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In my small home studio I decided to try using my POD 2.0 as my guitar effects unit. The problem is, I have been getting a lot of noise in my signal. I decided to check out using some balanced 1/4" cables, because it says in the manual that the outputs are in fact balanced, and will get rid of unwanted noise.

But this doesn't make sense, because the manual also says that my 1/4" input IS NOT balanced. So how will this work? If I can't use a balanced input, then noise could possibly get into my input signal. How is it going to reduce the noise if it is already part of the signal going in? Can it differentiate between my guitar signal and the noise that is interfering if my input isn't balanced? I guess it's only so that there won't be any noise between the POD and the mixer

Can someone enlighten me?

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anonymous Tue, 03/21/2006 - 14:56

Why would you need a balance input for guitar effects??, let's say from you're guitar, I know so far that most of the guitars have a mono output unless you customize to a balance output that will give you two options in you're pickups sw, just run a 1/4" unbalance from the guitar to the POD and 1/4" balance to two unbalance from you're POD to the mixer stereo inputs and if this is still making noise then you probably have a some grounding problems in you're studio outlets or in the guitar, there could be more problems that I am unaware at the moment, hope it helps, good luck. :)

Zoro.

RemyRAD Tue, 03/21/2006 - 23:32

You are getting a lot of noise in your guitar amplifier because your POD accepts a low level guitar unbalanced input the outputs a stereo line level output that actually exceeds the guitar amplifiers input level specifications. It is not a guitar effects device per se but a recording preamplifier with line level outputs, so it is not really design to be plugged into your guitar amplifier. It is designed to be plugged into a line level input into a mixer, designed for recording purposes. You can use it for a guitar effects device only if you can PAD the output level of the POD, before it gets to your the car amplifier input. You do not need to utilize the PODs balanced output capabilities to go into a guitar amplifier. It's handy to go into a quality recording console that accepts balanced line inputs. The only kind of noise that balanced circuits generally eliminate is HUM and buzz, not mismatched level HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Unless perhaps you have mistakenly set the POD for a snake effect???

I don't bite. I just HISSSSSSSSSS
MSSSSSSSSSSS Remy Ann David

anonymous Wed, 03/22/2006 - 13:15

I think I've been a little misunderstood, except for the guy above me:

I don't get any noise at all when I use my POD with my guitar amp. However, I'm using it as an effects processor for my studio right now with my POD going straight into the mixer (M-Audio Firewire 410).

When I monitor my guitar signal, I hear low level static unless I turn the volume down quite a bit. With the volume down I lose a lot of the edge and body to my guitar sound, and with the volume up I get all of my wanted effects with a noticeable static mesh.

I guess I have to focus on getting a zero noise signal INTO the POD because if it's balanced on the way out I don't have to worry about it getting noisy on that end.

anonymous Tue, 03/28/2006 - 16:01

guitar? crt?

single-coil pickups will cause noise
crt monitors will cause noise (especially with pickups noted above!)
hi-gain amp models & treble/presence will cause noise

when using unbalanced cables (guitar/instrument cable) you will probably not notice any difference from using balanced cables if the cable length is under 20 ft.

to reduce noise in your situation:

1. use humbuckers
2. use an LCD, or turn away from the monitor when recording
3. turn down the gain and/or treble/presence on the POD
4. use balanced connections whenever possible

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