Do you use a noise gate? At what setting?

[eudaimonia02912]

It seems like my Mark V has more hum than my Peavey XXX did, though I haven't compared them side by side. (I sold the XXX today, so I can't check.) I use an ISP Decimator in front of the amp, and I find I'm running it near -40 dB. I can keep it quite a bit lower than that, but then on channel 3, when the gain is up, it doesn't mute as quickly as I'd like when play staccato notes. (It takes a bit before the gate turns on.)

I'm curious--if you have use a gate, at what setting do you use it? (I'd especially like to know if you're using a Decimator, too.)

My pedals are all powered by a Voodoo Labs Pedal Plus 2, and everything is connected to a power conditioner, so I don't think it's a power issue. It's not awful, either. But I just wonder if I have more noise than I should.

I suppose it's worth mentioning that I tend to keep the gain at 3:00 and the treble at 2:00, so that makes a difference.

 

[kingdomheights777]

Hey man, I just purchased the Isp Decimator last week and I run it in the loop and it works flawlessly. The best investment i have ever made, but you need to run it in the loop bro, not the front of the amp. I have it set between -30 and -20 db.
My rig is DEAD quiet

 

[eudaimonia02912]

Thanks. I might try it in the loop, though you're running yours at a higher setting than I am. I used to use it in the loop of my XXX, but I found that it had less affect on tone right in front of the amp.

My main reason for not using it in the loop, though, is that I keep chorus, delay, and reverb always on in the loop, and then switch the loop on for leads and off for rhythm.

Really, my rig is quiet enough with the decimator. I'm just somewhat surprised that it's noisier than the XXX, since it's a better made amp. (I think i set the pedal at -50 dB when I used it with the XXX.)

 

[ifailedshapes]

I have no experience with Peavy amps, but I have a lot of experience with the Mark series. Any high gain channel will hiss (it's the nature of the beast) and Marks have tons of gain on tap. I don't think it has to do with build quality at all in this circumstance.

 

[Jacko123]

I own a Mark V too. I have a ISP Decimator sitting at the Post Office right now ... hopefully I'll be able to pick it up this afternoon.

From what I've read, and it makes sense, you should put your gate after the distortion you're using. If you're using a distortion pedal with a clean channel, you should put the gate after the pedal. If you you use an amp's gain channel, you should run it in the loop as it runs after the pre-amp where the gain is created.

I'm looking forward to trying the ISP. Maybe I'll report my findings once I tried it today.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Is the Decimator one of the better Gates? I need one and am not particular about the brand. I play Metallica to Dire Straits, use the volume pedal for note/chord swells. Will a gate screw with that? Chop the note swell off once it gets low?

 

[MusicManJP6]

Is the Decimator one of the better Gates? I need one and am not particular about the brand. I play Metallica to Dire Straits, use the volume pedal for note/chord swells. Will a gate screw with that? Chop the note swell off once it gets low?

A gate before the volume pedal won't mess anything up when you do your swells.

I'm surprised you guys even need a gate with your V. Mine is very quiet.

 

[kingdomheights777]

Is the Decimator one of the better Gates?

I personally feel its one of the best gates I have ever tried! Its 99.9% transparent , well worth the money spent.

 

[Heritage Softail]

CH 3 in MKIV mode, with the gain cranked, it is a bit noisy, compared to the other channels. I think it is a tube going, it will be replaced Monday night with a TS anyway.

The single coil in my Ibanez 540 (1991) has a bit of hum noise, strat original pups make a little racket in the sack too. I like the vintage tones but may need to do some research to upgrade the pups to a less noise version. The gate will be more to compensate for the guitar noise, not the amp.

You play a PRS? Would imagine it is quiet at idle. No PRS here yet. In time....

 

[kingdomheights777]

CH 3 in MKIV mode, with the gain cranked, it is a bit noisy, compared to the other channels. I think it is a tube going, it will be replaced Monday night with a TS anyway.

The single coil in my Ibanez 540 (1991) has a bit of hum noise, strat original pups make a little racket in the sack too. I like the vintage tones but may need to do some research to upgrade the pups to a less noise version. The gate will be more to compensate for the guitar noise, not the amp.

You play a PRS? Would imagine it is quiet at idle. No PRS here yet. In time....

If your wanting to knock out noise on single coils while in channel 3, get the
ISP Decimator G-String. You run your guitar into it to kill the noise from noisy pickups, and then plug it into the effects loop to kill your amp noise. Its about 100 bucks more though.

 

[smd24fan]

I've had a Boss NS-2, an MXR, and now have the ISP as well. It is, by far, the best pedal noise gate out there IMO. I do use mine in front of the amp with great results, but will definitely try it in the loop after reading the comments here.

 

[Mark V]

I have a boss ns-2 that I use in front of it (in it's loop there is a MAxon OD-808 and a wah).
And it does filter out plenty of noise.

However, channel III Mark V mode is noisy as hell!! I mean the noise is REALLY loud!
Could it be a bad tube... would be weird, because the amp is like a month old.

 

[shogun]

i can crank the gain on ch3 without needing a noise gate.. how high do you guys have the channel master?? i barely get any noise, or feedback, even at gig volumes

 

[Heritage Softail]

The noise kept getting worse in CH3 MKiV, I did a tube change out and it went away.