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Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

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Digital crapulence!

Digital crapulence!

2010-08-18 by chris_i_rolland

Like many here I am on my "second" VFX, having sold the first one (which I bought about a week after it arrived in the UK) like an idiot when I got a Korg O1-W pro; a decision which which was swiftly followed by many self-inflicted leg injuries. I've had VFX #2 for over 15 years now, and did the ROM upgrades, battery changes, keyboard "fix" etc. happily with my moderate electronic and soldering skillz. However recently the VFX has developed a serious problems and I'm praying it isn't terminal.

With certain sounds, when the sound decays after key up (and sometimes depending on the sound during sustain - yes this is very sound depandant) I get a lot of digital degredation of the sound almost like the DSP is dropping bits off the DAC (think like when your mobile phone starts scrambling to sound and you get the idea) . . . very bad. I'm hoping someone here will say "oh yeah, just replace this capacitor" or something but I fear the DSP chip has gone bad.

To give context I still own this despite having a Motif XS, a Nord Stage EX, and a Roland V-Synth GT; I still crave a ZR-76 though they are practically non-existant here in the UK and if my VFX dies I WILL cry (although finding another one, or even an SD-1 probably won't be too hard). Please help keep my VFX alive!

Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Digital crapulence!

2010-08-18 by jammie

change the caps on the dac first as they act as smothers for the analog waves then chen the buffering opams in the next stage of the circuit these are tlo72 opmps an are used to smoth the dac output even more before going to a line level opamp
do you have the same noise in the earphones out put if not then its the buffering stage
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 10:37 AM
Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Digital crapulence!

Like many here I am on my "second" VFX, having sold the first one (which I bought about a week after it arrived in the UK) like an idiot when I got a Korg O1-W pro; a decision which which was swiftly followed by many self-inflicted leg injuries. I've had VFX #2 for over 15 years now, and did the ROM upgrades, battery changes, keyboard "fix" etc. happily with my moderate electronic and soldering skillz. However recently the VFX has developed a serious problems and I'm praying it isn't terminal.

With certain sounds, when the sound decays after key up (and sometimes depending on the sound during sustain - yes this is very sound depandant) I get a lot of digital degredation of the sound almost like the DSP is dropping bits off the DAC (think like when your mobile phone starts scrambling to sound and you get the idea) . . . very bad. I'm hoping someone here will say "oh yeah, just replace this capacitor" or something but I fear the DSP chip has gone bad.

To give context I still own this despite having a Motif XS, a Nord Stage EX, and a Roland V-Synth GT; I still crave a ZR-76 though they are practically non-existant here in the UK and if my VFX dies I WILL cry (although finding another one, or even an SD-1 probably won't be too hard). Please help keep my VFX alive!


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Re: Digital crapulence!

2010-08-30 by Bill Tomlinson

Just got a VFX-sd on the bench. WORST SOUND EVER !Buzzy. distorted. crappy. no semblance of timber. Found the AD1856 D/A converter had died. could not find an original, so crossed it to a TI PCM56 from Mouser.

Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!

2010-08-30 by Bob S.

Did the substitution work? Is it quiet ?
;
Thanks
Bob
El Segundo, CA
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 11:05
Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!



Just got a VFX-sd on the bench. WORST SOUND EVER !Buzzy. distorted. crappy. no semblance of timber. Found the AD1856 D/A converter had died. could not find an original, so crossed it to a TI PCM56 from Mouser.

Re: Digital crapulence!

2010-09-15 by Bill Tomlinson

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Bob S." <tttsystems@...> wrote:
>
> Did the substitution work?  Is it quiet ?
> 
> Thanks
> Bob
> El Segundo, CA
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
NO! Did nothing. Further checking revealed the "ESP" chip had failed.
Ordered one from www.syntaur.com and BINGO !: beautiful music again !
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
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> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Bill Tomlinson 
>   To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 11:05
>   Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!
> 
> 
>     
> 
> 
>   Just got a VFX-sd on the bench. WORST SOUND EVER !Buzzy. distorted. crappy. no semblance of timber. Found the AD1856 D/A converter had died. could not find an original, so crossed it to a TI PCM56 from Mouser.
>

Re: Digital crapulence!

2010-09-15 by Bill Tomlinson

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Tomlinson" <tomlinson6050@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
EDIT: before you replace the keyboard into the VFX, hook it up to MIDI and adjust the trimmer near the right edge of the mainboard to get the best (cleanest) reverb tails.

Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!

2010-09-16 by Bob S.

What is the ESP chip ?
Bob
El Segundo, CA
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 13:30
Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!



--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Bob S." wrote:
>
> Did the substitution work? Is it quiet ?
>
> Thanks
> Bob
> El Segundo, CA
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
NO! Did nothing. Further checking revealed the "ESP" chip had failed.
Ordered one from www.syntaur.com and BINGO !: beautiful music again !
&&;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&;&&&&&
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bill Tomlinson
> To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 11:05
> Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!
>
>
>
>
>
> Just got a VFX-sd on the bench. WORST SOUND EVER !Buzzy. distorted. crappy. no semblance of timber. Found the AD1856 D/A converter had died. could not find an original, so crossed it to a TI PCM56 from Mouser.
>;

Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Digital crapulence!

2010-09-16 by tomlinson6050@roadrunner.com

---- "Bob S." <tttsystems@...> wrote: 

=============
What is the ESP chip ?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ensoniq Signal Processor. Their custom chip that handles effects. You can set the effects to OFF or BYPASS, or "0" level, but the digital signal still passes thru the chip. So problems there will affect all the sound.

Near the front of the mainboard, just to the right of center are two 60-pin narrow ICs. The one to the right is the OTIS chip that fetches the data from the waveform ROM and gives it the correct pitch, etc.
The one to the left is the ESP chip---it is very likely there is a small condendser soldered  between two of the pins and held to the top of the IC with double-sided tape.

Don't gurantee that's what you need, but it sure cured mine !

Bill

Re: Digital crapulence!

2011-04-08 by nick

Hi Bill,

I think I may be having the same problem with my VFX. I've got a buzzing sound through all of the outputs no matter what the volume level is. When I play any of the patches, they sound horrible. Some sound like I'm playing through a high gain amp. Is this the same issue you had? If so, is the Mouser A/D converter a direct fit, or will I have to do some modifications to install it?

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Tomlinson" <tomlinson6050@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> 
> 
> Just got a VFX-sd on the bench. WORST SOUND EVER !Buzzy. distorted. crappy. no semblance of timber. Found the AD1856 D/A converter had died. could not find an original, so crossed it to a TI PCM56 from Mouser.
>

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