Noisy Neo Vent

[BbAltered]

Hello. I received a new Neo Vent II yesterday from a large mail-order retailer. Last night, I tried it out. I set up the NV inline between my Roland RD2000 and my Yamaha DXR powered speaker. This is how I am imagining using the NV on stage. All devices (NV, RD2000, and DXR) are plugged into the same multi-outlet power strip.

 

I am surprised by the amount of white noise coming from the speaker on powering up; it seems very loud. I make a test and run the RD2000 straight into the DXR without the NV. In this configuration, I'm still hearing white noise, louder than what I am remembering when playing live, but it is definitely quieter than with the NV in the circuit. For the time being, I will ignore the noise so I can try the NV: I run the RD2000 into the NV into the DXR (I tried doing both stereo and mono connections: my subjective impression was there is less noise thru the system when running stereo).

 

Equally problematic was the loud emphatic pop I was hearing every time I pressed the NV Bypass switch.

 

I have very little experience using "stomp-box" style effects. I know a lot of readers are familiar with the Neo Vent. I am hoping some of you can guide me. 1) How do you include the NV in your signal chain for best and cleanest signal? 2) How much noise can I expect with the NV in my signal chain? 3) Does your unit pop loudly when engaging and disengaging the Bypass? 4) Is there a way to minimize the popping noise?

 

For what I did hear last night, I believe the NV can significantly improve the sound of the Hammond patches in the RD. I'll spend some more time with it today. Thx.

[mcgoo]

1st impression is that this is a gain structure issue. If the signal you're sending to the vent is too quiet, then you're boosting the output too much. That would explain both the noise and the pop. Check that first.

[BbAltered]

Thanks Mcgoo for your reply.

 

I can tell you the Neo Vent II has a Lo/Hi Impedance switch which I have set in the Lo position. The NV manual advises that the Lo position will work on most keyboards. With the NV Impedance switch in the Lo position, I am unable to make the NV Overload light go on even when the RD2000 volume is at its highest and I am playing an 8-fingered chords - i.e. sending the loudest possible signal from the keyboard does not trigger the Overload light. When I set the NV Impedance switch to the Hi position, the NV Overload light will trigger when the the RD2000 volume is set to about 25% - i.e the NV displays the Overload condition with a very low keyboard input.

 

Regardless - I hear very loud ground-level noise and popping when engaging the Bypass switch thru the speakers whether the NV Impedance is set to Hi or Lo.

 

I am unaware of any other way to adjust the NV input amount. If you think of something I have overlooked, please let me know.

[Baldwin Funster]

Just some thoughts on the vent2. These may not solve your problem but may help.

 

The hi lo switch is a gain switch not an impedance switch.

 

The bypass switch is meant to click in between songs not during a song.

 

There are some hidden parameters on bypass level accessible with button combinations .

 

Proper gain staging would be to set the vent2 on hi, then turn up the keyboard until the overload led just flickers. If you turn up the drive the led lights up sooner so back the keyboard off a bit if you turn up the drive.

[MathOfInsects]

FWIW, and while this instance might in fact end up as a gain staging issue, my Vent 2 developed a pretty substantial ground-hum that would build over the course of a gig, and nothing easy solved it, including swapping out the power supply. Others have posted here and elsewhere about a similar issue with the same pedal. I found my NS3C internal leslie just "good enough" enough to opt not to bring the Vent to gigs anymore, since those two developments (the ground hum and then getting the NS3C) were relatively close in time. But all things being equal, there are still gigs I'd prefer to bring the Vent 2 to, too. (I only added the last 'too' to make it a clean sweep.)

[cphollis]

FWIW, and while this instance might in fact end up as a gain staging issue, my Vent 2 developed a pretty substantial ground-hum that would build over the course of a gig, and nothing easy solved it, including swapping out the power supply. Others have posted here and elsewhere about a similar issue with the same pedal. I found my NS3C internal leslie just "good enough" enough to opt not to bring the Vent to gigs anymore, since those two developments (the ground hum and then getting the NS3C) were relatively close in time. But all things being equal, there are still gigs I'd prefer to bring the Vent 2 to, too. (I only added the last 'too' to make it a clean sweep.)

 

Same here. The Vent 2 took a lot of gain fiddling to get the white noise level down. I had the hum building issue once, I had to power it down to reset. When you get it all right, it's a sweet sound, to be sure, but the recent sims on the Nord are good enough for most situations, especially through a stereo feed. Better yet, the routing etc. is part of the preset. Simple is good. Not many gigs I'd bring the Vent 2 to, too.

[jpgxk3]

Regarding the popping noises, had this develop on my V1 and now V2. Easiest way to get rid of it is to set up everything, turn your amp down to 1 or zero, press the bypass switch a few times. For whatever reason, the pop goes down to barely noticeable. Turn up your amp and get to work. Let us know if that helps. Joe

[Pa Gherkin]

Unless your keyboard has a very weak output you want to set the level button on the vent to low (button out). I think you had it right the first time. I've no experience with your particular Roland but I 'd be really surprised if its output is as weak as a passive guitar pickup,which is the level of signal the hi position of the Vent is designed for. The lo and hi designations of the Vent's switch refer to the amount of boost the vent gives. High output instrument,the Vent button gets set to lo and vice versa. It can be a little confusing.

