Smooth Hound Innovations Digital Wireless Guitar System

[Woodinblack]

Mine were just some energiser rechargables I had around that I had never opened. I think my wife got them accidently thinking they were AA. When I put them in they showed one bar less (which makes sense as rechargables have a lower voltage) but they didn't change during the gig.

[karlfer]

Got mine today, fabulous bit of kit, well made, tiny. Just had a wander onto the road, Jazz over shoulder, that'll get the curtains twitching .

What a lovely, enthusiastic and intelligent guy Chris is.

Now, to finalise back up stuff, I need a rechargeable battery charger.


Recommendations and/or links gratefully appreciated ta

Edited February 10, 2016 by karlfer

[Bassrock]

Just ordered the Smoothhound..looking forward to gigging with it at the weekend !

[barkin]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1454859300' post='2973605']

Now, to finalise back up stuff, I need a rechargeable battery charger.


Recommendations and/or links gratefully appreciated ta
[/quote]

Get a smart charger. The display on this one's a bit naff, but it's a good charger.


https://www.7dayshop.com/batteries-power-chargers/7dayshop-multi-mode-lcd-display-intelligent-ni-mh-battery-charger-for-aa-and-aaa-batteries

Agree with the suggestion of Eneloop rechargables.

Edited April 6, 2016 by barkin

[fretmeister]

I just got one as a birthday prezzie.

Sounds good to me! I look forward to wandering round the house annoying people.

[rushbo]

I've done two rehearsals and two gigs with mine over the last 10 days and I'm impressed. I'm using the batteries that Chris supplied at the moment, while I'm waiting for my rechargeables to arrive and it looks like there's loads of life left in them. Operation is faultless, with none of the dropouts that plagued my Line 6 G30. There's barely a difference in tone between the wireless and corded signals. It's ace.

The only issue I had was using it in conjunction with my Zoom B3. Although Chris kindly sent out an adaptor so I could daisy chain it from my existing PSU, I decided to use the separate power supply for it. Both my Zoom and the Smooth Hound are on my minimal pedal board. When using the compression and fuzz/distortion settings, the signal was really noisy and I had to dial in quite a bit of noise reduction. Not a deal breaker and probably just the result of having two bits of digital kit side by side.

[Oopsdabassist]

Interesting, I too use my smooth hound in conjunction with a B3, however, my Smooth hound transmitter is velcroed to the top of my amp rather than adjacent to the B3, and I can confirm there are no interference issues. What is this adaptor you speak of though? Just running 1 PSU might be handy.

[Woodinblack]

I have a smooth hound and B3 too (and mine is next to it) - never had an issue, but I do have an isolated power supply, as the B3 interfered very badly with the Powerchord Fx

[Dood]

If I get a mo' I'll test mine too to see what happens

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1462786223' post='3045587']
I've done two rehearsals and two gigs with mine over the last 10 days and I'm impressed. I'm using the batteries that Chris supplied at the moment, while I'm waiting for my rechargeables to arrive and it looks like there's loads of life left in them. Operation is faultless, with none of the dropouts that plagued my Line 6 G30. There's barely a difference in tone between the wireless and corded signals. It's ace.
[/quote]
Thanks for the feedback Rushbo. Always good to hear!

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1462786223' post='3045587']
The only issue I had was using it in conjunction with my Zoom B3. Although Chris kindly sent out an adaptor so I could daisy chain it from my existing PSU, I decided to use the separate power supply for it. Both my Zoom and the Smooth Hound are on my minimal pedal board. When using the compression and fuzz/distortion settings, the signal was really noisy and I had to dial in quite a bit of noise reduction. Not a deal breaker and probably just the result of having two bits of digital kit side by side.
[/quote]
I've not had any problems reported with the Zoom B3 before. I think it's unlikely that the proximity of the Zoom to the receiver has anything to do with it. Problems with excess noise are usually power supply related - the receiver does really need an isolated supply.

Alternatively, if you're using compression with high sustain and fuzz/distortion with high gain, you may be hearing the noise floor of the system. All wireless systems will add a little noise to your signal (the Classic is about the quietest on the market) and this can be audible if you're using high gain particularly when you're not playing. As you've found, if it's bothersome, you can use a noise gate to shut it off but this is the first time I've had to suggest that so I'm in two minds ...

[rushbo]

I'm using the Zoom and Smooth Hound PSUs. The noise reduction tamed it considerably, but it caught me a bit by surprise. I'll play about with the power supplies...

The adaptor was to swap polarity... The receiver takes a [i]centre-positive[/i] 9V supply so requires a polarity swap cable to use a centre-negative PSU. Chris kindly popped one in the post to me. I didn't use it in the end and went with the two separate PSUs.

[rushbo]

Using the "Active " setting on the B3 helps massively, too.

[rushbo]

OK...after a lot of trial and error, I've identified the source of my noise problem....

I use my Smooth Hound on a board with just my Zoom B3 - both with their own PSU's. If I use a patch lead to connect them (or a hard connector) I get massive noise, unless I use the active setting and whack on the noise reduction. If I use a long (20ft) lead to join the Smooth Hound to the Zoom, the signal is clear with no noise on any setting! I've tried it with the shortest lead I have - about 6ft - and I get a little noise. It seems the shorter the lead, the louder the noise.

All my connectors are decent quality, so it's not them that are responsible for the noise. Am I doing something daft or do I have to use a 20ft cable as a patch lead to get a clean signal?

[charic]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1468267771' post='3089770']
OK...after a lot of trial and error, I've identified the source of my noise problem....

