When I use my nano through headphones (just guitar direct into nano, out through headphones) there’s a significant amount of buzz that quiets down when I touch the nano, and returns when I stop touching it. I’m using a true tone power supply and trs headphone cable. The ground button on the nano does not affect the buzz. Any suggestions on getting rid of this buzz?
Electrical ground issue. The power supply does not provide a ground connection to the device. Try hooking up a TRS cable to a grounded piece of equipment like studio monitors or a mixer whenever you can, even if you’re only using your headphones.
You may say, “But I shouldn’t have to do that!” It’s a design decision to avoid ground loops.
Thank you. Would running the pedal through a grounded power supply also work?
It may or may not help. Not all power supplies are built the same. Worth a shot, though.
some additional info that you or may not already know,
Connect to a Grounded Device:
Plug a cable from one of the Nano’s outputs into a grounded piece of gear, such as a powered studio monitor, a mixer, or a grounded amplifier. The external device does not even need to be turned on to provide the necessary ground.
Use USB to a Grounded Computer:
Connect the Nano to a computer via USB. This often solves the issue if the computer itself is grounded (e.g., a desktop PC or a laptop plugged into a 3-prong wall outlet). Note that some modern laptop chargers (like many MacBook bricks) are ungrounded and may not fix the hum.
Toggle the Ground Lift:
Check the small Ground Lift button on the back of the Nano Cortex. While usually used to break a loop when multiple grounded devices are connected, toggling it can sometimes change the noise floor behavior in certain environments.
Alternative Workarounds
Grounded Power Supply:
Some users have replaced the stock power supply with a third-party grounded supply (like certain GlobTek or CIOKS models) to provide an earth connection directly through the power input.
Check the Guitar’s Internal Grounding: Ensure the ground wire inside your guitar is securely connected to the bridge. You can test this with a multimeter by checking for continuity between the strings and the output jack’s sleeve.
Environment and Shielding: Move away from sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI) like fluorescent lights, computer monitors, or dimmer switches, which single-coil pickups can easily catch.
For future reference, I just tried a grounded power supply (CIOKS Sol) with direct out headphones, and that solved the buzzing issue.
1 Like