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jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Some would say (and have said) that switching from TRS to TS would not make any discernible difference. Because the extra portion of the TRS plug just doesn't make contact with anything in the Messenger - for example - so it's like it's not there. But I wonder if that is leaving it open to interference, since a three part signal is being sent out of the XLR, but only two of those parts are making contact in the RFE. But if that were true, in theory the same should hold true for the Messenger. But with the Messenger, the XLR > TRS 1/4" out of the SSDI works just fine.
I thought there might be a TRS switching jack on the pedal input as these are sometimes use to disconnect power when there's nothing plugged into the input. more common on battery powered pedals.
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Don't take my word for it, but is that the issue? If TRS is positive/negative/ground, and TS is positive/ground, then in theory I'm taking a positive/negative/ground signal out of the XLR from the SSDI, converting it to a 1/4" TRS that has positive/negative/ground, but then it's going into an input of a pedal that only connects with the positive/negative and not the ground? Whereas if I had a TS cable, the pedal would be making contact with the positive and ground, and not the positive and negative. In other words, it's ungrounding which would otherwise be grounded?
But if that's the case and that's the issue, then that still doesn't explain why I don't get the same hum when using the same cable to connect the SSDI to the Messenger. Only when the RFE or LB and RFE are in between the two. Maybe the Messenger has a different kind of input jack, but I doubt it. The site says the Messenger's input is unbalanced.
Here's my full board all wired up. The P-15 is the big black box. I removed the feet and you can invert the handle to reduce height. I did both when I swapped out the tube. as the screws for the feet and top are all internal to deal with.
The ShushiBox pedal looks interesting, is it a custom built just for you?
I'm sure the RFE has the same jacks as this puppy, only sleeve and tip connections -
I would think it would be noisy all the time if it were the cable, I'm not saying it couldn't but I highly doubt its the cable. In theory the negative could go back up into the transformer? I don't know, that's where my knowledge ends. All I know is I've confirmed the XLR > Messenger with Josh, specifically to lower the gain instead of using the much hotter 1/4" line out. I looked back in my emails and I didn't even discuss using a TRS or TS with him, just a simple mic cable. Setup works 100% every day, I can even get a good recording coming from the Messengers XLR out, but again if I were to record I'd just run straight from the lunchbox
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Josh responded really quickly:
"It is the TRS cable that is the problem. The sleeve is not ground, it is shield. The shield is not an adequate audio ground reference. You need an XLR to TS cable to do what you are trying to accomplish. Another option would be to make a simple attenuator box to place after the SSDI line out. Use a 50k ohm pot to step it down, and then feed the signal to whatever pedal you want without taking away from the tone of the SSDI."
I guess I need to play the lotto cause I basically flipped a coin on which cable to buy lol - so why doesn't it make noise with any of your other pedals, they were ok right? I guess that's why its labeled PIN 1 is ground on the site, similar to grounding an AC outlet using the conduit instead of running a true earth ground for your 3rd pin, the solid wire is always going to be best
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
18v works better for me than 9v. Im running the Fliptop into the SB with a passive precision
FWIW, I use a standard XLR cable with a transformer/TS adapter for situations like this. They are cheap and might be worth a try.
I almost got this before I got my cable, I had someone tell me the sound could be effected? Is that true? I've seen these in studios for mics into consoles
I mainly use mine to connect the XLR outs on my little Ampeg PF-20T to the inputs or fx return jacks of one of my more powerful class D amps.
I haven't noticed any degradation of sound.
@jacoby75, if you want to spare the DIY, the Naiant VPDs are the highest-quality inline attenuators I know of and perfect for tasks like this. I've had great luck with them. I particularly like that they're stepped.
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Their other stuff is great too.
I got my RFE yesterday. I am pleased.
It is really an amazing little box. Just rolling the HPF up to 80hz gives me so much more volume and low end out of my setup. For a long time I thought I wanted sone sort of EQ pedal, but I think what I actually wanted was this.
It is really an amazing little box. Just rolling the HPF up to 80hz gives me so much more volume and low end out of my setup. For a long time I thought I wanted sone sort of EQ pedal, but I think what I actually wanted was this.
