32 posts
I recently (yesterday ;)) put a new single coil (Duncan SSL-5) in the neck position of one of my guitars, positive it's installed correctly...however, when playing higher gain stuff and sitting close to the monitors it gets kinda howly/squealy. Then I grabbed another guitar with a hum in the neck, used the 5-way switch and kicked it down to the 4th spot (splitting the hum) and noticed the same thing, more howling, etc. Guess I never caught this before as I'm usually a humbucker guy and rarely throw it in other positions (2, 4). But as soon as I scoot away a bit from the little M-Audio (AV-40) monitors, the howling goes away (with all guitars). Then I went and grabbed my dads Strat, which has noiseless pickups, and damn, it did not matter where I sat, even right on top of the speakers, no squealing!
So I grabbed my guitar again, played for a long while (sitting well enough away from the desktop to avoid the subtle but annoying squeal)...I had to get familiar with the new neck pickup (loving it) to ensure I don't need to return it. I decided I want to keep it. It sounds better than pops noiseless (way more balls and warmth, especially with the high gain). Is this a cheap monitor issue? Will much better, REAL monitor speakers not howl and feedback with single coils + high gain + sitting to close? It's a minor issue easily avoided by simply sitting a couple feet further away, but eh, if I need to break down and get some decent sized monitors I will. Probably would be better for mixing any way.
Oh, and it's worth noting I also have my amp heads right beside the desk as well, and it could be my sitting too close to them causing the squeal, not necessarily the speakers (just realized this lol)...though again, never an issue with humbuckers and it's not a 'feedback' squeal but a 'squeal' squeal :P. Guess I should move the amps further away and test more before I asked about the monitors. Ah well. (=
Have you tried plugging the monitors in a different outlet? Maybe some ground loopy squealy thingy. I use a Furman 8 holer and that took care of most ground issues for me. I live in an older 1940's house with not the greatest grounding. I recently got a coil tapper gee-tar and haven't noticed any squeal. I have cheapo Rocket 5's.
My amp head sits between the monitors
have you tried tipping your monitors back a little? so they aren't aimed at the guitar?
I've noticed that if I stand in the amp's field, I get some extra noise and whistling... but it's a very localized spot, easy to avoid (or not avoid = use).
the noiseless singles that I'm familiar with aren't single coils really - they have a weak second coil that just cancels noise on the primary coil... or something like that. not sure if that is correct in every instance, though.
anyway, I'm guessing it's a volume issue - too loud on the pickup. aim the source a bit a away and it might not show up as much. or, like you did, move somewhere else -- that's what I usually do: find a "clean" spot and just stand there. heh.
Ahh, great suggestions , thanks to both of ya, will try all the above ASAP!! Thanks!
Yep Sheep, I usually sit smack in the target area when playing, speakers aimed right at a sweet spot between the ears. Betting/hoping this is the culprit.
another thought... how well shielded is the inside of your guitar? I copper taped the inside of my strat recently... made a substantial difference.
Are those your only monitors? If so I would definitely suggest something more. We've got a pair of those that we use when someone wants to plug in an iphone or laptop to show us a demo or something... but they don't capture the frequency response accurately for anything... in addition, they don't have a whole lot of power and thus not much headroom, which could explain the squealing (I assume this is feedback of some sort?) you are getting.
For shielding, the copper tape thing works but remember, that's supposed to be connected to ground... just wrapping the guitar control cavity in copper won't actually do anything... you also have to run a common ground from the input jack ground to the shield (usually with a very small wood screw through the tape and into the body, and an extra blob of solder to keep it all conducting), then to any other common ground points (usually solder blobs on the back of one or two pots).
roger that, have the common ground screw inside and a piece of extra tape extending out to the flat of the guitar (so the shielding on the pickguard makes contact with it). made a huge difference for noise.
Yeah, that does it. Farraday would be proud.
I had a similar thing happen when I put crunchlabs into 2 of my guitars - the culprit actually turned out to be the computer itself being too near the guitar - I moved it to the other side of my desk and it cleared right up. But the trouble only showed up with that pickup for some reason.
OK, solved it! Thanks for all the replies. (=
Ironsheep's thing sounded like the easiest to try so I went with that first. Bang. Done. That did it! It was a directional + volume problem. I rotated both speakers a few degrees outward instead of pointing right at me as well as turning them down a good bit. The howling completely stopped. I smiled. I was able to even return the right side speaker back inwards as I sit angled to the left anyway, so even with the vol down some, I'm now still able to play and monitor predominantly hearing the desktops over the cab behind the closed door, which I'm so used to doing - probably a bad habit but that's me.
