Possessed pedalboard? Swish noise coming from amp.

[PFX]

Hi all guys!
A friend o'mine called me hoping for a fix to a noise problem. A quick thing I thought.... I was wrong!

The thing looks like this:
- Everything works perfect if guitar is plugged directly into the amp
- As soon as you put at least one pedal, a noise like a heavy swish comes from the amp at high volume. This happens with all the of his pedals (photos) and according to Mario only since 3 weeks circa.

He came to me with this problem and so far I've done the following:
- tried 4 different amps, same results on everyone but the lowest wattage one. I think the noise is still there but not enough amplificated to be audible.
- tried 3 different PSU, Fueltank, fueltank junior, truetone onespot pro,
- tried different patch cables, guitar cables
- tried every pedal of his own, and checked for any DC leakage on the output
- tried on different power outlets, with a stabilizer and even in a different building
- next thing: hooking an oscilloscope at the amp output

Despite all of this, as soon as you turns the volume around 6-7 on an amp with more of 5W the swish noise(he calls it 'the monster') becomes audible and also all the pedals start to pop.

I've tried everything and I'm running out of options!
Any hint?

thanks guys!

[stallik]

if I read this right, it's happening with any single pedal in the chain or do you mean all connected but only one switched on?
If it's only a single pedal in the chain and it happens with any pedal, have you checked the output lead which goes from the pedal into the amp?
If all pedals are connected, disconnect them all and audition each one

Oh, and welcome btw

[PFX]

if I read this right, it's happening with any single pedal in the chain or do you mean all connected but only one switched on?
If it's only a single pedal in the chain and it happens with any pedal, have you checked the output lead which goes from the pedal into the amp?
If all pedals are connected, disconnect them all and audition each one

Oh, and welcome btw

It's doing it with all the pedal in the chains. Even if you connect only one random pedal, or two, or all of them doesnt change it, as soon as you turn the volume up the noise is there!
Changed all cables and patch!

[deadastronaut]

4 different amps, and even a different building....then there is an issue with one or maybe 2  of the pedals.

try them one at a time as suggested by kevin...

note: i have a looper at the end of my chain,

which likes its 'own psu' if i dont use that solitary psu, then i get a similar reaction-- hissy..

i suspect its down to the milliamps demand.

[PFX]

4 different amps, and even a different building....then there is an issue with one or maybe 2  of the pedals.

try them one at a time as suggested by kevin...

note: i have a looper at the end of my chain,

which likes its 'own psu' if i dont use that solitary psu, then i get a similar reaction-- hissy..

i suspect its down to the milliamps demand.

thanks for the reply!

I've spent a whole afternoon trying each pedal on his own, and while they are good on a 5w amp, the noise is still there on anything with more power.
I've tried each one with different PSU and with just one pedal hooked.

We need a shaman here xD

[deadastronaut]

have you tried a pedal with a battery?..to see if theres any noticable difference?.

[DIY Bass]

What are you hooking all the power into?  Are you using the same power board each time?

[stallik]

The OP states that he's used 3 different psu's. This has to be something global that not been spotted
Have different guitars been tried?

[Kipper4]

Are we certain it's not the amp. DC on the input?
Localised lighting?
Heating system?
Gremlins?

[stallik]

Different amps have been tried Rich. I've ordered an extra large bag of popcorn for this one

[PFX]

thanks all for the answers

What are you hooking all the power into?  Are you using the same power board each time?

yeah different power board, different house mate!

The OP states that he's used 3 different psu's. This has to be something global that not been spotted
Have different guitars been tried?

Yeah, my guitar plus 2 of his own!

Are we certain it's not the amp. DC on the input?
Localised lighting?
Heating system?
Gremlins?

I thought of some DC leakage from a pedal but apart for an old one I've measured zero. However I still asked him to buy a DC filter from Lehle but didnt worked.
I don't remember if I've measured DC at amp's input. The odds that all of them have some DC on the input is not great but still worth a try at this point!
Gremlins is still the best option!

[Laguna]

one thing i didn't see answered: are you having the same problem with the pedals turned off? are those pedals true bypass? some? all? none?

so, a couple of things i think that COULD be (of course, i'm guessing at this point ):
1) Too much cable when you connect the pedals. I doubt it's this, but it's simple to test, try putting a buffer (for example, a BOSS pedal turned off, is usually buffering, most of them (BOSS) are not true bypass)

2) If you're using pedals vs guitar directly, you're using different cables, the extra cable you're using *may* be faulty and causing some trouble.

3) You said you went to another house, but if the problem is with the power supply, it wouldn't matter. I'd try with a new duracell 9v just from the box to see if that causes anything

4) I'm not an expert here, but if the pedal you're trying is buffered, it'll have a very low resistance/impedance (different than from the guitar) and may change the way the amp responds. This would be in any case a fault within the amp of course.

Sorry if you didn't like any of my suggestions, just trying to help here

[ElectricDruid]

If what I've read is correct, there are these variables:

1) guitar
2) a/some/many pedals
3) power supply for the pedals
4) mains power
5) amp

The noise has got to be coming from one of those elements. But you've said that you've tried different combinations of all of them and haven't got rid of the noise. If it's the same noise, there must be an element in common in each situation that the noise occurs.

