Discussion about the Korg PolySix synthesizer

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@...> wrote:
>
> I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
>
> I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
>
> Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
>
> Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
>
> Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
>
> Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
>
> (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
>

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@...> wrote:
>
> I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
>
> I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
>
> Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
>
> Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
>
> Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
>
> Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
>
> (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
>

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@...> wrote:
>
> I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
>
> I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
>
> Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
>
> Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
>
> Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
>
> Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
>
> (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
>

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@...> wrote:
>
> I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
>
> I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
>
> Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
>
> Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
>
> Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
>
> Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
>
> (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
>

On 20 Jul 2013, at 03:16, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@gmail.com> wrote:

> Ok, so I went and bought the KiwiSix KLM-376 upgrade board and it definitely works better now...... but there are now a few very frustrating problems that weren't there before. Soooo..
>
> 1. now the keyboard isnt in tune anymore, like you play an octave and it is slightly off and the amount of being out of tune gets worse as you go lower on the keyboard. Im getting this totally weird microtonal stuff when I try to play, which is cool...but that's not what I'm trying to do right now!
>
> 2. Also....the effects knob is acting weird. When I go down to past about 4, all sound cuts off. No matter what effect is on or even if the effects are off. The effects still work, but just as long as it is over 4. When you get over 4 though the knob starts acting like a volume knob and when you get to 10, the keyboard is reallllly loud.
>
> 3. The arpeggiator button doesnt work anymore. Maybe the button died and I need to replace it? Is there a way to engage the arp without the button?
>
> 4. The poly button in the Key Assign section doesn't work anymore. When I start the keyboard up it is lit and I can pay polyphonically, but if I go to unison mode, I can't switch back to Poly mode.
>
> 5. The Chord Memory LED doesn't work anymore but the button does.
>
> ughhh man you fix one problem and it leads to 5 more....I guessing I should go through the calibration procedure in the service manual to at least try to fix the first problem, but I dont have an oscilloscope right now.
>
> Thank you for any help you kind and generous Polysix gurus can offer a straggling one.
>
> -william
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@...> wrote:
> >
> > I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
> >
> > I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
> >
> > Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
> >
> > Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> > Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
> >
> > Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
> >
> > Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
> >
> > (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
> >
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@...> wrote:
>
> I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
>
> I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
>
> Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
>
> Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
>
> Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
>
> Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
>
> (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
>

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Have you downloaded the service manual? Follow the procedure that follows all the schematics. It starts with the power supply (*always* start with the power supply) and moves on from there. You'll need a digital multi-meter to measure voltages. Do you have a multi-meter?
>
> Assuming that you do, the service manual starts by measuring voltages in the power supply. If the power supply voltages are OK, the manual moves on to check the other circuits. I'm thinking that you're going to find that the problem is with the digital-to-analog conversion (DAC) circuit or analog-hold circuits that follow the DAC circuit. But that's just my conjecture...
>
> Start the procedure in the service manual. At some point, you'll get completely wacky results that are not what the manual says you should get. Try the remedy that the manual suggests (usually, it's simply turning a pot). If the remedy doesn't work, let us know where in the procedure your Polysix deviates.
>
> Chip
>
>
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "zumdar" <wbkennedy1@> wrote:
> >
> > I have a problem with my Korg Polysix that I really need some expertise on. I'm playing a big festival this weekend and I need it for the gig!
> >
> > I bought this Korg Polysix from Switched On Music in Austin, TX and shortly thereafter I started having battery leakage problems. The dudes at the store took it back and completely replaced the old KLM-367 board with the leakage on it with a completely new clone KLM-367 board. I received it back in January with the new KLM board so I don't think this new issue is due to battery corrosion.
> >
> > Now the P6 won't output any real sound. I turned to volume pot up all the way and get some static and messed with every single knob and button and the only thing that I get is a weird clicking noise when I switch it to PWM mode and the clicking frequency changes with the PWM SPEED knob.
> >
> > Other small things to note: The LFO led is completely lit now and won't respond to any adjustment made to the LFO SPEED knob.
> > Also (and this was actually a problem the last couple of times I played the synth), the effects SPEED/INTENSITY knob will effect the volume (which right now is just the clicking and static, but all last week it was effecting the total volume of the synth).
> >
> > Does anybody have any places I should start with troubleshooting? I do have some intermediate synth repair knowledge and I can definitely make my way around these things, I just have never really learned how to start going about troubleshooting. Any suggestions would be supersupersuper appreciated! We are leaving in a few days, and we have practice everyday until then!!!
> >
> > Thank you sooo much for any help you can provide, please bestow any wisdom on me o knowledgeable synth ones!
> >
> > (time to go pour over the schematics and see if there is some link between all these things! ahhhhh!)
> >
>

Is there a way to test if the buttons are messed up or if its a larger problem? nothing happens when I push the arpegiator button..

There are a bunch of reasons why a button won't appear to work:

(1) is the button itself working,

(2) are the traces between the button and the microcontroller working,

(3) is the microcontroller that's scanning all of the buttons working,

(4) is the microcontroller outputing the correct signals in response to the button being pressed,

(5) is the synth correctly acting on the microcontroller's commands