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Our band is using a KORG TRINITY PRO V3 bought in 1999 (at set up the screen mentions Trinity Version 2.2.0 TRINITY PRO with HDR-TRI PBS-TRI) connected to a MACKIE CFX MKII 12 mixing table.
When we connect the Output 1 and 2 of the KORG to one of the stereo line input of the MACKIE using 2 jack cables with maximum gain, the signal remains too low.
Using an electronic drum kit connected also to one of the stereo inputs of the MACKIE, we were able to check that the KORG issue is not related to the cables nor the MACKIE.
We are then forced to connect the OUTPUT 1 and 2 of the KORG to 2 different inputs of the MACKIE with JACK to XLR cables; the XLR inputs of the MACKIE are more sensible.
However, to add additional vocal mics, we need to free these table XLR inputs and we are looking for solutions to use the stereo line inputs.
Questions:
- Is there a way to configure/raise the level of the OUTPUT 1 and 2 on the KORG?
- If not, what type of extra device could we use between the KORG and the MACKIE to increase the sound level reaching the MACKIE?
- Or is it a problem with the KORG, requiring repair?
Any help welcome !

Yeah, that doesn't sound normal. I used to gig with a Trinity and after a while it lost audio on one of the channels and became faint. Plugged it in as mono, but could still hear the channel cut out (must have summed the stereo to mono). Anyway, it turned out that the volume slider/fader needed to be changed...got it fixed, worked like a charm.

Looked at a picture of the Mackie on-line.

A direct box connection (DI) to give you an XLR in to a single channel of the board (1-8) would give you the best results.

However, you should be able to regulate the relative volume of the Trinity using the Gain (white) knobs even if you use the 1/4" inputs. Volume on the Trinity should be at ~3/4.

Gain for the microphones should be at ~12 o'clock. [Are all your mics the same?] Unless you're really pushing the gain on other channels you should have plenty of headroom for making the keys loud enough compared to the other inputs. Max Gain on keys should be screaming! I think the Mackies also make use of a special set of inputs that may have two "click-in" positions based on whether you're using a mono (one black ring) or TRS (two black ring) jack, so check that you're using a mono cable and jacking all the way in and not just to the first click.

BTW, all the channel volume sliders should be at about the same level once you've adjusted Gain -- between -5 dB and the U (unity / 0-db) on the board.

You probably shouldn't run stereo keys (L+R outputs) except in a studio/recording situation because (I bet) you're not running a stereo board live -- stereo (L-R) and bi-amp (Hi-Lo) are very different; your board is labeled for both but you are probably in mono mode. Stereo set-ups are hardly ever used live; e.g., does your guitarist come out of only "his" side of your FOH?

Trinity has a summed mono out at the Left output and that would provide the best signal to use live. Make sure your panning (black knob) is centered for keys as well.

There's no great advantage in running stereo except if there are panning effects like Leslie or panned reverbs. Stereo piano has both a pitch and location element to it so the left side will always sound out of balance because it is only the lower end of the keyboard. Without a sub that (left) will always seem to disappear and with one the left may sound too loud.

If the Trinity still has very low volume or intermittent signal loss there is a known design issue with regard to the output jacks of the trinity (many threads archived here). The jacks are board mounted rather than free floating wired to the chassis (as is the case with most guitars) so over time the solder joints of the output jacks can give out. Trinity came out in 1995 so we're looking at 15 or more years of use. Maybe it's time for a check-up.

You might also want to look into having a TR-rack for back-up, just in case. they're available (eBay, GC used) usually under $300US.


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yep check the slider for volume they fail and you only get audio on one side or faint on both sides

also check for cold solder joints on the audio out board

and if you brought a version 3 it should say version 3 software looks like your missing the z1 board and why its been down graded to a trinity pro version

as the plus has the prophecy solo board and the v3 has a z1 expansion board giving half a z1 6 voices

Magikroom, jhulk, I did not know about the volume slider and the joints on the audio board, I will definitively check that.

Billbaker, yes indeed, with the Trinity slider on top, and the gain of the mixing table at max (with distortion), the volume is too low and needs to be compensated by the group fader, this is the issue. I will investigate also the TR-rack (first I need to read about a bit because I don't know what this device can do).

Anyway as you all mention the slider and the jacks issues, the problem is likely to come from this. Many thanks.

TR rack is a modularized trinity in a one rack space unit.

Same guts. A few more samples. All your trinity sounds should port over using a librarian like PCGTools or Trinitro and would play exactly the same using any midi keyboard to control.

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billbaker wrote:All your trinity sounds should port over using a librarian like PCGTools or Trinitro and would play exactly the same using any midi keyboard to control.

He wrote that he has PBS-TRI and possibly a MOSS/SOLO board, so this might be true only partly. He'll need to check the programs/combis and if they use PBS samples or programs from the S/M bank, then TR-Rack is not an alternative, I guess...

OK, Maybe should have qualified that as "stock" trinity sounds will port over.

TR-Rack has all the Trinity waves/samples, but includes some others as well so there is no reciprocal transfer from TR to Trinity.

But the suggestion was based on (1) the need for a back-up for the Trinity (2) compatibility (apparently not 100% for this user based on installed mods, at least not if he uses PBS-TRI extensively) (3) availability (TR racks are not quite rare yet).

Still, I think it is a reasonable recommendation and more of a back-up plan than he has in place now. It might at east get him through a couple of shows while the venerable Trinity is in the repair shop.


BB