Noise issue (not Kempers fault)

  • I've tried a few times going the modeler route. I play weekly at a church venue.


    Traditionally I have always used a guitar > pedalboard > small/med amp > SM57 mic > Into a GLD-80 digital mixer


    I mainly use single coil pickup telecasters.


    There are lights on a dimmer but supposedly on a different circuit. I believe they are halogen bulbs.


    I do get a little bit of noise while not playing on a normal basis with my amp setup but it is completely covered up while playing so its a non issue.


    The issue I do have is that with the Kemper or the Amplifire modeler, is I always have a louder buzz that sits behind my notes. Its especially evident on single sustained notes.


    The problem is slightly better with the lights off but its still there. I tried both the XLR to the PA and also the direct out to a JDI direct box. It happens with both.


    The buzz is only there while I play and with the guitar volume off there is no noise. I'm puzzled why I have a bigger noise issue going direct in as opposed to a normal mic'd amp. Its noticeably different and a complete deal breaker until I find a remedy. I have no issues at all at home with the Kemper and its not an issue of the device. The tones sound great through the PA but the buzz is bad. I also tried the ground lift, no change. I do have a humbucker guitar I am going to try but I really prefer to use my telecasters.


    I love the Kemper and really want to use it live!!!

  • I use the input noise gate which works well while not playing.


    I'm not familiar with the other available noise gate yet (new Kemper owner here), but traditionally noise gates don't work until your sustained note falls below the threshold, correct.

  • Have you tried the ground lifts on the back panel? I have noise issues at several different venues and end up using different combinations of ground lifts. I usually can kill all noise or at least get it massively reduced. As long as you don't "lift" all four at the same time, try all combinations of the four lifts.

    Learn to Swim

  • Line frequency is set at 60Hz.


    I'm pretty sure its airborne but its way worse with the Kemper (or other modeling device) than with an amp.


    If you use more gain with the Kemper and/or modelers than you would with your amp, that would explain why there is more noise.


    As you have indicated, the source of the noise is from the room. It seems to me like your options are to shield the guitar (if that is possible with a tele), or get some noiseless pickups for it.

  • Here's a solution that (shockingly) many people don't think of. If it's not your guitar (i.e. another guitar, maybe with humbuckers, produces zero noise), then you should invest in two things:


    1. An Ebtech Hum-X. This filters out any bad electricity from your signal, and, in venues with bad electricity, causes your gear to hum less. It's not drastic, and maybe your church has decent, well-grounded power and it won't serve you well there, but my church meets at a 100-year-old theater - the electricity is horrible. I tried plugging in without one of these one day and it was just a wall of hum and noise. Using that made everything much more pristine.
    2. A good power conditioner. Furman's are nice, and more or less the name everyone knows, but there's other great ones out there too. This will keep your power constant, and perform *some* ground filtering as well.


    I was using a POD X3 Live and a half dozen pedals, and it was noisy. I picked up a Hum-X, and it got a heck of a lot better. Getting a power conditioner made everything pristine. My pedals actually sound better now because they're making less noise, and my Kemper sounds much better too.

    Guitars: Parker Fly Mojo Flame, Ibanez RG7620 7-string, Legator Ninja 8-string, Fender Strat & Tele, Breedlove Pro C25
    Pedalboard: Templeboards Trio 43, Mission VM-1, Morley Bad Horsie, RJM Mini Effect Gizmo, 6 Degrees FX Sally Drive, Foxpedals The City, Addrock Ol' Yeller, RJM MMGT/22, Mission RJM EP-1, Strymon Timeline + BigSky
    Stack: Furman PL-Plus C, Kemper Rack

  • First thing is testing a Humbucker. In our rehearsal room we changted the lights but still have
    humming but only with my Strat and only if i use one Single Coil. If i use 2 Single Coils parallel,
    i have totally silence.
    I my case i have to by noiseless pickups if i want to use one Single Coil alone.

  • Its on clean low gain profiles.


    It could be a combination I'm thinking of the power and the airborne issue.


    Going to try out my quiet humbucker guitar tonight and see what happens.


    I have shielded the guitar already so the only option would be noiseless if that is the issue.

  • So after further testing. Both single coils and my super quiet humbuckers have the same problem.


    When the halogen lights are off it makes a significant difference but it's still there. I'm thinking those are on the same circuit as the kemper.


    I'm thinking that my amps are less prone to the issue because of the power transformer.


    I'm wondering if a power conditioner would solve it.

  • In order to check if it is the Kemper or not i would compare under following cirumstances:
    - Same Guitar
    - Same cables
    - same room
    - same power socket
    And check the different outputs of the Kemper (balanced unbalanced and SPDIF) and earphone.
    And try turning all FX and Stomps off

  • I'm reasonably certain I have the same problem at my house as I did not experience it in the two gigs I played since acquiring the amp. I don't have a solution yet so will be following this thread and will share if I come across one.

  • Must be pretty bad if the humbucker is doing it also. I have next to no noise with the LP Standard at home but as soon as I plug in the Strat it's like an antenna with noise. I can aim that thing in different directions and get more or less noise. This is more apparent on the Strat with more gain in the profile. Was the noise at least less apparent with the humbucker?