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HX Effects - extremely noises fx loop


Riki1
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Got the HX Effects today.

used the templates and also did a few of my own 4 cable method presets.

 

wow the loop is super noisy, thought I was doing something wrong and spent about 3 hours swapping cables, changing how I set up the preset and still very noisy.

The only way I could get rid of the noise was to add a Noise Gate at the end so it went away when I wasn’t strumming , but is still there when I did strum.

 

The other way was to reduce the FX LOOP mix from 100% to 40% but that defeats the point of the effects loop really.

 

i have it set up with Overdrive-Sinple EQ - FX LOOP Block - Delay - Reverb and that’s it.

 

I have sent an email to return it but wandering if there’s something I could try before sending it back.

I installed firmware 2.70 to the HX Effects and it didn’t change it but noticed my Reverb was wetter.

I also started getting a high pitched noise behind my delay at times to !

 

It seems like a great product if this noise would disappear and would simplify things for me as I have too many pedals and the idea of this was to replace them all ... not a good start .. any help would be appreciated 

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Try this test

 

1) Start with a fresh empty patch

2) In block #1 (left upper switch), add a loop block. Keep the default settings. Nothing should be plugged into the loop sen/return.

3) In block #2 (middle upper switch), add a Teemah distortion block. Keep it's default settings.

 

Turning the loop block on should not add any noise. 

If turning the loop on generates a lot of white noise (unusable levels) you most likely have a faulty unit and should contact Line 6.

 

 

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8 hours ago, soundog said:

Try this test

 

1) Start with a fresh empty patch

2) In block #1 (left upper switch), add a loop block. Keep the default settings. Nothing should be plugged into the loop sen/return.

3) In block #2 (middle upper switch), add a Teemah distortion block. Keep it's default settings.

 

Turning the loop block on should not add any noise. 

If turning the loop on generates a lot of white noise (unusable levels) you most likely have a faulty unit and should contact Line 6.

 

 

 

That's the test.... I'm glad somebody else posted it :) 

 

Every single HX Effects (newer serial number and older serial numbers) I have tested in my local store exhibited a 10db - 12db increase in white noise with this test... which is unacceptable in my opinion. The Helix LT they had in the store did NOT do this.... 

 

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Well I've got the Helix floor, and I have a couple of distortion boxes that I recently started to use, just occasionally. If I leave the pedals on, the hiss is present whether the FX loop is bypassed or not... that's the part that puzzles me. If the loop and trails are turned off, I don't get why I'd hear anything at all... I'd think that turning it off would be the same as removing it from the chain altogether, but apparently that's not the case. Regardless, in my case the noise itself is definitely coming from the pedal(s), because if they're turned off, the hiss disappears even with the loop active. Overall it is a bit puzzling... but I find the mix parameter workaround is usable. For patches that use the external drive pedals, I set the FX loop's mix parameter to zero for any snapshots that aren't using the pedal, that way I can leave the pedal on, and still silence the hiss so it doesn't mess with cleaner tones. Not ideal, but usable.

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Did the test and yes when turning on the fx loop block before the Teemah! It makes loads of noise . Very hissy and very unusable , especially as I mic my amp, that would sound like a passenger plane through our P.A !!

 

Im returning it which is a shame because everything (price,footprint,ease of use,quility delays)was great but this white noise is ridiculous.

 

Turned my normal setup on through the loop (Boss DD-500,El Capistan ,Flint) and it’s silent.

 

Going to try Source Audio Hub and pedals instead.

 

a side problem to was the hum I got if I plugged the HX Effects power adapter into the 4 gang extension I was using. Made everything sound like ****

 

Also the USB cable in the box was a dud

 

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5 minutes ago, Riki1 said:

Did the test and yes when turning on the fx loop block before the Teemah! It makes loads of noise . Very hissy and very unusable , especially as I mic my amp, that would sound like a passenger plane through our P.A !!

 

Im returning it which is a shame because everything (price,footprint,ease of use,quility delays)was great but this white noise is ridiculous.

 

Turned my normal setup on through the loop (Boss DD-500,El Capistan ,Flint) and it’s silent.

 

Going to try Source Audio Hub and pedals instead.