I do want some decent ref monitors some day, just seems like when I do get extra $$ and an itch for more gear, it always has to be guitars or amps, lol, hard to splurge on boring shit like mics, pre's/interface, speakers, etc.
cool!
I have my monitors on Mopads for the angle - I doubt it's necessary to get "acoustic" foam for this... but the angle is very nice, might want to give that a try - wedge 3/4 inch of index cards under the front or something.
that way you can keep them pointed at your ears.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get good monitors. I have Rockit 5's as well. My opinion is that they are pretty damn bassy, laid back mids, pretty good highs. Here is a way to help that bassy problem. Place a large piece of foam about 2 inches thick behind the monitors, if their directly against a wall, for example. Helps alot to even them out some. The rocket 5's to me, sound like a expensive consumer stereo system. Make sure the tweaters are level with your ears.
If you want detail, get a pair of Yamaha HS5's. They sound unbelievable for the price for any use. It would be a drastic change from the rocket 5's. Less exaggerated bass, mids forward.... which I think points out details very well, and good highs. Obviously, I really like these for a small room. You don't have to turn the volume up very much to get a really good sound with plenty of detail. these would work well in a apartment setting too.
The new affordable JBLs are getting rave reviews in their price range.
Well, the rocket 5's are great monitors. Don't get me wrong. I love mine. listening to them now. But they are really sensitive to their surroundings.
I just traded in the new JBL 5's for the Yamaha I mentioned. The JBL has that kinda, I like to call it the M Audio AV40 sound, kinda cheap. The Yamaha's I mentioned sound very similar, but richer, like better, period. My opinion of course. I'm very critical of sound, so if I like the rockets and yamaha, they sound good. I'm picky. However, again, I wouldn't work with the Rockets, too bassy.
I wonder if we're talking about the same "new JBL's" because they just got rated a "best in class" by one of the professional sound magazines I read.
Also, ALL speakers are critical of their surroundings! Since I doubt anyone here has their room set up for optimal sound from their monitors, it should be a RULE, not a "good idea" to put sound insulation on the wall behind them, and unless you sit really close to them, on the side will at the reflection point. (If you sit back in the room form the speakers, place a mirror on the wall and move it until from your listing position looking in the mirror reflects directly on the speaker). After that, the louder you get, the more spots need some insulation.
(p.s. I'll find the article but it said the new JBLs were better than the KRKs and other speakers in their class. When professional sound reviewers comment on these they want accuracy, not boom and sizzle "hype." The new ones were very well reviewed and aren't expensive at all.
DreamTheaterRules — Jan 01, 2014I wonder if we're talking about the same "new JBL's" because they just got rated a "best in class" by one of the professional sound magazines I read.
Also, ALL speakers are critical of their surroundings! Since I doubt anyone here has their room set up for optimal sound from their monitors, it should be a RULE, not a "good idea" to put sound insulation on the wall behind them, and unless you sit really close to them, on the side will at the reflection point. (If you sit back in the room form the speakers, place a mirror on the wall and move it until from your listing position looking in the mirror reflects directly on the speaker). After that, the louder you get, the more spots need some insulation.
(p.s. I'll find the article but it said the new JBLs were better than the KRKs and other speakers in their class. When professional sound reviewers comment on these they want accuracy, not boom and sizzle "hype." The new ones were very well reviewed and aren't expensive at all.
These are the one's I had. They are new, maybe not the one's your talking about.
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/451266.html?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=googleps&gclid=CKujw6WP3rsCFepQOgod8lkAPw
That's each.....$119
Soundproofing a room.... makes a huge difference. It will make a pair of monitors sound completely different.
Better than KRK"s?? Their is no such thing as better. They sound different. But better? Equal money gets an equally good product IMO. They just sound different. The JBL's remind me of M-Audio AV 40's, which are good for the money but not really monitors, just better. ;D
I can't find a bad review on the JBL's. Thats why I tried them. I compared them directly to the KRK's. I liked, but they have this freak you out imaging thing going on and to me, sound a tad dirty and cheap. So I compared them to the Yamaha's in guitar center, and found out what you hear there doesn't mean crap, till you get home. The Yamaha's are just way better sounding to me. Now big room and a party, KRK's, for use as a near field monitor, Yamaha's hands down.
