|
|
#1
05-05-2013, 02:03 AM
|
|||
|
|||
High frequency noise in Zoom A3
Hi everyone!
I,ve just purchased a Zoom A3 and have been trying it at home for some time and I,m very happy with how it sounds. (Not so happy with the menues though...) But yesterday when I should use it in a live situation for the first time, I was quite dissapointed. When plugged in to the existing PA-system in the building there was a high frequency noise present, not loud but clearly noticeable. I tried both the balanced output with an xlr-cable direkt to the mixer and the unbalanced via an di-box, but there were no difference. It ended up with me plying without my new Zoom, to my big dissapointment. Has anyone had any similar experiences? Any advice? Should I return it and go for some outher option perhaps. Thankful for all input. Peter 
|
|
#3
05-06-2013, 08:02 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=281426
|
|
#4
05-07-2013, 11:00 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Maybe it was the place, I had to play at a bar a few weeks ago and it was raining a lot, turned out to be that the place electronics always got messed up with the rain... they said it has something to do with the building been so old and stuff...
__________________
Director of: Curso de guitarra online basico, medio y avanzado Profesor de guitarra
|
|
#5
06-09-2013, 06:21 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Hi again!
Thank you all for your suggestions! I've tried to set the phantom power to off, but the problem still remains. I tried the A3 today through a very quiet PA-system and the noise where still present. Any more ideas? Perhaps best to return it and go for other options? I just don't know what to do, all i know is that it just doesn't work to have it this way!
|
|
#6
06-10-2013, 11:56 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
Try a battery instead of a power supply. Are you daisy chaining other units from one power supply?
|
|
#7
06-12-2013, 02:00 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Hi all!
Thank you very much for you answers! So far I haven’t had any success… Yesterday I had some time alone testing the unit through a pa-system, and no matter what, the noise is still there. I always use a Korg Blackpich tuner together with the A3, and thought perhaps that was the problem, but that was not the case. I tried the A3 alone with ac-adapter, on battery alone, together with the Korg tuner, with and without ac-adapter etc. etc. I tried every possible setup, different cables and so on, but the noise keeps whining. (is that an English word??) As fast as I plug in the guitar using only the Korg tuner, everything is dead silent, so there is no doubt that the A3 is the “bad guy” here. Even though the noise is quite low, it is still to much to make me satisfied. Before I bought this unit I was thinking about getting the Radial PZ pre + reverb, delay and chorus from TC Electronics, Even though that option is way more expensive, it is perhaps a better way to go in the long run. Peter
|
|
#8
06-12-2013, 09:53 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Yep, I'd say you've diagnosed sufficiently and, if were me, I'd be returning it. Yeah, you may have gotten a lemon, but I've have some Zoom products in the past and wasn't so impressed with the electronic builds myself (coming from a 30 year elect tech).
Yes, you could always buy new, but if you set your sights on quality stuff, don't rule out finding the occasional bargain on C'list. I've had to sift through, but have made a few trades and am very pleased with what I've ended up with. All the best in finding your effects!  BradM
__________________
<{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< bradM - SW Ohio - love to pick! <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}><
|
|
#9
10-20-2015, 02:58 PM
|
|||
|
|||
I could find a way to get rid of the noise for the most part:
Testing equipment: Presonus Firestudio Project interface: All tests were made to be able to play quiet and very loud without overdriving either the interface of the A3 itself while keeping optimal hot volume. AKG K-701 studio mixing headphones (open cups) Here are some facts about the A3: - The 5530hz pitch tone is constantly there as long as the blend mix is set to wet, regardless of guitar input model and even if the fx slots are empty or off. This suggests is something related to the digital side of things...either a poor DA converter or some sort of sampling problem...the DRY signal doesn't have this digital noise. If the problem has to do with the converters or processing chip (physically) a firmware upgrade won't help...if the problem is somewhere inside the used algorithms it would be possible to fix it with a firmware and add a notch filter (behind scene and maybe adjustable in the settings) at exactly the right offending frequency. There are two more offending freqs (higher) that could be tamed internally. - Setting the MIC phase to "reverse" seems to kill this high pitched noise (but only if there is no signal coming) - Setting Phantom power ON or OFF made no change. - While body models are on, the high pitched tone is more or less prominent depending on the used model. For instance a LG-2 model has less of it than other models such as the F-55 or the LG-0 - I could get rid of the noise (all of it) by lowering the main out to 1/4 and raising the pickup input to around 1/2 ....but only if I select the LG-2 model. - It helped also to compress within the A3 and also raise the volume from there digitally, rather than using the main out or compressing outside the unit. The actual settings that worked were: Guitar model - Gitane DG-300 gypsy jazz type guitar. Piezo system: Shadow Nanoflex for maccaferri. - Guitar Model in the A3 Input (big wheel) set to "Single Cutaway" - Pickup type set to "Piezo" in the A3 side - Main Out at 1/4 -Pickup Input set at 52 (if we mentally measure from 0 to 100) - MIC input to zero. - EQ high freq untouched all pointing up, in other words "zero gain" (more on the HI will bring the noise, adjusting MID and LOW won't) - FX SLOT 1 - Body model set to LG-2: It gives you a nice tone and has virtually none of the high pitched noise. - FX SLOT 2 - Dynamic 57 MIC model: This really makes a huge difference in how the guitar sounds, it makes the guitar truly sound like it was recorded with a mic. It gives you a nice natural body color. Leave it on the default settings. - FX SLOT 3 - Rack Comp: Settings: Thres:17 Ratio:6 Level:100 Last edited by Sacco; 10-21-2015 at 02:02 PM.
|
|
#10
10-21-2015, 06:51 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
No problems with noise with my A3 and I won't play or record without it.
|
|
#11
10-21-2015, 08:28 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
 At my age I'm only good for about 18000hz on a good day
|
|
#12
10-21-2015, 01:46 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Here's a video I did before I could successfully get rid of the noise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inrw1KfJHrI Sorry about my weird accent, is Spanish and German influenced english :P In the video the noise floor is high cause I cranked things a bit up (not much tho) to be able to hear it easily. (mostly the main out from the A3) Let me know what you think about it.
|
|
#14
10-21-2015, 02:03 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#15
10-22-2015, 10:36 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Mine had a bad high pitch thing going on. I traced it down to the power supply I was using. I had used the same supply that feeds the rest of my pedals and there must be some noise on that supply because the A3 was unusable with it. I went with the cheap wall wart that came with it and the noise was gone. whew!
|
