- also wondering why you choose to have a differences sound engines between the drums, cymbal ... I would rather have set the very same parameters for all the instruments to allow different use, copy from one to the other ... a.s.o. As most of the parameters are common to all of them, I would have designed a full featured drum synth engine and duplicate it to every single instrument
this has historical reasons and may change in a future update. The early versions were not optimized enough to provide 6 tracks with all features on every track. For example the drum 1-3 tracks did not have any filter at all in the beginning, the hihat track was limited to a highpass... But after optimizing more and more of the code I gained extra cycles that made the voices become more similar over each iteration. I still don't know if i have enough processing power left to run 6 voices with all the features of every voice, but I will try when the currentl features are bug free;)
- some of the parameters cannot be tweaked from the potis from time to time but work fine with the main encoder
Did you use an SD card with presets on it? Do you have the "parameter fetch" activated?
I think this is due to parameter values still having invalid values on some of the presets due to parameter changes in the past and the yet nonexistent init sound without an sd card. A good example I know of are the "LFO Voice" parameters that are '0' in some presets, but have a range from 1 to 6. These illegal values together with the fetch option will prevent the potis from working. The value will only change if the pot is on the same value as the parameter, but since the parameter is currently set to an illegal value that can't be reached by the pot, the lock on the value will never be released.
Stil a good idea! You know men - we never ever read manuals, the most we do is take a look on the Box. Therefore a half naked girls or a cheatsheet on the Box would surely help
I didn't have the time to test it extensively though. I have some other DIY stuff to finish, but I hope that I'll be able to spend a good amount of time on the synth to try it
Nothing much to add,
The leds at the top right row are too close to the switches, not really easy to handle.
There might be a mechanical weakness due to the pc-mount switches constraints - there's no good solution though. I hate to wire stuff, there are already a good amount of spacers and the unit is not that light.
I had a joint between voice 6 and voice7 switches that caused an UI failure. That was easy to find out and to solve, but this is caused by the 2-sided design. I'm afraid there's no ultimate solution though. The design is compact but the machine is already quite big.
I had one "bad" 100nF capacitor, it looks weird but that's not very important. I measured it and it shows 170nF, which is far beyond specs, but anyway it's just decoupling so I didn't bother to replace it. I prefer the small multilayer caps used by Olivier, they are much nicer, but I don't know how different is the final price for You. And after all, it's only decoupling caps, so... we don't really care.
The inductance is not really practical to solder, you might want to revise its footprint.
Besides, I preferred not to follow the instructions scrupulously for certain elements, like the encoder before jack outs, usb after resistors but before switches and leds, etc.
Overall, this build seems a bit more difficult than a shruthi digital control board, not because of the number of components, but because it requires you to have a bit more vision about what you do when soldering pc-mount stuff. Still, this is pretty easy, so it's already very good
Well, I have spent some time now with mine and has thought a bit about what to feed back as a start. First, I think it's an easy and quick build with not that many components or component values. The LEDs by the voice buttons has already been mentioned and although 3mm LEDs are nice a would prefer 5mm all around as I find those easier to mount straight on the PCB. LED colours are a matter of taste and the legend for the LED current limiting resistors is changing. Perhaps those could even be replaced by resistor arrays If one chooses one or fewer LED colours than today. Some of the resistors in the kit are really hard to read due to the varying width of colour rings but with a multi meter and some extra time that's easily managed. The display connector/MIDI socket workaround did work but perhaps we should come up with a better way. And lastly I agree with MicMicMan about the caps. Multi layer feels and looks better.
My first micro SDHC card that was FAT32 formated didn't work but gave scrambled text in the display. After I switched SD cards for a normal SD, that I believe is FAT16, from my MI Ambika I have no problems at all.
As for working/playing with the unit I find it easy to start tweaking sounds and building rhythms. I feel that the display should be in the centre of the thing as working with the rotary encoder now makes your hand cover/hide the buttons and pattern LEDs. I haven't found any actual bugs but have had some hung notes that required a reboot to get rid off. I haven't managed to reproduce any of those thou. To be continued...
hi julian & all - got delayed by a week of night shifts but nearly finished building the LXR, looks fantastic and been fun to build. LEDs by voice switches are tight but I just didn't use spacers for them and was fine. No real problems yet, dunno if I've done everything right tho, they may still strike! (don't want to count my chickens...)
Can't wait to hear it, better get back to soldering!
just realised I don't have an SD card. I tried powering the thing up and all lights except shift, start and rec lit up - then just voice and voice 1 as I expected...
but pressing start did nothing - no start LED and no blinkenlights chasing across the bottom.
Is it possible already to say there is a problem with the shift/start/rec functions or buttons/lights or can't I say anything until I have an SD card?
