Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included -UPDATE # 2

[diggi]

(sound clip below)

I just saw another post about noise when using the Axe Fx (Ultra in my case), and I'd been meaning to post my noise issue as well - here it is:

I can't figure out what it is yet and have tried unplugging various things in my little studio to determine the cause. The only thing I cannot unplug is my Digi 002. I have however run a very long electrical cord to another place in the house to the 002 and the noise persists. The noise has always been there since I received my Axe, and I have made no electrical changes in the house. There is a dimmer switch in a room next to this office, and I have tried it full ON and full OFF, with no change in the "noise".

I've tried different higher gain amps, differing Drives, etc in my AxeFx patches, and it remains (however at differing intensities).

I wondered if you'd have a listen to this quick clip and see if you can identify what "type" of noise it is, and then perhaps I can stop hunting and pecking to find out how to stop it. Once identified, we can surely move onto a more focused path to discovering the cause.

Your help is much appreciated.

Noise while strumming: http://www.basstraps.net/axenoise.mp3

JUST NOISE: http://www.basstraps.net/noise04142010.mp3

PATCH: http://www.powermadness.com/noisepatch.syx.zip

 

[SparkyG]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Hi

It almost sounds like noise on a short delay. I assume there is no effect on the Patch just an amp and Cab - if not strip it back to that and see if it's still there.

other things I'd try is a different output. But I'd think about trying it in another location with different Mains, it could be your power. I get some noise type artifacts at home that I haven't noticed at gigs and have long suspected my power and not being noise free. But you could try turning off all other appliances like Fridges, Flourescent tubes can also be a nightmare. Worth a try anyway, but for me I'd take it round a mates house and try it out. That will rule out (or in )Power.

let us know what you find.

Cheers

 

[Charlie Wardick]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Two sources of that exact sort of noise here....

Halogen Lamp (with a dimmer switch) put noise in my old gear.

Source of noise with Axe-Fx was the power brick for my laptop. Didn't matter if the laptop was turned off or not. Unplug the brick from the laptop and noise goes away even with the brick still plugged into A/C outlet.

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

I should also mention that I am
using relatively low output pickups - Blackdogs from BK. The problem is more pronounced when I raise 1khz on my GEQ.

But no matter which higher gain amp, drive, cab, etc, it (the noise) is always present at various levels.

 

[Muris_Varajic]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

I should also mention that I am
using relatively low output pickups - Blackdogs from BK. The problem is more pronounced when I raise 1khz on my GEQ.

But no matter which higher gain amp, drive, cab, etc, it (the noise) is always present at various levels.

Now that might be a part of your problem,
clip was pretty brutal and with low output pickups you can't have both
tons of gain and noise free signal, unless you put noise gate heavily but then it eats your tone too much...
Have you tried with some other guitars, with more hotter pickups maybe?

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

I should also mention that I am
using relatively low output pickups - Blackdogs from BK. The problem is more pronounced when I raise 1khz on my GEQ.

But no matter which higher gain amp, drive, cab, etc, it (the noise) is always present at various levels.

Now that might be a part of your problem,
clip was pretty brutal and with low output pickups you can't have both
tons of gain and noise free signal, unless you put noise gate heavily but then it eats your tone too much...
Have you tried with some other guitars, with more hotter pickups maybe?

Oh yes, I tried a 7620 with 7-String EMG's (81 & 85 respectively)
The sound you are hearing in the clip is heavily gated (from the Layout Menu).

None the less, the noise in between down picking is absolutely intolerable. It's just there all the time. I checked, and unplugged several home appliances, (even the garage door openers) and no luck, yet.

There's gotta be someone here that recognizes that sound though - well, at least I assume so.

I hope to read more comments.

Thank you all so far!

 

[Charlie Wardick]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

I should also mention that I am
using relatively low output pickups - Blackdogs from BK. The problem is more pronounced when I raise 1khz on my GEQ.

But no matter which higher gain amp, drive, cab, etc, it (the noise) is always present at various levels.

Now that might be a part of your problem,
clip was pretty brutal and with low output pickups you can't have both
tons of gain and noise free signal, unless you put noise gate heavily but then it eats your tone too much...
Have you tried with some other guitars, with more hotter pickups maybe?

I'll have to disagree with you on the pickups theory. It has not been my experience.

 

[tandjent]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Is this unique to that guitar or do you have another guitar you can try? I know the springs in my trem will resonate and come through if I don't mute them with some sort of foam. It doesn't quite sound like your problem but I'm just trying to think of things. If you turn your gate off is the noise still there even when you aren't strumming?

I should also mention that I am
using relatively low output pickups - Blackdogs from BK. The problem is more pronounced when I raise 1khz on my GEQ.

But no matter which higher gain amp, drive, cab, etc, it (the noise) is always present at various levels.

Now that might be a part of your problem,
clip was pretty brutal and with low output pickups you can't have both
tons of gain and noise free signal, unless you put noise gate heavily but then it eats your tone too much...
Have you tried with some other guitars, with more hotter pickups maybe?

