Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser bleed a swirling background noise when not engaged, any way to fix it?

[Baloney Balderdash]

After having tried several phasers, some considerably more expensive ones too, I finally settled for a Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser, and I absolutely love how it sounds.

Exactly the right effect for my application.

However when not engaged it bleeds a swirling background noise that really annoys me and makes it unfit to use for recordings.

It's not really like it actually modulates my signal when not engaged, just adding this annoying background noise to it.

And just so that you know I've already tried running it on it's own dedicated power supply, but without it fixing the issue.

It's a pretty accurate clone of the original big box EHX Small Stone but the new version just doesn't sound the same, and far from as great, even if EHX claims that it is the same circuit, so getting that instead is not an option.

So my question is if there is any way to fix the swirling background noise that the Behringer phaser produces when not engaged, some kind of mod, preferably not too advanced, as I, even if I do know how to solder, am not exactly all that well versed with electronics or comfortable doing complicated procedures?

I would even be willing to pay to have a mod done to it that fixes it.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[stewblack]

I can't actually help with the nodding but a noise gate/reducer immediately after it might work. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

44 minutes ago, stewblack said:

I can't actually help with the nodding but a noise gate/reducer immediately after it might work. 

Someone on TalkBass suggested another solution that would be less intrusive on my signal, and likely both cheaper and take up less space than a noise gate.

Namely a true bypass looper.

Don't know how come I didn't think of that myself, it seems like a pretty obvious solution to me.

Like this one that Thomann sells, the One Control True Bypass Looper :

But I am still interested if a relatively simple and easy mod exists that I could do myself, so I don't have to add extra pedals to fix the issue. 

Edited January 7, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[paul_5]

I’ve got some info and diagrams on modding these to true bypass if you want, I’ll just dig them out.

Edit: here we are..

Edited January 7, 2021 by paul_5

[Baloney Balderdash]

11 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

I’ve got some info and diagrams on modding these to true bypass if you want, I’ll just dig them out.

 

To be perfectly honest with you I'll probably end up with buying that One Control True Bypass Looper to solve the issue, but if it isn't too much trouble for you I would still appreciate to have a look at those diagrams you got, so I can get a more realistic idea of if it is something I'd likely would be able to pull off myself and get a better idea of how much work it would then eventually require, before making the final decision on weather to chose to mod it myself or just go for the easy, but perhaps less ideal, solution and get a true bypass looper pedal.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[paulbuzz]

I did this mod many moons ago. It's easy - if you can work a soldering iron you can do it! 🙂

[stewblack]

On a not entirely unrelated note, what size is the phaser? Compared with the standard Boss sized Behringer pedal, thanks. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

24 minutes ago, stewblack said:

On a not entirely unrelated note, what size is the phaser? Compared with the standard Boss sized Behringer pedal, thanks. 

2 sideways Boss sized pedals stacked depth wise, but slightly slimmer, and tilting slightly upwards and a little higher than a Boss sized pedal towards the back end.

About the size of the original big box EHX Small Stone (same as the original Small Clone chorus), but slightly higher towards the back end, maybe slightly wider too (but not entirely sure, though if it is not by much).

About 8,5 cm wide, 13,5 cm deep, 3 cm high at the front end, and 6 cm high at the back end.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[stewblack]

That's great, thank you.