Topic: weak signal on one channel of my edirol r 09

[scarborough warning]

So I am very new at this only been out 6 times and not the most technically minded but last night when recording I noticed that the right channel was significantly lower than the left.

I am using some church audio mics , so when I got home I directed them at the same sound source, this time finding the right channel worked and the left was low. If I swapped it to mono both channels were the same.

So knowing the problems the edirol has with the mic/ inputs sockets does it sound like this is the problem?

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Jhurlbs81]

I am unfamiliar with the R9, but it sounds like the mics may be a bit off from each other.  When I run my Cardiod caps I notice they are off by about three db.  The fact that the "weak" channel swapped when you went home makes me think it's your mics, but again, I am completely unfamiliar with the R9 and any issues it might have.  Just a guess hombre. 

If it is your mics it's not an issue, neccessarily.  Just need to compensate with your pre.

Jesse

[Dede2002]

So I am very new at this only been out 6 times and not the most technically minded but last night when recording I noticed that the right channel was significantly lower than the left.

I am using some church audio mics , so when I got home I directed them at the same sound source, this time finding the right channel worked and the left was low. If I swapped it to mono both channels were the same.

So knowing the problems the edirol has with the mic/ inputs sockets does it sound like this is the problem?

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Same thing is happening with my R-09 (weak right channel, like -2 to -3db). Really don't know what to do.

[scarborough warning]

I am unfamiliar with the R9, but it sounds like the mics may be a bit off from each other.  When I run my Cardiod caps I notice they are off by about three db.  The fact that the "weak" channel swapped when you went home makes me think it's your mics, but again, I am completely unfamiliar with the R9 and any issues it might have.  Just a guess hombre. 

If it is your mics it's not an issue, neccessarily.  Just need to compensate with your pre.

Jesse

Thanks for you thoughts, I think you may be right about the mics, but i think it may be a bit more serious. The difference between the two channels is quite big about -15db, playing around with it last night I noticed that for a split second it would max out on the left channel and then drop back to nothing or very little. So I reckon there must be something a miss with my mics.

I know they worked fine to start with and last night I tried them directly into the mic socket as well as the input socket and the same thing happened so its unlikely that both sockets are corrupt especially as I have hardly touched the input socket.

[Roving Sign]

The R-9 jacks>circuit board connection are notoriously failure prone...sounds like you have one lose...

Compare your symptoms to this thread

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,71160.0.html

[guysonic]

The left channel is the first to break off the board on the R-09 and become intermittent like you describe (most usual from straight plug/cord stresses), so likely time to send in for Roland repair. 

As is now known with R-09, maybe wise (if not already doing so) to consider using only stress free right-angle molded plugs or a jack extension cord into R-09 using low stress R/A plug with high-flex cord.

[scarborough warning]

Thanks for the the input, its appreciated.

I guess I should hold my hands up to been idiot of the day as I may have found my problem, so on closer inspection of the mics I found that the right mic had unscrewed itself, I did not  even now they could unscrew and was hanging on by a thread. I have tightened it back up and retried the mics which seems to have done the trick, is this likely to have caused the problem?

I will give them a proper test tonight.

I was well aware of the r-09 issues but this has taught me to be a lot more careful, even if the issue was not r-09 related (this time maybe).

[anarkust]

I noticed that the right channel was significantly lower than the left.

I am using some church audio mics , so when I got home I directed them at the same sound source, this time finding the right channel worked and the left was low. If I swapped it to mono both channels were the same.

So knowing the problems the edirol has with the mic/ inputs sockets does it sound like this is the problem?

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

The problem is not the R09 but the Church mics.  I had the same thing happen to me with my Church mics. 

Unscrew the cover of the mic jack and slide back. 
Their should be a clear plastic sleeve inside. 
You should slide the plastic sleeve as close to the jack as possible then replace and tighten the jack cover.
That should solve your problem.

What is happening is that plastic sleeve is some sort of ground isolator and the jack cover comes loose and the sleeve moves shorting out one of the mics giving you a signal only on the mic that isn't shorting out.

Let me know if this helps.
Gabriel

[Church-Audio]

Thanks for the the input, its appreciated.