I use my Smooth Hound on a board with just my Zoom B3 - both with their own PSU's. If I use a patch lead to connect them (or a hard connector) I get massive noise, unless I use the active setting and whack on the noise reduction. If I use a long (20ft) lead to join the Smooth Hound to the Zoom, the signal is clear with no noise on any setting! I've tried it with the shortest lead I have - about 6ft - and I get a little noise. It seems the shorter the lead, the louder the noise.

All my connectors are decent quality, so it's not them that are responsible for the noise. Am I doing something daft or do I have to use a 20ft cable as a patch lead to get a clean signal?
[/quote]

Is one balanced and one not?

[rushbo]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1468309436' post='3089933']


Is one balanced and one not?
[/quote]
Just regular Jack to Jack leads...I did cut down one of the leads that worked best but the noise returned.

[charic]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1468309640' post='3089937']
Just regular Jack to Jack leads...I did cut down one of the leads that worked best but the noise returned.
[/quote]

Weird!

[rushbo]

Chris from Smooth Hound is on the case with a possible solution...I'm pretty sure it's pilot error on my part. Expect a "d'oh!" themed post any time soon...

[Oopsdabassist]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1468267771' post='3089770']
OK...after a lot of trial and error, I've identified the source of my noise problem....

I use my Smooth Hound on a board with just my Zoom B3 - both with their own PSU's. If I use a patch lead to connect them (or a hard connector) I get massive noise, unless I use the active setting and whack on the noise reduction. If I use a long (20ft) lead to join the Smooth Hound to the Zoom, the signal is clear with no noise on any setting! I've tried it with the shortest lead I have - about 6ft - and I get a little noise. It seems the shorter the lead, the louder the noise.

All my connectors are decent quality, so it's not them that are responsible for the noise. Am I doing something daft or do I have to use a 20ft cable as a patch lead to get a clean signal?
[/quote]

Probably explains why I had no issue then, using a normal 3m guitar lead between my B3 and the amp mounted Smoothhound.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1468267771' post='3089770']
I use my Smooth Hound on a board with just my Zoom B3 - both with their own PSU's. If I use a patch lead to connect them (or a hard connector) I get massive noise, unless I use the active setting and whack on the noise reduction. If I use a long (20ft) lead to join the Smooth Hound to the Zoom, the signal is clear with no noise on any setting! I've tried it with the shortest lead I have - about 6ft - and I get a little noise. It seems the shorter the lead, the louder the noise.

All my connectors are decent quality, so it's not them that are responsible for the noise. Am I doing something daft or do I have to use a 20ft cable as a patch lead to get a clean signal?
[/quote]

Nope, you have the same issue that I had with my B3 and my powerchord FX. Regardless of cable between them I got noise if they were both on the same powersupply. With a different powersupply, if they were close there was still some noise. I bought the harley benton isolated power supply - http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_powerplant_junior.htm - and no longer have a problem.

[rushbo]

I'm delighted to say that Chris at Smooth Hound went the extra mile and a half to sort this for me and it now works brilliantly with my Zoom. I don't know what he did, but I'm glad that he did it.

Absolutely first class customer service and a first class product.

[neilp]

I ordered my Smoothhound Classic yesterday, and it's here! Spectacular service, thanks Chris. On first inspection, it's a beautifully designed, engineered and made bit of kit. VERY impressed so far. Rehearsing tonight and gigging Saturday, so we'll see, but I have no reason to suppose the performance will disappoint. I'll report post gig

[neilp]

OK, so on the evidence of one rehearsal it's as good as you all said, if not better. No setup to be done, perfectly stable connection, switches on/off quick enough to swap instruments between songs with no problems. The sound is superb, almost completely uncoloured compared A/B with a 6 metre Fender cable, but then all my basses are active so that's sort of what I'd expect. Dynamic range is completely unaffected, so the kit is almost completely transparent. REALLY impressed. Love it, absolutely love it

[baronfloyd]

I usually just lurk around the forum collecting useful information about all sorts of stuff. Glad I checked here before splashing out on a wireless system. Loads of praise for the Smooth Hound system - well built and feels as though it should take more of a bashing than first viewing would suggest. Backup from Chris has to go into the purely awesome category. Having received mine and played around with it for a short while I thought I might have an issue. Contacted Chris and problem sorted within the hour along with a brief physics lesson and an explanation of the design decisions he took. Big thumbs up here.
Thanks Chris

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1468354957' post='3090419']
Nope, you have the same issue that I had with my B3 and my powerchord FX. Regardless of cable between them I got noise if they were both on the same powersupply. With a different powersupply, if they were close there was still some noise. I bought the harley benton isolated power supply - [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_powerplant_junior.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...lant_junior.htm[/url] - and no longer have a problem.
[/quote]

I was wrong, turns out I had the problem too, but hadn't noticed it with the shorter cable. Now sorted by Chris.

[SmoothHoundChris]

[color=#34495E][font=Lato, sans-serif]Only two days left to enter the[url="http://www.guitar-bass.net/comps/win-a-smooth-hound-classic-wireless-guitar-system-worth-149/"] Guitar and Bass Magazine's competition to win a FREE Classic wireless[/url][/font][/color][color=#34495E][font=Lato, sans-serif]. You only need to like the[url="https://www.facebook.com/SmoothHoundInnovations/"] Smooth Hound FB[/url] page or retweet this [url="https://twitter.com/SmoothHoundUK/status/773262111933919232"]tweet[/url][/font][/color][color=#34495E][font=Lato, sans-serif] to enter![/font][/color]

[color=#34495E][font=Lato, sans-serif]In other news, I made a video from various clips of people using the wireless on stage. Took me ages! You can see the results on our [url="http://www.smoothhound-innovations.com"]website[/url] [/font][/color][color=#34495E][font=Lato, sans-serif]or on [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWtW6qfC7y8"]Youtube[/url][/font][/color][color=#34495E][font=Lato, sans-serif].[/font][/color]