak about 4,5kHz (measured by block PEQ), like crickets on grassland ;)

Me AX8 always squeak by MySqueak.
MySqueak disappears only when noise gate start to be close.
MySqueak is not too loud, for cleans presets is really quiet, for overdirve presets - is pronounced (but still not too loud, it can be heard during the final sustain of the guitar)
MySqueak is independence from preset builder (for factory preset is too).

And the best way to hear what Im talking about is state for preset choise (button F1 and LED blinks) - MySqueak is changed in the same period what LED blinks. Its short test, which I finally found: Do You have thisame symptoms? Do You have any sound changed in pulse of LED in state Preset Choise?

Movie (i hit strings to left noise gate open):


Guitar in this movie = strat, position neck+middle. MySqueak is NOT brum from pickup (about 0:24 i switching for few second for neck position to show what is brum from pickup)

MySqueak is independet of guitar (strat, lesPohl), cable (I used normal jakc TSR, XLR, SPDIF, even humbaster), speakers, place of test (home, office, music room of me band).
 
I have the same behavior, but the squeak is not that loud for me. Then again, my output knob is only at about 10:00-11:00, while yours is set much higher. Another forum member also have experienced this.

For me, this noise is there even without any guitar or USB plugged in. It is barely noticeable on clean patches but more pronounced on dirty patches. It also seems to get louder the more LEDs are lit up. The squeaking is also in sync with the blinking LEDs when pressing F1. It disappears when the noise gate is engaged. So it looks like we're in the same boat.

I contacted Fractal Support a while back, but haven't heard anything. I should probably try again:p I thought it might just be the power at my house or something. I haven't noticed it live, but the background noise is so loud on stage anyways, so it would be difficult to hear.

Since this seems to be an issue for users across multiple batches of AX8, I'm thinking it might be dirty power or something... Or maybe there is something wrong with the AX8 it self. Interested in hearing how this works out for you!
 
Sound like power line noise from bad ground at outlet or another device. Does it do it when plugged in by itself through headphones or interface, with USB plugged/unplugged etc...
 
vick1000 said:
Sound like power line noise from bad ground at outlet or another device. Does it do it when plugged in by itself through headphones or interface, with USB plugged/unplugged etc...
Click to expand...
Yeah, dirty power or interference from other electrical equipment plugged in to the same outlet was my initial thought. I haven't tried the AX8 in any other outlet in my house yet. I have noticed an increased noise floor from the AX8 whenever my girlfriend uses the wifi-printer in the same room. Noise floor is reduced when the printer is turned of again, so interference is something I'm used to.

I did try to listen for it on a gig I had a month back, but I couldn't hear it then. But, as stated above, the noise floor on stage that gig was pretty insane so it would be difficult to hear anyway.

Still, interested in how this turns out! If it's just interference from something, I can live with that just fine. But of course if it's something wrong with the AX8 itself I would like to get it fixed.
 
For me this is interference between power supply of AX8 and input analog signal path inside AX8.
If power supply of AX8 use high freq converter 230V > low voltage (what is popular in present), and this converter has poorly shield - that could make that symptoms.

Note about interference with something outside: really? XXI century, professional music equipment, for stage use also, and would have problems with ground shield? with interference with other gears? Somehow it does not appeal to me... :)

Vick 1000 - i don't have now the ability to connect headphones to AX8 (I sold me old audio interface, because.... I thought maybe he was the problem with that squeak; from thesame reason i changed speakers, all electronic in guitar, all cables, etc)

G66 decided to send AX8 to them for a inspection. Next info soon.
 
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Hello
I received today a delivery from G66.

G66 exchanged my AX8 for "new" one. This "new" one finally no squeak:

(sorry for low quality of movie - but in compare to movie from previous post You see, that squeak disappeared).

Of course technical support wrote to me, that this previous AX8 works properly, that they not found defects, and so, and so - but they exchanged my unit to make me happy...

And send to me "new" one - his serial number suggested, that its from 2015. And mid pot not work correct:


Now propably again shipment to G66 to technical support... :rage:


PS. Customers in USA have similar service with orginal Fractal support?
 
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Good to hear your noise issue was fixed with a new one. But it sucks that the mid pot doesn't work. Hope things works out for you! The fact that they cannot find/recreate the issue in your old unit is weird... I'm really wondering what's causing this.

