Magnets can present problems but usually not indicative of what Bruce mentioned - Hence the later part of the question I asked...
So while it may seem that the monitor is the offender, I suspect another device using 60Hz power that is in the same flux line orientation.
( This pickup appears to have poor shielding )
Syd
Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
Re: Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
Sounds pick-up related to me.A good balancing /iso transformer should bounce most of that noise out as long as the noise is equal on both the lines hitting the transformer. Common mode rejection should take place. If the noise is asymmetrical in waveform even a good iso transformer will struggle with it.I doubt any EMF from a passive monitor could affect a pick up that far away. Powered boxes maybe but a well designed pickup should not struggle with too much noise. Perhaps the users are using them in a home environment with headphones or very low listening levels.
I have seen similar problems with Roland Drum modules and some other Midi/Electronic devices.Generally run through a Countryman DI we clean most of the noisys up but there are some which simply have that noise in the main line as part of the signal and it simply wont cancel out!
Worst case just mic that guitar,
Now on another note you said buzz not hum. Hum indicates too many grounds or a ground loop, buzz indicates lack of proper grounding or a broken ground. Does it do it on every line you send it down or were you using the same line or ADA input each time? Could just be a broken ground or a bad cable.
I have seen similar problems with Roland Drum modules and some other Midi/Electronic devices.Generally run through a Countryman DI we clean most of the noisys up but there are some which simply have that noise in the main line as part of the signal and it simply wont cancel out!
Worst case just mic that guitar,
Now on another note you said buzz not hum. Hum indicates too many grounds or a ground loop, buzz indicates lack of proper grounding or a broken ground. Does it do it on every line you send it down or were you using the same line or ADA input each time? Could just be a broken ground or a bad cable.
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bgavin
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Re: Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
Single coil pickups are notorious for hum. Dunno if they are used here or not.
As noted above, a good shielding job will cure a lot of single coil ills, but not all of them.
At best, a good copper job will be ugly as hell in a round hole environment.
It seems easier to simply stand farther back.
"Q: Doctor, it hurts when I do this."
"A: Don't do that."
As noted above, a good shielding job will cure a lot of single coil ills, but not all of them.
At best, a good copper job will be ugly as hell in a round hole environment.
It seems easier to simply stand farther back.
"Q: Doctor, it hurts when I do this."
"A: Don't do that."
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Sydney
Re: Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
Bruce Weldy:
The next time the noise problem occurs...try to find what makes the hum louder.
Using the tips that Bruce Bartlett, Jenny Bartlett gave in their book.
Then through process of elimination move cables/turn off powered devices to hear if there is a perceptible noise drop.
I have used those method to find a lot of noise sources.
That these pickups work with less noise in home environment makes me look for differences in the operating environment.
Even florescent light ballast and dimmers can cause enormous problems, as well as wire/cable routing. Often the obvious is overlooked.
Syd
The next time the noise problem occurs...try to find what makes the hum louder.
Using the tips that Bruce Bartlett, Jenny Bartlett gave in their book.
Then through process of elimination move cables/turn off powered devices to hear if there is a perceptible noise drop.
I have used those method to find a lot of noise sources.
That these pickups work with less noise in home environment makes me look for differences in the operating environment.
Even florescent light ballast and dimmers can cause enormous problems, as well as wire/cable routing. Often the obvious is overlooked.
Syd
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Rune Bivrin
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Re: Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
This is a classic case of magnetic interference. In all likelihood the monitor is a powered monitor with a power transformer of the E-core type. This generates a 60Hz (or 50 in most of the civilized world 
) magnetic field with overtones due to rectifiers and saturated cores. The field is directional, which is why rotating the pickup will change how the field interacts with the coil in the pickup. Shielding will most likely achieve very little; that mainly helps against electrostatic fields. Shielding against magnetic fields is a lot harder, and if successful would also shield the pickup from the strings. Not exactly the desired result.
I had an Aria Pro II bass with a single coil pickup. Worked like a charm in most places, except our rehearsal space which was adjacent to some kind of transformer room. Rotating would change the balance somewhat between the fundamental and the overtones, but it wouldn't go away completely. I had to change the pickup to a humbucker, which as the name suggests "bucked" the hum.
) magnetic field with overtones due to rectifiers and saturated cores. The field is directional, which is why rotating the pickup will change how the field interacts with the coil in the pickup. Shielding will most likely achieve very little; that mainly helps against electrostatic fields. Shielding against magnetic fields is a lot harder, and if successful would also shield the pickup from the strings. Not exactly the desired result.I had an Aria Pro II bass with a single coil pickup. Worked like a charm in most places, except our rehearsal space which was adjacent to some kind of transformer room. Rotating would change the balance somewhat between the fundamental and the overtones, but it wouldn't go away completely. I had to change the pickup to a humbucker, which as the name suggests "bucked" the hum.
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O12 with no tweeter.
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O12 with no tweeter.
3 x WedgeHorns.
2 x Jack 10 without tweeters.
2 x DR250.
2 x 16" T39
1 x Tuba 24
2 x SLA Pro (sort of...)
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Bruce Weldy
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Re: Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
In my case the monitors are not powered.bgavin wrote:Is the monitor a powered type, by any chance?
A steady-state hum/buzz is not going to originate with passive speakers.
You are hearing power supply interaction, not speaker signal.
It doesn't seem to get louder when closer. But it does go away when you go partly off-axis, but then comes back when furthere off-axis.
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Bruce Weldy
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Re: Dean Markley Guitar Pickup - Buzz Problem
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm having the same problem with the same pickup. In my case, it's not 60 cycle hum. It sounds more like a bad connection, except that it goes away by turning away from the monitor (unpowered). And it is totally repeatable. Hoever, as I said before - If I turn even farther away, it starts up again.Sydney wrote:Bruce Weldy:
The next time the noise problem occurs...try to find what makes the hum louder.
Using the tips that Bruce Bartlett, Jenny Bartlett gave in their book.
Then through process of elimination move cables/turn off powered devices to hear if there is a perceptible noise drop.
I have used those method to find a lot of noise sources.
That these pickups work with less noise in home environment makes me look for differences in the operating environment.
Even florescent light ballast and dimmers can cause enormous problems, as well as wire/cable routing. Often the obvious is overlooked.
Syd
I don't play that often with them (usually running sound). I be up there this Sunday, but with a Tele. I don't use the Dean Markley very often at all, so I don't know if it happens in other settings....I'd love to have an internal pickup, but this is the sweetest-playing D35 you've ever seen. I refuse to remove the saddle and screw it up. My have to look into other options....just don't use it that much.
6 - T39 3012LF
4 - OT12 2512
1 - T24
1 - SLA Pro
2 - XF210
"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."