Series 1 Battery Power noise

[Picure]

I just got done with a sound check for a music festival in Shanghai and found out that my bass has significant noise using the 1/4in jack. I didnt bring my DS5 this time so I am unable to compare for thime being. I am sure it is not 60hz hum because it wasnt directional and the noise was still present on standby and master volume off (my bass has the electronics upgrade). The thing is, my Zon was crystal clear on stage.

I did a recording last week with my Series 1 and ran it with batteries no problem, could it be something that broke along the way when I flew from Taiwan to Shanghai? 

[edwardofhuncote]

Shielding maybe? If the 1/4" jack worked loose in transit, that might do it. Kind of a long shot. 

[Picure]

Actually, I played the show tonight with new batteries and a different cable and the noise was gone. But the question still remains, during soundcheck, why was my zon quiet but my alembic had noise? 

[StephenR]

Glad to hear it worked out. Once you put new batteries in did you have time to try both cables? The initial noise issue could have been related to either the batteries being weak or a problem with the cable, with new batteries you could try both cables. If the noise is gone with both then it was weak batteries, if still noisy with one cable then it was the other cable. I don't know what kind of pickups you have in the Zon but they are probably humbuckers and much less prone to RF interference.

[JimmyJ]

A series bass in "standby" is basically shorting the tip of the 1/4" cable  to ground.  If you have noise in that situation then it is most likely the cable itself. 
Glad you got it working ok.
Jimmy J

[Picure]

Thanks for the replies! StephenR, unfortunatley I am unable to test out the cables because I was using the backline’s cable for soundcheck and for the show, I used my own. But I think most likely it was the cable’s problem that led to the buzzing noise.

[StephenR]

Very common to trace a noise issue like the one you experienced to a bad cable. I have been in a number of situations where my rig was noisy during soundcheck, flipping the ground at the board or on my D.I. didn't help, and it turned out to be a bad XLR cable that was run to my D.I. by FOH.  Great that you were able to play the show with the bass you wanted to play...