Noise on outputs

[Jeremy Cook]

Has anyone found noise on the outputs of the Sample Cell? It appears to be quite a hiss; even without loading or triggering a sample.
I have some older synths and sampler that I thought was bad but this seem to be worst. I'm I crazy or is there a simple solution to my problem?

Thanks
Jeremy Cook

[Techsupt2]

Jeremy-

Due to the real-estate limitations on the card the analog outs are not the quietest ones on the world. However with a little care on your gain staging it should not be noticeable.

Essentially what you need to do is make the sample as loud as possible BEFORE it hits the analog outs, every gain stage after that should be turned down as much as possible.

A good test is to lower your outboard mixer's master fader all the way down (if your gains are up you'll blow speakers while doing this) and then turn on the oscilators found in 'monitor sample cell'. Those waves are full code sine waves. Turning them all on will output a tone as hot as the card ever will. Set the individual track faders to unity on your outboard mixer. Now begin to turn up your master fader. You'll probably find that after only a few notches the sound is quite loud. Start lowering the channel input gains on the board until the Master fader can be set to unity (or just below) and the audio is at a comfortable level. The hiss should not be audible at this point.

Now, if the instruments you are playing don't sound loud enough make sure the samples are normalized, that your MIDI channel volume is up, and that you aren't inadvertantly playing in the low end of the velocity range.

-Bryan

[This message has been edited by TechSupt2 (edited 05-13-99).]

[Jeremy Cook]

Thanks for the response, but it seems to be more than just a gain structure thing. Sample Cell even before its loaded appears to have the same noise problem. To give more detail, even with the SCII software volume off and the mixer gain down a large noise floor still appears. Perhaps defective?

Thanks once again,

Jeremy

[Techsupt2]

It's possible, yes. I'd suggest calling (650) 842-6699 for further troubleshooting/repair authorization.

-bryan