Electro-Harmonix XO Hum Debugger Hum Eliminator Guitar Effects Pedal

Most Liked Positive Review

Best Option Available as of 2010

I've been fighting the "Battle of Bull-Hum", for quite some time. My resume includes reading every product's review on this website, YouTube demos & above all buying/trying every single noise reduction product Guitar Center offers. In short, this is the best one by far. Despite slight tone coloration (most noticeable when strumming muted strings with distortion) that sounds a little Styrofoam-like (better trade off compared to loud buzzing hum). I'm willing to accept that knowing what every other product sounds like. Having the ability to stomp on/off through performances can overcome any unnatural sounding parts of songs. Feel free to read on for competitive item's drawbacks that make the Hum Debugger your best choice: I first had high hopes for ISP's Sonic Decimator G-String: Did one of the best jobs removing noise but: 1. long sustained notes DO NOT decay naturally and end abruptly. Try sustaining a high pitch note for over a measure and you'll be disappointed. Great pedal for shredders perhaps, but not those that like to play with a lot of space. 2. Noise comes back when you play your notes and disappears only when guitar isn't played. If you play soft and with low dynamics you are in trouble, as noise overpowers your desired notes! 3. I wasn't happy how unnaturally the noise came in and out (It's almost better to always have noise, cause your ear gets used to it) and that by itself becomes equally noticeable as unnatural. I then tried MXR's Smart Gate, Ebtech HE-2-XLR Hum Eliminator with XLR, Ebtech's HUM X, ROLLS HE18 BUZZ OFF HUM ELIMINATOR ,Nady HE-1 Hum Eliminator,ART Dual Transformer/Isolator Hum Eliminator ,ART CleanBox II Passive Hum Eliminator & Ebtech 2-Channel Hum Eliminator. All my experiences with these- didn't remove hum/noise and took off from original signal. I gave the Hum Debugger 4 stars (would of given 4.5 if an option) cause although not perfect, it is simply the best choice out there and will definitely not affect long sustained notes, no noticeable in/out of noise, minimal tone coloration, ease of use. The next generation version of this unit should be a little smaller (think Keeley 4knob compressor size) and perhaps offer to add back the frequencies taken away with the hum (in a post-processed stage that wouldn't reintroduce hum). If they could do that, it would dominate the market. Until then, this unit easily wears the crown.