Boss SE-70 clicking/clock noise on reverb

[plus321]

I have an SE-70 that's making some weird noise. I can hear all the effects and they don't sound distorted, but there is some kind of clicking or clock sounding tick noise that's in the audio like the audio is being clipped. I'm definitely not clipping the signal in, I tried with the +4/-20 switch on the back.

I'm running it through a step down transformer that works fine with other stuff. I'm can't find a cheap euro adapter and the original boss adapters are hard to find or like 40 euros when you do. I don't really want to spend that much to find out it doesn't help.

It doesn't seem like there is a lot I can do to fix it, I'm just wondering if anybody else has ever come across something like this. Maybe I am missing something.

[madtheory]

Could be a ground loop. Boss gear does not usually have an earth pin connected.

[AK79]

This adapter should work

12V AC-AC

Not sure if the connector is the right one though.

If the powersource is not the problem then it might be a capacitor, leading to clocksignals bleeding into the audiopath

Cheers
Arne

[plus321]

Thanks. I just found the service manual so I'm going to see if I can learn anything from test mode.

Thanks for the adapter link, but I need a 230vac adapter. I'm in Serbia for awhile. I have euro adapters for almost all of my stuff, but the boss is the hardest to find. I don't really even know where to order electronics stuff in europe. I guess I should check mouser.

[plus321]

I have a 12vac adapter I could try, but the barrel is the wrong size. The se-70 takes 6.3mm OD and 3.0mm, but maybe I can find an adapter.

[AK79]

try amazon

12 V ACAC

cheers
Arne

[plus321]

Thanks. I'm going to buy one of these. I tried the tests and everything seems fine. I sort of think it has to do with the step down transformer.

My studio is not heated and I just realized turning off the space heater makes the sound go away except on the REV + GATE patch, which is the one I want to use. No idea why it is fine on all the other algorithms. It's even fine on other dual presets and on the individual reverb and gate reverb. Maybe this converter is just a piece of junk.

[Pereshaped]

I have exactly the same problem with this strange distortion. It happen mostly on the modulation effects where there is heavier processing going on. I will check out the change of PSU which is recommended here.

the SE70 is one of the best multifx processors around especially at the ridiculous price they go for. i have a lot of FX both analogue and digital and this little wonder is a great companion.

favs: ring modulator, vocoder ( similar to Air's VP550), pitch shifter ( I have Eventides and the SE70 stands up to them) and the analogue distortions are great on a humble analogue sawtooth.. CHorus, Trem are superb.

[plus321]

Yeah, I was running it through a step down converter with the original PS and it made the noise, but I bought a euro adapter and cut out the converter and it has been fine. Problem is the barrel size for the connector is unusual so I found a supply with a 'usual' size barrel, then went on amazon and found an adapter to make the barrel connector the right size.

[deeplodok]

I have got a BOSS SE-70 with a BRB-230 12VAC adapter with similar click clock hum recently.

Seems like it was a voltage filtering problem around +5V regulator and that caused some bugs in a digital supply, so that hum varied with a preset type due to a dsp/cpu load higher or lower.

The problem was fixed by replacing three capacitors C145, C149 and C164 around IC13 7805 regulator for a new good ones.

Now it has a pure sound again.

[madtheory]

Good to know!