Static Crackle Guitar Noise Problem

R

Rooch

New Member
After recording my electric guitar (emg 81 pickups) through high gain amp modelers or software amp sims there are high end crackling static sounds on all of my tracks. I have used both the AxeFX III and Scarlett 4i4 and made sure my guitar DI’s were clean and clear beforehand. It is only when I add VST/plugin effects to the dry guitar DI do I hear the static (or use high gain amps in AXE FX III) and it does not go away in a mix. It’s easier to hear on studio monitors or over-ear headphones. When played through car speakers the static sounds like it’s making the guitar have these tiny stutters. The static can only be heard when the guitar is being played, if I don’t play any notes there is no static.

What I have tried/noticed:
  • Changed and decreased buffer size.
  • Ensured gain was not clipping on the audio interface or in the DAW.
  • Checked windows performance options.
  • Tried both active and passive guitar pickups, different cables, ports, guitars, multiple USB and firewire audio interfaces, DAWs (I use Cubase 7).
  • Ensured audio settings matched with audio interface (44. kHz, 48kHz, 24 bit, etc).
  • Sound manager: tried turning off all except the one I’m using, ensured all drivers are up to date.
  • No issues or static when playing or exporting a professional/commercial song track without effects.
  • If I cut everything off above 10khz the static mostly goes away but the sound quality is diminished.
  • Moved far away from the computer to record.
  • When I open neural dsp (amp sim) plugin in standalone mode on the desktop outside the DAW and select audio device type: “Windows Audio”, the sound quality is much better.
  • The sound quality is much better when monitored than after it has been recorded.
  • Still static after I apply VSTs/plugin on a professional Guitar DI from a producer.
  • Mic’d up a real amp with an sm57 and there is still static crackle.
  • I record and my DAW is installed on the HDD drive.
PC specs:
  • OS/type: Windows 10, 64 bit, desktop
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core Processor 3800 Mhz, 12 Cores, 24 Logical Processor(s)
  • GPU: ROG STRIX RX 5700XT OC GAMING Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB PCI-E w/ HDMI, Triple DP
  • Motherboard: MEG X570 ACE (MS-7C35)
  • Ram: 32gb (Ripjaws V Series 32GB DDR4 3600MHz CL19 Dual Channel RAM Kit 2x 16GB)
  • Power Supply: 850 B3 850W 80+ Bronze Modular Power Supply
  • C Drive: Black SN750 NVMe SSD M.2 PCI-E x4, 1TB
  • D Drive: Seagate 4TB BarraCuda HDD, SATA III w/ 256MB Cache
Recording Example:




After I apply 10khz cut:




Adding effects on professional DI:




My own dry DI guitar track with no static





Youtube Videos of Crackling:


5:00 min mark:





2:20 min mark:






No crackling:


0:00 min mark:





1:30 min mark:

 

Attachments

  • rooch - axefx3 mk2 - 01.syx
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Last edited:
Why have you posted videos of unrelated hardware when trying to describe a problem you are supposedly having with a fractal, Mr new user?
 
Edited to include the noise in AXEFX III from other videos. The noise comes from across different hardware and software.
 
I'm having trouble taking this seriously. You think Cooper Carter wouldn't notice such a terrible sound that you are describing? I can't hear anything wrong. You're mixing up real amps, fractal, and neural dsp. Before you edited, you had a video of someone playing through an analog pedal as if it was relevant.

If you genuinely have a problem with a fractal sound, then post your preset, and perhaps a dry DI of your guitar track.
 
Jeez — nice way to welcome a new member. Isn’t the point of this forum to share knowledge and help others? Rooch clearly has an issue that’s important to him — hence the über-thorough details in his post — so maybe berating said “new member” post isn’t the most helpful way to respond?

That said, I too am unable to hear whatever anomaly he’s posting about, and I agree that sharing his preset and raw non-static guitar track would be a Good First Step. I did find myself wondering if the abundant high-freq response in the AFX3 might be providing a way to hear noise/etc. that’s been there all along but wasn’t heard as objectionable in other less hi-fi equipment?
 
