Noise question

[Rick6]

Sorry this is not quite on topic -- but there's a lot of expertise here ...

 

I bought a ZT Lunchbox amp (120 watts RMS and about 9 lbs) and a Korg PX5D (a multi FX unit the size of James Bond's cigarette case).

 

The idea is to have a rig that fits in a shoulder bag. The amp has no effects, not even reverb, and one knob for EQ. For my work, I need to add reverb and EQ, and I need a tuner, and the Korg does these things. Less than 10lbs for the rig

 

If it means anything, Joe Giglio gave me the idea -- he's gigging in New York with this rig. I also saw a youtube video of a Reg Schwager gig - with an Lunchbox.

 

But, when I plug the Korg and Lunchbox together, the hiss is quite loud and quite annoying in a quiet room. The LB isn't the quietest amp, but the problem seems to be more in the Korg.

 

Even if I turn off all the effects in the Korg except reverb, it's still noisy.

 

But, if I plug in a good pair of headphones into the Korg (meaning using it as a headphone amp, without the Lunchbox), I don't hear any noise.

 

Why is that? No change in settings. The only difference is what the output jack is connected to.

 

Lest this look like a troll -- the LB is small and loud, but it doesn't sound that great. The phrase "I'm too old and infirm to be finicky about sound quality" has to at least ring a distant bell for you to want this amp. And, the Korg is so noisy that I can't recommend it, although I didn't return mine.

 

To summarize: Why do I hear the noise through the amp and not thru the headphones? And, is there anything I can do about it?

 

Thanks,

 

Rick

[RoadRanger]

I see that the Korg has a combo stereo/mono line out / headphone jack. Do you have the volume on the Korg way down to match the instrument input on the amp? That would make it hiss like a box o' snakes. Also it might hiss less if you don't short out the right output by using a standard "TS" instrument cable, try a "TRS" (stereo/balanced) one or just try inserting the cable you have to the first "click" in the Korg if you don't have a TRS cable to try..

[agedhorse]

Does your amp have a serial effects loop or aux in or some higher level input? The reason why you have excessive noise is that the noise level is exaggerated by the level mismatch between the effects unit and the amp. Turning the effects unit down leaves the residual noise of the line drivers and (possibly) any effects makeup gain to the (attenuated) signal.

[Rick6]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Forgive my ignorance.

 

I understand that I need the level high to mask noise. So, presumably, I should run the Korg with the volume up, unless that adds distortion.

 

The Lunchbox has only one input. It has a Gain and a Volume control. The instructions say to minimize noise by running the Gain as high as possible and then raising the Volume control as needed. This seems to work without the Korg, but not with it.

 

So, I'm assuming that the Korg has a more powerful output to run headphones -- and that signal is too hot for the Lunchbox input. But, my problem isn't distortion, it's hiss. Does that make sense?

 

I'll try running the Korg's output at different levels and also the halfway-in the jack trick.

 

thanks,

 

Rick