Has anyone had any issues with the pops when switching on and off loops? It does it even with loops that have nothing plugged in.
Is there any pedals connected before the ML5? or is it direct to guitar?
Hi James,
Itâs in the loop of a hx effects
Just to troubleshoot, if you connect directly from guitar to ML5 to amp, does the popping still occur?
Hi James
Just checked and itâs doing the same thing.
Thanks for the update. Are the pickups you are using active pickups?
The audio signal into the ML5 doesnât touch any active components and is hardwired true bypass, so Iâm just trying to identify the source of the issue. There might be a DC leak in the audio signal.
Hi James,
Just normal single coils and humbuckers, it does it as well with no guitar connected, Iâm using a Strymon ojai and usually the ml5 is daisy chained to a couple of outputs but I tried using an isolated output just for the ml5 and it still pops. interestingly it makes the pop even if I activate a loop that is empty and is perfectly timed with the relay click you can hear coming from the device itself
Thanks for the info. Donât think Iâve seen this behaviour before. Can you drop us an email and share with us a video of this to verify? And also your order ID and serial number if you purchased directly from us so I can check on the warranty.
Iâm having the same problem. I tried adjusting the loop mutes and timing and nothing changed. I tried an isolation transformer for audio lines and it still pops. I disconnected everything from the ML5 except power and then plugged my guitar (passive pickups) straight to the input jack and then the output straight into the amp input with no other connections. It still pops loudly when engaging/disengaging loops. Mine arrived less than a month ago. I did not buy it directly from you. Can you please help?
Do you have another amp and/or guitar that you can try this with? The popping is usually due to voltage differences in the signal before and after the switch. Does it pop while the signal is silent i.e you are not playing the guitar?
It pops while playing and when not playing. It pops in two separate amps. It pops with just a guitar in and no loops connected and straight into the amp. It pops with no input connected.
Can you send an email to help@morningstarfx.com with your ML5 serial number and purchase details? We can follow up there
Hi James,
Itâs been three weeks and I am no further along than I was on Day 1. Iâve been working with Brandon at the rate of one email per day, without the option of talking on the phone. Brandon ignored all the information I provided on here, making me have to start all over again. Further, he provides only one troubleshooting step per email and only one email per day, weekends excluded, so this process is now at the 3 week mark.
Brandon has asked me to send multiple videos. Notably, after viewing one video, he said the lights on the ML5 should dim (the manual does NOT say that), and they did not dim on the video, so I did not perform the task correctly. So I sent another video of the same thing, following his instruction (which was the same as the manual), and they STILL did not dim. But this time, he said I did it correctly and did say anything about non-dimming lights being a sign of error. So, are the lights supposed to dim or not? If so, the manual is wrong. If not, Brandon is wrong.
Is there some way to talk on the phone to move this process along? It has been three weeks and I need to get this working or else need to go with another company.
Sorry about the issues you are facing.
I just took a look at the videos you sent - yes it looks like the muted switching option on your ML5 is turned on. Maybe dim is the incorrect term - basically when the Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) kicks in to mute the signal, the red LED will be turned off when the LDR is on. When the LED is on, that means that the signal is not muted. If your signal is very low impedance then you wonât hear the mute.
If you can provide some more info for us - Is your signal going into the ML5 very high gain? If the guitar is connected directly to the ML5, are the pick-ups active or passive?
Popping isnât really an issue unless the gain on the amplifier is turned up all the way, but at those volumes, popping would be inherent in any relay switcher.
If still required, Iâll ask Brandon to send you a link to book a call - just note that weâre based in Singapore so the timezones are different.
Thanks James. What Brandon sent me was, âThanks for the video. Your settings are all correct. It looks like the ML5 is not suitable for your amp as you are still experiencing unacceptable popping. You can contact regarding your return.â As you can see, he did not send a link for a phone call and ignored all the questions I asked in my prior email to him. That does not correlate to what you just wrote. Did you instruct him to send that?
