[solved] Crackle noise when using EV-1 or EV-2 as volume pedal MFC-101 to Axe-Fx III

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Golden

Golden

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Hey guys, trying to get by with the MFC-101 until the FCs are ready. I have tested both the EV-1 and EV-2 running them out of the expression jack and setting them up as a volume pedal. It works, but there is a crackle sound when I move the pedal (volume swells, etc.). I am only running a midi out MFC-101 to the III.

Has anyone else noticed this? I have a power conditioner on the AXE FX III and have not noticed this with my AXE FX II XL+, which I connected to using the FASLINK jack.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
 
And both of them crackle?

And to be clear, you are connecting them to the MFC as expression pedals, right?

Does the crackling sound like a zipper? Some continuous controllers can do that, but I've never heard anyone report that with the a Fractal pedals.

What Damping value do you have in the modifier for the volume?
 
Correct. Both have the same crackle, or zipper sound as you describe. And yes, I am connecting them to the MFC as expression pedals.
Not sure where to check the damping value. I just set up a simple volume pedal, no modifiers that I know of.
 
Golden said:
Correct. Both have the same crackle, or zipper sound as you describe. And yes, I am connecting them to the MFC as expression pedals.
Not sure where to check the damping value. I just set up a simple volume pedal, no modifiers that I know of.
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Did you add a Volume block to the preset? Somewhere you have to attach the pedal to control something... Usually that is a modifier. Unless you are controlling global output volume?
 
Yes, I am controlling global output volume. No volume block added. I still get the spillover. Should I add a volume block and see if that fixes it? Strange that I did not have this issue with the IIXL+ and ran the MFC the same way as now.
 
Golden said:
Yes, I am controlling global output volume. No volume block added. I still get the spillover. Should I add a volume block and see if that fixes it? Strange that I did not have this issue with the IIXL+ and ran the MFC the same way as now.
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Might be worth trying... Add a Volume block, attach the External controller to it and see if you hear the same thing. Don't forget to remove the controller from global volume.

I think the default Damping value is 10ms. That would probably disguise any zippering... But you could try more or less to see if that makes any difference.

It also might be worth a support ticket with Fractal...
 
It sounds like it could be MIDI RF noise coupling into the signal path. Maybe try separating the MFC's MIDI cable away from your instrument cable. It's happened a few times for me with other equipment and moving to shielded MIDI cables helped, but your mileage may vary.
 
Snedecor said:
It sounds like it could be MIDI RF noise coupling into the signal path. Maybe try separating the MFC's MIDI cable away from your instrument cable. It's happened a few times for me with other equipment and moving to shielded MIDI cables helped, but your mileage may vary.
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Oh, that is a good tip...
 
Snedecor said:
It sounds like it could be MIDI RF noise coupling into the signal path. Maybe try separating the MFC's MIDI cable away from your instrument cable. It's happened a few times for me with other equipment and moving to shielded MIDI cables helped, but your mileage may vary.
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Thanks for the suggestion. I made sure there were no audio cables near the midi cable. I have encountered the same issue before as well. I think it has to do with the way the MFC 101 is wired and using a separate adaptor along with a midi cable, rather than using the suggested FASLINK method. It could also be adaptor specific. I pulled my 9volt AC adaptor from my Eventide HC-9 to power the MFC. I have ordered a power adaptor midi cable from Best-tronics which will clean up the wiring a bit.

I was able to create a volume block on a preset and turned off the global volume control and , presto! no more zipper noise!:D

Thanks again Unix-Guy and Snedcor for walking down this rabbit hole with me!
 
Golden said:
I was able to create a volume block on a preset and turned off the global volume control and , presto! no more zipper noise!:D
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@Golden, I'm getting this same zipper noise with my Mission pedal so I'm trying this workaround. Only problem is, I don't know how to disable the global volume. I've got a volume block set right after the input block on a preset but all it does is mute the chain when active. Where do I fiddle with the global volume (AxeEdit or front panel)?
 
chris said:
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Thank you, Chris. But perhaps the global volume workaround may not work for my scenario.....

So I have my expression pedal set to modify a tremelo block and not volume. Volume on my setup is stock. But much like @Golden, my Mission Expression pedal is fed through a MIDI device (Morningstar M6 MK2 in my situation) into the Axe III.

Should I still try working with a volume block or is there something I can modify in my tremelo block to mitigate the zipper noise?

Also, running 1.13 latest beta on my Axe III, fyi.
 
hdcs said:
Thank you, Chris. But perhaps the global volume workaround may not work for my scenario.....

So I have my expression pedal set to modify a tremelo block and not volume. Volume on my setup is stock. But much like @Golden, my Mission Expression pedal is fed through a MIDI device (Morningstar M6 MK2 in my situation) into the Axe III.

Should I still try working with a volume block or is there something I can modify in my tremelo block to mitigate the zipper noise?

Also, running 1.13 latest beta on my Axe III, fyi.
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what are you controlling in the Trem block? i've never experienced zipper noise with expression pedals on the III.
 
I can't replicate any of this. I connected a MIDI controller to global output volume and there's no zipper noise.
 
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