TriAxis 4CM and noise

[malhavok]

I tried out my Mesa Boogie TriAxis with 4CM and get an awful noise. We've gone through about twenty different troubleshooting ideas on the facebook group and haven't found a winner yet.

 

Three solutions I was not yet able to try due to lack of availability:

• Isolated coupler
• Hum buster cable
• ISP Decimator

 

Anyway, the TriAxis is a beast and sounds great regardless of the hum. I don't think I'll be taking it to any gigs like this, though.

 

[rvroberts]

One thing you didn't do in your test was patch (using the same leads) from your preamp into your power amp - as in taking the Helix out of the equation all together.

[malhavok]

Good observation. I have done that outside the video. Without Helix in the equation, the noise is still there but at traditional "this is a high gain amp humming" kind of levels. In other words, not nearly as loud in comparison to the actual guitar signal. Thanks for the suggestion anyway!

[hefonthefjords]

It's a ground loop.
Put an isolation transformer in one of the lines between the triaxis and the helix and it will fix it.

[TheDaveDaveDave]

Yep, sounds like a ground loop to me as well. I'm running a Lava Power Tube snake in 4cm configuration to the Triaxis and a 20/20 power amp, and I'm not getting anywhere near as much noise.

 

I'd recommend an Ebtech Hum Eliminator for an isolation transformer. - Its a great tool to have around, as you never know when you'll run into a ground loop problem, and it can cure it immediately - just unplug and replug connections until you break the loop, thereby identifying the culprit, and patch the tranny in there.

 

On a side not, sadly, my Triaxis goes on the fritz when it heats up, and I've got to send it to Petaluma for repairs. :(

[willjrock]

Are my eyes deceiving me or are you parameter lights scrolling? I have 2 triaxis, and have seen quite a few others, and have never seen or even heard of them doing that. The first one i bought in 96' the other around 2005.

 

Do you have a UPS or drum machine sitting in close proximity that could be interfering? Ive been down this road before a time or two. Sounds unlikely i know, but its quite possible.

[malhavok]

They are scrolling on all TriAxis, but at a rate too fast for the human eye. My camera framerate is at almost the same clock speed so it catching them "one cycle off" on each update. They don't look like that in the room. It's the same idea as fluorescent lights turning on/off 60 times a second but you can't see it until they start going bad and slowing down (or you film them at a very close framerate). It's also why all computer screens and televisions in movies have to be digitally replaced because you'd see them scrolling vertically, otherwise.

[malhavok]

Thanks for all the excellent suggestions. I will explore getting a device to check the ground loop. I found another article where it is suggested TriAxis has some caps that can dry out over time and cause extra hum/fizz like this. Considering this TriAxis is nearly 30 years old, I'm seriously considering the possibility!

[blenn72]

I'm having the exact same issues with my Orange Rockerverb III and Brunetti Mercury.

 

It's definitely the Helix (did not do the with my Fractal AX8 which I sold, stupidly).

 

 

[flash]

I guarantee it's the USB cable going to your PC from the Helix. Lift the ground, or break off the ground pin on a spare power supply cord and power up your PC ( or Mac.) Reconnect the USB cable. You'll notice it was a ground loop buzz coming from the PC's power supply across the PC's entire ground buss into the Helix.  Verified in my Helix experience with my Mac.