|
|
#16
03-11-2016, 01:47 PM
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
__________________
Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass 
|
|
#17
03-11-2016, 02:19 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
mute switch
@Petty1818 - Exaclty, you put it very well. My Pz Pre has the same characteristic for the mute switch - manipulating eq controls can still be heard in the speakers even with the mute switch activated.
What is more, I have just discovered a few minutes ago that when I use my JamMan looper in the effects loop, loop playback... continues in my acoustic amp speaker even after pressing the mute on the Radial preamp. Hmmm... That's an unpleasant surprise.
|
|
#18
03-11-2016, 03:13 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#19
03-11-2016, 10:29 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I know you have to be frustrated with this, but it's got my "electron curiosity level" buzzing (Yeah, I know...lame joke).
MikeB was accurate on checking for a ground issue. What I'll ask is this...is it a typical "hiss" or is it more like a fairly high frequency "buzz" with a little more harshness underlying? Reason I ask is, and leading to my next question... If it's the latter, is this mounted on a pedal board? And, IF so...is it close to or above any power supply for the board? What I'm getting at is - If so, meaning on a board or close to a power supply, switching power supplies (like the ISO 5 and others) can induce noise. Their switching noise is induced into any pedal that's close and includes a transformer. If the pre has an XLR (and it does...and if worth it's salt) then it has a matching transformer inside it and subject to coupling noise. If that circumstance is so....move the pre around in the air and see if it subsides in another area. You may find the solution that way! Cheers and much success! BradM
__________________
<{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< bradM - SW Ohio - love to pick! <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}><
|
|
#20
03-13-2016, 07:15 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
First off, all three add a bit of hiss to my amp. I can hear it by plugging/unplugging the cable to the amp and listening to what the DI's are adding. I would have guessed that DI's like this would be almost dead quiet but for the most part, the hiss is very, very low. The surprising part was that the PZ Deluxe had the highest noise floor by quite a bit. It's was quite noticeable actually. I have always heard how Radial units are transparent and extremely quiet so it was a bit disappointing. Turning up the volume increased the noise a bit but it seemed to be pretty consistent. The mute switch does not mute the output signal as changing the eq or volume knobs add to the hiss depending on how they are set. I do think that the Radial does have a hot signal though. When I use it live with my headway equipped Octave mandolin, it always seems to clip, even with the volume below half. The spectrum and Platinum were actually very quiet. In order to get comparable hiss to the Radial PZ Deluxe, I had to pretty much crank the volume on both. I am not sure if the Radial just has such a hot output that the hiss is higher or if the unit is just a bit noisier in general.
|
|
#21
03-14-2016, 04:18 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
@myersbw - thanks for the suggestion. I tried it but it doesn't help. There's no difference in hiss level whether I keep the Radial on the pedalboard in relative proximity to my CIOKS power supply (about 30 cm away), or remove it from the pedalboard and move it very far away from CIOKS.
I tried manipulating all controls on the Radial. The hiss gets intensified when I move the treble eq control clockwise, but also e.g. when I switch on the notch filter and when I rotate the mid eq. Turning the volume ("level") knob doesn't have any negative or positive impact on hiss level. All in all, I'm dissapointed with this aspect of my Pz Pre. I wish I could return it but it's too late now (I should have played it through my church PA immediately after I bought it, when there was still time to return it). I will try to have it repaired or replaced but don't hold my hopes very high.
|
|
#22
03-14-2016, 05:26 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#23
03-15-2016, 11:25 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I noticed that with my PZ Deluxe a few weeks back. I was using my TC Helicon Play Acoustic direct into a powered Mackie SRM350 for practicing at home. Sounded great. Then I unplugged the TC to compare with the Radial. I figured the Radial would be much quieter, considering how it is just good ol' straight ahead analog (and also being made by Radial), compared to all that is happening under the hood of the TC. To my surprise, the Radial was accompanied by a lot more white noise! I hadn't really been aware of it before.
So, after reading this thread, I figured I'd check it out again. And once again, the TC did add a touch of white noise - very little. But the Radial added quite a bit in comparison (Note: I did forget to press the little side button to see if that made a difference). Then I plugged in my trusty PADI. Quietest of the bunch. But of course, it was also running off of a 9v as opposed to a wall wart. Interesting. I really hadn't been using the Radial in a while anyways, at least not since I got the TC Play Acoustic. But it is still a very nice pedal/DI of course.
