Then the VII came along even more expensive, about as noisy and adding an additional "hey all the good modes are on one channel" thing that my brain just didn't like.
My VII isn't noisy at all. None of the gear in my guitar rig has noise, whether Mesa or PRS.
However, I did work hard over many years to figure out how to minimize noise, so granted, my case might be a bit unusual. Here's how I managed it, if it's at all of interest (I realize not everyone is as obsessed with audio as I am):
To start with I'm very, very careful about isolating signal grounds, because I make my living recording and can't have noise. I also isolate all amp power outlets with a rack device I'll mention below. So there's no hum or noise to amplify.
The first thing I did when putting together both my 'old' studio in the '90s, and the 'new' studio over a decade ago was install an an isolation transformer and balanced AC power to eliminate power line noise, AC ground noise and signal ground noise that would reach the recording gear.
Balanced power eliminates hum and noise the way balanced microphone cables and humbucking pickups do. It's been approved by all electrical codes, by the way, and doesn't harm gear. I have some 30 year old equipment that works like new.
In my old studio. my tech modified an industrial Sola isolation transformer to balanced power, but it was mechanically noisy, and I had to soundproof the HVAC room it was in, which was a PITA. But at the time there wasn't anything commercially available to do the job.
However, it reduced my noise floor by about 8 decibels, according to my studio tech's oscilloscope when it was installed. 8 db is a LOT of noise to eliminate when you think about recording gear.
When I put together the 'new' studio that's mostly 'in the box', I found a product called the Equi=Tech Q, a 2000 volt isolation transformer and balanced power supply that makes zero mechanical noise, and I can have it by my workstation. This is a great product, truly.
For the amps I ponied up for a Furman P-1800 PFR rack mount power supply with fully isolated outlets for all the amps and the pedalboard. This doesn't run as part of the Equi=Tech Q balanced power system (though I did try it) because I found that the P-1800 PFR did the job admirably by itself even though it isn't balanced power.
A nice feature of the P1800 is that it sports a 45 Amp power reservoir that lets the amps draw current as fast as they can gulp it. It's audible.
I figured I'd reserve the power of the Q for the recording gear and studio monitors, and man, you should hear my monitoring system. If the Q made a difference with the amps I'd have gotten a second one, but they cost a pretty penny and I'm glad the Furman did the job.
I use high quality, well-shielded shielded signal cables with low capacitance, and a preamp buffer at the beginning of my pedal chain. The cables are all Sommer LLX and Van Damme XKE. The Sommer is 15.8 pF a foot (Mogami is 48 pF a foot), and the Van Damme is 26 pF per foot. The lower the better. This isn't for noise except the shielding, it's really more of a 'good tone' thing. For reference, Abbey Road was rewired a few years ago with Van Damme. So it's not garbage. The cables don't transmit handling noise the way some guitar cables do (including my previous Mogami). So I can move without crackling.
I use a KHE amp switcher with independent signal and speaker I/O. The switching is by electronic relay. It's completely silent, and doesn't suck tone. It's a Swiss product.
Power cables to important gear are solid-core shielded cables by MusicCord. And yeah I know. Impossible they matter right? But it isn't.
I previously was certain that high end power cables were snake oil, but the differences are audible and measurable. A good feature is that shielded power cables don't induce hum and noise into signal cables that, as we all know, are all over the place when hooking up an amp rig, and can't easily be kept away from power cords.
Just so you know I'm not completely crazy, here's a demo with a guitar amp done in a studio; the difference is clear even with my computer speakers, but much more so with good cans or monitors:
An interview with Dave Pensado, well known major label engineer/producer and audio pathfinder:
Anyway, all of this adds up to a very, very quiet rig. It was also more expensive to do this than I'd have liked, but hey, it's my livelihood so it was worth the trouble.
I hope I'm not cluttering up the thread, I just thought I'd share what I do.
I should add that none of this will eliminate noise from crappy power tubes, and most made these days are junk. All my gear except the new Mark VII has NOS power and preamp tubes that I do not re-use, they stay in my amps. When I need more, I'm willing to buy NOS so they're fresh in a new amp. I haven't had the time or handy cash to retube the Mark VII yet, but I have to say the tubes that came in it are very quiet so far.