I guess I should hold my hands up to been idiot of the day as I may have found my problem, so on closer inspection of the mics I found that the right mic had unscrewed itself, I did not  even now they could unscrew and was hanging on by a thread. I have tightened it back up and retried the mics which seems to have done the trick, is this likely to have caused the problem?

I will give them a proper test tonight.

I was well aware of the r-09 issues but this has taught me to be a lot more careful, even if the issue was not r-09 related (this time maybe).

If you have any issues with my mics I will of course fix or repair them free of charge and pay for the return shipping..
One thing to check is to unscrew the mic capsules * carefully * make sure the brass tab is bent up so it makes good contact with center pin of the mic capsule it self then carefully screw them back together if you get any resistance it might be from the tab getting caught up on the metal screen inside the mics.. If so make sure the brass tab is centered in the mic housing and try again. That should solve the problem. These mics are never more then .5db apart from each other EVER... I measure each and every mic capsule when I get them and I put a db number on each one * this number is not visible * to you because its ground off when I repaint the mics but they are all built one at a time and all hand matched to with in .5 db some are Exact matches but none are off by 3db I would never send a pair out like that...

If you have my preamp I would plug a pair of headphones into the output of the preamp and set both cardioid mics in your hand side by side.. and gently talk into them with the windscreens on. You should hear balanced sound if you dont check what I mentioned above if that still does not help send them back to me and I will replace them or repair them.



Chris

[blindman]

I had the same issue with a pair of Church mics, but they were the tiny ones... not the ones that have the caps that can screw on and off.

It was really bugging me too because there was no consistency to the problem. I would get the single channel weak signal on all my recording devices (R-09, R-4, MT, iRiver and computer line/mic in) even with a CA-9100, a SP-PREAMP and a battery box. However, I could try it again a few minutes later and both channels were even.... but then I go to record a moment later and the channels were uneven again. Frustrating. It had to be the mics because this is not an issue with my AT853 or Sennheiser MKE's... ever.

I tested the mics into both my R-09 & R-4. I clipped  both mics to a piece of foam about 2-3mm apart and about 8-10 inches from in front of my studio monitor. I then used XMMS to play tones and recorded them to both recorders. I had to use a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter that Chris mademe to run into the R-4, and switched the inputs, but you can still see a very clear difference in the levels of the recordings. All the levels on the recorders were set even.
http://fecundswamp.peanutonastring.com/church/

I know Chris would probably take them back to check them out for me. I tried to find a solution via PM's with Chris, but it became clear he is very busy and could not help via PM's when he finally suggested I make sure the caps are screwed on tight... when these are the kind that have no caps to tighten.

I know Chris is very professional though and if they tested out when they left Canada, maybe it is something where they will test perfect on his system and just don't work with any combination of my pres/recorders.

I had hoped that recording into an iRiver and evening up the levels with the gain settings would have worked... but even with the levels matched by gain adjustment there is an audible difference in the channels. Sounds like a recording made with two different mics.

I haven't tried them recently, I will pull them out again and test them again tonight.

scarborough warning - glad your solution was to simply tighten the caps!

peace.

[Church-Audio]

I had the same issue with a pair of Church mics, but they were the tiny ones... not the ones that have the caps that can screw on and off.

It was really bugging me too because there was no consistency to the problem. I would get the single channel weak signal on all my recording devices (R-09, R-4, MT, iRiver and computer line/mic in) even with a CA-9100, a SP-PREAMP and a battery box. However, I could try it again a few minutes later and both channels were even.... but then I go to record a moment later and the channels were uneven again. Frustrating. It had to be the mics because this is not an issue with my AT853 or Sennheiser MKE's... ever.

I tested the mics into both my R-09 & R-4. I clipped  both mics to a piece of foam about 2-3mm apart and about 8-10 inches from in front of my studio monitor. I then used XMMS to play tones and recorded them to both recorders. I had to use a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter that Chris mademe to run into the R-4, and switched the inputs, but you can still see a very clear difference in the levels of the recordings. All the levels on the recorders were set even.
http://fecundswamp.peanutonastring.com/church/

I know Chris would probably take them back to check them out for me. I tried to find a solution via PM's with Chris, but it became clear he is very busy and could not help via PM's when he finally suggested I make sure the caps are screwed on tight... when these are the kind that have no caps to tighten.