It needs an SD card to boot up.... so run out to a shop and get yourself an SD card... I found one really cheap in a tabacco shop near here. Cheaper then i can get them on the internet.
normally the sequencer should run without an SD card. Depending on the firmware version it can take a little bit longer until everything is initialized. Do you have the mainboard connected to the frontpanel?
Without it there is no chaselight and you can't set steps.
ok the story of my failure so far ...well I went out and got a 4GB SDHC Optima memory card from the supermarket, as far as I could tell it was MSDOS(FAT) although couldn't tell whether it was FAT16 or FAT32.[Edit - it's FAT32] I copied the whole contents of the SD card image folder onto it (didn't unzip the bin file as such because when I selected the "open with archive utility" or something it just showed another zipped folder.
Put the SD card into the LXR-7 and switched on power with encoder held down.
First, all the lights except start, rec shift and perf, step, load came on - then...Blinkenlights! I presume the firmware was updating, steplights 1-9 danced around a bit and then LXR came to rest with steplights 2-7 and 9 lit, also voice LED lit. No response to pressing ANY buttons though.
On switching off and on again without pressing the encoder... voice and voice 1 LEDs lit. Now all steplights and parameter settings are selectable, but none of start/rec/shift/copy, or pert, step, load will light. Voice and Voice 1 LEDs plus whichever parameter is selected stay on, no other voices selectable.
Hmmm - any suggestions? mainboard is attached and I have reflowed almost every joint on the board. I KNOW the most likely problem is usually a bad solder joint, but I built a couple of Shruthis and an Anushri without any actual non-connected joints(...although my panel wiring on the programmer was pretty shocking!).
I am a bit worried about the LEDs that have never lit - but even went to the length of swapping out the switch and LED for the start button, to no avail.
Can't post pictures tonight but can some time. I just have a feeling I'm missing something over and above dodgy solder joints...
Anyway have to get to bed. Thanks in advance for any tips
So the buttons/LEDs that are not working are: The 4 mode buttons (voice, perf, step, load/save) as well as the Start, Rec and shift button? is the copy LED flashing while you hold down the copy button?
Could you have a closer look at the 74HC165 (U10)? This shift register is responsible for reading out the 4 mode and the start,rec,shift button.
For the LEDs it's the same. check the 74HC595 IC U11 (responsible for the mode and start,rec,shift LEDs)
Most likely the failure is located at U10. even if U11 would be faulty, the chaselight should still be running if you press start.
Just to be sure: could you measure the voltage between these points:
Regarding the flashing LEDs while updating Did they first flash slow, then a lot faster?
The end state (step 2-7 + step 9) seems very good. This should indicate that the mainboard should be up and running. and the voltages indicated on the picture are correct.
So your unit boots up, and you can set and remove steps with the 16 step buttons? (leds can be toggled with the step buttons?)
Only start/stop etc do not work?
does the shift LED light up if you press the shift button? Record LED should light up if you press the rec button. Copy button/LED?
I just re-read your post. So the voice select buttons (the vertical row in the top right corner) do not work either? (no other voice selectable)
this would indicate you should first look at the 74HC165 U12. U10 is connected in a chain after U12. so if U12 is not wroking, it is very likely that U10 is not working as well. U12 is reading the button values from the voice buttons.
right orientation? correctly inserted into the socket?
Hi Julian - thanks for your very detailed support. I have a lot of other commitments today & tomorrow & unfortunately may not get to sit down and test (real life intrudes) - but really appreciate your time and effort. will answer yr questions asap
you described my situation pretty accurately,however -
the copy button and voice mode button both light on first test. the copy button never lights again, and the voice mode button (and voice 1 button) never go off.
the step LEDs do flash slowly then quicker, however after doing this and coming to rest in the arrangement you said was good (2-7 & 9 lit), the unit seemed frozen - they never went out and I had to restart to get them off at which point situation was similar to before using SD card, with only voice mode and voice 1 button lit. however now the steplights as well as the parameter lights were selectable and lit up. The copy light doesn't flash when I press it. I have a feeling the control of those four buttons in a square on the left is duff, which chip reads them?
I checked those voltages ok so I am powering the mainboard alright. Perhaps in my keenness not to be someone who took up everyone's time and then says after a month of support - I reflowed some joints and it works ok.... I fried a chip or two - as I didn't remove them before reflowing every joint (I was quick though & didn't linger - but still...)
So I'll check (how?) or maybe try and replace the chip you mentioned and whichever one reads the start/rec/shift/copy section as well.
sure I'll find the odd couple of mins her & there. right gotta run to church
first of all don't worry about getting support here. We wan't your unit runnin!
The LED state when powering up the device is undefined until the voice mode and drum 1 led are lit.
