Mooger MF-101 noise

pbass2 · #1 09-27-2008, 07:37 PM

I bought a used MF-101 a while back and keep it in my studio and use it from time to time on bass, guitar, etc. I DO like what it does (being an old analog synth guy). But, my unit is noisy as hell, which has kept me from taking to sessions much, or commiting it to my live setup--I sorta just don't trust it. The noise isn't even consistent. Just the other day, in Bypass mode, it starts hissing like a cobra, and that's sitting on my desk in my studio where it usually behaves OK. Is it just mine, or are these babies just kinda wild like that?

SFjonstarr · #2 09-27-2008, 09:50 PM

The grounding scheme is messed up on the 101. I sent mine back to Moog to deal with the issue but even with the ground modified to the chassis mine still picked up spanish radio. I sold mine because I couldn't count on it. I really liked the dynamic response but the noise made it impossible to enjoy. Unacceptable for how much they are charging IMO.

MakiSupaStar · #3 09-28-2008, 09:29 PM

hmm. I wouldn't call mine quiet, but it's pretty manageable. I use it a lot live.

dubsymmetry · #4 09-29-2008, 05:05 AM

no problems here.

OrangeSun · #5 01-12-2009, 09:17 PM

I too have had bad luck with these. I had one, took it in to a repair guy to see if he could do anything about the noise, then by a bizarre twist of fate the guy lost it and I ended up with a brand new one that did the exact same thing. It has to be a grounding issue, the wall wart on mine has no ground so the internal grounding must be poorly done. I too could not believe it cost that much money and could have a problem like this.

Further compounding my frustration, I have run sound for several bands where the bassist had one directly in the signal chain with no such sound at all. This has happened a few times, so I know there are people out there using them without bypass loops or whatever.

So I guess you just have to get a good one. I don't know enough about electronics to work on it on my own, but I feel like I saw a tutorial one time someone had for improving the grounding in it. I have no idea where that was but hopefully I can find someone who knows how to do that kind of thing.

JohnDavisNYC · #6 01-12-2009, 09:22 PM

mine is great. BUT, it is a really EARLY ONE... maybe they got worse?

john

OrangeSun · #7 01-12-2009, 09:32 PM

That could definitley have something to do with it

SoonerMatt · #8 01-12-2009, 09:43 PM

How are the new ones grounded? I really want to get one of these but it the noise is that big an issue I might have to look at something else.

OrangeSun · #9 01-12-2009, 09:53 PM

Here is the post I was talking about, i found it in a thread on the Moog forum about MF-101's picking up radio stations (just like sfjonstarr):

actually, i spoke to a tech at moog about this very issue. he admitted that there was a persistent interference/noise problem with the mf-101 that even bob couldn't track down. .

when i opened the mf-101, i was surprised to see that while the top and bottom of the pedal make a very good connections with ground and each other, there's actually NO SHIELDING ON THE SIDES!

i cut out some thin brass sheets to fit the sides. i glued them to the insides of the wood panels with contact cement. and i also covered the brass sheets with copper tape. the tape folded over the inside edges of the wood panels so it'd connect with the grounded top and bottom of the metal case. i did have to shave away a little of the baked-on paint around the screw points to ensure a good connection.

it took in total about 30-40 minutes and has greatly reduced the pedal's level of hum and interference.. i recommend that anyone else with a noisy moogerfooger do the same.

i honestly can't believe that moog didn't shield the sides from the start. (!!!!!)

i'm curious to see if my cp-251 and mf-102 will have any similar issues.. i doubt that the cp will, since it mainly deals in control and not audio signal.
i'll soon see.

let me know if you've got any further questions. also, let me know if you manage to tame your pedal with this or any other method of shielding/modification !

-robert

OrangeSun · #10 01-12-2009, 09:57 PM

Sooner, I would say the message here is to find a way to try one out before you buy it. It seems like individual units differ on this, but I've seen several people use them with no issues whatsoever. I'm on a mission to fix mine because i can't find anything else that does exactly what it does.