I don't hear any crackling however there are tonal differences between the videos. The amps in the videos sound like I would expect them to.

The recording you did (the first one) does sound very bright through my studio monitors, I would suggest turning down the Treble or Presence in the amp block for that type of brightness but only just a tiny bit. I think using a 10k cut won't solve that problem because to my ears it is earlier in the chain and probably lower than 10k.

Also, maybe try a less bright IR? Experiment with something that is a bit fatter sounding.
 
Yeah I guess it’s a little strong, but haven’t we seen a bunch of new members pop up, post something about a potentially serious problem with fractal while somehow just happening to also mention neural dsp?
 
My guess is a noise gate keeping the static from being audible when not playing. The Input Block noise gate has a default setting so turn it all the way down/off and see if the static can be heard. If it can, then you can troubleshoot the cause.
 
Are you having the issue when you are playing directly through the Axe III or just when reamping?
 
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Have you had a careful look at levels through every block on the layout screen? I think I can make out what you are talking about, and you might just be getting short of headroom for the signal in some of the blocks. I've just listened through everything you presented through decent monitors and interface, and while I'm not getting the static effects, all that you don't like sound like there might be some artefacts of digital clipping creeping through. Must admit in my setup the Cooper Carter video sounds harsh, but intentionally so. However I am hearing this at the far end of "who knows" how much data compression.

Liam
 
Rooch said:
there are high end crackling static sounds on all of my tracks.
Click to expand...

Rooch said:
It is only when I add VST/plugin effects to the dry guitar DI do I hear the static
Click to expand...
if it's "only" when you add VST effects then it sounds like something wrong on the computer side if it only happens when you use VSTs.
Rooch said:
(or use high gain amps in AXE FX III)
Click to expand...
high gain amps in the Axe3 don't crackle normally. because you get the same issue without involving the Axe3 (see previous quote), then the issue is most likely not coming from the Axe3.
 
One thing that has caused me grief is any sort of USB hub in the mix with my audio gear. I've also had various devices that seem to have a ton of noise and I've had to make sure to disconnect them if I was going to record or mix. You mentioned using various audio interfaces does that include just the axe as the only interface? Have you tried disabling bluetooth and wifi? I'd strip your computer down to as bare bones as possible even disconnecting external speakers and monitor if you have a laptop or another computer you could run an rdp session from. Do you use any sort of power conditioner? I've also had issues with noisy power causing me grief.
 
If the sound is much better when using a standalone plugin then your problem is probably with the DAW or your interface.
Did you monitor the pre-fader input level? The post-fader level can be "OK" and not clipping while the pre-fader level is clipping.
What DAW are you using?
Did you use USB from the Axe III into the DAW or into the interface first?
 
