Korg Forums

[NJkeysman888]

My Kronos X61 (10 years old) has been developing a volume control issue slowly but now it is serious.

As I play during rehearsal or a gig, at some point the volume starts to diminish rather suddenly to maybe half or more of what it is set for. I notice it and compensate by turning up the volume as best I can. Then a few minutes later, either in the same song we're playing or the next, the volume comes roaring back and I then have to quickly reduce the volume knob to bring it back to normal. It has become unworkable.

Here are the facts I can tell you:
1) It's not the VJS. I have disabled that years ago.
2) I use a voltage regulated UPS on my Kronos to smooth out AC power fluctuations and to prevent having to reboot if we hit a power glitch.
3) The same thing happens whether I'm using my line out L/R outputs or my headphone output.
4) Early on, quickly switching to another Combi or Program and then back to the original seemed to correct it, but now nothing like that works.
5) Nothing connected to any USB jacks. No pedals but a damper pedal.
6) It will happen on any Combi or Program that I'm playing. Although typically, I use a Combi for everything, even a one program/Timbre sound to have better control of things.
7) Master slider is always up.

I'm thinking maybe the internal power supply is going bad or something else. (Although I hope it's not because I cannot seem to locate one).

I'm open to any and all suggestions for troubleshooting.

Thank you in advance.

Gene

[voip]

Several things to try.

In the Global menus, set both the Foot Switch Assign and Foot Pedal Assign parameters to off. Does this cure the issue?

If not, select a Program and view the Control Surface tab, Master level at bottom right of screen. Does this stay constant, or does it vary? If the Master level value varies spontaneously, then it's possible that the Master level potentiometer is noisy, or there is an issue with the associated circuits.

If the above is OK, try connecting the Kronos' MIDI Out port to a computer MIDI in, or use the Kronos' USB-B port connected to a computer, and use MIDI-OX, or some other MIDI monitoring software to look at the messages generated by the Kronos, to try to see if any CC#s are being generated by something that is not quite right e.g. a faulty control surface pot.

If none of the above, it might be time to send the Kronos to a keyboard tech for them to try and troubleshoot the issue.
.

[KK]

My first guess if nothing is plugged in your Kronos MIDI ports would be unstable master slider values (which can come from the slider or bad connections inside your unit).

A simple way to confirm this is to only play CX-3 programs, making sure the control assign button is always Tone Adj. Play for as long as your problem usually arises. Since with that config the master slider function works as a Hammond organ 9th drawbar, a sudden change in volume will eliminate the possibility of a problem with the master slider. Otherwise, while you will play you will hear changes in organ timbre for this drawbar.

In case the cause is not the master slider, I also second voip about using MIDI-OX as a diagnostic tool if you feel at ease with that stuff. In MIDI-OX, go to Options/MIDI Filter/System Realtime, then select Timing Clock and Active Sensing to filter out that data. As soon as a problem happens, stop playing and you might get some clues as what the cause could be. If needed, you could also send a MIDI-OX print screen so we might help you out.

[fomalhaut]

[Mezzopiano]

I am interested in this thread because my Kronos 2 (today is its 3rd anniversary, brand new owner) is having some weird glitches also, but instead of volume, the filter is going nuts, first i tought it was the ribbon (i even unplugged it)

[Dan Stesco]

Volume fluctuation also could be from master Volume. It's a physical control direct to output so try to pass the volume control in Global, Audio, Audio Out, L/R Bus Indiv. Assign, set to 1/2, plug the cable to Indiv. Out 1/2. Other way to pass the volume pot, try to use an S/P DIF optical out.
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