Dimarzio Black Angel buzzing noise?

ii Cybershot ii · #1 03-14-2019, 10:25 PM

Hi All,

I bought a Dimarzio Black Angel online, only to immediately notice a buzz/hum upon first play. I would be surprised if it was supposed to sound like this, even my Fishman single-coil magnetic pickup that is 20 years old doesn't have this hum. However perhaps this is a noisy pickup...?

Let me know if you have this pickup and if it has this buzz/hum noise going on with it.

I plan to try a different amplifier and setting tomorrow.

Thank you to those who can help.

Stringmaster · #2 03-14-2019, 10:40 PM

Mine doesn’t buzz when playing through my mixer/pa or Bose S1. What do you have between the pickup and the amp? Maybe try plugging in direct? Did you try flipping the phase switch on the pickup?

ii Cybershot ii · #3 03-14-2019, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

Mine doesn’t buzz when playing through my mixer/pa or Bose S1. What do you have between the pickup and the amp? Maybe try plugging in direct? Did you try flipping the phase switch on the pickup?

It is direct in, as shown in the video. Nothing in between. It's actually worse when I use a preamp. The Black Angel is quite a low output pickup so a preamp of sorts appears to be required. I have an LR Baggs Session DI and a Boss AD-2. The phase switch does not alter the sound.

Nick84 · #4 03-15-2019, 01:51 AM

It sounds like a faulty unit or the cable between the pickup and the endpin. I’ve previously had a angel pickup and it was silent.

Also check it’s not the amp. I had a damaged power supply and it translated the hummin noise through to the amp.

BluesKing777 · #5 03-15-2019, 01:52 AM

Mine has no buzz even when I run through 2 preamps...

My guess, time for it to go back - the plug or the lead or connection is probably faulty. Wiggle the plug in the side of the pickup a bit, but otherwise it needs a doctor.

BluesKing777.

Stringmaster · #6 03-15-2019, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ii Cybershot ii

It is direct in, as shown in the video. Nothing in between. It's actually worse when I use a preamp. The Black Angel is quite a low output pickup so a preamp of sorts appears to be required. I have an LR Baggs Session DI and a Boss AD-2. The phase switch does not alter the sound.

It looked like the cable going from the pickup (small diameter black one) was not the same cable that you plugged into the amp--that's why I asked about something in between i.e. box, adapter, additional cable, etc. My Black Angel has a short cable made for permanent mounting, and a long one that plugs into the amp--it has a straight plug (not a right angle that you are plugging in). Hope you find the cure!

meb · #7 03-16-2019, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ii Cybershot ii

The Black Angel is quite a low output pickup so a preamp of sorts appears to be required. I have an LR Baggs Session DI and a Boss AD-2. The phase switch does not alter the sound.

Is the Black Angel output really that low? I tried to find specs to compare
to others, but no luck. It seemed about the same as a Baggs M1 to
my ear. That being said, I always use a preamp with it..

I agree with Stringmaster, that certainly is not a cable that comes in the
BA package. I have had no problems with any of the 3 of mine.

Michael

Al Acuff · #8 03-16-2019, 08:18 AM

Your Black Angel hums because it doesn't know the words

But seriously I have a Black Angel and it has a healthy output and no self noise. I use it with the long cable that was included with the pickup.

ii Cybershot ii · #9 03-16-2019, 11:59 PM

Thanks for all the help everyone. Due to your comments and my testing, I am 99% sure the pickup is defective. The output is extremely low and the buzzing quite annoying. I've tried multiple amps in multiple locations using different cables, battery powered amps, etc. Same problem everywhere.

To answer the question about the cable, in that video I had the "permanent" install attachment hooked up. So the cable going into the amp was actually a brand new 5' cable I had just bought. It was easier to switch back and forth from the Fishman F1 Analog to the Black Angel with the permanent attachment since I could do it right there at the guitar, rather than having to lean over to the amp. Unplug from little 15" cord, plug into guitar, etc. I didn't switch to the temporary install cable for the video because I didn't think of it. Both cables have the same issue. Phase switch does not effect the buzz either.