Annoying Hum in Pedals

[Beguttm]

So I've been messing about with my setup and can't seem to get rid of a really annoying hum in the chain and pedals, even if I'm running them on battery. I've changed cables and all that so it isn't the cables or power supply. It's not really an issue when pushing the gear fully, but when toning it back and creating clean space between sounds it's very inconvenient.

The hum also seems to increase as I get near the pedal or cable physically and generates more on contact. The hum is even worse if touching a contact mic.

I've thought about some kind of noise gate but its just another expense and I've always been worried it's going to kill the noises I actually want. I'm kind of at a loss because this isn't really a normal guitar pedal question haha.
I just really want a decently clean sounding space between the noise. Any help would be much appreciated!

[JLIAT]

I've found that some devices like Kaoss pads can be noisy. (in some of their effects)  And here i'm no expert, obviously keep cables away from power cables, even if battery powered. Also some cables (cheap) appear to be noisy in themselves. I think also some pedal effects may be noisy, as I have two multieffects (mooer & korg pandora) which both have noise reduction sections, which if last in the chain will remove noise - hum. However for recording i've found that goldwave will get rid of  all noise leaving the sound unchanged. (I sometimes push the recorded signal extremely high in volume which will make any inaudible noise audible)

You sample a chunk of just the noise (a hum)  without any other sound and use it in the filter / noise reduction effect. Highlight just a section of just the hum, and copy to the clipboard, now select the whole recording, then go to effects, filter, noise, use clipboard.  

I do this before re sampling at a very high volume. It works very well.

Audacity has similar, but haven't used this.

I've also noticed on ebay some very cheap noise reduction devices for car stereos but haven't tried these. I guess there is inherent noise in systems which when amplified become noticeable.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-and-Home-Stereo-Audio-Noise-Filter-Suppressor/274466630643?hash=item3fe77c6bf3:g:40EAAOSwwFZfP9B3

Passive in-line device.
Eliminate ground loop humming and buzzing noise between an audio source and an amplifier.
When used with car audio, this isolation circuit goes between the head unit and the amp or EQ.

£6.41  

?????

[Beguttm]

I've found that some devices like Kaoss pads can be noisy. (in some of their effects)  And here i'm no expert, obviously keep cables away from power cables, even if battery powered. Also some cables (cheap) appear to be noisy in themselves. I think also some pedal effects may be noisy, as I have two multieffects (mooer & korg pandora) which both have noise reduction sections, which if last in the chain will remove noise - hum. However for recording i've found that goldwave will get rid of  all noise leaving the sound unchanged. (I sometimes push the recorded signal extremely high in volume which will make any inaudible noise audible)

You sample a chunk of just the noise (a hum)  without any other sound and use it in the filter / noise reduction effect. Highlight just a section of just the hum, and copy to the clipboard, now select the whole recording, then go to effects, filter, noise, use clipboard.  

I do this before re sampling at a very high volume. It works very well.

Audacity has similar, but haven't used this.

I've also noticed on ebay some very cheap noise reduction devices for car stereos but haven't tried these. I guess there is inherent noise in systems which when amplified become noticeable.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-and-Home-Stereo-Audio-Noise-Filter-Suppressor/274466630643?hash=item3fe77c6bf3:g:40EAAOSwwFZfP9B3

Passive in-line device.
Eliminate ground loop humming and buzzing noise between an audio source and an amplifier.
When used with car audio, this isolation circuit goes between the head unit and the amp or EQ.

£6.41  

?????

Awesome, I had no idea that audacity could do that, will have to check it out.
I've been looking at hum eliminators like that but have read people having mixed results. I'm thinking of trying the behringer hd400, particularly for live applications where you can't clean up the recordings in the program.
Anyone have experience with this?

[JLIAT]

Awesome, I had no idea that audacity could do that, will have to check it out.
I've been looking at hum eliminators like that but have read people having mixed results. I'm thinking of trying the behringer hd400, particularly for live applications where you can't clean up the recordings in the program.
Anyone have experience with this?

