Strange noise...

D

Drama

Inspired
Wonder if any of you guys could shed some light on to what might be causing this.

It's almost like a warble/distortion behind the notes. Sample clip below.

Latest Firmware, I don't use Axe Edit tho I keep the latest versions, USB is only ever connected to make firmware updates and then is immediately disconnected. Noise is present on every preset, stock or my own. It's only been present since this afternoon. It's audible via headphones and analog outs. It's there thru 6 different Les Paul's an SG and a 335 with a host of pickups between them. All passives.

Hopefully that should be enough info on my testing.

Thanks in advance.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13108344/warble.mp3
 
My config here hasn't changed at all but this noise came in this afternoon and has persisted since. The patch I used for this example was just an amp and cab. My axe is routed from the analog outs to two line level inputs on an Ensemble which then feeds to Logic.

I'm getting the same noise via headphones direct to the Axe and I've done the usual resets and so on.

Really confused by this one! Any help is greatly appreciated, it came on right in the middle of tracking a solo for an album.

Thanks
 
Can you try something direct through the ensemble into a Logic guitar amp. You will rule out the Ensemble this way - The Ensemble was right there on all seven guitars, so the testing is not yet complete until that variable is eliminated, (I assume that you have used different cords in your testing as well) then you can point for sure at the Axe.
 
Thanks for your reply. I should have mentioned, I've run the axe completely stand alone using just the headphones out, nothing else connected and still get the issue. I've tried quite a few leads also.

I will indeed run direct in to Logic shortly to check for the same noise. I've got a bunch of amps here I can try also tomorrow, it's 2am here right now, not sure I could get away with trying those just now!

I'm in no way implying it's 100% the Axe, just thus far, with the testing I've done, the Axe has been the only common denominator.

It does bring up the question though that if the noise is indeed present elsewhere, what could be causing that?! As the axe would have been tested in isolation as will my tube amps and Logic direct. Noise like this is not something I've ever experienced before and it doesn't sound electrical to me, though it could be I guess. All hypothetical at this point until I can test further but something I'd be interested in learning more about either way.
 
Hmmmm... Maybe all those Gibson's suddenly have the same setup issue? JK. It does sound reminiscent of extremely low action.
 
Yeah, you know man, at first I thought that's exactly what it was. I do keep a fairly low action on most of these guitars but two I've setup for slide playing and their action is anything but low. Still the same deal.

Really not sure what this could be, tried pretty much everything I could think of. Even took the Axe to another studio and tried with a few of their guitars, same deal.

Only thing I can't try is another Axe but prior to yesterday, mine didn't make this noise so trying another would likely not bring the same results anyways.
 
Same cable?
Did you try resetting the Axe?
Do you use user cabs and did you recently perform a Sync & Backup?
Did you check levels and CPU in Utility > Status?
Does it occur with Out2 as well?
 
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Hi Yek,

Tried a whole bunch of cables, reset the Axe, haven't performed a sync/backup though. Levels in Utility are about 3/4 of the bar but even dropping the output level so that it's barely registering and turning up at the monitoring side it's still there, cpu on the patch I used in the clip is at 45% using stock cabs. I get the same noise on all stock patches also. Barely there on anything clean but very prominent on anything with some grit.

The actual Axe tone hasn't changed at all, it's still as great as it was previously, just now with this added noise.

Really appreciate the help and suggestions folks. I'll try anything, however random it may seem so please bring on any ideas you may have!

Thanks all.
 
I won't really call it a noise as much as a warble, but that is strange indeed. Sounds very much like low action and going in/out of tune by hitting a floyd-styled bridge hard, but you mentioned that's not the case. Does it happen with the speaker drive set to 0? Did you try it with JUST the guitar and headphones plugged in? (Nothing else plugged in - cliff mentioned feedback loop) I know you said you get it thru headphones too, but did you have anything else connected at the time?

I also fooled around with the axe settings quite a bit, when I have input 1 mode on 'left only' and input 2 mode on 'stereo', I can hear a faint warble, and when I put the input 2 mode back to 'left only' it is gone. Tried it about 10 times, including a blind listening test on myself and I can tell when it's there. Don't know if fooling around with that might help you - seems strange, but that's the only thing I noticed.

To replicate the behavior here are the settings:
Main input source - analog in1
input 1 left select - front
input 1 mode - left only
input 2 mode - stereo
out 1 mode - stereo (the way I like it :p)
out 1 phase - norm
out 2 mode - stereo
out 2 phase - norm
copy out1 to out 2 - off



Copy out1 to out2 is off, there is no fx block, and I have nothing connected to inputs 1 nor 2 in the back - the guitar is in the front input. I have both output 1 and output 2 connected however - the out 1 is connected to the FRFR and the out 2 is connected to the matrix (not using right now, so it's off - would normally connect to a passive FRFR cab).

