Re: The frustrating world of echoplex ownership

[andy butler <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>]

phillip wilson wrote:
> Another trying week another email to the list.
>  
> I am begining to feel guilty for the amount of help i am  asking other 
> for, however I dont know where else to turn. I know this is a super-huge 
> email, but please,if you know anything about echoplex's and their 
> problems and feel you may have new light to shed, please try contribute 
> before I litterally run out of options.
>  
> I have just spent the whole night determined to iron out the noise 
> trouble that has plagued black echoplex pro plus (my second of three).
>  
> basically it makes a huge amount of hum all the time from the moment the 
> power cord is plugged in. this noise rises as the unit is switched on 
> and can be  raised and lowered by adjusting the volume of the pa system
>  
> hower no matter how the in and output volume pots are set, it makes no 
> differance, also turning the balance from loop to input makes no change 
> to the hum. the actual fidelity of the audio behind the hum is fine, i 
> can record a loop and the loop itself is clear and undistorted.
>  
> tonight I have made some more discoveries that may help someone diagnose 
> the problem...
>  
> 1. i have had the roms and ram out of this unit and swapped with 
> echoplex3 (yes the one that doesnt synch cos of crystals!!) anyways, i 
> have tried all combinations and echoplex three accepts the ram and roms 
> from noisy echoplex 2 without any incresed hum...echoplex2 now has the 
> roms and ram of echoplex3 without any lowering or change of hum 
> (therefore i can rule out ram and roms as culprits)
>  
> 2. I was really persistant and managed to get those damn shields off 
> echoplex2 and gently pressed the two square chips (this cured a noise 
> problem with echoplex1 back in the day)...no dice.
> I dont have the correct tools to completly remove these chips and 
> clean.reseat so this is still a potential area that may harbour the 
> problem??
>  
> 3. I found that I can connect a lead to the pa and put my lead into ANY 
> jack round the back, input,output,footpedal,feedback etc ...the hum is 
> constant across ALL of the jacks (exceot the synch ones where obviously 
> there is a whining of the clock).
>  
> 4. If i plug into my little practice amp the problem APPEARS to go 
> away...that is to say I can plug echoplex2 into any of the four pa 
> inputs (and its a new one) , or into other pa's (my friends,my clubs 
> etc) and AB the same channels and settings with my other 
> echoplex's...the others are aways quiet...echoplex2 is always 
> noisy...however in the practice amp things sound as clean as a whistle 
> on all units?
>  
> I don't think i have EVER stuck with such an unreliable and problematic 
> unit type for so long...ever... that is more testement to just how GOOD 
> the echoplex can be, i love the way it works , when it works..however as 
> a product it appears that all echoplex's are NOT created equal.
>  
> Thanks so much for reading this far, if anyone knows anyone else who 
> might be able to shed light on this situation, please email me or 
> forward this onto them.
>  
> 
> Love and Warm wishes
>  
> Phill MyOneManBand Wilson
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Sounds like? How many syllables? Guess and win prizes with Search 
> Charades! <http://www.searchcharades.com>