I bought a CODE50 2 months ago, and while I really like the sound, it generates cracking/tearing/popping sounds when I apply (even small amounts of) overdrive when I touch a string with my pick/plectrum. I use the JCM800 emulation with low gain and low presence. I have also tried other AMPs such as the JVM. Plexi or Bluesbreaker, but that does not make any difference. It occurs with a BOSS Overdrive OS2 pedal and also with the ODR that is build in, also at low levels.
It happens both with my Fender Stratocaster and my Epiphone Les Paul. I also tried several diffenent plextrums, for example the Dunlop Jazz III, Dunlop Tortex, Fender medium, light and heavy and a few others, but that does not make any difference.
I opened the back of the combo so see if anything touches the speaker that could explain this sound but that was not the case. Normally I like a bit of pick attack sound, but this noise can be so loud that it overshadows the sound of the string, almost like a series of explosions. When I switch the overdrive off, this noise effect is gone.
What could be the reason for this ?
I found that some pedals with a buffer increase the noise floor on the CODE 5O a lot and occasionally being hooked up to your PC via USB can make it worse.
Clicking and popping can be caused by having your router or leaving your phone too close like resting on the amp.
It sounds like a ground short or something similar. This often happens in the guitar but sounds like you have tried several.
Perhaps you are using the wrong cable. Try another cable and make sure it is a shielded instrument cable with intact connections.
Tried another cable, but no changes. Both this one and the previous ones are shielded instrument cables. In case of a cable defect I would expect noise independent of overdrive. But this noise is very specific, it only occurs when the pick touches a string while an overdrive effect is added.
Hi Wim.
Thank you for your message, we have not come across this before, does the Code work without any pedals attached to it, if you plug straight into the unit with your guitar, it sounds like a cable issue or something to do with the set up.
Marshall Support
Just connected a shielded new cable to the CODE50, and tried again, with just the ODR distortion effect, and with no pedals connected. But it still gives me the same hard popping noise when I even mildly touch a string with the plectrum.....
Sounded like it was the speaker to me. Probably blew it at some point.
