Noise

[Paulzric@aol.com]

Question: I bought the inexpensive TC M300 effects processor 
to front-end my loops. When I plug my guitar directly into it and then run 
it to my Fender Combo, it is very noisy; it 
hisses. When I use it in my rack, it doesn't seem to emit a 
hiss. Is there something I should know about when inputting a 
non-instrument level signal into a combo amp?

I'm guessing that there is a difference between instrument level and line 
level and that my amp doesn't like anything stronger than a guitar output. 
Does this mean that stomp boxes 
are instrument level outs? I'm baffled. Or is the TC M300 just
kind of cheap and noisy? According to Harmony Central, there
is a debate: some say it is noisy, others say "say what???"

Any help would be appreciated. Also, if there is an issue with
line vs. instrument levels, is there a product that buffers 
this? I have performed a cursory search and only found speaker
level to line level converters.

Thanks. Paul