Trying to reamp for first time, getting a hum

[MetalWorks]

I am trying to Reamp for the first time and when I send the guitar signal to my head it is getting an electrical hum sound.

Kinda sounds like plugging in your guitar cable to a head and then touching your finger on the tip of the 1/4" jack.

When I start playing the guitar sound I don't hear the hum. Haven't tryed it quiet enough to see if the hum is still there while the guitar is playing but I cant hear the hum when its loud unless there is a pause in the riff. I don't hear the hum on the recorded track but I

Here is my connection:

Played through a POD Pro and routed the Unprocessed guitar out into a Grace Design Model 101 Preamp direct input. Then from the grace into an Nuendo/RME 96K 8 I/O AD/DA Converter.

Recorded Clean, no noise on the track.

For play back, I have the DAW routing the track through a 1/4" output of my Nuendo/RME 96K AD/DA converter to my Peavey XXX input using a standard 15 foor guitar/instrament cable.

I know that simply connecting the AD/DA converter to the head is causing the hum because before I even had the output playing it was already producing noise just being plugged in.

Should I be doing this setup differently?

I dont think its the cable because I never have problems with it for anything else.

Thanks!

 

[sparkyness]

You have a Ground loop.

This is why Reamp boxes like the X-amp, ProRMP, Red Eye, etc have a group lift to fix these probs. You can buy adapters to do the same from electronics stores.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

You have a Ground loop.

This is why Reamp boxes like the X-amp, ProRMP, Red Eye, etc have a group lift to fix these probs. You can buy adapters to do the same from electronics stores.

Even so, that might not necessarily eliminate the hum. Clean power may be an issue too. Try different outlets and/or a power conditioner.

 

[Mutant]

I am trying to Reamp for the first time and when I send the guitar signal to my head it is getting an electrical hum sound.

Do you hear the hum as soon as you connect the cable without even sending any sound from your computer or only when playing back the dry track ?

 

[Mutant]

I know that simply connecting the AD/DA converter to the head is causing the hum because before I even had the output playing it was already producing noise just being plugged in.

Missed that !

Ground loop problem.
Listen to what Sparkyness said.

 

[MetalWorks]

Missed that !

Ground loop problem.
Listen to what Sparkyness said.

I'll check into that ground issue.

Thanks!

 

[hsinn3r]

I'll check into that ground issue.

Thanks!

if you have a di-box laying around, just signal through that, and use the ground lift switch, as sparkyness said..

 

[James Murphy]

sounds to me like you're also connecting a lowZ output to a highZ input. this is why you need a Reamp box. this is not necessarily why you are getting the hum, but it certainly why your efforts aren't likely to sound very good... and may possibly damage some equipment.

 

[MetalWorks]

sounds to me like you're also connecting a lowZ output to a highZ input. this is why you need a Reamp box. this is not necessarily why you are getting the hum, but it certainly why your efforts aren't likely to sound very good... and may possibly damage some equipment.

I actually have a Behringer DI100 Ultra DI Active Direct Box laying around that I havent opened yet.

It has a ground lift on it. Think this might solve my hum and impedance problem?

 

[James Murphy]

I actually have a Behringer DI100 Ultra DI Active Direct Box laying around that I havent opened yet.

It has a ground lift on it. Think this might solve my hum and impedance problem?

D.I.'s accept hi-Z input signals and convert them to lo-Z, which is presented at the unit's output. Reamp boxes do the opposite.... they accept lo-Z at their inputs and convert them to hi-Z for routing back to a hi-Z input, such as a guitar amp.

 

[MetalWorks]

D.I.'s accept hi-Z input signals and convert them to lo-Z, which is presented at the unit's output. Reamp boxes do the opposite.... they accept lo-Z at their inputs and convert them to hi-Z for routing back to a hi-Z input, such as a guitar amp.

Thanks James.

I think I have a pretty clear picture of what I am facing now.

Looks like I will check out the Radial stuff.

Is it worth the extra cash to go for the X-Amp at $179 vs the Pro RMP at $99?

 

[everybody's x]

you can run a PASSIVE DI backwards and it will work. but you need to try to get the shortest run possible from the output(input) to the guitar head, that will help you out along with the ground lift

now whether the behringer mucks up your sound that's another issue

 

[James Murphy]

yeah, i wouldn't go with reversing the DI. just get a reamp. as much as i love Radial's stuff i seriously recommend that you go with the Cunibertti reamp.

www.reamp.com

 

[MetalWorks]

yeah, i wouldn't go with reversing the DI. just get a reamp. as much as i love Radial's stuff i seriously recommend that you go with the Cunibertti reamp.

www.reamp.com

Pulled this info off of the Reamp website:

Question - Some people say I can use a passive direct box in reverse for reamping. Is this true?
Answer - – No. This would not work because of the large level differences between a microphone level signal and a line level signal. On the direct box the instrument input is designed for instrument level signals (-20dbm) and the microphone out is designed to give a microphone level signal (-60dbm typical) using a direct box in reverse would put a +4dbm signal into a –60dbm output and would cause extreme signal distortion before you even plugged into the amp.
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Thanks for the recommedations!

 

[everybody's x]

Pulled this info off of the Reamp website:

Question - Some people say I can use a passive direct box in reverse for reamping. Is this true?
Answer - – No. This would not work because of the large level differences between a microphone level signal and a line level signal. On the direct box the instrument input is designed for instrument level signals (-20dbm) and the microphone out is designed to give a microphone level signal (-60dbm typical) using a direct box in reverse would put a +4dbm signal into a –60dbm output and would cause extreme signal distortion before you even plugged into the amp.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the recommedations!

SOMEBODY TELL GEORGE MARTIN!

 

[James Murphy]

SOMEBODY TELL GEORGE MARTIN!

OK, I WILL!




seriously MW, just get the reamp.

 

[MetalWorks]

OK, I WILL!




seriously MW, just get the reamp.

OK, I WILL!

 

[hsinn3r]

dude at least try it... as far as i can understand you could use any PASSIVE di for reamping... well the reamp box will do a better job than any behringer, but try it, should be fun and educational
i think i'll get the cuniberti thingy myself

 

[James Murphy]

dude at least try it... as far as i can understand you could use any PASSIVE di for reamping...

are you serious? jeeez. i started reamping over 10 years ago... bought my first Reamp off John Cuniberti himself, right off his doorstep, when he was still operating out of his house in California... i tried to do this (reamping) several different ways, including with a DI box, before i took the step of spending over $200 for an extra piece of gear. Trust me, get a reamp box... either a Radial model or a Cuniberti... but honestly man, have you not read the whole thread? it's not worth trying, ok? good grief.



Edit: ok it IS worth trying if you are trying to get a crap sound.

 

[R-Stuur]

I'm currently collecting parts to building one The problem is, I've gotten a design that's built for Americans so I have problems finding the right parts