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Triaging signal noise in home studio configuration

AndrewMagrini

AndrewMagrini

Gold Supporting Member
Sep 23, 2007
336
129
NYC
#1
I'm trying to isolate where a nasty, pitchy noise is coming from in the home studio setup I've been building. I have been going through the steps to identify the cause of this. I've found a lot of videos about 50-60 cycle hum, but nothing I've seen replicates this distinctly pitchy noise I'm hearing.
  1. Initially, I thought it was my old (80s) precision not being shielded enough, but then I came to realize it was coming through all my basses
  2. I removed my pedalboard from the equation, but there was still noise going into the amp/speaker switcher I recently bought
  3. I bought a power conditioner in case it was stemming from dirty power in the building (in a 100+-year-old building in Manhattan)
  4. I triaged the elements of gear (amps, switcher) on a separate circuit in the kitchen
 
#2
Are you using a computer or laptop to connect to your system? High frequency ground loops are not uncommon, there are specific isolation devices and techniques to solve this problem, assuming this is the cause.

Simplify to the bare bones and work forward from there.
 
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#3
agedhorse said:
Are you using a computer or laptop to connect to your system? High frequency ground loops are not uncommon, there are specific isolation devices and techniques to solve this problem, assuming this is the cause.

Simplify to the bare bones and work forward from there.
Click to expand...
^^ All of this. But what IS your signal path? Bass into >>... what? Mixer? Preamp? Audio Interface? More data is needed. And are you monitoring on a studio monitor speaker system? If so, what is the 'Amps and Cabs' aspect of this?
 
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#4
Redbrangus said:
^^ All of this. But what IS your signal path? Bass into >>... what? Mixer? Preamp? Audio Interface? More data is needed. And are you monitoring on a studio monitor speaker system? If so, what is the 'Amps and Cabs' aspect of this?
Click to expand...
Thanks! Right now I'm not even factoring the computer into this, it's purely the speaker system.

The current config is this:
Bass > pedalboard (using a looper for everything) > De Lisle amp/cab switcher > Amp (either an Ampeg SB12 or Aguilar AG500SC) > Bergantino 112
 
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#5
AndrewMagrini said:
I removed my pedalboard from the equation, but there was still noise going into the amp/speaker switcher I recently bought
Click to expand...
How did you check to hear noise going INTO this amp speaker switcher? That would seem to imply that the noise is originating with you bass, since having eliminated both the pedal board and the amp/speaker switch from the signal path. Do you have the noise when the bass is plugged directly into the amp, bypassing the amp/speaker switch? Do you have the noise when there is nothing at all plugged into the amp, not even an unterminated input cable?
 
#6
Redbrangus said:
How did you check to hear noise going INTO this amp speaker switcher? That would seem to imply that the noise is originating with you bass, since having eliminated both the pedal board and the amp/speaker switch from the signal path. Do you have the noise when the bass is plugged directly into the amp, bypassing the amp/speaker switch? Do you have the noise when there is nothing at all plugged into the amp, not even an unterminated input cable?
Click to expand...
Yeah - the noise is present when just messing with the cable. I spoke with a friend who's a guitarist/tech and that's when the convo of dirty power came about.
 
#14
they make a few different products. do you have this one?

www.delisleguitar.com

de Lisle ABC Isolated Amp Selector Switch

The de Lisle ABC pedal is a great solution for multiple amp setups. It enables you to safely connect a guitar to one, two or three amps at a time without introducing ground loop hum. So don\'t defeat the safety grounds on your amps!\n\nIt features a direct out plus dual buffered and transformer...
www.delisleguitar.com www.delisleguitar.com

That's designed to go between the bass and the amp
 
#15
Possibly your house. I live in an almost 100 year old Adobe house and my music room has bad wiring, My solution is to run 2 construction grade extension to 2 separate circuits to the modernized part of the house. Then I power 2 UPS Boxes for clean power not just a power conditioner. If possible all my USB cables have ferrite chokes and I get quality cables. If I still get noise, I have battery banks that have 9 or 12 volts DC to power pedals etc.
 
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#19
Approach methodically as agedhorse is TRYING to lead you! Amp without any cable, quiet then add a cable from the bass ONLY to the amp input and try a couple different cables. Add things one at a time trying a different cable each time the noise shows until the problem component or cable is identified.
If you are in the habit of winding up your signal cables around your hand to elbow STOP THAT FOREVER. That is how they get this hard to locate damage.
I have 30 year old mic (XLR) cables that work perfectly, the last skinny stringer bought a pack of 10 "lifetime warrantee" cables that he wound around his arm and 2 survived a four year run. He gave up trying to get replacements as to the store they "still worked" even though noisy and reduced signal.
 
#20
agedhorse said:
If you aren’t going to follow troubleshooting questions, why bother asking for help?
Click to expand...
I have? I confirmed the issue persisted with the switcher completely out of the equation (bass > amp > cabinet), which was why the Q of cables and/or better shielding may be a solution.

It's tough though, since my Rob Allen Mouse (active, piezo pickups) also has this issue, but there's no exposed metal to determine if it too is a grounding issue
 

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