 

a side problem to was the hum I got if I plugged the HX Effects power adapter into the 4 gang extension I was using. Made everything sound like ****

 

Also the USB cable in the box was a dud

 

 

I would open up a support ticket. Line 6 will send you a screened replacement that will be silent. The FX Loops on mine (which I got directly from Line 6) are completely silent (within reason). I say within reason, because if you put an FX Loop block before a block that adds gain, you are increasing the noise floor of the signal chain. Basically, going the FX Loop's converters increases the noise floor slightly. This isn't necessarily unexpected. This happens on the Helix as well. But it shouldn't be noisy to the point of being unusable. I have the Decibel 11 Loop Expander in one of my loops, and I run multiple ODs in front of the FX Loop block in many presets. It's definitely not 12dB's of noise added.

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.... yeah, sounds like you got a dud, but as Phil_M sez, you might want to reconsider and get is swapped out. It really is a great pedal. Re: the power problem, sometimes that happens when using power bricks and certain pedals, I've run into the same problem with various pedals over the years, and sometimes ended up having to use the stock power supply to fix it.

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I was using the supplied power brick.

i read somewhere that the HX Effects draws a lot of power , far more than the 500ma I have on my isolated power.

 

not sure what to do. I think I’ll return for a refund then buy from a different online shop with 30 day money back and if it’s another dud or this is just how they all are then I’ll send that back and just go down the pedals route or try these Soirce Aidio pedals and hub for scenes 

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By the way do they all come with that power supply? It comes with 3 adapter that click on to the two prongs?

felt a bit like it isn’t road worthy and I’d need a backup or something better, what do you use with the HX Effects?

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4 hours ago, Riki1 said:

I think I’ll return for a refund then buy from a different online shop with 30 day money back and if it’s another dud or this is just how they all are...

 

Where are you located? If in the US, open a support ticket, return the unit to L6 and they'll send you a screened/good unit.

 

If you are not in the US (like me) it's much more convoluted... my back and forth between L6 and my store/supplier for months had good intentions but got me nowhere with the problem. I ended up swapping it out and upgrading to a Helix LT. 

 

4 hours ago, Riki1 said:

By the way do they all come with that power supply? It comes with 3 adapter that click on to the two prongs?

 

Adapters? Again, where are you located?

My HX Effects power supply looked like the picture below.... 9vDC, 3amp. Very clunky, but I never worried about it's durability. 

 

 

 

hx-effects-ps.jpg

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3 hours ago, Merlin5150 said:

Ok, I just did this test and I do have white noise after turning on the fx loop.  is this an acceptable level?

 

 

 

Is there anything in the effects loop. or is that just empty?

If that's empty, I think it's a huge increase in the noise floor.... 

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12 hours ago, soundog said:

looks like send/return 1 is plugged into something?

yeah, its just the 4CM setup, i unplugged it and did the same test, there was no change in noise.  so, would this be considred faulty? its just I'm not sure whats normal.

 

Thanks everyone!

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Yeah, that's a faulty unit. There should be no (or barely audible) change in noise when you turn the loop on. Refer to @codamedi's comment about returning the unit. Looks like you're in the U.S., so I'd open up a support ticket asap.

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  • 1 month later...
On 10/25/2018 at 12:09 AM, soundog said:

Try this test

 

1) Start with a fresh empty patch

2) In block #1 (left upper switch), add a loop block. Keep the default settings. Nothing should be plugged into the loop sen/return.

3) In block #2 (middle upper switch), add a Teemah distortion block. Keep it's default settings.

 

Turning the loop block on should not add any noise. 

If turning the loop on generates a lot of white noise (unusable levels) you most likely have a faulty unit and should contact Line 6.

 

 

Ok so I have a question on this test. You dont want the cables plugged into the loop sen/return? if there are no cables in I don't have the issue. If they are the hiss is there.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a quick note on this, I just figured out that having TRAILS set to ON for an FX loop causes it to always include whatever hiss or noise that pedal might have.

For instance, I have a Tube Screamer pedal in a loop, but was getting hiss whether the loop was on or not... then I realized I had TRAILS on... turn it off... hiss is gone.

Since the pedal noise is only there when I'm actually playing through the Tube Screamer, it's not a problem.

(I ran your test and my unit  appears to work fine... increased his with pedals plugged in, but none with pedals unplugged)

Cheers

-Russell

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