My delay pedals are distorting, please help.

Headless Llama · #1 08-30-2011, 07:29 PM

Hello all. Here is a picture of my board... I have been using this setup for a few months now, with the recent addition of the T-REX Replica. I noticed a nasty distorted sound when playing the other night and it has not gone away.

I have tried everything I can think of. I have played through one pedal at a time and the only ones that distort are my delay pedals. Yes, both of them! I have lowered the gain on my amp, used a single power supply, different cables, different basses (active and passive). I am totally lost as to what the noise can be coming from. The sound is only distorted on the delayed notes.

Please help! I have an audition in a few days, and I really need to fix this. Not to mention it is annoying!

Thanks!

jgroh · #2 08-30-2011, 07:33 PM

How do you power it?

BogeyBass · #3 08-30-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

How do you power it?

thats what i was thinking...delay based pedals like chorus,delay or reverb tend to use more current than most pedals.

so a average pedal can range from 30 to 150ma of current ....but a delay can be as high as 250 to 500ma.

so if you have more than 2 delays or high current pedals and your running multiple pedals on a single power supply...it can start to dig into a power supply with about 1200 to 1700 ma. which is about your average one spot or similar power supply

otherwise analog delay chips only have about 5 volts of swing ...so if you put to much gain into them...its very easy to hit distortion. Keep in mind depending on feedback/repeats levels your using the delay itself can add more gain.

Headless Llama · #4 08-30-2011, 07:48 PM

I had them powered with my one spot. Then I used a boss style single power unit supply. Same result.

jgroh · #5 08-30-2011, 07:50 PM

Can it run on a battery? I occasionally have issues with a certain pedal when I use a power supply but it works fine with a battery.

Headless Llama · #6 08-30-2011, 07:57 PM

The Replica does not accept a battery. I will try the Malekko with one.

Headless Llama · #7 08-30-2011, 08:28 PM

Ok... I tried the Malekko with a fresh battery. Distorts a lot less.

All of this is crazy! My chorus has never sounded better!

I will try again tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestions. I also did some digging and the Replica really needs 12 volts. I guess I will be looking into an alternate power source for that one!