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NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

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  • NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

    Hi guys,

    so I bought the Silencer from Electro Harmonix and it does the gating great. Some metal dudes say it doesn't close fast enough or it "swallows" the first attack. I don't know... I found my setting pretty fast:

    Release: 7 o'clock (fully counterclockwise)
    Threshold: 2 o'clock
    Reduction: 2 o'clock

    As a result, I've deleted ISP Decimator II and Fortin Zuul from my wishlist for good. Why bother?

    The only thing that bothers me is this.

    The Silencer makes some cracking noises when I hook it up to my amp via the 4 cable method, i.e.

    1. Guitar -> Silencer INPUT
    2. Silencer SEND -> Amp Input
    3. Amp Send -> Silencer RETURN
    4. Silencer OUTPUT -> Amp Return

    To eliminate other causes, I did the following:
    A. Run some effects through the amp's FX Loop - no issues
    B. Run the Silencer straight into the amp (using INPUT and OUTPUT) - no issues
    C. Used the FX loop of the Silencer for stompboxes in front of the amp, i.e. Guitar -> Silencer INPUT / Silencer SEND -> stompboxes -> Silencer RETURN / Silencer OUTPUT -> amp - also no issues
    D. Checked all my cables for loose connections one by one - no issues

    It's sad, since the 4CM is the only way I intended to use this noise gate.

    Do you think the pedal is the cause of the problem? Any Silencer user here with the same issue?

  • #2
    Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

    I have a Silencer. Never used it like that. Just last item in Loop. Never any issues at all.
    Originally posted by Bad City
    He's got the crowd on his side and the blue jean lights in his eyes...

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

      Originally posted by Aceman View Post
      I have a Silencer. Never used it like that. Just last item in Loop. Never any issues at all.
      I think I could use it in the amp's loop too but I'd like to know for sure whether it's defective.

      This guy used the Silencer the way I described and it seems to work well.

      Last edited by BleedingFingertips; 06-01-2020, 01:01 AM.

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      • #4
        Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

        Are you positive that your cables are good?

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

          Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
          Are you positive that your cables are good?
          Pretty much. But maybe you have a theory as to why the same four cables would work flawlessly in one instance but not in the other.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

            Are you sure that's hooked up right?
            I thought the input output and the send return were dual channels thru the same device
            EHD
            Just here surfing Guitar Pron
            RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
            SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
            Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
            Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
            Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
            Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
            GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

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            • #7
              Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

              Originally posted by ehdwuld View Post
              Are you sure that's hooked up right?
              I thought the input output and the send return were dual channels thru the same device
              100% correct. The idea is to put the noisy preamp in the Silencer's loop as if it were a distortion pedal. That's why Silencer's SEND into preamp Input and preamp output (FX Send) into Silencer's RETURN.

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              • #8
                Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                Naw I meant the input output from silencer just as you were using a single pair of cables
                And the silencer send and return to the loop

                That seems more logical to me
                But you have the manual I suppose
                EHD
                Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                  Originally posted by BleedingFingertips View Post
                  Pretty much. But maybe you have a theory as to why the same four cables would work flawlessly in one instance but not in the other.
                  No, but it wouldn’t be the first time something like that was overlooked.

                  Let me see if I can find the boss NS-2 diagram...at least you’ll be able to double check your current wiring.
                  I’ve used bot the Boss and ISP in the loop as well and I always need to go back and rethink the connections. It’s confusing as hell!!








                  Hopefully this helps!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                    the manual



                    from the manual
                    INPUT Jack – Plug your instrument into this ¼” jack which is the main audio input for The Silencer. The input impedance is 2MOhm.
                    OUTPUT Jack – The OUTPUT jack is The Silencer’s main audio output. The gated signal exits through the OUTPUT jack. The output impedance is 300Ohm.

                    SEND Jack – Connect the SEND jack to the beginning of your effects loop. The output impedance is 300Ohm. The SEND jack outputs a buffered version of the signal present at the INPUT jack at all times. If you do not need to use the Silencer’s effects loop, the SEND jack could also be used to split the input signal.

                    RETURN Jack – Connect the end of your effects loop to the RETURN jack. The signal preset at the RETURN jack is gated by The Silencer. The input impedance is 1MOhm. If you are not using the effects loop and prefer to use The Silencer as an inline gate, do not plug anything into the RETURN jack.
                    EHD
                    Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                    RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                    SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                    Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                    Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                    Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                    Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                    GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                      Originally posted by ehdwuld View Post
                      the manual



                      from the manual
                      Most noise gate pedals with FX loops are actually not marketed the way many guys use them, unfortunately. It creates lots of confusion.

                      I think the 4 cable method is very logical if you think of your dirt pedals and the preamp as a single fx chain. You go from the SEND of the Silencer into your dirt pedals, from there you go into your preamp and from the FX send (which is the preamp OUT - end of your whole dirty chain) you go back to the RETURN of the Silencer thus making a loop.

                      It seems that if you use all 4 jacks the circuit of the pedal switches from INPUT -> OUTPUT to INPUT -> SEND -> RETURN -> OUTPUT. The 4 cable method is the only way to use such noise gate both in front of the amp and in the FX loop. Alternatively, you can use two noise gates through INPUT->OUTPUT. In fact, when I run my guitar through INPUT - OUTPUT of the Silencer into the amp and used SEND and RETURN for the FX loop, there wasn't any output signal at all because I basically skipped the preamp section.

                      This is a 4CM diagramm for NS-2, it should work the same way for the Silencer too.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	4c423054ae0616bcefb7a9481e650cca.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	40.7 KB
ID:	5820717

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                      • #12
                        Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                        Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                        No, but it wouldn’t be the first time something like that was overlooked.

                        Let me see if I can find the boss NS-2 diagram...at least you’ll be able to double check your current wiring.
                        I’ve used bot the Boss and ISP in the loop as well and I always need to go back and rethink the connections. It’s confusing as hell!!








                        Hopefully this helps!
                        From the duckduckgo search results:
                        Click image for larger version

Name:	49CC9dj.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	19.3 KB
ID:	5820718

                        Yeah, this is how it should be. But the BOSS manual (and EHX too) is not very specific.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                          Originally posted by BleedingFingertips View Post
                          From the duckduckgo search results:
                          [ATTACH=CONFIG]105147[/ATTACH]

                          Yeah, this is how it should be. But the BOSS manual (and EHX too) is not very specific.
                          The boss diagram you posted is the one I was looking for but for some reason couldn’t find.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                            Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                            The boss diagram you posted is the one I was looking for but for some reason couldn’t find.
                            it was the first search result haha

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: NPD: EHX Silencer (4 cable method troubleshooting anyone?)

                              If the cables are good in every other application, and all the scenarios work except the 4 cable with pre-amp in the pedal loop, then the simple answer is: yes, there’s an issue with the pedal... BUT that does not necessarily mean the pedal is defective.

                              Given that effects loops vary in circuit (tube-driven, solid state, etc.), quality and input/output impedance, this may simply be a case of a mismatch between this pedal and your amp. You don’t mention what amp it is, so we can’t help diagnose that.

                              In my experience, and this just may be me, I’ve never met an EHX pedal that didn’t make some level of unwelcome noise in my signal chain, especially in their more recent offerings, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the pedal wont do the 4-cable method cleanly.

                              If it doesn’t work out, I recommend taking a look at the MXR Noise Clamp - it’s a solid option.


                              Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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