Metasonix R-52 "crashing" my modular

DougD · Post by **DougD** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 6:31 pm

My Metasonix R-52 arrived today... awesome! I'm having a weird problem with it though. It shorts out my modular (Doepfer LC 6u case) either when screwed in to the rack, or when a cable is plugged in to it. If I just leave it unscrewed but sort of balanced in the rack, the modular's lights all go on correctly, but when a cable is inserted they all go out. I haven't tried running a signal through it because I'm afraid of ruining something.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

baboo · Post by **baboo** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 6:55 pm

Not sure, but I had a similar problem with Maths and it turned out that the power cable wasn't fully plugged to the PCB i.e. it was bent a little. So double check the power cable both at the bussboard and PCB side. If that doesn't fix it, maybe try removing modules to see if your power supply isn't overloaded

DougD · Post by **DougD** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:10 pm

Cool... I'll try that when I get home from dinner. The other thing I noticed about my R-52 is that one tube is at a different angle, not sticking straight out. Is this normal / ok?

thermionicjunky · Post by **thermionicjunky** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:14 pm

DougD wrote:Cool... I'll try that when I get home from dinner. The other thing I noticed about my R-52 is that one tube is at a different angle, not sticking straight out. Is this normal / ok?

Should be fine. Just rock it gently to straighten if you wish.

slow_riot · Post by **slow_riot** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:19 pm

DougD wrote:Cool... I'll try that when I get home from dinner. The other thing I noticed about my R-52 is that one tube is at a different angle, not sticking straight out. Is this normal / ok?

this could be what is causing the problem (although I am not an engineer or technician).

none of my metasonix products cuase any issues whatsoever. And shorting out the whole system is a fairly major issues, I would proceed very carefully.

Some of the tubes in mine are not totally symetrical, maybe up to 10 degrees out.

It's possible that a tube got moved out of place in shipping. It is not a hard procedure to reseat the tube, assuming that all the pins are going into the right places (the sockets do not allow incorect positioning of tube), you can simply push the tube back into place.

jessem · Post by **jessem** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:54 pm

strange, I'm having the same issue, but with my SEM20

viewtopic.php?p=485701#485701

slow_riot · Post by **slow_riot** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:04 pm

maybe try a different power cable, and make sure that all the pins where cable meets busbord and cable meets module are properly connected.

make sure that nothing on the module is touching the rails except for the faceplate.

slow_riot · Post by **slow_riot** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:13 pm

also, in case it needs to be said, the best person to ask if you are not sure is the manufacturer of the module.

this issue is potentially quite a serious one, and you are highly advised to be patient and see what the manufacturer has to say. They can help you safely troubleshoot or otherwise identify the issue.

Reptil · Post by **Reptil** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:40 am

reseat the tubes (as said above) when it's off
check the power cable (as said above)
check the PSU, my first guess is that it's not powerful enough.

DougD · Post by **DougD** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:16 am

Removed my Hertz Donut in case the power was overloaded, but the same thing happens as above. Also, the right tube (the one at the angle) never lights up... not sure if that's supposed to happen.

Thanks everyone for your help on this.

slow_riot · Post by **slow_riot** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:28 am

i would replace the tube... it could have been damaged in shipping

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:03 pm

Try flipping the power cable(red stripe to the positive rail) You will not fry the R-52 by doing this.

slow_riot · Post by **slow_riot** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:06 pm

mmm i wouldn't do that, even if metasonix is protected... it can cause a short for other modules on the busboard.

I'm very sure that a tube got broken in shipping.

Both my tubes on r52 have an obvious glow, and I've had a tube break in shipping before. Also, tube circuits need the tubes working for everything to function properly (I believe).

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:25 pm

I hope its just a broken tube

he bought the R-52 from me. It worked fine before I took it out of the rack.

metasonix · Post by **metasonix** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:01 pm

I just spoke to Doug. He had the power cable plugged in backwards....

