NGD: Electro Harmonix Hum Debugger - a review

[LonePhantom]

My parents got back a few days ago from a month-long trip to Europe with stop-overs in Hong Kong.

I asked if while they were in Hong Kong they could see if they could find Tom Lee music and pick me up a noise gate pedal (MXR Smart Gate or Electro-Harmonix Hum Debugger if possible).

They managed to find Tom Lee Music and they picked up the Hum-Debugger unit. I've had a play with it over the last couple of days, and demo'd it next to an MXR Smart Gate today. The findings were interesting so I wrote a bit of a review on my blog. Link is here: http://lonephantom.wordpress.com/200...-hum-debugger/

[LonePhantom]

Well I gave the pedal one last try, attempting to use it in the effects loop of my amp again, and I've had far greater success this time at high gain settings. I've amended my review as a result. Definitely try it out for yourself first, but I think I can give this a great recomendation now.

[Jacob K]

I must say, I'm surprised that it didn't just work best for you as the first part of your signal chain (like it's intended). I'm tempted to try out a noise-removal solution when I get money one day, but I have had a hard time figuring out which. The ISP G-string seems really cool, but also seems to function in a different way than the hum debugger - maybe they are complimentary when both used subtly?

[LonePhantom]

Well I'm not entirely certain on how the Decimator works. I have tried it out though and found it to be very good.

The Hum Debugger is designed to wipe out hum, 60 cycle hum and the like. It's not a noise gate or anything like that.

I think when running in front of the amp it was getting hit with the preamp gain, and I'm guessing the same frenquencies that 60 cycle hum occupy are also where higher gain tones sit, and as a result the Hum Debugger was confused and tried to filter out the frequencies. This is what I think caused the crazy metal reverb type sound.

Running in the effects loop bypasses the preamp, and as a result it is capable of knocking out the troublesome hums withough being hit directly by the preamp gain.

On the normal setting there might be the slightest hint of colouring of the tone from the pedal, but really it is barely noticeable. On the strong setting it's a little more apparent, but not too unpleasant. Tone changes a little, but it's still strong. I think the hum I'm having get knocked out on the strong setting is not worth worrying about as it's barely there in the first place.

Over all though I'm really happy with the pedal now, and I'm glad I hadn't passed it on.

[Van Noord]

The Hum-debugger works well for a player that wants to eliminate single coil noise, without having their notes cut off prematurely like a gate can do.
In the end, not a pedal for me. I have success with my NS-2 and Decimator.
Good review though!

[LonePhantom]

Well not just eliminating single coil noise as I have worked out. I have noise related to the electrical circuit in my house. I narrowed it down mostly to a set of downlights in my dinning area adjacent to my music room.

The power transformer for the light closest must not be shielded that well, and when the light is on it generates a nasty 60 cycle hum (the same as single coils) through my amp.

In the end running the Hum Debugger through my effects loop wiped that noise away. Sure it doesn't help me so much when playing with single coils, but I don't use single coil sounds often, other than on my EMG equipped guitar.

So really if you are suffering from nasty hum from your lights or other electrical appliances being on, the Hum Debugger is fantastic in your effects loop. Wipes the noise away.