noise gate question

[braintheory]

So I recently tried the new Marshall YJM and was amazed at how much the built in noise gate and booster transformed the amp.  With all the features on the back bypassed it sounded like a stock plexi and didn't impress me that much, but once I turned on the noise gate I was amazed at how much it improved the amp's articulation and tightness.  Once I turned on the booster it tightened it up even more.  Also, whatever this boost was (probably based on a dod) i liked it MUCH better than all the tube screamer and boss sd-1 style pedals I've tried.  Without the noise gate and booster the yjm wasn't that tight, but with them on it became one of the tightest amps ever.  I recently just bought an isp decimator to try and tighten up my amps the same way the noise gate on the yjm did, but so far I haven't been able to get to tighten it up quite as much as the yjm's noise gate.  I tried running the isp both in front of the amp and through the fx loop and got better results using the fx loop.  Am I doing something wrong?  Are there better pedals for what I am trying to do?

[gwEm]

You could try combining it with an EQ pedal - but I know what you mean.

The ISP decimator is a very good pedal, but theres not much control - just one knob. The latest version of the MXR Smart Gate has a number of extra controls for managing noise, and I think it has the edge on the ISP decimator.

[juansolo]

The decimator doesn't boost the signal at all unless you tweak it to do so. They should be set at unity, in theory. However they do have a trim pot that sets the output level and you could crank that... However the decimator is never off, your signal goes through it even unstomped. So your signal would be boosted all the time. Better to run an seperate OD and leave the noise reduction to the gate. As for which one, that comes down to taste. Try a few and see what you like.

[braintheory]

The decimator doesn't boost the signal at all unless you tweak it to do so. They should be set at unity, in theory. However they do have a trim pot that sets the output level and you could crank that... However the decimator is never off, your signal goes through it even unstomped. So your signal would be boosted all the time. Better to run an seperate OD and leave the noise reduction to the gate. As for which one, that comes down to taste. Try a few and see what you like.

I'm not trying to use the isp as a booster.  I'm trying to use it to add tightness, to cut off the notes quicker, almost like a machine gun effect.  In this video of periphery's rig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF8hBHok2xI) you can see how bulb is using a noise to give him that super tight, kinda choppy sound.  I was able to sort of get that effect when using the yjm with the noise gate, but not with my isp decimator.

[Roobubba]

I use the prorack G version of the decimator, which is excellent - it takes the input signal (in the first channel in front of the amp) as a control for the second channel (which sits in the loop). The effect is pretty dramatic, though it's not a cheap piece of kit...

[Dmoney]

what is the knob on the ISP? is it just noise threshold? what you probably want is a decay control.
in that vid he's using ISP into OD808 into NS-2. my guess is he's using the ISP to cancel noise and using a short decay setting on the NS-2.

[DoomBuggi]

I have both the ISP and the Boss NS-2.

I have not tried running them together, but to a/b the NS-2 with the ISP, I would rather go with the NS-2.  I found that the ISP messes with my signal more, on or off.  The NS-2 is a bit easier to work with for me.

[juansolo]

The decimator doesn't boost the signal at all unless you tweak it to do so. They should be set at unity, in theory. However they do have a trim pot that sets the output level and you could crank that... However the decimator is never off, your signal goes through it even unstomped. So your signal would be boosted all the time. Better to run an seperate OD and leave the noise reduction to the gate. As for which one, that comes down to taste. Try a few and see what you like.

I'm not trying to use the isp as a booster.  I'm trying to use it to add tightness, to cut off the notes quicker, almost like a machine gun effect.  In this video of periphery's rig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF8hBHok2xI) you can see how bulb is using a noise to give him that super tight, kinda choppy sound.  I was able to sort of get that effect when using the yjm with the noise gate, but not with my isp decimator.

Ah! The only other one I've ever had was the TC Electronic Gate/Compressor (can't remember what it was called), that can do that very easily twiddling with the knobs.

[gwEm]

what is the knob on the ISP? is it just noise threshold? what you probably want is a decay control.
in that vid he's using ISP into OD808 into NS-2. my guess is he's using the ISP to cancel noise and using a short decay setting on the NS-2.

its a bit of everything that knob - decay and noise threshold. its setup well, which does make it easy to use, but you don't have quite the same level of control.

having recommended the new version of the mxr smartgate i must say that the decimator is a bit better for that 'br00talz' noisegate thing. for actually stopping noise and remaining natural i'd take the mxr.

[Dmoney]

cheers Gwem!
I reckon in that video, 'bulb' is using the decay setting on the NS-2 turned down for minimum decay and thats why it sounds tight.
I'm off on tour tomorrow with a band that does a lot of heavy chugging and I'll be taking my noise suppressor to stop any feedback dead in those parts. The settings will be unnatural. pretty much the smallest threshold with the minimum delay. If you want silence between palm muted chugs it doesn't sound unnatural, but it's going to mess with your sustain if you leave it on. Still, I prefer to not use a gate at all... I used to use one all the time but then I got a solid amp and solid pickups in my guitar and I stopped having a problem controlling feedback.