Zoom G3 models and gain pedals:noise

[dman72]

So I finally got a chance to turn the amp up a bit and see if I really can drop one of my dirt boxes from the board along with the extra delay and bypass pedal already gone.

There are definitely some usable tones between the amp models and dist pedals once you start lowering the absurd amount of gain, but there is a problem: high pitched background noise.

My chain last night was this: guitar, modified OD3, fulltone OCD, g3, ibanez DE7, mesa lonestar. Everything powered by a godlyke powerall.

My normal chain for the last 5 years or so has been the same except replace the G3 with a g2 run through a Keeley true bypass looper.

I never used the gain settings on the G2..but I used pretty much everything else and found it pretty flawless. The only noise I ever encountered was when in tuner mode-bypass, there was some audible noise that corresponded to the flashing of the LED..nothing major though.

After running through the gain settings at a moderate volume, I realized there there is a omnipresent high pitched noise going on in any gain setting short of very low, even with the guitar volume off. In comparison, my 2 anaolg gain pedals with gain dimed created some roar in the background at about the same volume as the "tangerine" model at about 40% gain..except the roar from the pedals was of a relatively harmless variety while as that form the G3 had a particularly offensive high pitched character. When scrolling through high gain models and pedals, noise was really bad. When pushing the front of an amp model with my OCD, again bad noise.

This is very dissapointing and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue. It's a not a complete deal breaker as I was really looking to upgrade the g2 to something more easily bypassed with on/off individual pedal functions. (for years I considered the g7 but too big). The G3 fits that bill but this noise thing on the gain pedals makes it less of a home run than I initially thought.

I tried all the different output settings, tried changing the passive/active switch...nothing. I wondered if the DE7 was going bonkers..disconnected it..same issue. Thinking back I kind of remember something similar with G2 gain effects..but I again I never used them.

I'm still a big fan of Zoom's delay, mod, trem, and vibe effects, but if someone is looking for a stand alone unit that covers gain as well, I couldn't recommend this thing based on my findings.

[fly135]

It's my experience that the amp models in the G3 are noisy with pedals. I had a pedal board with the last device being the G3 using amp models into a mixer, but the noise issue caused me to abandon that approach.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by fly135

It's my experience that the amp models in the G3 are noisy with pedals. I had a pedal board with the last device being the G3 using amp models into a mixer, but the noise issue caused me to abandon that approach.

Could the issue be having it running on the godlyke? Next thing I'll try is using the included adaptor.

Ah, my hopes of ditching the pedalboard and just putting 3 pedals in my bag..dashed.

[fly135]

I use the included supply

[lspaulsp]

I was going to do this with my M-13 using the G for amps. I'm glad I didn't rip everything off my board yet. I can still give it a try.

[lspaulsp]

Mine turned up noisy today, thanks guys. Found out my active P/U button was pushed.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by lspaulsp

Mine turned up noisy today, thanks guys. Found out my active P/U button was pushed.

In my experience the in/out of that button had no effect on the noise.

[Godspeed64]

Most likely cause you are daisy-chaining it

[lspaulsp]

It was hooked to nothing but my computer and the mixer. Put it in PASSIVE all noise stopped. I'd say it was because I pushed the button. It's a root cause thing. I used to do trouble shooting. I wish "all" those little buttons on the back were a software issue. They get in the way.

[fly135]

So which way is it set now that causes less noise?

[yurka723]

I ran a setup very close to that, but without the godlyke PS, I never had any kind of noise problems.

[Radioman62]

Yes, there are pretty much noice when using the ampmodels f.e.

A cranked real Marshall amplifier is f.ex. also noisy but I think the modelled ones in Zooms G3 and G5 is worse.

It has nothing to do with the Powersupply. In my case it also doesn't matter if I use passive or active impedance as input.
You sometimes have to use the noisegate pedal.

[harm.on.x]

It's because it's daisy chained. I run mine out of a Pedal Power type of power supply and it's noise free. I tried to daisy chain it with another couple of pedals and it was noisy.

[Radioman62]

It's somewhat noisy on it's own as well.

[lspaulsp]

I ran mine with my pedal board and M-13 both, dead quiet. Just used the "G" for amps.