Audible buzz when plugging guitar into MR-8

[Ricklh]

Anyone else experiencing this? I'm plugging an Applause acoustic/electric directly into the MR-8 and can hear in the 'phones an audible buzz - annoying but not real loud - and it seems it's more noticeable when I punch up tracks 2, 3 or 4 than on track 1. It's not the guitar pickup - I just had it checked out and it's fine. Just wondering what's causing this? And if I raise the level on the "Guitar Distortion" adjustment, the noise really becomes more noticeable. Do I need a ground fault box to plug the MR-8 into or should I try using a pre-amp to plug into before the MR-8?

Also, I'm a little confused by the gain adjustment for Input 1 - on the left side, it's marked "Mic", on the right side "Line" (or is it vice versa?) What is the proper use of controlling the gain for both sources? The only way I've been using it is like your typical pot control - the further clockwise you go, the louder the signal.

[radiorickm]

FIrst off, imic/line...
as a general rule, the mike input requires much more gain to equal the same signal as a line input.

the way it's labeled is that LINE gain, is like 0. Mike gain starts adding up the db's and adding gain, to make the mike signal equal to the line signal.

you are adjusting the level of amplification in the pre amp stage.

you asking about using it for both sourses makes me ask, you aren't rying to use the xlr and 1/4 together are you???

now, because you are putting a pretty low level sourse, the guitar, into a high level (line) imput, you have to turn the gain up, which increases the chances of noise. I have not experieced that problem with my MR-8.

THe distortion is another form of gain contol. and if there is a hum, it will just amplify it also.

I would suggest plugging a mike into the xlr side a, and checking all 8 tracks. Likewise, plug a line sourse( like a cd player line out) into the 1/4 jack and check all 8 tracks.

if this narrows it down to the guitar, check the cord, batteries...etc on the guitar. i got a speaker cord mixed in with my insturment cords and drove myself nuts trying to find where the hum was coming in at.!!!

good luck

[dave in toledo]

this is a commin problem with the headphone pre amps turn the unit on and off a couple of times and it will go away

[mrx]

Originally posted by dave in toledo
this is a commin problem with the headphone pre amps turn the unit on and off a couple of times and it will go away

In addition to the headphone pre amp issue, I noticed that my Takamine was doing the same thing. Something with the MR-8 and guitar is really sensitive to interference (TV, computer monitor, etc.) I find that facing the guitar in a different direction eliminates most of the problem.

[Kramer]

Stay away from anthing with an elctrical current while you are playing.

Move around the room a little,point yourself in different directions to find the quietest spot in the room.Never record with TV's,Computers(unless you are recording on a puter of course),etc. turned on,and try not to place yourself directly under a light.