Discussion about the Korg PolySix synthesizer

you can try isolating the ground pins on the power connector (a piece
of tape does it)

jure

On 1/31/07, Niels Ott <niels.ott@web.de> wrote:
> Hello there,
>
> P S schrieb:
> > It remained unused for about 6 months (too busy) until
> > this week and now everything is working fine again.
> > And I realize, after wasting hour upon hour of
> > playing, I love this synth.
>
> Better replace the battery SOON!
>
> In my Trident MK2 (which tends to suffer from a similar battery issue),
> the acid had already started eating up parts on the CPU board.
>
> I assume the Polysix has a Tape Backup facility so you can save your
> sounds. (Removing the battery will erase the memory)
>
> If there is no severe damage, the battery business will be done in no
> time and you will ensure that the device will never ever suffer from
> that problem again.
>
> > When I use my headphones to monitor (through the
> > 'phones' jack) the synth sounds fantastic. A little
> > noisy, but not so much I wouldn't use it to record as
> > this often seems to make the sound warmer and pleasing
> > to the ear.
> >
> > *BUT* whenever I use a 1/4 inch cable from the PolySix
> > ouput to the line in on my USB audio interface and
> > monitor through the interface there is a loud and
> > fairly deep 'hum' that occurs. The 'hum' keeps on even
> > if I am still listening with the polysix turned off.
> > Only unplugging from the wall stops it. When I record
> > this stunning instrument, this infernal 'hum' ruins
> > the recording.
>
> This doesn't sound like a Polysix problem.
>
> It is rather a ground loop.
>
> Does it happen when you connect the USB audio thingie, the computer and
> the Polysix to the very same power outlet?
>
> Is the computer connected to other rooms, e.g. via a BNC network
> connection or TV antenna cable? (Twisted Pair Network should be OK
> though, AFIAK)
>
> If it is a laptop, does it help to unplug the power supply and run it on
> battery? Does the USB thingie use its own power supply?
>
> (Maybe consult this:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_loop_%28electricity%29 )
>
> If the USB audio interface has XLR inputs, try using a DI box. (The 1/4"
> cable from the Polysix into the DI box, the XLR outs of the DI box to
> the USB thingie.)
>
> They are inexpensive and every keyboarder playing on stage should own one.
>
> (See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DI_box )
>
>
> > I'm going to recording arts school and want to make an
> > album, I need to record this beauty!
>
> Hehe. Of course you need to.
>
> I used my Tridet MK2 among other (vintage to modern) synths for this
> recording: http://www.drni.de/em/constant_change.php (free download)
>
> > Also, if I muster the courage to follow OldCrow's
> > guide to changing the battery is there a possibility I
> > might kill the synth even if I do the procedure
> > correctly? I would be upset obviously.
>
> If you do everything carefully, it should work out fine. If you aren't
> sure, try to find a soldering Guru. It's worth it!
>
> (Arts school? If this is at an Univ, there might be also a Electrical
> Engineering school or the like...)
>
> Best,
>
>   Niels
>
>
>
>
>
> PolySix "Digiest" Page: http://www.acc.umu.se/~amber/Poly6
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>