Recording hum/noise

[badmotor]

Done tonnes of Googling, but getting a bit jaded so I'll see if anyone in here will/can help.

I'm getting heaps of noise recording guitar direct. It is mostly 60hz hum, and a little hiss I think. I'm using a a tube DI box that is the main culprit (not the guitar), as it is noisy but it sounds great so I want to keep using it. Power in my house is probably a bit rubbish as well. We are talking clean guitar with effects, doing quiet ambient stuff... adding distortion - forget about it, too noisy.

Everyone seems to rave about the ISP decimator, but that is essentially a noise-gate right? Would that help with clean guitar and removing noise from long sustained notes?

[bender]

50Hz [/pedant]

Sounds like a ground loop. What kind of DI is it? Most have an earth lift switch which should take care of it.
Are you powering everything off the same power-point? Try plugging the guitar in using a different DI or directly into the audio interface and see if the 50Hz hum is still there. If it is, try the DI again with a different guitar. Another thing worth trying is moving as far away from the computer monitor as you can.

[badmotor]

50Hz [/pedant]

Sounds like a ground loop. What kind of DI is it? Most have an earth lift switch which should take care of it.
Are you powering everything off the same power-point? Try plugging the guitar in using a different DI or directly into the audio interface and see if the 50Hz hum is still there. If it is, try the DI again with a different guitar. Another thing worth trying is moving as far away from the computer monitor as you can.

Ah yes, already tried all those things - that's why I know what is causing it. DI doesn't have ground lift - it's a high voltage custom made job. Has transformers and tube and stuff. Does have an effects loop though. Perhaps I can get another device to lift the ground...?

[slash-ed]

One of these? http://www.ebtechaudio.com/hedes.html

[badmotor]

One of these? http://www.ebtechaudio.com/hedes.html

Thanks for the suggestion, that might do it. Not too expensive either.

[bender]

A cable with the shield disconnected at the other end might work. Plug the normal end into the output of the DI and the end with the shield removed into the audio interface or mixer. Cheaper than buying something and I think it's the same as an earth lift switch on a DI.

[Beat Poet]

The one time I had a random problem with humming, I found that the power pack for the Mac was resting on the base of a mic stand.