Oh yes, I tried a 7620 with 7-String EMG's (81 & 85 respectively)
The sound you are hearing in the clip is heavily gated (from the Layout Menu).

None the less, the noise in between down picking is absolutely intolerable. It's just there all the time. I checked, and unplugged several home appliances, (even the garage door openers) and no luck, yet.

There's gotta be someone here that recognizes that sound though - well, at least I assume so.

I hope to read more comments.

Thank you all so far!

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Yes, the noise is persistent with the gate off, or down.

I've tried it using guitars with / and without springs. Any of my "springed" guitars have heavy damping to prevent spring "noise".

 

[tandjent]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Well you have your basses covered there. I hope you get it figured out. I know how annoying that stuff is.

Yes, the noise is persistent with the gate off, or down.

I've tried it using guitars with / and without springs. Any of my "springed" guitars have heavy damping to prevent spring "noise".

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Well you have your basses covered there. I hope you get it figured out. I know how annoying that stuff is.

Yes, the noise is persistent with the gate off, or down.

I've tried it using guitars with / and without springs. Any of my "springed" guitars have heavy damping to prevent spring "noise".

Thank you very much, I hope someone from Fractal might come along and perhaps have some things to try,.,,,

Peace

 

[knoll]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

Can you post the patch you used in the clip? I could try it if I have similar issue.

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included - UPDATED WITH PATCH

I update the OP with a PATCH that gives me this trouble.


Thoughts?


Anyone else get the same noise?

 

[SOD_Nightmare]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included - UPDATED WITH PATCH

Oh my, that noise is quite horrid.

Have you tried different cables, speakers, and / or power outlets? Are you using a power conditioner?

Does it make any noises on low-gain or clean patches?

 

[Deltones]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

I should also mention that I am
using relatively low output pickups - Blackdogs from BK. The problem is more pronounced when I raise 1khz on my GEQ.

But no matter which higher gain amp, drive, cab, etc, it (the noise) is always present at various levels.

Now that might be a part of your problem,
clip was pretty brutal and with low output pickups you can't have both
tons of gain and noise free signal, unless you put noise gate heavily but then it eats your tone too much...
Have you tried with some other guitars, with more hotter pickups maybe?

I started a thread about hotter pickups in relation to the Axe-Fx input yesterday, and most responses I got were "My pickups sounds great". Not exactly related to what I asked. And today, I see your last line.

In what way a hotter pickup will help with noise issue? You're bound with the Axe-Fx by the input level knob. In both case i.e low output and high output pickups, you need to adjust your front input level knob so that your signal going into the Axe-Fx is optimal.

With a real amp, metalheads like high output pickups because it slams the amp harder. But unless you use a filter block with an increased level, high output or low output pickups mean SFA (sweet fuck all) in the way the Axe-Fx is slammed, with a properly adjusted input level. At least, that's the way I understand it.

I'm just trying to understand why hotter pickups are touted as some kind of cure with the Axe-Fx where in both cases (high output and low output pickups), the golden rule is, don't clip the input.

 

[Jay Mitchell]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included

In what way a hotter pickup will help with noise issue?

Everything else being equal, a stronger signal means a higher signal/noise ratio.

You're bound with the Axe-Fx by the input level knob. In both case i.e low output and high output pickups, you need to adjust your front input level knob so that your signal going into the Axe-Fx is optimal.

And reducing the gain - to compensate for hotter pickups - also reduces the gain that is applied to any noise that the guitar generates, as well as to any noise that is present in the analong input of the Axe-Fx. Same signal level, lower noise.

The caveat is that many of the techniques used to make the pickup hotter can also increase the noise the pickup generates.

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included - UPDATED WITH PATCH

Has anyone tried the PATCH I linked to in the OP?

I'm still hoping to resolve this, and have done a fair bit of hunting and pecking so far. The problem remains however.

 

[AlbertA]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included - UPDATED WITH PATCH

Has anyone tried the PATCH I linked to in the OP?

I'm still hoping to resolve this, and have done a fair bit of hunting and pecking so far. The problem remains however.

Why don't you shut off the noise gate, don't play anything and just record the noise.

How much noise is there?

 

[diggi]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included - UPDATED WITH PATCH

Has anyone tried the PATCH I linked to in the OP?

I'm still hoping to resolve this, and have done a fair bit of hunting and pecking so far. The problem remains however.

Why don't you shut off the noise gate, don't play anything and just record the noise.

How much noise is there?

Here is the NOISE ONLY: JUST NOISE: http://www.basstraps.net/noise04142010.mp3

 

[javajunkie]

Re: NOISE ISSUE - audio clip included - UPDATED WITH PATCH

Has anyone tried the PATCH I linked to in the OP?

I'm still hoping to resolve this, and have done a fair bit of hunting and pecking so far. The problem remains however.

Why don't you shut off the noise gate, don't play anything and just record the noise.

How much noise is there?

Here is the NOISE ONLY: JUST NOISE: http://www.basstraps.net/noise04142010.mp3

Now what happens when you record the same thing w/ your volume knob off on your guitar?