Speedskater
Major Contributor
It's a balanced XLR interconnect system not just a cable.
balanced output stage >> interconnect cable >> balanced input stage.
balanced output stage >> interconnect cable >> balanced input stage.
Might be the time to stop here (to not blast the DC-driven whateveritwas again )So why ask about it in your first post ?
No I didn't blow anything up, I never do anything without learning the ins and outs of somethingMight be the time to stop here (to not blast the DC-driven whateveritwas again )
Those will not generally break a ground loop.
That blast item was not directed to You personally but me (Moderators will know).No I didn't blow anything up, I never do anything without learning the ins and outs of something
OK - we are talking about XLR being used for balanced line level analogue interconnect between audio reproduction gear. What is the interface between EQ pedal and audio interface? Because this is far outside the topic of conversation regarding ground loops in audio reproduction gear.I connected the guitar to a EQ pedal with a jack, then I connected EQ pedal with xlr cable to the interface. It got much worse. Maybe a jack-xlr cable would work.
System is guitar-eq pedal - interfaceOK - we are talking about XLR being used for balanced line level analogue interconnect between audio reproduction gear. What is the interface between EQ pedal and audio interface? Because this is far outside the topic of conversation regarding ground loops in audio reproduction gear.
Not necessarily a "ground loop problem" but guitars are a special problem. They are high-impedance unbalanced which makes them prone to noise-pickup. Plus, the pickup is a coil intended to pickup electromagnetic signals and it's just as good at picking up electromagnetic noise. As I'm sure you know, buzz and hum are common. Any amplification or compression will boost the noise.I connected the guitar to a EQ pedal with a jack,
? !!!!! ?!? ? ! Or, to be brief, yes, you are wrong on all counts. There can be an argument for running very low level high gain preamps such as MC preamps on batteries, but that IMHO is just to avoid the effort of designing a good PSU - or perhaps for prototyping. AC power is used for distribution and rarely used directly, it is converted to DC. And we have 100 years ++ experience of how to do so very well.My hypothesis (I don't know if you know better or if it has already been proven) is the sound quality better with DC power than with AC power? Because DC does not need ground as much as AC. I want to run the system with only DC power.
I want to run my system completely DC power is it wrong?
Yah, well, I am a retired EE, not that it matters.I talked to a retired electrical engineer, he said that he connected an online UPS to the system for the noise problem coming from the speaker and it worked.
I don't know if the noise was due to ground loop or if there was another reason.
so I thought maybe that was one of the reasons why studios used it
Absolutely, which is why there are cupboards full of DI boxes etc. A good installation can cope with the occasional SE device, but it leads to unpredictability. If a band is rich and has weeks in the studio, or build their own studio, it's up to them what they do. But for a lot of recordings, time is tight and the whole thing needs de-rigging, then rigging every couple of days. So, chasing down the device causing the problem is musician time and producer time wasted.You'd be surprised how many synthesizers and FX devices don't have balanced in/outputs. Infact, the majority doesn't.
Exactly. Go into a studio for a session and you'll find DI boxes scattered all over the floor for the guitars and sometimes keyboards to plug in to so they can avoid wasting valuable (and expensive) time debugging a ground loop.Absolutely, which is why there are cupboards full of DI boxes etc. A good installation can cope with the occasional SE device, but it leads to unpredictability. If a band is rich and has weeks in the studio, or build their own studio, it's up to them what they do. But for a lot of recordings, time is tight and the whole thing needs de-rigging, then rigging every couple of days. So, chasing down the device causing the problem is musician time and producer time wasted.
Ok I completely understand it. Thank you all. Great forum! Oh my godYah, well, I am a retired EE, not that it matters.
Studios use them (UPS) for the same reason I do at home and we had many of them (including a huge building-level backup), to protect the equipment during brief outages, keep things running to prevent data loss, and provide time for orderly shutdown if needed.
Putting anything in the power line, UPS, power conditioner, or just an extension cord, changes the ground impedance so it may help -- or hurt.
Not necessarily a "ground loop problem" but guitars are a special problem. They are high-impedance unbalanced which makes them prone to noise-pickup. Plus, the pickup is a coil intended to pickup electromagnetic signals and it's just as good at picking up electromagnetic noise. As I'm sure you know, buzz and hum are common. Any amplification or compression will boost the noise.
Most pedals are battery powered and active. The fact that they are active means that the pedal output usually has much lower impedance so from that point on your signal chain is more noise-resistant.
A common solution to guitar buzz/hum is a noise gate. A noise gate kills the audio completely when the volume drops below a threshold. Ideally, it kicks-in when there is no signal and only noise. But in the real world it will cut-off the last bit of your sustain. Usually nobody will notice if you are mixing the guitar with the whole band. There are noise gate pedals but it's often a plug-in the DAW.
Most of the single-line replies you've received have been 100% unhelpful. I'm afraid this is often a feature of this particular forum.My hypothesis (I don't know if you know better or if it has already been proven) is the sound quality better with DC power than with AC power? Because DC does not need ground as much as AC. I want to run the system with only DC power.
I want to run my system completely DC power is it wrong?
ground lift di box was of little use, it would have been better if it wasn'tPlease can edit your first post. Please add a paragraph explaining that your focus is reducing noise in your electric guitar, pedals and interface set-up. I assumed (and I suspect others did as well) that you were talking about domestic HiFi.
You would have received direct and helpful advice much sooner if you had been clearer!
Have you considered experimenting with a DI box?
DC voltage can easily be converted to a lower regulated Voltage.DC cannot easily be changed from one voltage to another and the battery voltage will vary quite a bit between fully-charged and in need of recharge. Good AC power supplies will maintain a steady DC output over a very wide variation in AC supply.