 

If you're hearing the same noise without the Vent only quieter it sounds like a gain staging problem which has already been said.

[BbAltered]

Follow-up. So I've use the NV2 now twice; for about an hour last night and then for about two hours today. Both times I have heard very loud white noise when the NV is in the signal chain. Both times I have heard loud pops every time I use the Bypass switch.

 

The loud white noise is constant and present any time the volume of the powered speaker is raised above "off". The loud white noise is present if the keyboard volume is zero (running no signal thru the NV), and does not change when increasing the keyboard volume. Again, I am using the Lo Gain setting, and the Overload lite has not gone on (I have no reason to think I am overloading the NV). The loud white noise is present regardless of where I set the NV Level control - the loud white noise is present if I set the NV Level control to zero.

 

The loud pop that occurs when I click the Bypass button is always present; it does not diminish with repeated presses of the Bypass button. The only way I can attenuate the loud pop is by turning down the volume of the powered speaker; if I set the powered speaker volume to zero, then I can turn the Bypass on and off without a loud pop.

 

I have just noticed the "DSP Bypass" in the NV owner's manual. From the manual: "In addition to the True Bypass the Ventilator 2 now also features a DSP Bypass (Software Bypass). This comes in handy if you experience Click or Pop noise while switching in True Bypass mode." So the manufacturer knows there is some kind of problem that creates sonic artifacts with their bypass circuitry and has implemented a software solution. I haven't tried this yet, so that is the next thing to do.

 

Next Teus. I will call the retailer and ask to have a replacement unit sent to me. If the replacement unit performs similarly, I will return the unit to the retailer and tell them I cannot buy the device. My conclusion is that the individual unit I was sent is either broken, or the manufacturing of all NV units is deeply flawed. I am amazed the unit makes so much floor noise; to my ears this amount of noise is unacceptable in any audio application live or in the studio. The pops that occur when switching the Bypass on or off are likewise unacceptable for any audio application. I might write to the manufacturer to tell them of my experience with their product; I would be interested to hear what they think of these problems.

 

I am surprised because I have heard much praise for the NV. My own experience is the unit - if not broken - is unacceptably noisy, and the functioning of the Bypass is fatally flawed for audio applications.

[Pa Gherkin]

Bb, this may seem a dumb question but do you have your Roland turned up high? The Vent wants to see a strong signal. Also,how do you engage the software bypass? The manuals I"ve found online don"t mention it. My Vent 2 is older so it may not have that feature although it did get some guts replaced on a somewhat recent repair that related to it getting stuck in bypass mode.

 

For what it"s worth,my V2 generates pretty much no noise and doesn"t click when bypass is hit. Seems you have something unusual going on. Best of luck to you.

[BbAltered]

Bb, this may seem a dumb question but do you have your Roland turned up high? The Vent wants to see a strong signal. Also,how do you engage the software bypass? The manuals I"ve found online don"t mention it. My Vent 2 is older so it may not have that feature although it did get some guts replaced on a somewhat recent repair that related to it getting stuck in bypass mode.

 

For what it"s worth,my V2 generates pretty much no noise and doesn"t click when bypass is hit. Seems you have something unusual going on. Best of luck to you.

 

So along with the NV manual was a separate sheet titled "Ventilator II Firmware 2.0 Addendum", dated June 2018. The addendum describes two new features: 1) Factory Reset; and 2) DSP Bypass. So it looks like the DSP Bypass is a newer feature they added.

 

I am comforted to hear that your experience with the NV is free of noise and artifacts. This gives me reason to think I got a bum unit and a replacement will sound better. From the comments I read from others, I have been thinking that all the NV units perform this way.

[Delaware Dave]

I have the original Vent and experienced the pop with the bypass button. i was using a Voce V5+ as the source organ. I wrote Guido Kirsch about it. Guido's response was to unplug the input cord and then test the bypass button. If it does it with the input unplugged then the unit has an issue; if the pop goes away it is an issue with the Voce causing the pop, not the pedal. When I disconnected the Voce there was no pop. Now I just avoid using the bypass switch.

[Baldwin Funster]

Almost all true bypass pedals pop like that. Keys players just dont know because they dont turn pedals on and off 10 times per song. Guitars players live with it because the pop is masked by the guitar volume.

[Threadslayer]

I had a Leslie that made a loud pop whenever I switched speeds. For a while I trained my self to synchronize my switching with the drummer's kick or snare to mask the sound. Eventually I decided to man up and fix it.

[ChazKeys]

I have just noticed the "DSP Bypass" in the NV owner's manual. From the manual: "In addition to the True Bypass the Ventilator 2 now also features a DSP Bypass (Software Bypass). This comes in handy if you experience Click or Pop noise while switching in True Bypass mode." So the manufacturer knows there is some kind of problem that creates sonic artifacts with their bypass circuitry and has implemented a software solution. I haven't tried this yet, so that is the next thing to do.

 

I am surprised because I have heard much praise for the NV. My own experience is the unit - if not broken - is unacceptably noisy, and the functioning of the Bypass is fatally flawed for audio applications.

 

I had the same problem with Vent II and the DSP Bypass cured the popping problem.