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Do you use a GK Plex live?

fretlessman71

fretlessman71

Still beats havin' a job
Supporting Member
Aug 8, 2005
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www.michaelolsononline.com
#1
I have a GK Plex currently, and so far I am impressed - impressed enough that I'm considering making it the cornerstone of my pedalboard. But I want to hear from others that use theirs live, and specifically those who use the DI function and send an XLR to the board straight from their Plex. In my experience, lots of other products with built-in DIs have grounding issues, and until there are real gigs again, there's no way for me to just plug in at the next gig to find out.

So: do YOU use a GK Plex live, and if so, what are your experiences with sending a signal to the board from your Plex via XLR?
 
#4
Mosfed said:
Lots of other products with built in DIs have grounding issues? That’s a new one to me. And I must have 15 different preamps with DIs.
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All I can tell you is that many times, when I've run a DI out of my amp or from something else that wasn't a dedicated DI, the sound man complained of a hum and asked if he could use one of his DIs, which fixed the issue. Maybe it's just my bad luck.
 
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#5
shaggy45 said:
Not only that but I seem to recall the plex being one of the only ones that had a lot of issues. I guess they fixed it?
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What issues specifically did the Plex have in your recollection? Seriously, not trying to start an argument, just don't want to spend time on a project I can't test until later on down the road if I know it's going to fail...
 
#6
fretlessman71 said:
What issues specifically did the Plex have in your recollection? Seriously, not trying to start an argument, just don't want to spend time on a project I can't test until later on down the road if I know it's going to fail...
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I honestly don’t remember. It’s been a few years. I’m sure they’ve updated the firmware enough by now to make it solid.

I think there’s a giant plex thread on here. It would probably been in there.
 
#7
fretlessman71 said:
All I can tell you is that many times, when I've run a DI out of my amp or from something else that wasn't a dedicated DI, the sound man complained of a hum and asked if he could use one of his DIs, which fixed the issue. Maybe it's just my bad luck.
Click to expand...

The Plex may not be culpable as you've cited hum issues with other signal path components which, by all right, should be perfectly serviceable. Appears you have a ground conflict among the amp, pedals and / or power source(s) which needs to be resolved. Addressing it 30" before the first set is not the way to go.

Personally, I'd throw the Plex (solo'd) on the floor next gig, allow the soundguy to hook-up, and see if there's a hum. If present, kick in the ground lift and see if the hum persists. If no hum from the git-go (ground intact), it's probably not the Plex. Time to start looking elsewhere.

Riis
 
#8
Zooberwerx said:
The Plex may not be culpable as you've cited hum issues with other signal path components which, by all right, should be perfectly serviceable. Appears you have a ground conflict among the amp, pedals and / or power source(s) which needs to be resolved. Addressing it 30" before the first set is not the way to go.

Personally, I'd throw the Plex (solo'd) on the floor next gig, allow the soundguy to hook-up, and see if there's a hum. If present, kick in the ground lift and see if the hum persists. If no hum from the git-go (ground intact), it's probably not the Plex. Time to start looking elsewhere.

Riis
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"The next gig" may be months, maybe a year away. That's why I'm asking questions here.

And I don't know if the Plex is culpable at ALL, as I've never had the chance to use it at a gig. I just don't want to be wasting my time, and I've had issues before. Just trying to head it all off at the pass. Sure, the hum could be a lot of things or a combination of things that magically went away when the sound man went to his favorite DI. I don't know. I'm just asking if anyone who's used a GK Plex (sounds like that's nobody here, yet) has had an issue with the DI.
 
#9
fretlessman71 said:
"The next gig" may be months, maybe a year away. That's why I'm asking questions here.

And I don't know if the Plex is culpable at ALL, as I've never had the chance to use it at a gig. I just don't want to be wasting my time, and I've had issues before. Just trying to head it all off at the pass. Sure, the hum could be a lot of things or a combination of things that magically went away when the sound man went to his favorite DI. I don't know. I'm just asking if anyone who's used a GK Plex (sounds like that's nobody here, yet) has had an issue with the DI.
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Do you have access to a board in your rehearsal area? Run your chain in directly. If you have zero issues in the rehearsal area, it's not your chain. If you do have issues, start troubleshooting there. I always try to run my gear at rehearsal the same way it would be at a gig. This way there are no surprises on arrival and if there are, I know that something either happened in transport OR it is a FOH issue. The latter is more common than you would think. I'm currently working on a direct rig. Just going after a SansAmp pre and a HX stomp.
 

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