__________________
Acoustic guitars: Larrivee L-10 (with Fishman Aura Pro preamp system) Guild JF30 (with Fishman Matrix Infinity) Takamine Santa Fe Simon and Patrick Songsmith Parlor Simon and Patrick Showcase rosewood (with LR Baggs Anthem SL) Ovation Celebrity Limited Edition CP2001
|
|
#24
03-15-2016, 12:04 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#25
03-15-2016, 01:05 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
For sure my PZ Pre has a hot output, I normally keep the thing between 9 and 11 o'clock on the gain dials. I never bother with the piezo boost switch, but when plugging in a guitar with no preamp, I've had to go to 1-2 o'clock on the gain.
__________________
Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass
|
|
#26
03-15-2016, 01:26 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
On my PZ-Pre, the channel volume for my passive mag pickup is about 1:00 with the PZ switch engaged. Level is good and strong, but far from too hot. With my active systems (on board outputs at around 2:00), get a signal matched with level of the passive pickup channel with the volume around 10:00 and the PZ switch disengaged.
I've never noticed any excess hiss/noise--although maybe my tolerance for that is just lower than it is for some. After all, the usual level background noise I get from my various systems once the gain structure is properly set up is very, very far below the ambient noise level at even my quietest gigs. It's simply inaudible. I might pay some attention to it if I were recording in a studio, but live, who cares? Louis
|
|
#27
03-16-2016, 01:51 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I've got a PZ-Pre and like it so much I also just purchased PZ-Deluxe. Both are very, very quiet. But after reading this thread I paid closer attention. Indeed they do both add just a teeny, tiny extra bit of hiss. But it is so small I literally have to put my ear right next to my speaker cover and strain my ear to hear it. If your unit is unacceptable perhaps you should contact Radial and see if they can recommend something, repair or replace it. They are guaranteed for 3 years.
__________________
"To walk in the wonder, to live in the song" "The moment between the silence and the song"
|
|
#28
03-16-2016, 09:03 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Ok, so try this...take a 1/4-1/4 cable to the input of the pre...don't use a source and short the plug with wire....how's the hiss level? Ideally, you'd just use a plug with the wires from signal to ground shorted.
If the hiss is gone...suspect your pickup/cable setup with the guitar. If not, I really would suspect the pre and send it back.
__________________
<{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< bradM - SW Ohio - love to pick! <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}>< <{()}><
|
|
#29
03-19-2016, 04:39 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Troubleshooting PZ-Pre noise problems.
I own a PZ-Pre that is about 1 year old. The unit performed flawlessly until 12/31/15 when I noted an excessively noisy output at the Post-EQ XLR DI Output and the 1/4" Instrument Output.
The noise included hiss, snap, crackle, pop, and general static well above the instrument signal. The noise was also present with no instrument signal. The unit had a strong, clean instrument signal from the Pre-EQ DI XLR Output and the 1/4" Tuner Output. The Mute and Boost switches had no effect on the noise. After looking at the User Guide, http://www.tonebone.com/manual-pzpre.pdf the block diagrams for the Input, Filter, EQ, and Output sections (Pages 4, 6, and 8) show that the noise was isolated to the section downstream of the Pre-EQ output, and most likely in the Filter and EQ section. In a discussion with Radial Engineering Tech Support it was decided that a component had probably "gone noisy" and the unit would need to be repaired under warranty. The repair was done and Radial Engineering reported that an IC had been replaced and that the unit tested good at the factory. I actually used the unit for two gigs in February, but only using the Pre-EQ output. Myself and the venue sound engineers noted no problems. It wasn't until after those two gigs that I tested out the Post-EQ output, and unfortunately the same symptoms were present. I'm currently waiting to find out if Radial Engineering will be doing a second repair. If you are experiencing noise with the PZ-Pre, the User Guide diagrams may help you isolate the problem.
|
|
#30
03-19-2016, 10:00 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
On the PZ-Pre, the mute switch isolates the input signals upstream of the Filter and EQ section of the preamp. Your tuner output will still be active. The Filter and EQ section, including the FX Loop, will not be isolated by the mute switch, so the looper will still be seen at the output section at both the Pre-EQ DI XLR and the 1/4" Instrument Output. This is also why you can hear changes in the EQ controls at the output if things are getting noisy in the EQ section. I tested this operation to compare with the User Guide block diagrams. Check page 4 of the guide (not the PDF page number) under Input Section: http://www.tonebone.com/manual-pzpre.pdf Hope this helps.
|
