Korg Forums

[electriceccentric]

I have an M1 that pretty much distorts on all the factory presets as they are. It's not until I adjust the output volume down pretty low that it sounds fine with no issues. Is this a problem with all M1's or just mine? Also, I did recently replace the internal battery and re-uploaded the original software.
Thanks

[Chillo]

I have the same problem. Fitted a new battery, transferred the presets now some of the presets are distorted, some are not where they should be and the display shows gibberish instead of the preset name. HELP!!!!

[synthjoe]

Welcome to the forum, both!

[emrepair]

[I have an M1 that pretty much distorts on all the factory presets as they are. It's not until I adjust the output volume down pretty low that it sounds fine with no issues. Is this a problem with all M1's or just mine? Also, I did recently replace the internal battery and re-uploaded the original software.
Thanksquote]

Check if you have audio through the headphones. Just had one in my shop and found the headphone IC amp was bad.

If the IC (U2) is bad, you will have no or little audio from the headphones. You can access and check it with an oscilloscope easily enough by removing the bottom of the unit. The inputs and outputs will all low or high if bad, but should be 0 volts when good. Changing out the IC is tougher, you'll need to remove the keybed, and several circuit boards.

Good Luck,

MBB
EMR[/quote]

[Chillo]

Tried again with nother battery. Used Bome and most of the presets transferred. Found that only certain presets distorted through the headphones and always on the right channel, whereas others worked perfectly. About 6 presets did not load at all and around 12 are so quiet you can hardly hear them. Also tried midiox, but for some reason it seems to be a bit hit and miss with the transfer.
Getting confused why not all presets are affected.

[emrepair]

I've had a bunch of trouble with the download also. I use MIDIOX. A bunch of querks, but I can't find my notes and don't have one in the shop right now (MIDIOX won't let you open a profile without the keyboard hooked up). Found that the download that requires you to load separate files won't load completely, you need the one that is all one file. There was also some tweaking of the settings in the MIDIOX - found these on the internet somewhere. First,you need a good load that you're confident with.

I'd say the reason some of the presets are not affected is because the voltage amplitude is not high enough to jump the isolation capacitor into the headphone amp. How is the sound through the headphones? Clean, distorted, weak, absent?

[Chillo]

Quick update.

M1 connected to PC running Windows XP via an Alesis USB midi cable

All parameters on the M1 set to receive Sysex as per the manual and advice on internet.

Midiox

- Increased the buffer size to 2500
- Increased delay between buffers to 250 ms
- Increased the delay after F7 to 250 ms

All midi settings checked and operational.
Loaded the sysex file which I downloaded from Korg Support UK
Sent the Sysex file - LED's flashing on midi cable indicating data being transmitted.

Send file finished - waited a few seconds, switched M1 off, waited 20 seconds or so, switched on M1 - Universe preset showing, but some presets missing and disply showing nonsense on some presets.

Decided to try Bome


Bome
All M1 setting as above

Loaded the same Sysex file

Turned off M1 as above - switched on, presets had transferred.

On trying them, the majority do work, but some are extremely quiet (bell rings being one of them) some dont work at all (bass synth) and some are very distorted on RH Channel (via headphones)

Pulled the headphone jack out slightly and distortion cleared - put in mono jack lead and ran to an amp and the distorted files played fine.
No idea why it only distorts on some presets while others are fine.

Tried loading the mid file (downloaded form Korg), via Windows Media Player. Same files were missing, but the distortion had cleared up - changed presets, and the distortion re-appeared. Ran the mono jack lead from the headphone socket to an amp again and the distortion cleared up (beginning to think it is the RH amplification circuit)

Changed battery again in case the battery was defective

All parameters were exactly the same, midi cable flashed as before, sent Sysex using Midiox but Sysex did not transfer (??).

Tried mid file via media player - no transfer (??).

Tried Bome - presets transferred again but with same results.

Im wondering -

a) Do I need to re-boot the PC before switching between Bome and Midiox to ensure the midi drivers have cleared (I believe there is a bug in the Windows midi driver)

b) Do the Midiox buffers and delays need to be altered again (and will this clear up the display problem)

I did contact Korg support but their answer (and I quote was): It sounds as if the Sysex transfer has failed, if you send us the M1 we will install the sysex but there will be a charge.

No s**t Sherlock - if the sysex had worked I wouldn't have had to contact them in the first place.

Im happy I at least got some sounds transferred OK but the more I try to get them all working the more confused I get.

[emrepair]

I found the way I had my computer setup last time I did a Korg M1 Sysex transfer. They seem extreme, but once I got to these numbers, the next M1 was too easy. Just a few seconds download time.

In MIDIOX try this: View>Sysex..., Sysex Cofig...

Low Level Input Buffers: Size 5000 Bytes, Num 16
Low Level Output Buffers: Size 5000 Bytes, Num 16

Delay 120 MilliSeconds Between Buffers

Check: Delay After F7: 500 Milliseconds

I believe the Sysex file from the UK is the right one.

As a precaution: Do a factory reset to clear the memory. Be sure to go through the Global and unlock the memory.

[xmlguy]

The key is to look for the SYSEX messages that the keyboard returns in response to the SYSEX commands you send it. If there are problems with the timing, then it will be sending error messages back, but you'll never know it if you weren't watching for them.

[Chillo]

Thanks

Emrepair
I'll try the factory reset - not tried that so far.

XMLGuy
Where does the keyboard display messages - do you have to have it set on a particular setting? Any transfer I have done so far, the keyboard hasn't displayed anything, it's just sat on the last parameter display and nothing has flashed up on the PC.

[Chillo]

Well, tried the factory reset, set up midiox as advised and - nothing. M1 still shows INIT.

Plugged the midi out cable in and checked for any errors coming up in Midiox - none.

Changed all buffers and times - still no joy.

Tried the mid file from Korg using Meia Player - same result

Plugged Bome in and the sysex transferred (although there are still letters missing from the preset names and they are gibberish eg: tru p@t)

Midiox shows the M1 to be connected on the midi in window and the file transfer to have taken place with no fault or error messages but the m1 just wont recognise the transfer.

As Bome works it is obviously something in the Midiox setting but I am blowed if I can figure out whats wrong

[synthjoe]

Try another USB to MIDI converter, if you can. It would seem strange that MIDIOX cannot send whereas other programs can. Try to send a couple of short messages manually from MIDIOX 'Sysex view & scratch pad' (e.g. note on/off, status querying messages and observe the response, etc., see page 122 of the manual for ideas).

As to the distortion, it might be that the ground wire connection is intermittent, in which case you might hear a much lower differential signal instead of the stereo in your headphone - but it would not explain the right channel distortion. Maybe I'm not decoding everything correctly here, but am I right thinking that line outputs are fine, you only experience the problem via headphones?

[Chillo]

Synthjoe - What manual? The manual for the m1 only has 53 pages and you said page 122 and I cant see a manual on the midiox website.

Sorry if I seem a bit thick about all this - Im a bass player and its not actually my keyboard - Im just trying to get it operational for someone - that is why Im dont reply very quickly. Should the line outputs work through an amp? I tried and I dont think there was any sound coming from any of them.

Unfortunately I dont have another USB cable (I have an old MPU401 but none of the computers at my disposal have this interface now and Im struggling to find a soundcard with one now - its all USB)
I'm going to test the output this weekend incase there is a bad connection at the jack socket.

Like you, Im confused why Bome manages to send the sysex but Midiox has no effect whatsoever, no matter what I change the buffers and delays to. Beginning to think Im going to have to bite the bullet and take it to a shop.

[xmlguy]

[synthjoe]

Sorry, I was away on a trip, hence my late response.