[solved] High noise level at all times

Using MOD devices
#142

I just updated your trust levels. I believe that now you are able to share the link

#143

Thanks! Hereā€™s the link- Redirecting...

Iā€™ll be uploading to YouTube later today, so if this doesnā€™t work, let me know and Iā€™ll edit.

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#144

#loginwalled

#145

Okay, hereā€™s a YouTube link- MOD Dwarf- Delayed First Impressions and Noise Floor Workaround - YouTube

Itā€™s processing, you might have to give it a few minutesā€¦

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#146

Thanks for the example. This is the same issue/sound I get. The next update has a ā€˜fixā€™ for this that considerably reduces the noise, but it unfortunately sounds like it will require a reduction of CPU speed as well.

Kind of a bummer, but Iā€™ll wait until the update officially drops to pass final judgement.

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#147

I found that if you change the buffer size, the noise goes down by exactly an octave. I know that it can effect latency, but I havenā€™t experimented with that yet.

#148

I currently have a (very popular FX box). Right now I use 4CM to put e.g. compressor / tremolo before the ampā€™s input and delay/reverb in the FX loop. I have Mesa/Boogie and Laney amps with FX loops. Ah anyway this FX box creates a lot of noise IF the USB is plugged in, but itā€™s acceptable IF not. I donā€™t think Iā€™ve seen mention of USB in this entire threadā€¦ does that have anything to do with it?

What Iā€™m sort of missing here is an impression of which amps were tried, was it just before the amp or in a loop or does this thing even do 4CM Iā€™d guess so, whoā€™s to stop you, etc. was USB involved?

Really there are not THAT many variables. There should be a 1-2-3 debugging approach laid out.

#149

It surely does, because the USB will be plugged into another device that will be connected to AC power, and thereā€™s the ground loop. It happened when I had my own (very popular FX box) connected to the laptop and its output to the amp.

There are several posts in which other users mention USB in their setup, including post #5 where @drsoda describes the noise going away after unplugging the USB cable.

I do not know of a single power source for laptops from the last 10-15 years that is fully isolated.

Youā€™re right, not many users described their setup in full. Alsoā€¦

Youā€™re right again, inasmuch as the variables go.

I will try to make a different post summarising all the knowledge present here and in other threads (as well as other sources), so that people can use that as a reference. A debugging approach however requires patience and compliance, so a guide to that effect can only do so much.

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#150

For what itā€™s worth, Iā€™m in a different city from home, picked up some cheap studio monitors and had serious noise issues when using headphone jack>RCA cables>powered monitors, then bought some TRS cables for use into my interface and the noise floor dropped off the map. So it seems like balanced cables really make a differenceā€” really curious to hear what happens when I eventually get back home and plug it into a power ampā€¦ anyway I am still getting some pops and crackles here and there when adjusting the endless dials or when the cpu usage makes a big jump (my test pedalboard has rapidly expanded to ridiculous). That said, I can mostly live with those artifacts, and Iā€™m absolutely loving the dwarf and the versatility I have. A friend lent me his softstep 2 and it really ups the possibilities, Iā€™m loving it with the looper and switch utilitiesā€” I need to get some snapshots going because I canā€™t just keep putting in parallel pathways with switches lol

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#151

I mentioned USB a few times. While it could definitely cause a ground loop if you have usb connected - I have not had it connected in any of my tests. I sometimes had a usb WiFi adapter plugged in, but my noise is the same with or without it. I do think there are a few different sources of noise that people are running into.

Good point. Iā€™m not sure I ever laid out the whole setup Iā€™m using. Hereā€™s the minimal setup for me to get noise:

Mod Dwarf (nothing pulgged into the input) ā†’ Left Line Out ā†’ Balancd cable -or- unbalanced cable ā†’ Henriksen Bud Amp -or- Phil Jones Double Four amp -or- Aguilar ToneHammer 500 amp

Both Mod Dwarf -and- whichever amp plugged into the same power strip

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#152

I have temporarily (*1) connected the DuoX to my computer via SPDIF (mini-jack to RCA cable).
With as well as without USB cable connected I have a clear signal, no noise.

(*1)

#153

Got my dwarf last week just had time to really start using it.
I notice a significant background hum when plugging in headphones, studio monitors, or running the mono signal to an amp.
Is this the right thread to talk about it? After reading some of the recent comment I know Iā€™m not alone.

#154

Once again, thank you so much for the help :slight_smile: This will really help us out!

#155

Please share your findings with us.

Do you have the tiny gain or any ā€œvisualā€ plugin on these pedalboards?

#156

So, I had some time to really sit and delve through some things. The noise is at itā€™s worst with no ground bypass plug and plugged into USB. The ground bypass adaptor is the main noise reducer, and unplugging the unit from USB takes it down even more. Itā€™s not completely gone, but itā€™s not really noticeable while playing. I was running it directly into my Presonus board today with well shielded 1/4 cable. As noted earlier in the thread, Iā€™ve tried this on multiple amps, power situations, headphones, all with similar results.

Iā€™ll be trying it again using a DI tomorrow, as I ran out of time today.

I made a walkthrough and early impressions video during that process. I recorded it as a livestream, so there are no cuts, no edits, and a couple of glitches that were recorded. Let me know if this helps, or whether Iā€™m just retreadingā€¦

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#157

Can you elaborate on what you mean here? Are you using something like the Hum X? Or just an AC ground lift without attaching the ground tab (potentially dangerous)?

#159

Iā€™ve never known the technical term, but that second thing you mentioned. Mine is so old the tab isnā€™t there anymore. Itā€™s a quick and dirty way Iā€™ve found to eliminate buzz live from bad power situations (weddings in barn venues especially). Itā€™s not ideal, for sure.

I havenā€™t had a chance to research it, but Iā€™m seriously wondering if a different power brick would help. My Boss RC 300 made a lot more noise with the OEM power supply (more of a hiss than the MODā€™s computer sounds) but got much quieter when I switched to a different one.

#160

Yesterday I experienced a high-frequency noise while testing out the Dwarf in the rehearsal room. Both output jacks and headphone out had a constant high pitched buzz like from an old laptop PSU.
Nothing connected, no plugin loaded.
I did not have this issue when playing with the Dwarf at home. So I suspect the PSU picking up noise from the mainline in the rehearsal room.
I can eliminate ground loops because the same noise was present whether it was through the PA or just the headphones (nothing else connected)

My hope is that a quality PSU will get rid of the noise because otherwise, I cannot use the Dwarf for live shows where you have to expect noisy mainlines.

#161

This is exactly why itā€™s so hard for us to predict if the unit will be noisy in each users setup or not

#162

I tried a PSU from a hard drive enclosure and it cleaned right up. However, that PSU isnā€™t grounded so Iā€™m wary to use it for more than testing.

Itā€™s too bad the milliamp draw of the Dwarf is so high (understandably so) so that we canā€™t just use normal pedal board power supplies.

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