Keep in mind, I love monitors. I don't own a "stereo" of any kind anymore. I really like them all at different times. KRKS, at that price, with a way to kick down some bass like a mixer etc, hard to beat. They are easily the cleanest sounding of them all and also the easiest on the ears for long sessions. (if you can kill some bass)
Well, just had a thought.
People think monitors won't sound good when listening to music, as a consumer. thing is, what goes in a monitor, comes out of a monitor. So a good cd or mp3 will sound wonderful through monitors. I love them! If I had my own I could sell them to tons of folks. Peoples are amazed at the sound quality when they are at the trailer. ;D Seriously.
I'm not sure what you mean about people saying music won't sound good through monitors. I think many feel that an MP3 player hooked directly into them isn't the best way to listen to them, but as for the monitors themselves, their JOB is to be accurate. I know many deviate, but technically, the whole premise of them is to be accurate and flat. Speakers SHOULD be, but most mid fi and below things go for boom and sizzle, not flat. But monitors by definition are "supposed" to be flat and accurate (as possible in their price range, etc).
I wonder if whatever you are readying that said that, was actually saying that monitors may not "sound good" because they are flat and accurate instead of the mild smiley curve EQ many "speakers" have, which would be typical but really kind of a stupid thing to say. "Uh, these monitors are more accurate but they don't sound as good." HUH? Curious as to where you read that.
On a more serious note, playing an MP3 player through the headphone jack, into monitors does introduce some "less than higher end" components into the mix. Apple for example, says that using the old larger jack or new lightning jack into a music interface is better sound and quieter, than using the headphone output.
It just hit me where you probably read that.... "trailer sound magazine!" I have often ignored this as the rednecks on the cover and the 6x9 Pioneer coaxials built into the ceilings in their cover photos convinced me that they were not quite as serious about their sound reproduction as perhaps others might be. ;D ;D
My trailer is my speaker box. ;D
I didn't read it, i hear it all the time. Even the desperate people at guitar center say that sometimes.
Maybe they really like my Rockets due to the shock of how bassy a small 5" speaker can be. ;D Some of my friends, not music dudes really, get pissed when I put my yamaha's in the living room instead of the Rockets. People equate bass with sounding good.
Most people don't even know speakers can be self powered. Never heard of monitors. Thats my point. Just think what Rocket 8's would do for the bass lovers. ;D
Roy,
I think you are missing the whole point here. YOU ARE A REDNECK! REDNECKS NEED SUBS!!!!!! Don't pansy out here man, get the 8's AND the subs! Don't go Nancy boy on this. Bring the thunder! ;D ;D
I can't bring the thunder. My trailer would lose a wall or axel, or something. ;D
Please lose that avatar. :D I'll give you a pair of headphones if you would. :D
Put some extra screws in that thing and bring the thunder.
Ha, right now, i get busted on in my own threads about what music I am playing at the moment so, nah, I will stick with this for now as I'm still feeling pretty sarcastic. What kind of headphones? ;D
Take your pick. AKG, Grado, Sure, the list goes on and on. ;D
For a pair of Grado's, it will be gone tomorrow, and will NEVER come back. :)
What do people like about those, from your experience?
They are supposed to be more accurate and more transparent. We got a deal or not? ;D
So, who decides that? :D So, I guess you have plenty of money to throw away on unicorn driven driver holy rollin Grados. Good for you. Your special. And I sit hear with $12, spelled, twelve, dollar walmart special trailer trash headphones and you bragg about your $400 headphones. I can't spell. ;D I ain't fixin it. ;D
Come down, come down! I don't own any Grado headphones! You asked why they were supposed to be better and I answered. I have heard them but don't own them. And, one set of Grado's is under $200 and supposed to be good. You are the headphone king. I only own a couple sets and other than the AKG 240, they are all cheap ones.
DreamTheaterRules — Jan 16, 2014Come down, come down! I don't own any Grado headphones! You asked why they were supposed to be better and I answered. I have heard them but don't own them. And, one set of Grado's is under $200 and supposed to be good. You are the headphone king. I only own a couple sets and other than the AKG 240, they are all cheap ones.
;D ;D
Yeah, your a Grado goon. I can tell by your post. ;D ;D
I do have the sr80i Grado. ;D
I knew you did which = physician, heal thyself.
So, even though those aren't the GOOD Grado's, send me those and I'll loose the icon. ;D
Ahhh, no. ;D You keep your little faggy icon thing. ;D