SoonerMatt · #11 01-12-2009, 10:06 PM

Yeah, that would be ideal, but unfortunately I don't really have the option to demo before buying in Oklahoma, since the nearest place to pick one up would be a 3-hour drive each way. I guess I'll leave the noise factor to luck. The shielding option doesn't seem like it would be that difficult or risky, though.

Bassist30 · #12 01-12-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeSun

Here is the post I was talking about, i found it in a thread on the Moog forum about MF-101's picking up radio stations (just like sfjonstarr):

actually, i spoke to a tech at moog about this very issue. he admitted that there was a persistent interference/noise problem with the mf-101 that even bob couldn't track down. .

when i opened the mf-101, i was surprised to see that while the top and bottom of the pedal make a very good connections with ground and each other, there's actually NO SHIELDING ON THE SIDES!

i cut out some thin brass sheets to fit the sides. i glued them to the insides of the wood panels with contact cement. and i also covered the brass sheets with copper tape. the tape folded over the inside edges of the wood panels so it'd connect with the grounded top and bottom of the metal case. i did have to shave away a little of the baked-on paint around the screw points to ensure a good connection.

it took in total about 30-40 minutes and has greatly reduced the pedal's level of hum and interference.. i recommend that anyone else with a noisy moogerfooger do the same.

i honestly can't believe that moog didn't shield the sides from the start. (!!!!!)

i'm curious to see if my cp-251 and mf-102 will have any similar issues.. i doubt that the cp will, since it mainly deals in control and not audio signal.
i'll soon see.

let me know if you've got any further questions. also, let me know if you manage to tame your pedal with this or any other method of shielding/modification !

-robert

Never had a problem with mine. But you are a genius .

whoatherechunk · #13 01-12-2009, 10:17 PM

do any of the other moogs have the same noise issue?

fightthepower · #14 01-12-2009, 11:48 PM

My Bass Murf is noisy 90% of the time and the ring mod 25% of the time...

I'm currently using the provided adapter, but I'm going to get a 500ma adapter to see if it makes a difference on the bass murf. If not, I'll probably get rid of it.

I would have already purchased a Lowpass if these other two weren't so damn noisy...

OrangeSun · #15 01-13-2009, 12:31 AM

this thread is relieving my stress. every time i look for other people with this issue i cant find any solutions but this has helped. Ill make a trip to the hardware store at some point this week and try out some homemade shielding.

bigchiefbc · #16 01-13-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoatherechunk

do any of the other moogs have the same noise issue?

I've had a Freqbox and a Bass Murf, and never had noise problems with either of them

CuticleThorns · #17 01-13-2009, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoatherechunk

do any of the other moogs have the same noise issue?

I have a MF102 and have no noise issues whatsoever.

dubsymmetry · #18 01-13-2009, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubsymmetry

no problems here.

well actually I now recorded a bunch of stuff with the lpf and I got some noise on the recordings, but it was so low that it wasn´t a problem at all.
it looks like the noise might be dependent of the location of the pedal?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeSun

Here is the post I was talking about, i found it in a thread on the Moog forum (...)

I was thinking of doing this, but was too lazy all the time (read: I don´t get enough noise to motivate me to invest time in doing the shielding job).
but I´d like to hear the results if anyone tries this!

Bassist30 · #19 01-13-2009, 06:29 AM

Now Im no electronic genius. In fact Im not even close to having any knowledge of electronics at all. But I have no ploblems with noise with mine. I like it alot. But it is far from being True Bypass. I use a looper. (a 4 button in-out switcher). Can it be your cables or something else its plugged into because mine never really sounded completely off before I gave it its own channel. I mean it didn't sound completely on when off but it was slightly on that drove me nuts for awhile.

OrangeSun · #20 01-13-2009, 02:27 PM

ill make a clean recording of my bass and one with the fooger on and off later just to demonstrate. might have to wait til tommorow, but ill definitley do it.