*solved* Strange noise after note when reamping through SPDIF.

  • I´ve just noticed something, and it baffles me. There is a real noticable noise when reamping through SPDIF. Please listen to the attached link.


    Now, there is no such noise when playing. There is no noise when listening to the DI (it actually sounds clean like a whistle), but when reamping it sounds like this. Any ideas what might cause this?
    The profile is an Evil Robot profile from TAF. Its there with other profiles too, but it varies with regards to how much noise there is. Noise gate is at zero. No effects is on. There is graphic EQ in the X spot with low and high cut active.


    Any ideas?



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  • I know spdif is the bee's knees when it works, but I had enough trouble with it to forget it, and just re-amp analog. Yeah, there's a little noise floor issue, but it works and sounds great, and is simple.


    Sorry, I know this doesn't really answer your question. But it might be worth consideration if you continue to have trouble.


    I think most of my problems stem from the fact that my (RME) interface has Toslink connectors instead of coax, so I have to run converters.

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Er, I should probably have been more specific. It’s not the noise floor, or background noise. It’s that shiiiiosh-sound that comes when the guitar stops. Sounds like a noise gate kicking in while a vinyl effect stops. It last for a second, then it’s gone. It makes no sense... ?(


    I run RME UCX. Perhaps it’s time to try to reamp analoge and see if that helps.

  • The alleged ‘noise’ is less than you’d have mic’ing a tube amp.

    It was pretty easy to manage, and sounded just fine in a mix of course. That's good to know about it being less than micing a tube amp. That's a good point to keep it in perspective.


    Thanks!

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Nope, sorry dahla.


    Sounds like there's a gate involved somehow. You say the gate is "at zero" - have you tried deleting / removing it completely?


    Is it possible there's a gate being applied after the reamped signal leaves the Kemper, like in your DAW on the "reamp-recieve" track or in its mixer channel?

  • Hm, I dunno. I have no noise gate in the slots. The global noise gate (the one with it’s own knob on the front) is at zero.


    No noise gates on Cubases channels either...

  • You know, I'm gonna pay that one, AJ.


    Thought the same thing, but that a gate was clamping down on those noises. In the absence of a gate, which dahla seems 100% sure about, there remains only the "mechanical" sound as an explanation unless something "weird's" going on in the Kemper.


    Dahla, could you try playing that same few seconds in the DI track with the volume heavily-boosted in Cubase to see if you can hear anything going on? I know you said it's clean-as-a-whistle, but AJ and my gut tell me that you might well have missed this low-level "activity", which would obviously be exaggerated when reamping "dirty".


    Alternatively, you could chop the track short immediately following the last note and reamp that to see if that works.


    This would not explain why the outputs I asked about in my previous post don't sound "wrong", if indeed they don't, but you only say that S/PDIF sounds wrong and don't mention the other outputs.

  • So, this is baffling...


    Here is the original DI with serious volume boost. To the point of distorting:


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    It´s there in the DI. Very low, but it´s there. So, I tried a different guitar.


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    Hm, same thing. So I tried a different guitar cable:


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    Oh no... That made it worse I think. So Kemper? Or something else? I plug directly into the front of the UCX...


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    Hm... Do I hear something at the end there? I think so...


    I need to try a different interface. Sigh...

  • And here is the pure signal from the Kemper. Stack is OFF, and the signal is running analog to the UCX.


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    There is definitely something going on, but I don't think it´s the Kemper...

  • @dahla, that sounds like a bad connection somewhere. It is more noticeable with the first few clips than the pure signal from the Kemper, but it's there too. Some kind of interference perhaps. It doesn't seem like a Kemper issue. One way you could test this is by sending a DI downloaded off the net through the Kemper.


    After that, just do some basic trouble shooting one element in your signal chain at a time to figure out where that noise is coming from.

  • I can only go by a crappy mono speaker that's low in level, but yeah, the Kemper signal's the only one that's "smooth" or consistent after the slide.


    EDIT:
    Nightlight's post only showed up after I finished typing, but I wholeheartedly concur with his assessment and troubleshooting suggestions.

  • I just tried the Kemper through a Roland Quad-Capture. No weird artifacts... The Roland works on bus power, so that get rid of a lot of cable spaghetti right there. Just USB cable and a cable from the Kemper. So it´s probably an interface-issue. I have to pull the desk out and troubleshoot the UCX... :)