madbeanpedals::forum

General => Open Discussion => Topic started by: mgwhit on March 07, 2015, 12:14:24 AM

Title: Hum using Boss AC-2 out to PA
Post by: mgwhit on March 07, 2015, 12:14:24 AM
I'm playing a gig Saturday night where I'd like to use my Boss Acoustic Simulator pedal with its effected output going straight to the PA, but whenever I do this both my amp and the PA hum like crazy.  I'm assuming it's a ground loop issue, but my PA doesn't have ground lift.  Would it be a potential problem (i.e. dangerous?) to rig up an enclosure with one grounded jack for connecting to the pedal and an isolated, non-grounded jack for connecting to the PA?

I suppose I could just disconnect ground on one end of the cable, too, but a specific enclosure seems like a simple, reusable, put-it-in-your-gig-bag solution.

The stupid thing is, I ran the AC-2 like this at a show a couple years ago, and don't remember having this hum problem at all.
Title: Re: Hum using Boss AC-2 out to PA
Post by: Muadzin on March 07, 2015, 06:26:36 PM
Maybe you should try it with a DI box in between? Not only do they convert the unbalanced signal to balanced, they should also have ground lift switch. The good ones that is.
Title: Re: Hum using Boss AC-2 out to PA
Post by: mgwhit on March 08, 2015, 01:44:40 PM
Yeah, I see a DI box in my future.  I didn't have time to make a "ground lift box" before the gig, but I'll give that a try this week anyway.  The more I think about it, the only "danger" is that it won't work.