Did you try to leave the unit powered on for a few minutes before checking for the noise in the new one? The noise in my unit is gone when i first power on the AX8, but gradually comes in after a while. After about 15 minutes the noise is there 100%.

I'm in contact with G66 myself about this, but I'm currently checking if there is something in my house that might trigger it.

The only ones i have seen with this issue are from Europe. Don't know about the guys over the pond.
 
I played today few hours, just enjoying pretty sound (You know - my previous AX8 was squeaked from the beginning, i newer heard this "legendary sound quality of fractal". Today was my first day - after months...). And squeak not returned.
All will be perfect except this Mid pot - and influance of bass pot to mid pot - new movie:


PS In me opinion squeak was from previous AX8. For movie with new one I used thesame cables, guitar, speakers and i made it in thesame place (at me home). Only one different is AX8 - and squeak is gone.
 
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Something is up there, for sure. Hope you get it fixed!

I'll keep on trying my AX8 at different locations for a while, to see if i notice a difference. I hope i don't have to send it back (don't want to part with it for an extended period of time). We'll see.
 
G66 send to me "third" AX8.
All knobs work correct, but squeak come back in preset select state (is quieter than in "first" one, but is again):



And fortuitously i found simple proof, that it is influance of power section of AX8 (the reason in me opinion is still poor ground shieldnig power section inside AX8):



It's clearly to hear the MySqueak I wrote about from the beginning (of course, besides this "MySqueak" is also a lot of other noise - but this "My Squeak" is clearly to hear in noise generated in pickups be influance of power supply AX8). If this works so well on the guitar, it can also affect the audio input circut inside the fractal itself - and these generate squeak.

"First" squeaked all time
"Second" not squeaked at all
"Third" squeak in preset select state, in playing mode squeak is clearly quieter than the "First". But more that in "Second"

So it depends on the copy of AX8.
 
Hm, I see. This is interesting. It's clear that this noise varies from unit to unit. Another user on this forum where experiencing the same noises and got a replacement that where exactly the same. Maybe there isn't anything specifically wrong with any of these, but just small differences from unit to unit that can have varying effects for the users depending on the location/environment.

I have a gig coming up soon. Will be interesting to see what the result is there.

And I have yet to see anyone from the US reporting this. Seems to be mostly from countries with 220v-240v power. Maybe that have something to do with it.
 
I have other interesting observation - why nobody from FAS participate in this thread?

Its fractal's forum for communicate between usesr AND between users and FAS, yes? Here (among others) users can present problems with units, yes? Three weeks, and nobody from FAS wrote here: "yes, its normal, that AX8 squeak in this style", "no, it's something wrong, go to support" or at least "O! is interesting problem, we never see this befor. how we can help?".
 
I'm in Europe, and have the same kind of "squeaks in preset select mode" behaviour as your "third" AX8. Happens with high gain amps, so I assume it's something leaking into the analog signal path before the DAC. I have only humbucker

Would also like to hear about his from Fractal!
 
booner said:
Where in Europe are you from ?
To me, it sounds like it's coming from the mains (power).
Have you guys tried a power conditioner like a Furman ?
Click to expand...
I have played around with the same idea. Either a 220v to 110v transformer, to see if the same noise is present at 110v. Or, as you suggested, a power conditioner. Could be an interesting experiment.
 
I'm in Finland. The area where I live is very new (the house I'm in is built in 2014), and I haven't had any issues with any other audio equipment. Mains voltage shows exactly 230 on my multimeter.

The noise correlates 100% with the LEDs blinking, so I doubt the noise itself is coming from the power going into the device. I have some experience with building and designing electronics, and to me it sounds like the LEDs are being driven at the frequency you can hear (or a multiple), and drawing power to all the green LEDs at once is causing some interference, as there's more current required to drive them all. Current changes, especially abrupt "digital" ones, cause a changing magnetic field, which can be induced as a voltage into other conductors in the device, causing noise if those conductors happen to be on the analog signal path.
 
...and I really should try this in some other location also. I've only gigged and rehearsed with my AX8 with bass, and the issue is not that prominent on bass, as I don't use very high gain. Thus, I have only noticed this at home with my guitar. The previous location I gigged at had horrible power (the band's guitarist had serious noise issues with his Strat and Fender tube amp), but I had no issues with my AX8.
 
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