Whoever sold it to him didn't include the manual.
Read the manual before proceeding, gentlemen.

DougD · Post by **DougD** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 5:03 pm

Thanks to Eric for helping me out. The red stripe goes UP on this particular module, and I had been conditioned to never do that because of :eurosmoke:

attacksustain · Post by **attacksustain** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:18 pm

DougD wrote:Thanks to Eric for helping me out. The red stripe goes UP on this particular module, and I had been conditioned to never do that because of

weird. mine is red stripe down on both ends, and works fine.
As long as it's the same on both ends I guess it doesn't matter. It sounds like at some point yours got put on backwards.

Steevio · Post by **Steevio** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:42 am

yeah the red stripe is UP on my R51 too. thats how it came.

also the one tube lighting up thing --- they dont light up ! (on the R51)

there's an LED under one of them which is to indicate a signal present.

edit; actually just checked, i think brightness indicates VCA level

MikeHulme · Post by **MikeHulme** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:14 am

Steevio wrote:also the one tube lighting up thing --- they dont light up ! (on the R51)

Shouldn't all tubes 'glow'?

Steevio · Post by **Steevio** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:42 am

MikeHulme wrote:
Steevio wrote:also the one tube lighting up thing --- they dont light up ! (on the R51)
Shouldn't all tubes 'glow'?

no.

MikeHulme · Post by **MikeHulme** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:05 am

Steevio wrote:
MikeHulme wrote:
Steevio wrote:also the one tube lighting up thing --- they dont light up ! (on the R51)
Shouldn't all tubes 'glow'?
no.

OK, interesting. Can you elaborate? Is it because of the particular type of tubes used by Metasonix?

Cheers,

Mike.

Steevio · Post by **Steevio** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:33 am

MikeHulme wrote:
Steevio wrote:
MikeHulme wrote:
Steevio wrote:also the one tube lighting up thing --- they dont light up ! (on the R51)
Shouldn't all tubes 'glow'?
no.
OK, interesting. Can you elaborate? Is it because of the particular type of tubes used by Metasonix?

Cheers,

Mike.

i'm not an expert, but they dont all glow.

Eric makes a point of this in the manual, i dont have it handy unfortunately, maybe check the metasonix site

MikeHulme · Post by **MikeHulme** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:39 am

Steevio wrote:
i'm not an expert, but they dont all glow.

Eric makes a point of this in the manual, i dont have it handy unfortunately, maybe check the metasonix site

Ahh OK, cool. Cheers for pointing that out though, I didn't know (might be useful to new Metasonix customers too).

zerosum · Post by **zerosum** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:51 am

MikeHulme wrote:
Steevio wrote:
i'm not an expert, but they dont all glow.

Eric makes a point of this in the manual, i dont have it handy unfortunately, maybe check the metasonix site
Ahh OK, cool. Cheers for pointing that out though, I didn't know (might be useful to new Metasonix customers too).

This is taken from the manual:

Please note: not all tubes have easily visible heaters. If you can't see a
heater glowing, DO NOT assume that tube is bad. We get many foolish
complaints of this type!

and this:

The power input is a standard Doepfer
(tm) 16-pin IDC type, with the -12v pins on the BOTTOM.

There is also a dedicated Metasonix subforum:
viewforum.php?f=13

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:46 am

Steevio wrote:yeah the red stripe is UP on my R51 too. thats how it came.

also the one tube lighting up thing --- they dont light up ! (on the R51)

there's an LED under one of them which is to indicate a signal present.

edit; actually just checked, i think brightness indicates VCA level

I knew I was not crazy in suggesting to flip the cable. Yes, the LED on the R-51 is a VCA level indicator.

I would have sent the manual if I had it, sorry

Its available as a PDF anyways. I'm just happy that the situation has been resolved. I don't sell broken modules.

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Metasonix R-52 "crashing" my modular

Metasonix R-52 "crashing" my modular