Cluster Flux noise

[patrickwalden@me.com]

Jus received my cluster flux but have 2 issues with it, i hope someone can help tell me if my unit is faulty or am i making a silly mistake?
When i first turned the unit on it started making sounds on its own without me touching the guitar, like self oscillating , even though feedback was on 0 and the drive wasn't maxed.Also its very hissy, i know to expect a certain amount but not sure if this is right.Strange thing is it stopped producing this self oscillating sound after 20 mins and seemed ok.Plugged it in this morning and was greeted by it again, although it lasted only 30 seconds.Am i doing something wrong?
Would appreciate any input!
Pat

[hooshirn]

I always boosting with the drive knob and turning down the output it seems to be less noisy that way the drive is how you supposed to match inputs. I believe the cluster has a very nice overdrive regardless. Any analog effect is going to have more noise that equivalent digital it's a trade off for the extra warmth you get. I have noticed the clusterflux takes more effort to tune in for the cleanest sound vs. the majority of Moogerfoogers. Mine has never had the self oscillation problem you describe so I don't know what to tell you there.

When you get down to it bucket brigade delays are just very crude digital fx's, truthfully
Their loaded with interesting artifacts if you take them for what they are

[EMwhite]

I had the ClusterFlux and didn't find myself using it much (I'm famous for buying something as soon as it comes out); but I can tell you that the initial firmware didn't do well with certain signals with regard to illuminating the LEVEL LED properly. In other words, it was overdriven well before the LED said so (turned red).

But I think this is the opposite problem and contradicts the advice above, which I also agree with (try to boost LESS post effect); may also try throwing a low pass filter on the other side of it to see if you can tame the output somewhat?

In the end, BBDs, unless heavily treated are noisy and flange type effects tend to demand high frequencies which is counter to what would offer the best noise floor; think of the 104Z and how has a rather dark tonal quality to it and repeats that get deeper and darker at longer regen.

[MC]

The noise may be better if you use a separate buffer before the ClusterFlux, IE another MF pedal. If I use my MF103->MF108M then I get less noise. For some reason the MF108M doesn't like passive stuff like pickups.

[patrickwalden@me.com]

Thankyoyu everyone for your answers and advice, after speaking to moog turns out i had a faulty unit, but the noise advice is very handy.
thanks again!

[patrickwalden@me.com]

thanx everyone!