HX Stomp - loud buzzing noise

[limjwoo92]

Hi all!

 

Seems like out of nowhere, my HX Stomp started to produce a very loud buzzing noise (came to my attention when I turned on my drive pedal and the buzzing was very loud, louder than normal). I usually play through a Fender Elite Thinline Telecaster and understand there will always be some noise with drive pedals but it's definitely much louder than it was even compared to a week ago. I took out my stomp from my pedalboard and played through it by itself and the buzz is still there (even in an empty preset, there is still buzz). I feel like I've tried everything to fix this issue but still have not been able to find a solution so I wanted to ask the community to see if there is anything I could've missed or see if anyone has experienced this same issue before! Here's a list of background details, and everything I've tried and thought of so far:

 

- pedalboard - tuner > protein drive > tumnus deluxe > HX stomp input (mono) > volume pedal (from HX stomp send) > timeline > big sky (going back into return) > HX stomp (all powered with strymon zuma)

- HX stomp is updated to 3.0.1, HX edit updated to 3.0

- Moved into a new apartment recently. Was built in 2018 and don't remember the buzz being this loud when I first moved in.

- Messed around with the built-in input noise gate and I had to drop it down to around -45db to get rid of the buzz, but noticed that my pick attack sounds very mushy so I prefer not to keep it like that.

- Tried different guitars (single coil and humbucker guitar, still loud buzz with both guitars)

- Tested each pedal, patch cables, and pedal power cables with my ac15 amp. Tried a different instrument cable as well. No issues with any of them.

- Tried different outlets in the apartment - same loud buzzing

- Tried a different building as well - loud buzzing still there

- Tested stomp individually with the line 6 power adapter - loud buzzing still there

- The only thing that reduced the buzzing was when my HX stomp was plugged into my macbook via USB and only when my macbook charger was plugged in as well...

 

I feel like I've exhausted all my options and I don't know what else to do now. I would appreciate any help/advice I could get!

 

Thanks!

[tourswag]

finding a buzz...universal truths:

 

 

a LOW hum usually indicates a ground loop- a BUZZ usually indicates a bad shield- allowing elecromagnetic field ( EMF)  into the signal path

 

plug straight into the amp, if you can affect the buzz with the volume/tone controls on the guitar there is an EMF, you can turn your body/guitar on axix to find the quietest position- 90º from the loudest

( a Pal has this issue when the downstairs neighbor uses the dimmer in their dining room lamp).

Light dimmers are a frequent cause of EMF/RF

 

if that is not the issue-

 

then add 1 device at a time, some pedals may pick up EM, or a patch cable with a bad shield- power supplies close? they can generate a field ESPECIALLY switching transformers- the 100 to 240 volt type-

I've had a devil of  time with an old Ross Comp which picked up radio stations- in the end I built a farraday cage around it out of copper sheeting ( from a roof project) to shield from radio waves/EMF

 

it's a matter of being methodical and understanding that adding gain to he guitar will add gain to any noise - signal to noise ratio - this ratio shoul dbe a constant

 

if you use solderless cables, check the ends