SOLVED: Huge 'HISS' at switch-on...

[Gadget]

My Axe FX III MkII Turbo has just developed a very loud hissing noise immediately on start-up, which persists and doesn't go away.

I am on the latest beta and everything was working fine an hour ago.

I am monitoring through headphones, which I have tried on another source and are working fine. I have also checked via SPDIF into my audio interface with the same result (i.e. 'hiss' there too). Guitar cable is fine and hiss persists even if the cable is removed from the AF.

I've tried loading several presets, but the same hiss persists.

Any ideas?

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Open the unit and look for snakes.

Run a backup, then reset the settings back to the Factory settings.

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@Gadget I just reread the first sentence… Sheesh, wouldn't that be terrifying! And I like snakes!

 

[Gadget]

Open the unit and look for snakes.

Run a backup, then reset the settings back to the Factory settings.

---

@Gadget I just reread the first sentence… Sheesh, wouldn't that be terrifying! And I like snakes!

Yeah, I don't mind them either, but preferably not in my audio gear!

Will do as you suggest and report back...

 

[∞Fractals]

This probably isn’t your issue, as it’s somewhat generally obvious… But if you’re wearing headphones and a guitar is sitting in the stand with the volume up on a high gain amp… Well… Ask me how I know.

 

[unix-guy]

On all presets?

Maybe you booted on a different preset with more gain or less gate?

What happens if you go to an empty preset?

Any chance you turned Output 1 knob up or changed Output Level from -10dB to +4dB?

Aside from the hiss does it sound any different? Like louder?

 

[Gadget]

This probably isn’t your issue, as it’s somewhat generally obvious… But if you’re wearing headphones and a guitar is sitting in the stand with the volume up on a high gain amp… Well… Ask me how I know.

Alas, not. Guitar volume off when plugged in.

 

[Gadget]

On all presets?

Maybe you booted on a different preset with more gain or less gate?

What happens if you go to an empty preset?

Any chance you turned Output 1 knob up or changed Output Level from -10dB to +4dB?

Aside from the hiss does it sound any different? Like louder?

It's the same on a selection of random ones I tried, inc. empty. No changes to settings. Hiss is like white noise. I can just about make out the guitar sound underneath if I hit it hard.

 

[unix-guy]

It's the same on a selection of random ones I tried, inc. empty. No changes to settings. Hiss is like white noise. I can just about make out the guitar sound underneath if I hit it hard.

Oh, that's not good.

I'd contact support. Possibly a loose ribbon cable or something?

 

[Gadget]

The reset seems to have cured it and I'm back in business without the hiss. Weird.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys and especially @Greg Ferguson

 

[Greg Ferguson]

This probably isn’t your issue, as it’s somewhat generally obvious… But if you’re wearing headphones and a guitar is sitting in the stand with the volume up on a high gain amp… Well… Ask me how I know.

NEVER BEEN THERE OR DONE THAT! Heh.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Check the SPDIF clock source. SPDIF screams in parseltongue when it has no clock source....

 

[chrisxs2003]

This makes 3 times an inexplicable noise has taken over a unit since 23/Betas began. The others were remedied with a power cycle IIRC.

Hope it's not a bug

 

[Zedhed]

Check the SPDIF clock source. SPDIF screams in parseltongue when it has no clock source....

This /\

 

[Gadget]

@Joe Bfstplk @Zedhed Thanks for the suggestion, but the clock was okay and locked. The full reset sorted whatever the issue was.

 

[Gadget]

Okay - update time.

So I had this happen again, but this time the sound was more 'digital' and not just a straight 'hiss'.

Mindful of what some here said about the SPDIF / clock possibly being the issue, I noted that I had just switched-off my audio interface and indeed, I did have the AF3 clocked to that (I don't use my AF3 as my audio interface, I just connect to it via SPDIF).

Therefore it is likely that switching-off my audio interface caused the issue in both instances.

Totally my bad, obvs, but it struck me that it would be a good idea if the AF3 automatically fell over to its own internal clock in the absence of an external one? In other words, if the word clock source is either already set to external on start-up, or it is manually set to external after startup, but in either case no external clock is detected, then the AF3 will perhaps give a warning such as "No External Word Clock Detected. Switching to Internal in 5 seconds" and then switch automatically.

What do you guys think? Worth adding to the 'wish list' to save this happening to others?