I assume you have no display mounted yet. The 'frozen' unit after firmware update is ok (2-7 & 9 lit). Normally the display would show "update successfull. please reboot" so the mainboard is working. that is good!
Same goes for the step lights. If they light up when you press the step buttons it tells you the mainboard is up and running.
the copy button is connected to U12 (74hc165) togethter with the 7 voice select buttons in the upper right. The IC is located next to the voice_1 and voice_2 button.
Is the chip inserted the right way? No bend legs? Notch points to the right. Not mixed up with a 74hc595?
If the IC is inserted correctly, you could try to swap U12 and U10 (both 74hc165) and see if the copy and voice buttons are working then.
Do not power up the device. While turned off, check with the multimeter (continuity tester, beeps when probes touch) if the following pins are connected:
U12 pin 9 and U6 pin 10 U12 pin 2 and U6 pin 2 U12 pin 1 and U6 pin 1
U12 pin 8 and U12 pin 15
Then while the device is powered, measure the voltage between U12 pin 8 (GND) and U12 pin 16 (+5V) it should read 5V
Comments
I just assumed you are a non manual reader *GG*
The early versions were not optimized enough to provide 6 tracks with all features on every track.
For example the drum 1-3 tracks did not have any filter at all in the beginning, the hihat track was limited to a highpass... But after optimizing more and more of the code I gained extra cycles that made the voices become more similar over each iteration. I still don't know if i have enough processing power left to run 6 voices with all the features of every voice, but I will try when the currentl features are bug free;)
Do you have the "parameter fetch" activated?
I think this is due to parameter values still having invalid values on some of the presets due to parameter changes in the past and the yet nonexistent init sound without an sd card. A good example I know of are the "LFO Voice" parameters that are '0' in some presets, but have a range from 1 to 6. These illegal values together with the fetch option will prevent the potis from working. The value will only change if the pot is on the same value as the parameter, but since the parameter is currently set to an illegal value that can't be reached by the pot, the lock on the value will never be released.
I can send you a link to the manual draft again.
Depending on the firmware version it can take a little bit longer until everything is initialized.
Do you have the mainboard connected to the frontpanel?
Without it there is no chaselight and you can't set steps.
The 4 mode buttons (voice, perf, step, load/save) as well as the Start, Rec and shift button?
is the copy LED flashing while you hold down the copy button?
Could you have a closer look at the 74HC165 (U10)? This shift register is responsible for reading out the 4 mode and the start,rec,shift button.
For the LEDs it's the same. check the 74HC595 IC U11 (responsible for the mode and start,rec,shift LEDs)
Most likely the failure is located at U10. even if U11 would be faulty, the chaselight should still be running if you press start.
Just to be sure:
could you measure the voltage between these points:
Regarding the flashing LEDs while updating
Did they first flash slow, then a lot faster?
The end state (step 2-7 + step 9) seems very good.
This should indicate that the mainboard should be up and running. and the voltages indicated on the picture are correct.
So your unit boots up, and you can set and remove steps with the 16 step buttons? (leds can be toggled with the step buttons?)
Only start/stop etc do not work?
does the shift LED light up if you press the shift button?
Record LED should light up if you press the rec button.
Copy button/LED?
this would indicate you should first look at the 74HC165 U12.
U10 is connected in a chain after U12. so if U12 is not wroking, it is very likely that U10 is not working as well.
U12 is reading the button values from the voice buttons.
right orientation?
correctly inserted into the socket?
We wan't your unit runnin!
The LED state when powering up the device is undefined until the voice mode and drum 1 led are lit.
I assume you have no display mounted yet.
The 'frozen' unit after firmware update is ok (2-7 & 9 lit).
Normally the display would show "update successfull. please reboot"
so the mainboard is working. that is good!
Same goes for the step lights. If they light up when you press the step buttons it tells you the mainboard is up and running.
the copy button is connected to U12 (74hc165) togethter with the 7 voice select buttons in the upper right.
The IC is located next to the voice_1 and voice_2 button.
Is the chip inserted the right way? No bend legs? Notch points to the right.
Not mixed up with a 74hc595?
If the IC is inserted correctly, you could try to swap U12 and U10 (both 74hc165) and see if the copy and voice buttons are working then.
U12 = copy + voice_1-7
U10 = voice, pref, step, load/save, start, shift, rec
a photo of the top and bottom of the front panel PCB around U12/10 would help.
Do not power up the device.
While turned off, check with the multimeter (continuity tester, beeps when probes touch) if the following pins are connected:
U12 pin 9 and U6 pin 10
U12 pin 2 and U6 pin 2
U12 pin 1 and U6 pin 1
U12 pin 8 and U12 pin 15
Then while the device is powered, measure the voltage between
U12 pin 8 (GND) and U12 pin 16 (+5V)
it should read 5V