I responded to Brandonâs latest email (just before I read your response here) and asked 6 questions even though he advised me to just return the unit. Should I copy/paste them here so you can also help?
My response to the rest of your post is that I have previously explained, both here and in many emails with Brandon, that the popping occurs even with nothing at all connected except power and an output to the amp. This is shown in each of the 4-5 videos I sent in. Brandon saw all those videos and continues to say there is a problem, with his most recent email advising me to return the ML5.
As to your response about popping with high gain amps, the popping occurs even with clean channels on two separate amps, just not as loudly. Moreover, my understanding is that popping is inherent with true bypass switching. But your manual says (and I am paraphrasing, not quoting) that the ML5 is designed to be as silent as possible but that some external gear can cause popping (gear using âcharge pumpsâ) so the muted switching and adjustable delay times resolves this. But my experience is that the muted switching and even the longest delay times had no effect. Do my different amps each have a charge pump? Iâm not sure what a charge pump is. But even if they do have charge pumps, the muted relays are supposed to account for that, but they do not.
Lastly, as for the lights âdimming,â they are just full on or full off, as the videos show. Also, the manual discusses blue lights whereas mine are white. I am still confused as to what the ML5 is supposed to show me, based on what you and Brandon have written. I think the manuals says that the blights lights blink to confirm programming actions, and they do blink, but they are white. So I doubt there is a problem other than Brandon saying dimming should occur and other than the manual should be update to say white lights. The light color is not a big deal, but telling me I should be seeing dimming is a big issue because it makes me doubt the manual and doubt that I am programming correctly.
In short, I am still confused about whether this unit is doing what it is supposed to do, whether itâs the lighting issue or the popping issue.
If any brandâs similar product pops when switching (because perhaps it is impossible to resolve that issue, like eliminating EMI/RFI is practically impossible), and if the lighting on my ML5 is as it is supposed to be, then I suppose the only problem is that the manual indicates the ML5 has blue lights and that it will perform silent switching although it does allow popping. Thus it doesnât meet the expecting of silent switching.
As you can see, there are a lot concerns to address, and I would think Morningstar would want to address them instead of ignoring my concerns and telling me the product doesnât work with either of my high quality Friedman and AER amps and to just return the unit (as was done in Brandonâs latest email to me). I do have a third amp (Peavey) I could try, if youâd like. I could also try plugging it into my audio interface and see what happens with modeling amps. Just let me know what youâd like me to try.
Lastly, I was planning on purchasing an MC8-Pro when they become available (someone told me it would be available next year), but this whole experience has me seriously questioning that future purchase. As a first-time Morningstar customer, I hope that someone at Morningstar pays attention to all of the many details I have provided and finds a solution and reinstalls confidence in your products.
Thanks James, I look forward to your reply.
I see the ML5 is being powered by the Ojai, which should be perfectly fine. Have you checked the guitar cables are not an issue? Where is the ML5 in relation to the Ojai (e.g. next to or on top)? Which pedal is in the loop(s) of the ML5?
Iâve had the ML5 previously, now using the ML10X and the only time I experienced a similar issue was using a Klone which the manual calls out as a potential route cause due to the charge pump etc.
It sounds like a grounding issue, which wouldnât normally be expected with nothing else in the chain.
Random shot, have you tried a different plug socket to try powering the Ojai?
Hi Hawkins76,
The 2022 post youâre responding to is from Dan73. Itâs safe to assume that his issue is not longer actively being addressed.
In contrast, my 2024 issue is still being worked on, and I donât have the Ojai. I mention this because I donât want you to think Dan73 or I am ignoring your post.
If youâre not inclined to return the product, we can ship you a replacement if you think the product is faulty and you want to try another one. Weâve shipped the relay board and youâve swapped the board on the ML5 already with the issue still persisting.
You can reach out to Brendan or I can get him to follow up with you on this.
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