If anyone else can replicate it, please post too.
 
Hi Jon, thanks for that, will give it a go now.

And yeah, have completely isolated the axe from anything else and tried with a couple different headphone sets.
 
I will also try it on the ultra when I get up (just came off night shift :/ ) and see if it happens there too.

Edit - it also happens if:

input 1 mode - stereo
input 2 mode - left only

as well. It doesn't seem as pronounced as the clip you posted, but it is VERY similar in nature.
 
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jon said:
I won't really call it a noise as much as a warble, but that is strange indeed. Sounds very much like low action and going in/out of tune by hitting a floyd-styled bridge hard, but you mentioned that's not the case. Does it happen with the speaker drive set to 0? Did you try it with JUST the guitar and headphones plugged in? (Nothing else plugged in - cliff mentioned feedback loop) I know you said you get it thru headphones too, but did you have anything else connected at the time?

I also fooled around with the axe settings quite a bit, when I have input 1 mode on 'left only' and input 2 mode on 'stereo', I can hear a faint warble, and when I put the input 2 mode back to 'left only' it is gone. Tried it about 10 times, including a blind listening test on myself and I can tell when it's there. Don't know if fooling around with that might help you - seems strange, but that's the only thing I noticed.

To replicate the behavior here are the settings:
Main input source - analog in1
input 1 left select - front
input 1 mode - left only
input 2 mode - stereo
out 1 mode - stereo (the way I like it :p)
out 1 phase - norm
out 2 mode - stereo
out 2 phase - norm
copy out1 to out 2 - off



Copy out1 to out2 is off, there is no fx block, and I have nothing connected to inputs 1 nor 2 in the back - the guitar is in the front input. I have both output 1 and output 2 connected however - the out 1 is connected to the FRFR and the out 2 is connected to the matrix (not using right now, so it's off - would normally connect to a passive FRFR cab).

If anyone else can replicate it, please post too.
Click to expand...

Interesting. You have the Input levels turned up for Input 1 and 2?
I tend to turn these down because I'm not using either input, just the Front.
 
The levels for input 1 and 2 are at the default - 49.8% and the instrument in is set at 40%
I never had any need to turn them down - never noticed any behavior like that before. I have them turned down on the ultra tho when not in use.
 
Watch Out for Noise Coming From Computers

This probably doesn't have anything to do with your problem but I had some serious issues that took me awhile to figure out.

Is your computer on and are you anywhere near it? My guitar pickups were picking up noise from my computer and unless it's off or I'm more than 10 feet away from it I get a noise that sounds like high frequency feedback. I thought my AXE-FX was defective until I isolated the problem.

If that's not the issue others be warned: if you hear some strange noises coming out of your AXE-FX make sure there are no other electronic appliances turned on anywhere nearby, ESPECIALLY computers. If you have a smartphone put it in another room or remove the battery. There's a lot of RF junk that gets generated by anything having a microprocessor (the AXE-FX excepted). I'm also having problems with the wires in the floor of the upstairs room I play in. I had to move my workstation to the corner of the room to get rid of most of it.

Funny thing, the one guitar I have with a passive pickup doesn't pick up the noise from the computer. I suspect the preamps in the active guitars are rectifying the noise into the audio spectrum and passing it on to the AXE, but the preamp in the AXE seems to reject it as long as it's not already in the audio band.
 
Sounds like a problem I had ,which ended up being pickups to high to the strings or your guitar action is to low? just a thought
 
At the risk of sounding stupid .... well ... stupider than normal ....

Have you the Axe mounted in a rack? If so, have you taken it out and tried it?
 
maxdown said:
At the risk of sounding stupid .... well ... stupider than normal ....

Have you the Axe mounted in a rack? If so, have you taken it out and tried it?
Click to expand...

That would be my next step. Remove the AXE to a different room, or even better, outside, use headphones and connect ONLY a guitar and the headphones - NOTHING else. If it's still there you may have a defective unit, but my bet is it disappears.
 
Drama said:
Really not sure what this could be, tried pretty much everything I could think of. Even took the Axe to another studio and tried with a few of their guitars, same deal.
Click to expand...

I think he'd have tried it at a different power source already if he used it at another studio.

Drama said:
Yeah, you know man, at first I thought that's exactly what it was. I do keep a fairly low action on most of these guitars but two I've setup for slide playing and their action is anything but low. Still the same deal.
Click to expand...

He mentioned he tried it with slide action guitars too, so that sorta rules that out too (although I agree - it does kinda sound like it)
 
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