Vintage Simmons Drums (UK) Users Group

Aaron Thomas skrev:
> Just had my first chance to try the SDS-800 I picked up at a French 
> market the other week...
> 
> It's okay, but I don't think it's right.

AS might be expected with that price.

> The bass channel is the least satisfactory. If I turn the overall level 
> down to zero, it's fine. Otherwise I get a constant "howling" sort of 
> noise. The volume of the howling is governed by the Click Level pot. 
> With this turned fully clockwise, the howling is loud - with this pot 
> turned fully anti-clockwise, the howling is quiet but still there.

I know the tech's here know more, but a leaking opamp or similar maybe?

> I can still trigger the bass channel despite the howling, but it doesn't 
> sound anything like a bass - it sounds quite high pitched, more like a tom.

I think that's just one problem in there, that manifests itself like this.

> The snare seems reasonbly okay although doesn't sound a lot like the 
> classic Simmons snare I was expecting. I can't seem to get that sharp 
> Kraftwerk-esque sound I want. Sounds more like a tom sound with resonance.

Have you got any noise whatsoever? Otherwise it might be this circuit. 
Without noise it's suppose to sound resonant and strange.

> Tom 1 seems absolutely fine - and triggers the run generator nicely.

Great! :)

> Tom 2 is a little strange. The Decay pot doesn't seem to have any impact 
> on the length of the sound being produced. It's constantly a short sharp 
> sound. In fact this channel seems to produce sounds which sound far more 
> like a kick drum than the bass channel does!

Sounds like it's just the decay pot or maybe the circuitry connected to it.

> And finally the output I get from the Headphone socket is a little 
> noisy, compared to the individual outs and the stereo / mix outs on the 
> back of the box.

As I recall this is a factory flaw. Others might be able to confirm this...

> It's a bit of a shopping list of problems! Bearing in mind I'm a 
> complete newbie to this, and have never opened one of these machines up 
> before - where would you suggest I start?

I'm no wiz but I'd start with the decay pot. If that gets solved you get 
energy to attack the next issue. :)

> Fingers crossed you guys can help - and thank you in advance for all 
> advice given.

Otherwise we have a few skilled techs here on the list. If it cannot be 
solved via the list it might be worth having it serviced.

Good luck!

-- 
electronically yours, jesper

- -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
www.electronic-obsession.se
www.myspace.com/machinepop