I know Chris is very professional though and if they tested out when they left Canada, maybe it is something where they will test perfect on his system and just don't work with any combination of my pres/recorders.

I had hoped that recording into an iRiver and evening up the levels with the gain settings would have worked... but even with the levels matched by gain adjustment there is an audible difference in the channels. Sounds like a recording made with two different mics.

I haven't tried them recently, I will pull them out again and test them again tonight.

scarborough warning - glad your solution was to simply tighten the caps!

peace.

No offence but if you have a problem with my product send it back to me and I will fix it.. There is nothing I can do via PM'S to fix a problem with the type of mics you have, if there is a problem I will always stand behind what I sell... But I cant always do that via PM'S.... sometimes I actually just need to see the mics.. I find it hard to believe that levels are changing like that with out some sort of noise... Mic capsules dont usually behave like that.. But thats not to say that you did not get a bad capsule, send me a pm and I will send you my address for return shipping..

Chris Church

[blindman]

No offence but if you have a problem with my product send it back to me and I will fix it.. There is nothing I can do via PM'S to fix a problem with the type of mics you have, if there is a problem I will always stand behind what I sell... But I cant always do that via PM'S.... sometimes I actually just need to see the mics.. I find it hard to believe that levels are changing like that with out some sort of noise... Mic capsules dont usually behave like that.. But thats not to say that you did not get a bad capsule, send me a pm and I will send you my address for return shipping..

Chris Church

No worries! Why would I be offended, all you did was pretty much restate what I said in my post. I have nothing but respect for you and your products... though I sometimes wonder if your soldering station might need better ventilation or maybe you need a few less Red Bulls. You seem a bit tense sometimes

Once it became clear there was no easy answer, I wanted to make sure I exhausted every possible solution on my end.

I will pull the mics out again tonight and run them a few times through the different machines. I will PM you this weekend about the return if needed and I would also like a quote on an extension cable with the 4.7K mod for my AT853's.

I love my CA-9100... but that is for another forum

peace
Michael

[Church-Audio]

No offence but if you have a problem with my product send it back to me and I will fix it.. There is nothing I can do via PM'S to fix a problem with the type of mics you have, if there is a problem I will always stand behind what I sell... But I cant always do that via PM'S.... sometimes I actually just need to see the mics.. I find it hard to believe that levels are changing like that with out some sort of noise... Mic capsules dont usually behave like that.. But thats not to say that you did not get a bad capsule, send me a pm and I will send you my address for return shipping..

Chris Church

No worries! Why would I be offended, all you did was pretty much restate what I said in my post. I have nothing but respect for you and your products... though I sometimes wonder if your soldering station might need better ventilation or maybe you need a few less Red Bulls. You seem a bit tense sometimes

Once it became clear there was no easy answer, I wanted to make sure I exhausted every possible solution on my end.

I will pull the mics out again tonight and run them a few times through the different machines. I will PM you this weekend about the return if needed and I would also like a quote on an extension cable with the 4.7K mod for my AT853's.

I love my CA-9100... but that is for another forum

peace
Michael

I think its hard to judge things via a two dimensional communication like email/pm's I often get misunderstood as being a asshole but in fact I am just a busy guy that can solve things quicker with a phone call then an email. I have about 10-20 pm's here a day + 20-50 emails a day So its hard to please everyone if I have pissed you off I apologize its hard when your the only guy running the show.. sometimes..

Chris

[blindman]

Chris... serious... open a window, take a deep breath... everything is totally cool!

I am a big boy, trust me... if you offended me or I was upset with your products you would have heard from me.

Now, I want you to sign off and take a 20-30 minute break... I insist... go play your guitar outside on the porch... it will feel so good.

and no more Red Bulls young man!



Michael

[Church-Audio]

Chris... serious... open a window, take a deep breath... everything is totally cool!

I am a big boy, trust me... if you offended me or I was upset with your products you would have heard from me.

Now, I want you to sign off and take a 20-30 minute break... I insist... go play your guitar outside on the porch... it will feel so good.

and no more Red Bulls young man!



Michael

The window is already open And I am actually ok.. I just want to make sure your ok..  ok