# Noise issue with Tech 21 Character pedal



## tomsy49 (Apr 2, 2015)

So i am running a direct board and just got a Tech 21 Oxford Second hand. Last night I played it plugged in to my Carl Martin rock bug and through headphones. They were the only 2 pedals connected. I played clean through the rock bug and it sounded perfectly fine as it usually does but as soon as I engaged the Oxford there was a ton of noise! Even at lower gain settings there was just a constant hum almost like playing through a high gain amp! It was connected using a one spot daisy chain. Would that be my issue? Or does the tech 21 stuff have a very high noise floor? Any help would be appreciated!


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

Could be power. What the current draw for both pedals? Also could be cables. Power and/ or hookup.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

My Tech 21 British is quiet. Try isolating the two. Run the Tech 21 off a 9v to see if you get the same result. If you do, there might be something wonky with the pedal.


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## tomsy49 (Apr 2, 2015)

Only 120 mA for both pedals.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Interaction and heterodyning between digital pedals sharing the same power source will usually manifest itself in harsh mid and HF noise, not hum. Sounds to me like the issue is something in the internal power-regulation. If it is a digital pedal, there will be something to drop a 9vexternal supply down to 5V. That circuitry may well be the problem.


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## tomsy49 (Apr 2, 2015)

mhammer said:


> Interaction and heterodyning between digital pedals sharing the same power source will usually manifest itself in harsh mid and HF noise, not hum. Sounds to me like the issue is something in the internal power-regulation. If it is a digital pedal, there will be something to drop a 9vexternal supply down to 5V. That circuitry may well be the problem.


I believe both pedals are analog. I will try seperate power supplies though


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

The Tech 21 pedal is definitely analog. I've run a Liverpool for years in the loop of my HD500x with zero noise issues. I use a Dunlop power brick which is not an isolated power supply. 
I have heard some Tech 21 pedals get a bit noisy with One Spot supplies. I'd say your issue is power. Try with a 9v battery in the pedal and see if that cleans up the noise.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Is the patch cable connecting them okay?


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## tomsy49 (Apr 2, 2015)

I will also be testing that. I was thinking since it's okay with the pedal off that the patch cable was okay but maybe it's not either.


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

I have a similar problem with a Joyo pedal modeled after the Tech21 pedals. No problem when the Joyo is operating by battery, so in my case definitely power related.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

3 years ago I tried 1spot and godlyke and both were pure noise, replaced with my old p supply and the noise was gone.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I bought a godlyke a few years ago, and true to its name, it killed everything around it (some kind of voltage runaway I've never seen in a non-switching power supply). But I've heard the 1spot is supposed to be pretty quiet - it was one of their design criteria. I nearly tried one but the sideways orientation of the ac blades made it a no-go with my current wiring. I went back to a decent Roland-type which works great for the 3 or 4 analog pedals it has to supply.

On topic: I have a Tech21 GT2 that is very quiet. But I don't run pedals into it (well, haven't up until now), I usually use it for a lap steel input to the PA or just for a simple noodling setup. But no noise issues at all the way I'm using it.


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## tomsy49 (Apr 2, 2015)

Used a battery and it seems to be better. Still has a hum but more of a hum you would get with any standard pedal at higher gain settings. Hard to know if it's sounding as it should or not.


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## Spinedriver (Mar 19, 2016)

I have the VT Bass DI pedal and it does seem to have a bit of hiss even when plugged into my power brick that has isolated outputs.


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