Not sure how well Audacity works - but goldwave is very good. Haven't used a hd400, i notice there is an even cheaper SubZero Hum Destroyer.  The Mooer GE200 i have has a controllable Noise reduction section, three type a Noise Killer, where you can adjust the threshold, intel reducer, again sensitivity is adjustable and Noise gate, with attack release a threshold parameters. All of these can be set or controlled by the pedal. Obviously the Mooer is more expensive, but you get a whole bunch of other effects, and a looper, and usb out as well as stereo.

[Soloman Tump]

I found that the Audacity noise reduction is very effective - sometimes too effective. It can sometimes effect the sounds that you want to record as you sample the hum and filter that out across the entire track without any envelope control as you may get in a DAW. Good though, you just have to be careful using it and maybe get a few different samples to see what effect it has.

[JLIAT]

I found that the Audacity noise reduction is very effective - sometimes too effective. It can sometimes effect the sounds that you want to record as you sample the hum and filter that out across the entire track without any envelope control as you may get in a DAW. Good though, you just have to be careful using it and maybe get a few different samples to see what effect it has.

I've not used Audacity for this but Goldwave, I bought a copy years ago and find it very useful and easy. The batch processing functions etc.
It now costs $69.00 but a free evaluation is available, http://www.goldwave.com/ 

[Theodore]

The best software for this type of work is iZotope RX Advanced. I think it's very expensive but cracked versions -full- are all over the internet. Those i have used worked flawlessly, and virus-free, though dont blame me for what happens with anything you may download. - I have RX 5 Advanced now. - And i see RX 8 is sold for ... $1000 ! Then how do you expect people not turn to piracy ?

[holy ghost]

What sort of power supply are you using and what kind of patch cables?

I had similar issues until I bought a PP2 and some better cables.... I used to use a daisy chain and it would depend on where I was, in my rehearsal space I had terrible him and in my home with totally new wiring I had none.

[THE RITA HN]

Can't recommend the MXR NOISE CLAMP enough.

[WhiteWarlock]

personally have habit of using Waves Z-Noise(learn noise sections) or X-Hum anymore in computer audio editing environments...
grew up using DINR(Digital Intelligent Noise Reduction) waaaaaaaaaaaay back when in SoundDesigner2/ProTools...
as far as hardware if there is some mystery RF interference/noise floor problem slap a Noise Suppressor on it...
Have habit of using Ebtech HumX on noisey bad designed power supply issues Laptops when recording with them.

[WhiteWarlock]

Shit cables can also cause RF interference...
had this problem with piezo mic made...
long ago used too thin gauge cannibalized phone wire or something with 1/4" plug soldered on it...
check your cables & expect it if ever using distortion/fuzz with wah pedal...
wah before the fuzz can sometimes make a self oscillating screeching noise...
depending on the pedals...
produces impedances mismatch...

[JLIAT]

I'm thinking of trying the behringer hd400, particularly for live applications where you can't clean up the recordings in the program.
Anyone have experience with this?

Update. I've just got one from ebay, useless in my setup. The GE200 Noise reduction though works fine in a live setup...

(Mooer make a standalone noise killer £53.00, but its also in the multi effect pedal GE100 £83.00 So considering you get multieffects including a looper IMO it would make sense to go for that, or the 150...)

[nowwon]

A DI box works very well in these cases.

[GenitalStigmata]

The SP-404 (base model, not XS) has a really huge issue with this, for me. I've heard it in other setups too. Just a really loud internal grounding whine that doesn't get any better when paired with other effects. It's actually the reason I've hardly used mine in a few years up until recently trying to figure out all the issues I've been having with it. Might see what's up with using a DI box as I have heard this basically solves the problem.

[WhiteWarlock]

The SP-404 (base model, not XS) has a really huge issue with this, for me. I've heard it in other setups too. Just a really loud internal grounding whine that doesn't get any better when paired with other effects. It's actually the reason I've hardly used mine in a few years up until recently trying to figure out all the issues I've been having with it. Might see what's up with using a DI box as I have heard this basically solves the problem.

Never had noise problems had issues with the superbasic SP202 yet the SP404 was nightmare for me because of various reasons...
Is it the original Power Supply specs?
Thanks for reminder that sp202 needs getting some "Neglected Machines" action.