EBS Multicomp oddness...

[chrisp2u]

So, about a month ago I purchased a new Multicomp. After it sitting around for a few weeks, I finally got to integrate it into my pedal board setup. Get everything hooked up before my band practice last week, all seems to be good and working. However, when I switched it to the on mode, it was very odd... almost like the pedal was microphonic (like when pickups go bad).

If I tapped on the pedal, rubbed my finger on it, or even the sound of stepping on the switch would come through my amp. Yesterday, I pulled it off the board and plugged it in on its own into an amp... no problems at all. Haven't tried putting it back on the board yet, but I had no probs with the previous compression pedal on there which the multicomp replaced.

Anyone have any ideas on what might cause this?
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c

[Smurf-o-Deth]

Terrorists.

[bongomania]

Sounds like a grounding incompatibility between the EBS and some other pedal in your chain. Try starting with just the EBS pedal and then add one other pedal, then another, then another, until eventually you get the weird microphonic problem. Note that both the patch cables and the power supplies can be paths to ground, so be sure to test both types of connection--i.e. don't just remove the patch cords, but also undo any daisy chain power connections. And add them back one at a time as needed.

Once you've figured out the incompatibility, you can experiment with different power supplies, different placement in the chain, etc.

[chrisp2u]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Sounds like a grounding incompatibility between the EBS and some other pedal in your chain. Try starting with just the EBS pedal and then add one other pedal, then another, then another, until eventually you get the weird microphonic problem. Note that both the patch cables and the power supplies can be paths to ground, so be sure to test both types of connection--i.e. don't just remove the patch cords, but also undo any daisy chain power connections. And add them back one at a time as needed.

Once you've figured out the incompatibility, you can experiment with different power supplies, different placement in the chain, etc.

Yeah, that was my first thought... possibly some type of grounding issue. I doubt it's at the power source... everything on my board is independently powered via a Voodoo PP2+, so all the outputs are isolated.

I am using George L cables though, and it was a pretty tight fit to get the pedal between a couple others (the previous pedal connections were on the end of the pedal, not the sides). I tried to make sure there was no contact between the cable heads and the pedals, but it's possible. I'll bring along some electrical tape and put it on the sides of the nearby pedals to see if that resolves it.
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c