Loud Noise with Ethercon & Exp Pedal

CactusTone

Inspired
I'm using a Best-Tronics Ethercon cable to connect my XL II+ to the MFC-101 MKII. When I don't plug in my Mission SP-1 it is perfectly quiet. As soon as I plug in the SP-1, however, there's a loud, persistent noise coming through the speaker. If I use the SP-1 along with the MFC using a 7-Pin MIDI cable powered from the adaptor, it is perfectly silent! I am only getting noise when using the SP-1 and Ethercon simultaneously.

Has anyone else experienced this?

For the record, the TRS for the SP-1 is high quality Mogami/Neutrik, and is perfectly silent when using the MIDI 7-Pin.
 
When you change from ethercon to midi do you also change the MFC mode to midi?

What I am guessing is that the pedal is assigned to control something that is changing the gain or level. If you don't change the mode to midi, then the pedal info won't be sent to the Axe Fx.

Can you confirm that the pedal is actually functioning when you use both EtherCon and midi? Does the noise go away or change as you move the pedal?
 
When you change from ethercon to midi do you also change the MFC mode to midi?

What I am guessing is that the pedal is assigned to control something that is changing the gain or level. If you don't change the mode to midi, then the pedal info won't be sent to the Axe Fx.

Can you confirm that the pedal is actually functioning when you use both EtherCon and midi? Does the noise go away or change as you move the pedal?
Thanks for the reply!

Yes, made changes in the edit menu on MFC. Always careful to not have Ethercon and AC power simultaneously. Cable and pedal work. Even if I don't plug in the TRS to the pedal, just connecting it to the MFC brings the noise. It's not a hum. It's kind of like grey noise, but with high frequencies, too. I'll try to get a recording of the noise when I set up for my gig tonight. Before that, however, if you have any insights I'm all ears.

Cheers!
 
When you change from ethercon to midi do you also change the MFC mode to midi?

What I am guessing is that the pedal is assigned to control something that is changing the gain or level. If you don't change the mode to midi, then the pedal info won't be sent to the Axe Fx.

Can you confirm that the pedal is actually functioning when you use both EtherCon and midi? Does the noise go away or change as you move the pedal?
Here's a clip of the noise:

Noise only occurs when Ethercon is used to power MFC-101 while at the same time both the Expression pedal jack and front end stomp boxes, (which are powered seperately by a Burkey 6 power supply), are being used.

Ethercon and front end stomp boxes = no noise
Ethercon and Expression pedal in MFC = no noise
Ethercon + Exp pedal + stomp boxes = noise

This is very strange to me seeing that the stomp boxes are using an independent power source. The MFC is in no way connected to the front end signal chain, and is not sharing the Burkey 6 for power.

No pedals were on during this test. They were only in the signal chain. The pedals that are in the chain are a Crybaby Wah, an Exotic ACB, and a Fuzz Factory.
 
Are your power cables and audio cables near each other?
Only the Burkey's (two-prong, no ground), and the Ethercon are close. The AXE's and Friedman's power cables are not close. I have the MFC mounted on a PowerTrain pedal board, and the Burkey is mounted underneath. The EXP pedal is mounted to the left of the MFC, and the stomp boxes are mounted to the right.
 
Only the Burkey's (two-prong, no ground), and the Ethercon are close. The AXE's and Friedman's power cables are not close. I have the MFC mounted on a PowerTrain pedal board, and the Burkey is mounted underneath. The EXP pedal is mounted to the left of the MFC, and the stomp boxes are mounted to the right.
What happens if you move the EtherCon away from the power cable?
 
OK! I found the problem!

First off, let me just say thanks to the folks at Best-Tronics. When I contacted them about the noise issue they sent me a replacement cable immediately. When I told them the second cable was acting the same as the first, they directed me to look into a different source of the problem and told me to keep both cables so I have a spare. Thank you Best-Tonics! I know they make great products because I've been using their 7-Pin MIDI cable with my MFC for 4 years now, and it's still working perfectly.

The problem was not the Ethercon cable. The problem was not the MFC-101. The problem was not the Burkey 6 power supply.

The problem was the method in which I have the Mission SP-1 mounted to the Pedal Train pedal board. It turned the SP-1 into a giant antenna. I took the rubber feet off the pedal and used links from a bike chain to screw the pedal into holes I tapped into the board. As soon as I unscrewed the pedal from the board the noise went away. Screwing it back down brought the noise back immediately. Just placing the pedal on the board had no negative effects, even without the rubber feet.

I'm still blown away by the fact that there was never any noise when using the 7-Pin MIDI cable, but am stoked to have isolated the problem regardless.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in to help out, it is very much appreciated!
 
Interesting issue. Maybe look for some nylon screws for holding the expression pedal down. Or some other method like insulating washers.
 
OK! I found the problem!

First off, let me just say thanks to the folks at Best-Tronics. When I contacted them about the noise issue they sent me a replacement cable immediately. When I told them the second cable was acting the same as the first, they directed me to look into a different source of the problem and told me to keep both cables so I have a spare. Thank you Best-Tonics! I know they make great products because I've been using their 7-Pin MIDI cable with my MFC for 4 years now, and it's still working perfectly.

The problem was not the Ethercon cable. The problem was not the MFC-101. The problem was not the Burkey 6 power supply.

The problem was the method in which I have the Mission SP-1 mounted to the Pedal Train pedal board. It turned the SP-1 into a giant antenna. I took the rubber feet off the pedal and used links from a bike chain to screw the pedal into holes I tapped into the board. As soon as I unscrewed the pedal from the board the noise went away. Screwing it back down brought the noise back immediately. Just placing the pedal on the board had no negative effects, even without the rubber feet.

I'm still blown away by the fact that there was never any noise when using the 7-Pin MIDI cable, but am stoked to have isolated the problem regardless.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in to help out, it is very much appreciated!

You created a giant ground loop.
 
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