After recording my electric guitar (emg 81 pickups) through high gain amp modelers or software amp sims there are high end crackling static sounds on all of my tracks. I have used both the AxeFX III and Scarlett 4i4 and made sure my guitar DI’s were clean and clear beforehand. It is only when I add VST/plugin effects to the dry guitar DI do I hear the static (or use high gain amps in AXE FX III) and it does not go away in a mix. It’s easier to hear on studio monitors or over-ear headphones. When played through car speakers the static sounds like it’s making the guitar have these tiny stutters. The static can only be heard when the guitar is being played, if I don’t play any notes there is no static.
Rooch said:
What I have tried/noticed:
  • Changed and decreased buffer size.
  • Ensured gain was not clipping on the audio interface or in the DAW.
  • Checked windows performance options.
  • Tried both active and passive guitar pickups, different cables, ports, guitars, multiple USB and firewire audio interfaces, DAWs (I use Cubase 7).
  • Ensured audio settings matched with audio interface (44. kHz, 48kHz, 24 bit, etc).
  • Sound manager: tried turning off all except the one I’m using, ensured all drivers are up to date.
  • No issues or static when playing or exporting a professional/commercial song track without effects.
  • If I cut everything off above 10khz the static mostly goes away but the sound quality is diminished.
  • Moved far away from the computer to record.
  • When I open neural dsp (amp sim) plugin in standalone mode on the desktop outside the DAW and select audio device type: “Windows Audio”, the sound quality is much better.
  • The sound quality is much better when monitored than after it has been recorded.
  • Still static after I apply VSTs/plugin on a professional Guitar DI from a producer.
  • Mic’d up a real amp with an sm57 and there is still static crackle.
  • I record and my DAW is installed on the HDD drive.
PC specs:
  • OS/type: Windows 10, 64 bit, desktop
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core Processor 3800 Mhz, 12 Cores, 24 Logical Processor(s)
  • GPU: ROG STRIX RX 5700XT OC GAMING Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB PCI-E w/ HDMI, Triple DP
  • Motherboard: MEG X570 ACE (MS-7C35)
  • Ram: 32gb (Ripjaws V Series 32GB DDR4 3600MHz CL19 Dual Channel RAM Kit 2x 16GB)
  • Power Supply: 850 B3 850W 80+ Bronze Modular Power Supply
  • C Drive: Black SN750 NVMe SSD M.2 PCI-E x4, 1TB
  • D Drive: Seagate 4TB BarraCuda HDD, SATA III w/ 256MB Cache
Recording Example:




After I apply 10khz cut:




Adding effects on professional DI:




My own dry DI guitar track with no static





Youtube Videos of Crackling:


5:00 min mark:





2:20 min mark:






No crackling:


0:00 min mark:





1:30 min mark:

Click to expand...

I would suggest trying it on a different computer.

It fixed an issue I was having whenever I used my Fractal gear connected by the USB cable (the Fractal gear was NOT causing the problem).

For years, I would get a pretty bad crackling sound through my system when I would use my AXE FX XL+ through my "tube" power amp (it was almost bearable if it was at low volume).

Originally, I thought it might be a problem with the tubes or possibly by the mod that was done to the power amp, however, one day I disconnected the USB cable from the XL+ and the crackling sound went away (I always had the XL+ connected to my computer).

I figured it was the XL+ and for the most part I could live with the sound at low volumes but then I purchased an AX3 and the harsh crackling sound was still there.

At this point, I decided to connect another computer and the crackling sound was gone.

Try another computer and see if the crackling sound is still there.

BTW, I can clearly hear the crackling sound in the Cooper Carter video at 5 minutes.

I believe it is a Mesa Rectifier "Red" Channel for that clip.

I usually lower the gain a LOT when I use the "Red" Channel from a Rectifier but then I add a little bit of drive from an overdrive pedal.

It has helped me to remove this kind of crackling sound (the gain may be really high in the preset (he was mainly just showing what you can get from the preset)), and it might help you as well.
 
^^^ +1

Compared to the analog gear I’ve used for the last 50yrs. I’ve often questioned the need for pushing a high-fidelity digital device to 0dB. My recent AFX3 use seems to indicate that a few dB of headroom is a Good Thing, giving up nothing I can hear with respect to noise floor (more like noise basement in this case) and gaining lots of the punch and clarity I seek. I respect The Quest For The Final dB, but with Fractal gear it’s just not necessary.
 
tysonlt said:
Yeah I guess it’s a little strong, but haven’t we seen a bunch of new members pop up, post something about a potentially serious problem with fractal while somehow just happening to also mention neural dsp?
Click to expand...
I hear you (and respect your intensity walk-back a lot) but don’t share the Neural/Kemper/Helix/Whatev trigger. I’m old enough to know that the AFX3 is simply the best, hands down — and every issue that isn’t a warranty repair issue is typically solved by the deep knowledge and generosity (yeah, talking about you, @yek @iaresee et al) of this user base.
 
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