Pink Noise coming through speaker with EHX Magnum 44

Cem

Cem

Experienced
Hi,

I just laid my hands on a new EHX Magnum 44 to use with my AX-8 and Suhr 1x12 Badger Cabinet.

There is 65 dB SPL (measured from mic'in distance of a cab) constant Pink Noise coming out of the Speaker, when Magnum is connected to the speaker. Bright Switch off, Volume at 9.00. It goes higher when the knob turned up, but doesn't go down.

(Speaker cable is high quality. Original power supply, the power supply is connected to a reasonably well-grounded power socket. (My studio monitors are plugged in the same socket, they are very very silent)).

With or without AX-8 Connected the noise is there. I cancelled the ground with the power supply, it's still there. (Duck tape the power lead's metal parts going into the wall).

It's not VERY loud. But it's there, in recording situations, mic'ing the amp and stuff it would be a problem. And for "home" appliances, it's annoyingly existent.


Shouldn't it be silent, when nothing is coming out of it?

@yek @ML SOUND LAB have you had such problems when using yours?
 
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pink noise or white noise? some white noise is common with any power amp hooked up to your cab, and the amount can differ depending on some different variables. I'd guess at interferences from different electrical devices such as lights, and "dirty" power quality
 
Chronos said:
pink noise or white noise? some white noise is common with any power amp hooked up to your cab, and the amount can differ depending on some different variables. I'd guess at interferences from different electrical devices such as lights, and "dirty" power quality
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I would "call" it Pink. It's not really white noise. Not well distributed between lows and highs. It's typical, amp noise as one would say.
 
Mine did that, but not so much that I considered it problematic. The hiss was quite a bit higher than 60-cycle.
 
I had a friend who was also using the 44 Magnum, and he told me how he had this annoying level of noise coming through his speakers just as you're saying. He brought it over to compare to my own 44, and they both had the same audible noise, but he told me it was much quieter at my house. If what you're experiencing is the normal white noise along with some ground hum I'd suggest getting a humbuster cable, or the ground lift on output 1 on the Axe
 
Chronos said:
I had a friend who was also using the 44 Magnum, and he told me how he had this annoying level of noise coming through his speakers just as you're saying. He brought it over to compare to my own 44, and they both had the same audible noise, but he told me it was much quieter at my house. If what you're experiencing is the normal white noise along with some ground hum I'd suggest getting a humbuster cable, or the ground lift on output 1 on the Axe
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The noise doesnt change when I add Axe to the equation.

Noise is there while magnum has nothing connected to the input jack. Only magnum and speaker, when I plug the power, noise comes. It's there even with magnum's volume all the way down. Nothing else connected.
 
Transistors are noisey too, especially in situations where their power supply is limited in filtering design, and a long DC lead coming from a wall wart.
 
Try a power conditioner that has AC EMI/RFI noise filtering

It shouldn't ever be silent like you were asking, although it's usually quiet enough that you can easily tune it out
 
Chronos said:
Try a power conditioner that has AC EMI/RFI noise filtering

It shouldn't ever be silent like you were asking, although it's usually quiet enough that you can easily tune it out
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So even a Matrix would be like this?
 
Cem said:
So I have to live with that and it's normal?
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I think you're expecting a little too much, this is more a toy/marketing gimmick than even bottom of the line amplification, maybe ok for when you're out camping and sitting around the fireplace.

Pairing with the Axe or equivalents is like implementing a sonic bottleneck.

JMHO...
 
IIRC my Magnum 44 doesn't generate that kind of hiss. The only thing to watch for is ground hum, which is something totally different.
 
Solarfire said:
I think you're expecting a little too much, this is more a toy/marketing gimmick than even bottom of the line amplification, maybe ok for when you're out camping and sitting around the fireplace.

Pairing with the Axe or equivalents is like implementing a sonic bottleneck.

JMHO...
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I'm guessing you've never tried one. At bedroom levels, or at any volume before the EHX starts to distort, it's no better or worse than anything else offered out there in terms of sound including Matrix really. Same extremely flat response, and it gets loud enough to where you can feel it hitting you in the chest, or where you need earplugs to be comfortable. Only reasons to look for something more expensive is if you need more volume and headroom, or extra features like having one device that can run multiple cabs at same time

Not a gimmick
 
Cem said:
So even a Matrix would be like this?
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All amps have some noise floor. The Matrix line though, has a well designed, and overbuilt power supply section, with a full sized transformer, and proper rectification. I would consider the Magnum a toy as well, even though I love the idea, and EHX products.
 
vick1000 said:
All amps have some noise floor. The Matrix line though, has a well designed, and overbuilt power supply section, with a full sized transformer, and proper rectification. I would consider the Magnum a toy as well, even though I love the idea, and EHX products.
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I agree on that. I never liked any other EHX product to be honest. But using a rack power amp (matrix in this case) is far away from purpose having AX-8 over an Axe fx II (I had an axe fx II, sold it to get ax-8). The compactness is the key, and Rack power amp completely takes that away.

I wonder if ISP Stealth would have been any different in that context compared to Magnum, about noise floor.

Also this might be a fact of my own apartment's electric background. But then I would hear stuff from my Studio monitors through my soundcard wouldn'T i?
 
Solarfire said:
I think you're expecting a little too much, this is more a toy/marketing gimmick than even bottom of the line amplification, maybe ok for when you're out camping and sitting around the fireplace.

Pairing with the Axe or equivalents is like implementing a sonic bottleneck.

JMHO...
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+1. A cheap class-d chip amp mounted in a stompbox and powered with a cheap external brick as your primary amp for a FAS unit is like buying an expensive steak dinner and then pouring, like, a hundred taco bell mild sauce packets on it and then wondering why it is not moving the gourmet meter.
 
zenaxe said:
+1. A cheap class-d chip amp mounted in a stompbox and powered with a cheap external brick as your primary amp for a FAS unit is like buying an expensive steak dinner and then pouring, like, a hundred taco bell mild sauce packets on it and then wondering why it is not moving the gourmet meter.
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Wish there was a "non cheap x chip" portable power amp unit around. So we could go there, right? :)
 
You have a Suhr cabinet, and a Fractal AX8? What guitar are you playing?

But you are worried about a $400 power amp?

In any case, you want the best portable power, look into the powered speakers, or the Quilter micro amps.
 
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