XL+ Rose EP white noise?

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Fri May 06, 2022 2:18 pm

Hi everyone!

I started messing with the PCM sounds and I noticed the Rose EP has some hiss (can be heard when the keys are held/sustained). Is it part of the PCM or is my XL+ faulty? I can hear it on other PCM sounds.

Edit - also in some sounds with delay effect or long release the trails/end of the sound kind of buzz out instead of fade. It’s faint but it’s there. Normal artifacts of the microkorg’s effects?

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Sat May 07, 2022 9:10 pm

Hi,

I have an XL, not the XL+. At first I would think there is no white noise on the Rose EP sample at my side.
How severe is it? Could you share somewhere an audio snippet?

I see 3 optoions:
1. the noise is part of the sample -> then you can not do too much about it apart from some high pass filtering to smooth it a bit out. Ok te samples are not best in class, but at the XL they are quite decent.
2. What is you starting patch? Maybe the noise generator is on?
3. There is effectively a problem, but then other patches, even not based on samples would suffer from it according to me.

To rule the problem a bit out, you may first initialize a patch , resulting in a dry sawtooth (no modulations, effect or whatsoever) and then change Osc1 to a PCM sample. What do you hear then?
(Init can be done using the editor, or via full edit mode, utility/init.prog on the board itself).

Bye

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Sun May 08, 2022 11:04 am

Hi OpAmp,

I'll record some samples later this week and share them. However I had some time to initialize a patch. The results so far:
- The saw wave has harsh overtones, but that just might be "by design" - in the middle of the middle octave it sounds OK, but any higher than that it sounds like the resonance is a bit up, but it's on zero.
- The decay sounds OK.

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Sun May 08, 2022 5:27 pm

Hi OpAmp,

Here is the recording. https://soundcloud.com/lee-firsel/micro ... al_sharing

First part is initialized patch. I play first the lower part of the middle octave, and when going up the high end shrill/resonance like sound appears.
Second part is another initialized patch with tape delay, but nothing unusual here.
In the last part is the Rose EP with a phaser. You can hear at the end of each note that the note kind of abruptly dies out and doesn't really fade out. It also kind of buzzes when it's cut. That plus the white noise, but I'm pretty sure that's just the PCM sound itself.

What do you think?

Edit - I think I found the culprit regarding the dying sound. When I have a phaser on and turn the dry/wet balance to complete wet it’s very pronounced. Sounds like a noise gate suppressing the end of the note. I think I’ll have to return to the store so they can check it out *sigh*

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Sun May 08, 2022 9:06 pm

Hi,

I'll try to listen a bit more carefully later this week.
At first, I would say the init patch (sawtooth) sounds a bit weird. I want to compare it to my XL and also look at the spectrum of your sound.

Concerning the Rose EP with phaser: sounds like you try to subtly apply it as I don't hear immediately the typical woosh sound. Maybe that causes artefacts...
I hear what you describe. Sounds indeed like a noise gate closing and cutting the note. Now you can go to the store with that, but they will also only be able to judge that by listening. There is no physical noise gate in the board that they can isolate or check whether it is functioning correct or not: This is all software in a DSP. So no chance for repairing that.
The general noise though may still have a physical root cause that might get fixed.

Bye

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Mon May 09, 2022 3:29 am

Hi OpAmp, thank you for spending time around this issue. I also have the WAV recording if you want me to send it to you.
I’ll try to record the phaser (or chorus - same result) completely wet later this week. From noodling for a minute last night it had the same artifacts.

Next week I’ll go to the store, which of course doesn’t have another one in the store to compare, so I have a feeling they’ll try to blow me over.. Could you send me your recording if you think something sounds different?

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:32 pm

Hi,

It does sound quite different and as I suspected your init patch with the sawtooth is also not clean.
Do you get this ugly sound also when directly listening to your XL+ using a headphone connected at the back and further disconnected of everything? This to rule out cables/connections/connectors/sloppy audio interfaces.
If the test with the headphone is as bad, then you can be sure the board has an issue and needs service/replacement.

Good luck.

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Wed May 11, 2022 4:17 am

Hi,

I has the same noise with the headphones out, and also when using batteries (ruling out ground loops). I'll contact the store ands update how they'll try to convince me that the "lofi sound of the microkorg". Thanks for the update.

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 6:09 am

Well they checked it in and out, including comparing it to a unit they had in the lab and they found nothing wrong. Very disappointing. Guess I’ll try to use it for a while and put it in the drawer or sell it. I’ve been eying the Modal Cobalt 8, but apparently they have serious volume issue..

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:51 pm

Well too bad they did not take your complaint serious. Comparing the audiosample with my own XL clearly shows there is something wrong with you unit... I could even tell it without listening to mine.

Did you check my PM?

Bye

Kyoto92 · Post by **Kyoto92** » Tue Jun 07, 2022 2:24 pm

Hi OpAmp,

Yeah I saw the PM, even showed them the difference and what not (before sending the unit for the tech). They still said there is nothing wrong with it.

Thanks for helping out.

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Tue Jun 07, 2022 8:54 pm

Hi.
Really? That is a bit disappointing to hear...
I feel sorry for you, because I really like my XL and you can not share the same joy because they don't repair it...