• Registered: 2007-06-19
  • Posts: 74

Topic: Output to guitar amp

Hi, I am trying to input my guitar into the FF400 and then to guitar rig and then back to my guitar amp but I'm getting a serious amount of noise (before even launching guitar rig, just using FF Mixer).

Am I missing something? Even when I turn the volume down on the FF400 the noise still comes through. It's a combination of static/hiss and a bit of quiet digital mangled sine-wave like noise. Is this a lo/hi z issue?

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: Output to guitar amp

Try setting the FF output to -10dBv.  The guitar amp is expecting a MUCH lower input signal - so the FF's relatively "hot" output will seem to have a higher noise floor.  A pad or re-amp box (simply a reverse DI that handles +4dBu input levels) might be needed if the -10dBv option doesn't help.

Also - Are you running your amp "Clean" since Guitar Rig will be providing all of your gain/distortion?  Using the FF into a "high-gain" guitar amp stage will amplify any residual noise caused by the level mis-match.

You can also try coming into the amp's "Low Gain" input - or even the Effects Return or Power Amp input patch-point if it has one...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • Registered: 2007-06-19
  • Posts: 74

Re: Output to guitar amp

Oops, no go. I tried from Analog Out 3 to the guitar input on the amp, and also to the Power Amp In on the amp. I had nothing plugged into the RME inputs, so that I should get silence. Instead, I get a weird digitally noise...don't know how to describe it other than it's kind of like an AM radio station starting to go out of range, a little buzz and weirdness. Also when I move any RME controls in the mixes or settings, there is some digital noise that accompanies the mouse moves/clicks. This was with Level set to -10dbv, didnt seem to matter if it was set to -10/4/hi, had the same amount of noise.

Any other ideas? I'm certainly stuck on this one...I can reconcile why the output to my monitors is perfectly silent but I get this weirdness with a guitar amp.

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: Output to guitar amp

Are you using lots of gain on the amp (as in the lead/distortion channel)?  That will increase the noise floor dramatically.

It's probably a combination of Impedance Mismatch, Level mismatch, and lots of gain at the Amplifier's preamp stage...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,599

Re: Output to guitar amp

...and a ground loop....

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2007-06-19
  • Posts: 74

Re: Output to guitar amp

Nope, no gain on input. Set to clean channel, rolling volume up from 0. Ground loop I don't know...but I think its digital noise I'm hearing, because it stutters when the mouse is doing stuff. If there were a ground loop, wouldn't the monitors also have noise?