H90 USB noise – Design Error

[ntrueman]

Ok I read a number of historical complaints regarding usb induced noise regarding the H90 on this forum, to be honest it looks like Eventide are not taking a genuine error seriously. For a $900 pedal I expect better. This issue needs to be addressed.

The noise makes it impossible for me to leave the USB connected while I select effects directly from the PC which means a significant feature which is advertised does not work correctly. I have tried independent power, using a USB hub, isolators and splitters to no avail. My conclusion is that this is an error in the product since why would a properly designed audio product allow a noisy power supply, ground loop etc. to influence the audio so badly. I am staggered that Eventide would release a product with such an obvious error which must have been spotted in Test. Also if it performs this badly in my studio there is no way I could trust this product to work correctly in the world of live performances where things are always less than perfect.

I would like your development department to investigate and determine how this issue can be mitigated in the short term for current owners AND work on a complete resolution to the issue. Hopefully you can resolve this in software and provide an upgrade OR if it turns out to be in hardware, provide an exchange program/or a return for modification program. This will cost money but it’s better than losing your standing and credibility in the market.

[joecozzi]

ntrueman wrote:

I would like your development department to investigate and determine how this issue can be mitigated in the short term for current owners

Connecting to the pedal via Bluetooth from a computer or iPad will make noise free editing possible.

[ntrueman]

I had previously dismissed Bluetooth after scanning Section 7.3 which doesn’t list PC/Windows support.

 

Looking at the manual,

10.1.2. Connection¶
H90 Control can connect to your devices in two ways:

All devices can connect directly using USB, using the included USB cable.
The H90 can connect wirelessly, using Bluetooth. Checkout the Bluetooth section of the user manual for instructions and troubleshooting.

I assume ‘the bluetooth section’ is section 7.3, if so, 7.3 does not mention PC/Windows connectivity with Bluetooth at all, is this formally released and supported?

7.3

The H90 can pair and connect to your Mac, iPad, and iOS device via Bluetooth. This allows you to connect to H90 Control (Mac/iPad only) or send MIDI messages via a DAW or 3rd party MIDI control app.

7.3.5. Bluetooth System Requirements¶
Device must support Bluetooth LE 4.2+ to use H90 Control. BLE 4.0+ will work for standard MIDI only. Earlier versions of Bluetooth/Bluetooth Classic will not work and are not supported.
iPads must run iPadOS 15 or later to use H90 Control
Macs must run macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later.
Some Macs running macOS 12 (Monterey) have known issues pairing with Bluetooth MIDI devices. If you are having trouble pairing your device on Monterey, updating to macOS 13 (Ventura) has been known to resolve these issues.

I’m probably missing something? But the manual is not stating that bluetooth to PC/Windows is supported. Please advise.

[joecozzi]

When I said computer I meant Mac. I should have been more specific. Bluetooth on PC is currently not supported.

[ntrueman]

Ok so if usb is unusable and bluetooth would provide a solution if pc/windows were supported, why wouldn’t Eventide make it a priority to provide support for pc/windows?

Please escalate this issue since right now a key feature does not work correctly and the only course of action open to me is to return the product for a full refund. Something neither of us would prefer.

 

[tbskoglund]

Hello,

Sorry to hear of the issues you are having.

It is correct that we don’t support a Bluetooth connection for Windows, but since your original issue was noise when using the USB connection, it’d be best to troubleshoot that issue further. There are many users who don’t experience noise issues when connected via USB, so there may be something in your setup that can be changed to resolve this.

You mentioned the following: “I have tried independent power, using a USB hub, isolators and splitters to no avail.”

• What exactly do you mean by “independent power”? In order to avoid ground loops, you should try to have your Amp/monitors, guitar pedals, and computer all connected to the same power source.
• How is the H90 being powered?
• How is the H90 connected to your amp?
• Have you tried using the H90 with no other pedals in the signal chain?
•  A USB hub vs a direct USB connection shouldn’t make a difference here, unless the hub is advertised as some sort of ground loop isolator. A direct connection is best for troubleshooting the issue further.
• Which isolator did you try?
• What do you mean be a splitter? Please be precise.

Once we have some more information, we can help you troubleshoot the noise issue further.

Thanks for your patience.

[Author]

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