Scratchy sounding tr-909- Any ideas how to fix?

kpa · Post by **kpa** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:45 pm

Hi,
I realise this may be quite a specific question, but hopefully someone knows what to do.

I have a roland tr 909, and have recently taken it out from under my bed and began to use it again (after listening to a daft punk bootleg from '97) but all the sounds are scratchy and full of interference. I have it set up so that i have the induvidual sounds coming into seperate channels in live, and the 'noise' affects all the sounds to differeing degrees. It used to hav this problem intermitently (sp), but now i cant get it to go away. Turning the knobs, tapping the casing has no effect on the problem/sound.

Do you know how to fix it? Or who/where can fix it?

I have no solering skills, but would like to get it fixed if possible, as it sounds so sweet when it isnt scratchy.

Hopefully someone knows the answer.

Cheers for looking,

kpa

Synthbuilder · Post by **Synthbuilder** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:59 pm

I have not had this problem so I don't know what to suggest. However, that you had it before and it corrected itself does bode well. This suggests that its probably a loose connection somewhere or a single failing component.

If you would like me to have a look at it, hit the www button below this post for more details.

I'm in the borders near Carlisle. Although I'm busy with all sorts of things at the moment, I don't think this one will take too long to sort out for you, so feel free to send it down to me.

BLynx · Post by **BLynx** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:03 pm

Maybe opening it and using some computer circuit cleaner may help. You obviously must know how to succesfully open up (and assemble back) something...

I'd recomment taking it to a TV tech you know or something like that. They usually like to experiment and they know what to do/not to do... I can solder (I was a tech myself) but it's boring and they're better, so I usually take stuff to them, as they charge only a few bucks....

kpa · Post by **kpa** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:15 am

thanks for your help. I'll try and open it up and use some contact cleaner on it and see how that goes before i think about the possibility of sending it away.

cheers,
kpa

freshdrumma · Post by **freshdrumma** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:50 pm

are you monitoring trough live?
if yes are the channels blinking red?
stupid solution but sometimes take the gain down a bit helps with digital....

don`t mind me, i`m only jealous becouse i would like to have that problem and a 909!

kpa · Post by **kpa** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:49 pm

Sometimes it is something as simple as that, but unfortunately not this time. Even when i have the sounds coming through at a low level the same problem exists. I have tried monitoring through my soundcard direct and even just through my dj mixer and sadly it's a noisy noise, not clipping or distortion. I'm opening it up on my day off work tomorrow and giving it a bit of a clean to see how that might help it.

Cheers for your suggestion.
kpa

mr-e · Post by **mr-e** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:40 pm

after listening to a daft punk bootleg from '97

You mean the youtube clip (with terrible sound quality) of one of the daftpunk guys doing a Live in the US with rollin & scratchin etc?

If not , I'd love to get my hands on it ...

kpa · Post by **kpa** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 4:21 pm

mr-e wrote:
after listening to a daft punk bootleg from '97
You mean the youtube clip (with terrible sound quality) of one of the daftpunk guys doing a Live in the US with rollin & scratchin etc?

If not , I'd love to get my hands on it ...

I think it was actually a recording of the aftershow they played at the arches in glasgow, after they had played thier gig at the barrowlands, or else it was the show from the barrowlands in glasgow. I seen it listed on the slamevents forum. here is the link for the download for it:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/h3zw3v

There is also a link to a show at Twilo in NY, but i havent downloaded this:
http://lazarocasanova.com/music/01%20Li ... rt%201.mp3

--
To close off this thread, i have just cleaned out my 909, by opening it up and giving it a clean with some compressed air and some cottonbuds. there was plenty of gunk in their coating the pots, and i gave the pin connectors a blast with the air too. Put it back together and it now works again. It's sounding sweet too. Thanks for all your advice.

kpa

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 4:36 pm

i suggest asking here http://www.nabble.com/Analogue-Heaven-f387.html