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#78645 07/03/10 09:06 PM
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I have been using the Edirol SD20 for live use for a number of years but lately I hear distortion in the bass. The output of the SD20 goes to a Mackie mixer. The only way to get rid of the distortion is to turn down the bass to the point where it can hardly be heard. The drummer syncs to the bass so if he can't hear it well...there's a problem. Could this be a hardware issue with the SD20? I have tried using the sound card in the laptop and sent the phones out to the mixer ad the bass distortion disappeared but the other instruments don't sound the same anymore.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Robert

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Robert,

Try sending a GM reset inside of Band In a Box and see if that helps. Might have an FX on? I am not familiar with SD20's FX etc, so a GM reset might be in order here.

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It could also be a blown speaker. You need to isolate each element in the chain--source, cables, amps/mixers/FX, and speakers--to rule out this or other defects. Have you listened to your SD20 through another monitor? Tried playing another bass-heavy signal through the same amp and speaker? Give it a try and let us know.

R.


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Plug in some good working headphones first.


John Conley
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Quote:

I have tried using the sound card in the laptop and sent the phones out to the mixer ad the bass distortion disappeared ...




If all other equipment was the same in this test, then it does point to something in the SD20 unit.
If only the bass is causing the distortion, can you try another bass patch?
As mentioned, make sure there are no FX inside the SD20 affecting the bass.

Does it improve if the overall volume of the SD20 is turned down (are you overloading the mixer or something?)


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**This kind of problem must be isolated**

*It could be as simple as corroded audio connectors at the SD20's ouput, or a bad cable. Substitute known good cables one at a time and test. Use a wee shot of a good electrical contact spray such as Deoxit on the plugs and jacks to clean them.

*Connect the SD20 to another known good audio setup temporarily to listen to it. This could be as simple as your home stereo's AUX input.

*Listen carefully to the SD20's headphone jack output using headphones. See if the distortion is there as well.

*Try connecting the SD20 to different inputs on the mixer and see if the problem persists or not.

*Connect a CD player's output to the same inputs on the mixer and play some CDs that have about the same content as your BiaB and gigging files do. Again, see if the distortion persists or goes away.


--Mac

Mac #78651 07/04/10 11:32 AM
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Thanks, guys, but I've done all of the above tests except for the GM reset. I've been doing live sound for a good number of years so I knew what to look for first. Everything works fine without the SD20. As I said, when I use the laptop's soundcard the bass is clean and strong but the piano has a different "colour". Guitars sound "tinny" and strings sound...well, kinda like an old video game.

Not too sure how to go about the GM reset but I'll give it a try.

I looked at Ketone's SD2 online and the sound samples are impressive. Now, if I can ony convince my wife...

Thanks,

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Well, that SD20 may very well be repairable, also...

I'd suspect something in its output amp circuitry, perhaps a blown IC or perhaps a power supply/capacitor issue, if indeed it is a hardware fault. That may not cost a lot of money, but might be unbearable in downtime.


Good Luck, and, yes, I really like the sound of my Ketron SD2 a lot.



--Mac

Mac #78653 07/04/10 04:17 PM
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Been working with BIAB all day (~8+hours) on two machines, Desktop and Laptop to prep a gig list. Laptop has the USB Drive. And all of a sudden lots of distortion from bass. Other instruments sounded 'colored". Then only the drummer was playing...

Time to shut down and reboot. But very strange indeed.

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