relayerxxx Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I got my Standard last week - enjoying it immensely. I also thought I was being clever scoring a cabled power kit from you-know-where in Germany, as they're pretty hard to get hold of in the UK at the moment. The XPS box is supposed to work with the Standard - even the salesman who sold me the guitar said this was the case, though they didn't have one in stock. However, while it does indeed power the Variax, some very unpleasant digital noise appears after a minute or so of use. I've tried switching TRS cables, output cables, different amps - same issue. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relayerxxx Posted December 11, 2015 Author Share Posted December 11, 2015 Right, well it seems to be a problem with the Standard itself. The noise disappears if I jiggle the jack a bit in the output and press the plug firmly in one position. Happens with two different TRS cables so it must be something to do with the output socket. I suppose having power and signal in the same location is asking for trouble, which is one of the reasons I got sick of Roland GK stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_Watt Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 I recommend using the battery instead of the XPS box. It's too easy to have a ground loop and noise. If you have noise with the battery, then you have a problem with your Variax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 ... or a problem with the guitar cable or its TRS plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relayerxxx Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 Yes, all true, but as I said in my original post the noise sounds digital in nature rather than a ground hum. (Sounds a bit like an old dial-up modem going in the background.) Also, I've tried switching all cables, both TRS and the output to the amp. Anyway, the store I bought it from is suggesting I take the guitar in and test it out against another. Of course I know what's going to happen - it'll all work fine in the shop and then crap out again as soon as I get back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Ground lift,... if it sounds like a dial up modem or fax machine squeal, then there a ground lift somewhere, and it's allowing the clock or data stream to demodulate onto the audio line. Now it's a matter of finding out at what point,... guitar? cable? or amp? Take it all to the shop, so they can go thru the entire signal chain, narrow it down and tease it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relayerxxx Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 New Variax. Problem solved. Output jack was indeed to blame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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