DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Petros

New member
Thought I was imagining this at first, but no. Guitar straight into the Solo XT pedal then out of pedal into front panel of amp (a Boss Katana, which is solid state and a very quiet amp). Power supply for the Solo XT is the included wall transformer plugged straight into the wall. With guitar plugged in and loop not even engaged there's noticeably more hiss in the signal, especially when you strum the guitar and let it fade. Plug the guitar straight into the amp and hiss is gone. Is that the nature of these kind of digital pedals? What else might be causing the hiss when plugged into the pedal?
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Does it have a battery option? Try that and a different adapter. It may just be a slightly noisy AD/DA converters.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Does it have a battery option? Try that and a different adapter. It may just be a slightly noisy AD/DA converters.

No battery option for the DigiTech Solo XT Looper. It comes with its own power adapter. If the AD/DA converters are responsible for the hiss, why would there be hiss even when no loop plays and the guitar is only passing through the pedal? I'm talking about a hiss that is audible only when you strum the guitar, and it's most noticeable when let chord fade out.

The AD/DA converters would be active even if the guitar only passes through with no loop playing or being recorded?
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

I use the Jamman Solo and what goes in comes out...no additional hiss.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

No battery option for the DigiTech Solo XT Looper. It comes with its own power adapter. If the AD/DA converters are responsible for the hiss, why would there be hiss even when no loop plays and the guitar is only passing through the pedal? I'm talking about a hiss that is audible only when you strum the guitar, and it's most noticeable when let chord fade out.

The AD/DA converters would be active even if the guitar only passes through with no loop playing or being recorded?
After the guitar fades the hiss fades too?
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Yes. The hiss fades eventually. But I can't understand why. There's no loop playing. If I pull the guitar out of the Solo XT and plug directly into the amp I hear no hiss when I strum the guitar.

I sent DigiTech support an email on this. Hoping to get a reply soon.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Don't plug it into the wall. That introduces a ground loop if the wiring is off in your house. Get a power bar and see if that fixes the issue. One that has isolated plugs. That, or get a better wall wart.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Yes. The hiss fades eventually. But I can't understand why. There's no loop playing. If I pull the guitar out of the Solo XT and plug directly into the amp I hear no hiss when I strum the guitar.

I sent DigiTech support an email on this. Hoping to get a reply soon.
Unfortunately Harman basically gutted their Digitech/DOD division a few months ago. If you are on The Gear Page, send a private Message to Tom Kramm (I think his screen name is Tom Van Kramm or something like that), he was the head of the division and might be able to help you out.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Don't plug it into the wall. That introduces a ground loop if the wiring is off in your house. Get a power bar and see if that fixes the issue. One that has isolated plugs. That, or get a better wall wart.

--It's a hiss, and not constant. Only when I play. Ground noise is distinctly different from hiss.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Unfortunately Harman basically gutted their Digitech/DOD division a few months ago. If you are on The Gear Page, send a private Message to Tom Kramm (I think his screen name is Tom Van Kramm or something like that), he was the head of the division and might be able to help you out.

Thanks. I will check it out.
 
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Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Hiss that follows the envelope of the guitar sound I would expect is low sample rate AD/DA conversion or other processing that is mucking the sound.

Does it have a spec sheet detailing its processing and bit rates and all that?
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Hiss that follows the envelope of the guitar sound I would expect is low sample rate AD/DA conversion or other processing that is mucking the sound.

Does it have a spec sheet detailing its processing and bit rates and all that?

Yes. 24 bit A/D/A conversion, loop storage is 44.1 kHz 16-bit (stereo) uncompressed WAV file

--But as I said the guitar signal appears to be "mucking the sound" with hiss even before the loop is recorded. Simply plugging into the Solo XT appears to introduce hiss, but not a constant hiss. Only when the guitar is played can you hear it, whether you record a loop or not.
 
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Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Almost seems like an internal noise gate, doesn’t it? I’ll be interested to hear what Tom says.
 
DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

That’s part of what I meant by processing. The device seems to be processing the guitar signal even when it’s not doing any effects.

If the guitar signal doesn’t have hiss by itself straight to the amp, then it isn’t the guitar signal. The hiss is coming from the Digitech.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Reply from Tom Von Kramm @ Gear Page:


"I no longer work for DigiTech, they laid me off back in June. Normally I wouldn't mind helping someone out, but I've never encountered your issue before, so your best bet is contacting Harman Tech Support."


I know of at least one other example on the Internet someone is talking about "hiss" with a DigiTech looper pedal, but it's not the JamMan Solo XT. It's the JamMan Express.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

See, my Express is dead silent. AC power. My signal chain is guitar (Steinberger Synapse in my avatar), Digitech Bad Monkey, JamMan Express, Tech 21 Trademark 10.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

See, my Express is dead silent. AC power. My signal chain is guitar (Steinberger Synapse in my avatar), Digitech Bad Monkey, JamMan Express, Tech 21 Trademark 10.

With no signal going thru the device I agree there's no noise. But have you ever listened for added hiss when you play clean, with no loop running? It's not an obvious loud hiss. I noticed in comparison with the guitar straight into the amp. Plugged straight into the amp, I hear no hiss when a chord is played and then eventually fades. But into the Solo XT the hiss is most audible when you let a chord ring out and fade.

Maybe I should post a sound clip.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

With no signal going thru the device I agree there's no noise. But have you ever listened for added hiss when you play clean, with no loop running? It's not an obvious loud hiss. I noticed in comparison with the guitar straight into the amp. Plugged straight into the amp, I hear no hiss when a chord is played and then eventually fades. But into the Solo XT the hiss is most audible when you let a chord ring out and fade.

Maybe I should post a sound clip.

Dunno, mine is dead quiet in that scenario. I would like to hear it, though. I use mine mostly dead clean, too.
 
Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Audio Clips attached.

No compression used, so turn them up so you can hear. You won't hear anything odd when the guitar is straight into the amp. But listen as the chord rings if you hear more hiss when the guitar is thru the JamMan Solo XT.

http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/xxhz5eq1k7/Straight_into_amp_mono_.wav
http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/tmsrqzqgxz/Thru_JamMan_Solo_XT_mono_.wav



Interesting note: The two clips above were recorded from the line out of my amp (Boss Katana-100). I hear the hiss when the Solo XT is plugged into the amp, as you hear in the recording. But I do not hear the hiss if I plug the Solo XT straight into the recording interface. I was looking at the specs for the Solo XT and it says: Input 500K ohms (mono)/ 1 M ohms (stereo); Output 100 ohms Unbalanced/ 200 ohms Balanced. I don't know if the hiss could be because of a mismatch in impedance between the Solo XT and this amp. Specs for the Boss Katana-100 only says Input Level is 1 M ohm.
 
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Re: DigiTech Solo XT Looper Pedal Introduces Hiss Into the Audio Signal

Yeah, I hear it, but I gotta crank it up to hear it. I don't hear it in mine, but I also don't loop decaying chords like that.
 
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