So if you've changed all the parts and still have the noise, what makes you sure it's the same noise?

I ask because I've sometimes been caught out trying to debug a problem only to *much* later discover that actually it's two problems, which suddenly explains all the inexplicable results I had whilst debugging.

Finally, you titled this thread "possessed *pedalboard*". Are you testing all this stuff on some kind of pedalboard, and just changing the power supply that supplies the pedal wiring and rewiring a few pedals on the board? Or are these tests done simply guitar->pedal with power supply X->amp?

[pinkjimiphoton]

i see an awful lot of time domain stuff in there, so i am gonna postulate that the problem is cumulative clock whine heterodyning into the audible region.

now that i said a bunch of words i don't think i really understand, i'm joining stallik with the popcorn.

that said, i can hear swishy noises coming from some pedals i use on my board too <the one with the leds that stay on after power down> and its definitely the clocks in say, the cloned theory. but not to the degree of being unuseable,and only when its on.

too many kemzars, i tell ya!!

[PFX]

Thanks all again!

one thing i didn't see answered: are you having the same problem with the pedals turned off? are those pedals true bypass? some? all? none?

so, a couple of things i think that COULD be (of course, i'm guessing at this point ):
1) Too much cable when you connect the pedals. I doubt it's this, but it's simple to test, try putting a buffer (for example, a BOSS pedal turned off, is usually buffering, most of them (BOSS) are not true bypass)

2) If you're using pedals vs guitar directly, you're using different cables, the extra cable you're using *may* be faulty and causing some trouble.

3) You said you went to another house, but if the problem is with the power supply, it wouldn't matter. I'd try with a new duracell 9v just from the box to see if that causes anything

4) I'm not an expert here, but if the pedal you're trying is buffered, it'll have a very low resistance/impedance (different than from the guitar) and may change the way the amp responds. This would be in any case a fault within the amp of course.

Sorry if you didn't like any of my suggestions, just trying to help here

Most of the pedals are true bypass. I keep a BOSS TU in front after the guitar sometimes when testing them. The noise comes up when the pedal is engaged, they are quiet when bypassed. Oddly the TU is not affected by the gremlins, is the only one.

In the next days I'm gonna build a pedal of my own and asking my friend to play it just to see if a brand new pedal behaves in the same way.

Tried with a battery, same story!

If what I've read is correct, there are these variables:

1) guitar
2) a/some/many pedals
3) power supply for the pedals
4) mains power
5) amp

The noise has got to be coming from one of those elements. But you've said that you've tried different combinations of all of them and haven't got rid of the noise. If it's the same noise, there must be an element in common in each situation that the noise occurs.

So if you've changed all the parts and still have the noise, what makes you sure it's the same noise?

I ask because I've sometimes been caught out trying to debug a problem only to *much* later discover that actually it's two problems, which suddenly explains all the inexplicable results I had whilst debugging.

Finally, you titled this thread "possessed *pedalboard*". Are you testing all this stuff on some kind of pedalboard, and just changing the power supply that supplies the pedal wiring and rewiring a few pedals on the board? Or are these tests done simply guitar->pedal with power supply X->amp?

Most of these tests have been done guitar-> 1 pedal at a time at the power supply -> amp.
The only thing in common so far is my friend, maybe he emits some kind of EMF!

i see an awful lot of time domain stuff in there, so i am gonna postulate that the problem is cumulative clock whine heterodyning into the audible region.

now that i said a bunch of words i don't think i really understand, i'm joining stallik with the popcorn.

that said, i can hear swishy noises coming from some pedals i use on my board too <the one with the leds that stay on after power down> and its definitely the clocks in say, the cloned theory. but not to the degree of being unuseable,and only when its on.

too many kemzars, i tell ya!!

Well, there was a clock whine yes, but I've removed the 2 pedals that generated it, the Pareidolia and the Ghost Echo, they are going to repair service for clock bleed.
But even with a simple OD the noise is still there and it is exactly the same with every pedal!

[intripped]

The only thing in common so far is my friend, maybe he emits some kind of EMF!

smartphone or other wi-fi devices close to guitar pick-ups? or leaning on the amplifier?

[ElectricDruid]

You could try working from the idea that the first thing you think of is usually the right one. In which case, you're going to need a priest, several crucifixes, and several gallons of holy water...

[robthequiet]

Box it up and give it a name, man. How many guys can claim they've discovered an incomprehensibly cool new effect?

[PRR]

> trying to debug a problem only to *much* later discover that actually it's two problems

My parents' place. At random times, the pipes would bang. With a squeak.

They got the landlord's staff to look, he replaced the toilet valve.

The banging reduced and no squeak. But still random bangs.

A few days later the staffer came out of the apartment upstairs, with another empty toilet valve box.

No more bangs.

TWO toilet valves gone nuts at the same time.

(FWIW, I have NEVER heard a FlushMaster make a bang like that.)

[PFX]

To keep you updated:

my friend is going to a studio room with the best available electrical system and wiring.

I'll tell you if the moster shows up there too!

I accept bet too!