As a new user I have just been testing my BB (v1.85) with an AER Domino Amp.
I have the Beat Buddy connected via its own power supply to an extension lead on the house ring main.
The amp is connected directly to another socket on the same ring main.
I have a mono instrument cable from BB Left out direct to one of the 4 amp channels.
I can hear a lot of noise in the amp from the connection.
I swap cable to the BB Right output channel and there is less noise. I also notice a significant difference in the volume output from right and left BB outputs with the Right being louder.
I do not get any noise on any other digital pedal I connect so this appears to be something in the BB circuitry.
I also tried taking the headphone output to a DI (Radial Stagebug) which has a ground lift option, but the noise seems worse which I found odd.
So wondered if :
a) Does anyone else notice a volume difference on left and right BB outputs and would this have anything to do with whether wave samples were produced as mono or stereo?
b) Any solutions to eliminate noise?
Hi David. If you haven’t already tried these: 1) reduce the volume on the BeatBuddy pedal; or if using the headphone output jack, adjust the volume using the wheel on the side of the BB pedal; 2) test using another patch cable between the BB and the amp.
David - try rotating the ‘barrel’ of the 9v power connector while in place. I’ve noticed noise at times through our PA and can reduce it doing this. I run BB in stereo through a volume pedal to the mixer and haven’t noticed any difference between the channels. I record every gig in stereo coming off the same EQ’d feed that goes to the house PA and no issues. BTW you can hear some of these posted via our FB page music link (Soundclick) in my signature. Might be something specific to one channel in yours?
I just tested my BB pedal L& R 1/4" outputs thru my guitar amp as well as my powered monitors and could not hear any difference in the volume level between either channel. I experimented by turning the volume and gain up on the guitar amp and then the pedal to see if I could induce any noise. Could not detect any hum or hiss.
You can also test to see if there’s any noise or volume differences thru headphones.
What type of noise are you hearing, hum, hiss or RFI?
If you are unable to find or resolve the source of the noise, contact BB Support at support@mybeatbuddy.com
Im attaching two wav files one for mono out right and one for mono out left both recorded exactly the same way using an iPhone in front of the AER amp. This clearly shows the volume difference between right and left that Im experiencing.
Right Peaks approx -3db Left Peaks approx -26db.
Volumes set at 9’oclock position on BB and Amp (about 25%)
Anyone else seeing this amount of difference on the R/L outputs?
Just to finalise regarding the right / left output level differences. The manufacturer has offered repair / replacement so nothing to do with the underlying sample wav files. So replacement due then retest the power supply noise issues.
Thanks to responders.
For what it’s worth, I had lots of noise coming from output of BB into amp… Changed cables etc, then found that it was caused by having Jamman Solo XT sharing power supply (even though I was using a 3amp supply…) put the BB on a separate supply and now totally noise free…
Dave E
Had this same problem with mine when I first had it and done the same thing to resolve the issue with the power supply. You will also find that you can’t use the Beat Buddy with “Flangers” or anything else that generates it’s own signal involving “Oscillators” such as echo machines or even “Chorus” effects but not “Compressors”. I had to remove a lot of pedals from my pedalboard because they just were not compatible with the Beat Buddy. I had two Boss RC-2 Loopers that were generation high frequencies when used with the Beat Buddy possible due to the Rhythm features in both pedals. It seemed that it had something to do with the common power supplies. Just thought you might like to know.
Sincerely, Fingerstylepicker.
Being new to pedal use and having researched this issue a bit more the noise problem here is probably due to ground loops. If the pedals in the chain share the same power supply then ground loops can be introduced. If they use separate or isolated supplies then the loop tends to be removed. However this doesn’t seem to explain the problem with noise increase when I tested a DI in the chain, as this is meant to transformer isolate the output therefore breaking the loop. Oddly when connecting two pedals in the chain in stereo then using the left in for guitar and the right out to the amp I halved the noise, not sure what the electrical theory is on that one. Will be buying a pedal supply with isolated outputs soon so that should in theory solve the problem on the digital pedals.
Cheers
David
I had noise problems with the BB too the first time I tried sharing a daisy-chained power supply with other digital pedals. To be fair, there were problems with some of the other pedals as well so it’s not just a BB problem. Adding a proper pedalboard supply with isolated outputs solved the problem completely. I went for a Voodoo Lab Mondo supply and that’s happily powering the BB plus an Eventide H9/G70, Line6 M5, EHX M9/C9 and an Infinity looper.
Thanks Mike…I’m holding out for the Strymon Power supplies at present, Two reasons , 1 = Pedal board clearance as I like the Pedaltrain metro and nano boards and 2 = Like the modular approach allowing further supplies to be connected as you expand. Like the idea of using multiple smaller boards. Strymon pedals on one, BB and Infinity Looper on another.
Thanks for that Dave E. Was trying to improve my pedal volume and eq through a pre amp pedal and was getting a lot of noise from my amp or PA even before operating the BB pedal. As soon as I connected the pre amp to a separate power supply total silence, BB pedal sounds clear and can alter volume and eq silently. Great advice.
