Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, daxe <snakefooot@y...> wrote:
>
> 
> On this volume knob powerdown thing, just open the machine up and 
look inside!!  It's not rocket science!
> 
>  
> 
> I'm not an electronic tech, either, but the FIRST thing I do when 
something malfunctions is LOOK at it to see if I can find the 
problem.  More often than not it's something very simple and 
obvious.  Even a cracked circuit board (in case the unit was dropped 
on that knob or something) can usually be fixed by jumpering the 
traces externally.
> 
>  
> 
> To me, it sounds like the volume pot might be rotating slightly 
and the contacts may be touching part of the soft button.  At the 
very least, the humming just says 'bad ground.'  Maybe there's a 
ground wire from the vol pot that's waving around in there and 
touching the momentary switch for the soft button or something, but 
you aren't going to know until you just LOOK inside!
> 
>  
> 
> The XX-7s are designed to be opened by users to insert new ROMs, 
so it's not going to go sproinging a bunch of springs and electrical 
components everywhere when you open it.  I had mine open a few times 
to repair stuff inside and if you are careful, there's not many 
problems to be had.
> 
>  
> 
> One thing to be aware of:  If you need to take out a board that 
has LEDs on it..and has those little clear domes that protrude 
through the front panel and light up...do it very caefully.  The 
domes are separate little plastic pieces which are not attached to 
anything..they just get sandwiched between the front panel and the 
circuit board to hold them in place.  to replace the circuit board 
you have to stand them all up and line them up VERY carefully and 
then gently set the board down without knocking any of them over.  
You won't break anything if you knock them over, but it is a pretty 
delicate operation.
> 
>  
> 
> Other than that, the insides of the XX-7 are pretty 
simplistic..just a few circuit boards screwed to the casing and 
joined with ribbon cables.  If you are worried about putting it back 
together the right way after you take it apart..take some digital 
pictures or draw a picture of the inside before you disassemble it.  
The ribbon cables tend to stay bent the way they have been anyway, 
so if you are gentle with them (only remove one end) they will kind 
of lay  back the way they should go anyhow.
> 
>  
> 
> I bet you see sometihng clearly mechanically loose or broken when 
you get in there.  You might be able to fix it with some needlenose 
pliers or quickly soldering a connection back together.  
> 
>  
> 
> Good luck!
> 
>  
> 
> ~snakefooot
> 
Hi Snakefooot,

Thanks, I will open the unit up, but when it fired up yesterday I 
spend the rest of the evening enjoying the sounds, trying the unit 
for the first time actually. Somewhere in the back of my head a I 
had a little voice that said "Don't open it now! It works so better 
enjoy it while it lasts" and then it was 01:30 and really time to go 
to bed ;-) Anyway, I'll have a peek inside! I have a multimeter to 
measure, basic tools and basic knowladge, and knowing what I know 
now (thanks to you/this group)I'm pretty sure I'll fix it!

Greetings,
Ilja