Noisy FX loop

[tubby_cosmos]

After running a few tests on my pedals and setup, I've discovered that a lot of the noise that my amp had been generating was from my effects loop. In my original setup, I had a small stone phaser, BF-3 flanger, and Line6 echo park delay in the loop, with the BF-3 and Line 6 powered by a Onespot daisy chain.

Testing each pedal individually in the loop, I found that all three generated a lot of noise, even when independently powered. However, when I move those pedals in front of the ED, the noise is greatly reduced, although still noisier than just putting my guitar directly into the amp. Does anybody have a clue as to why my loop is amplifying the noise so much?

 

[jpdennis]

Have you researched ground loop problems? Some people on this board have talked about hum eliminators, like the Morley units, but I have to purchase a real power conditioner and I have to do it this week. I am looking at the Monster Power Pro 3500. I know there are others but the cost has to be kept down for me.

Dennis

 

[MBJunkie]

I very recently experimented with using some stomp box effects with my ED. The manual clearly states in the "effects loop" section that it is a series loop and is optimized for professional quality rack mount processors, so I began by plugging my guitar into a EMX Memory Toy delay pedal (very basic) and plugged my pedal directly into the amp. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of overall sound that was achieved (including delay) with this setup and with no added noise.

However, normally, I route my delay effects through the effects loop of any amp. So...I decided to patch it up thru the effects loop of the ED (disregarding the note in the manual). I didn't experience any unwanted noise with this setup, but what I mainly got was a volume boost when engaging the delay stomp box. The delay was still audible, but the volume increase was very apparent. While I do desire a volume boost using the ED, I don't want to obtain it from a delay pedal. However, this experiment made me realize that putting a clean boost pedal in the loop may be the ticket with the ED to provide the "solo boost" that is offered on other Mesa amplifiers. In the meantime, I was pleasantly surprised with my delay sound while plugging my guitar into the delay and then directly into the amp input jack.

I don't think the ED effects loop will be very effective using basic stomp box effects (nor was it intended to do this well). The ED has a series effect loop which basically combines the amp's preamp signal with whatever signal is provided in the effects loop (no level adjustment knob available on the amp) and the combined signal goes to the power amp section.

I am surprised with how well the ED takes a delay pedal directly into the amp!

 

[tubby_cosmos]

I don't think the ED effects loop will be very effective using basic stomp box effects (nor was it intended to do this well). The ED has a series effect loop which basically combines the amp's preamp signal with whatever signal is provided in the effects loop (no level adjustment knob available on the amp) and the combined signal goes to the power amp section.

I am surprised with how well the ED takes a delay pedal directly into the amp!

I guess I'll just have to stick with putting pedals in front of the amp for now. Wish I could figure out what the source of the noise is from, but it's probably not from the amp I'm guessing. thanks for your tips - any others are welcome too!

 

[marzzz]

I have also narrowed down a source of noise on my ED to the loop- I am getting a very loud hum. I have a TC Electronic G-Force, and have used it in the loop of an LSC without any problems. With the ED and a very short pair of George L's cables, plugging the G-Force into the loop makes a mildly noticeable hum extremely obtrusive, and the hum doesn't change with both the Volume and Master controls all the way off. If I just plug a short cable into the loop, no hum. I am using the same AC outlets that I used with the LSC. I hear the hum through the speaker. Anyone have any ideas? This is definitely not normal behavior.

 

[SgtThump]

Weird. I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I got my Electra Dyne combo and tried my pedalboard with it. I only run a Boss DD20 delay and MXR 10-band EQ through the loop of my amps and I can say these work perfectly with the Electra Dyne (and my other amps.) Maybe these pedals are just good in loops? Not sure, but I feel for ya.

 

[marzzz]

Well, all I can figure out is that the loop of the ED is different than the loop of the LSC; The same outboard device (a high-quality rack piece running at line levels) induces hum in the ED, where it works flawlessly in the LSC. Sweetwater sent me a replacement ED (!!!) and it did exactly the same thing. A call to Mesa tech support yielded "we don't know why, it works fine with a lot of gear we tried." I tried lifting the ground on the G-Force and it did stop the hum. A quick trip to GC to pick up an Ebtech Hum-X solved the problem. All is good now.....!