Strange Fluttering, started recently

Max_H

Inspired
Heyo boys and girls,

So right after moving to this wonderful island called Iceland my Axe FX II XL+ has started producing a strange fluttering noise in the background of my tone. It is most evident with higher gain patches. It very well could be that my guitar was mildly damaged during the move and that is what is producing this sound but unfortunately I don't have another guitar on hand to eliminate that as a possibility.

I know the Axe is rated 110-240v so I'm positive it can't be the change of voltage from the States to here, also it automatically switches itself. The only other idea I have is that the electrical in the Apt I'm staying in is mildly wonky and that causes the effect. It doesn't seem to be interference as it doesn't change in pitch or volume when I face my guitar away from the computer or other electrical devices in the room.



Here's a quick clip showing the sound after taking my fingers off the strings. In the beginning my guitar is facing my computer screen, after which i swivel to the left, then the right and finally i am pointing my pickups out the window and no change in the fluttering sound.

Routing is:

Axe FX plugged into American>Iceland outlet adapter (could this be the issue?)->USB into computer
Guitar->Front Input Jack
 
Is the computer connected to a power supply, and connected through USB?
Does the noise go away when disconnecting USB?
 
What happens when you disconnect your guitar cable from your XL+?
 
I have this same noise through headphones while the USB is connected and I'm using axe-edit or whatnot. I've been wondering how to get rid of it, I've heard someone say it may have to do with using the front input, does anyone know if it goes away while using the back input or any other fix? Axe-fx II mk1.
 
It can't be heard without some sort of signal from the guitar. Nothing change when I unplug the cable from my guitar, nor from taking out the usb cable from the back. It also persists through multiple different pairs of headphones.

Is the computer connected to a power supply, and connected through USB?
Does the noise go away when disconnecting USB?

Yes, yes and no. Unfortunately :(

What happens when you disconnect your guitar cable from your XL+?

The fluttering sound persists, just at a much lower volume due to the guitar signal not "agitating" it.


It's not super noticeable when I play until I play any sort of sustained note and as the note fades, the flutter starts to take its place. It's also much less noticeable on clean patches, however it is still easily heard.
 
The fluttering sound persists, just at a much lower volume due to the guitar signal not "agitating" it.
Not sure what you mean. If your guitar “agitates” the noise simply by being plugged in, then you guitar is at least part of the source of the noise.
 
Not sure what you mean. If your guitar “agitates” the noise simply by being plugged in, then you guitar is at least part of the source of the noise.

I guess what I mean to say is that the signal from my guitar makes it louder, hot pickups and all that. Pressing the unplugged lead into my palm makes the same fluttering noise, albeit a more irritating fluttering sound.
 
Sounds like just a noisy guitar/cable/RF interference issue, and it's right at the Noise Gate threshold. Not sure where the noise is coming from, computer/TV monitor, florescent lights, bad outlet wiring/grounding, bad shielding on the guitar, bad cable, motorized appliance on the same circuit. etc.........

Have you tried your rig in other rooms/outlets?

Try turning off the Noise Gate temporarily to see if the 'pulsing' goes away. Then raise it above the noise threshold until you can figure where the noise is coming from.
 
Sounds like just a noisy guitar/cable/RF interference issue, and it's right at the Noise Gate threshold. Not sure where the noise is coming from, computer/TV monitor, florescent lights, bad outlet wiring/grounding, bad shielding on the guitar, bad cable, motorized appliance on the same circuit. etc.........

Have you tried your rig in other rooms/outlets?

Try turning off the Noise Gate temporarily to see if the 'pulsing' goes away. Then raise it above the noise threshold until you can figure where the noise is coming from.

Oh man "motorized appliance", could that be a fridge? I'm in a basement studio apartment with a hot plate and fridge and all that jazz.
 
Oh man "motorized appliance", could that be a fridge? I'm in a basement studio apartment with a hot plate and fridge and all that jazz.
Un-plug it, and anything else that is running, one at a time, to track it down...
 
Damn, unfortunately that was a no go. Everything is off and I'm sitting in the dark but unfortunately no change.

So my Axe FX WAS checked on my flight here. Is there anything internally that could've gotten knocked loose to make that kind of noise?

My only guess besides that is the electrical in this house is somehow wonky. I'm going to bring it in to the studio and see if it still makes the noise.
 
Damn, unfortunately that was a no go. Everything is off and I'm sitting in the dark but unfortunately no change.

So my Axe FX WAS checked on my flight here. Is there anything internally that could've gotten knocked loose to make that kind of noise?

My only guess besides that is the electrical in this house is somehow wonky. I'm going to bring it in to the studio and see if it still makes the noise.
Before we get into that, there's one thing I'm still not clear on. Try this:

Plug in your guitar, turn the noise gate all the way off, and listen to the noise —without playing the guitar. Then unplug your guitar cable from the Axe-Fx. What happens to the noise?
 
Before we get into that, there's one thing I'm still not clear on. Try this:

Plug in your guitar, turn the noise gate all the way off, and listen to the noise —without playing the guitar. Then unplug your guitar cable from the Axe-Fx. What happens to the noise?

Hmm fluttery noise is completely gone except, although there is a decent amount of white noise/static. Are you thinking it's my guitar cable?

I'm going to feel like a dramatic child if all that's wrong is my guitar cable.

edit: I'm dumb, the white noise is from it being a high gain patch.
 
Haha alright well here's hoping it's just just the guitar cable. I'll be able to test whether it's the cable or the guitar at some point later this week. Thanks for the help so far though! I'll post back once I've figured it out.
 
Ok so I've tried a different guitar cable and no dice, fluttering is still there. So it's not my guitar and it's not my cable, I truly believe there is something in this building that is causing interference.

I found that when I have the guitar cable plugged into the Axe, if I wave the lead around in different places in the room it gets louder and more intense. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do about that as I'm short term renting and it's not like I can demand that the landlord get her electrical unfucked just for me. Looks like I'll just have to live with it until I leave in a few months :(

For a final test I'll be bringing it into the studio tomorrow to set up Mara's guitars (and to show off the Axe FX), so we'll see how that goes.
 
Sounds like probably it's not so much the AC line from the wall, but EMF noise in the air picked up by the cable. Not much the landlord can do about that either.

Maybe try to get a wireless system if it's available or if you can afford something like a Line 6 G10, with a really short patch cable running to it. Should help reduce cable EMF noise.
 
Sounds like probably it's not so much the AC line from the wall, but EMF noise in the air picked up by the cable. Not much the landlord can do about that either.

Maybe try to get a wireless system if it's available or if you can afford something like a Line 6 G10, with a really short patch cable running to it. Should help reduce cable EMF noise.

A wireless system is the dream but unfortunately doesn't fit the budget. Living in Iceland is expensive and I'm living on toast and cereal right now haha. Fairly certain I'll just have to live with it for the 3 months I'm here. Oh well, it's not a deal breaker for me.
 
Maybe it’s time to hunt down the device that’s generating the interference. Likely culprits: dimmers, CCFL bulbs, Wi-Fi gear, computers...
 
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