Weird hiss on German and Japanese pianos

mkrznar · Post by **mkrznar** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:18 am

Greetings to you all!

I'm new to this forum, recently I've sold my PC3K8 and got a Kronos.

I have noticed some strange things - if I play multiple notes with damper pressed, high frequency hiss is very loud, in range about 12 kHz. Something like tape recorder hiss. I've checked piano program, and nothing unusual is in program structure - even if I mute effects, hiss is present.

Could this be result of failed OS update? Or hardware malfunction.

I don't have accessory disks to do fresh install.

Also, I'm afraid that I have keybed problems. Does Korg still repar faulty keybeds?

Keyboard is used, and buyed from second hand. Seller will give me original recipt.

I've called Korg support in Croatia, they said that they will contact Korg regarding this DVD-s, but nothing happen't for a week now.

Please help, thank you in advance for your kind answers.

ed_f · Post by **ed_f** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:51 pm

You might consider posting a short audio file so others can hear what is going on. Often that makes it easier to diagnose.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 2:03 pm

Things to check include;
1. Are you in setlist mode - perhaps your setlist EQ is interfering
2. Is the program EQ (amp/eq page) set to boost highs a lot?
3. Are your back inputs set with a lot of gain? Technically this should give constant hiss.

mkrznar · Post by **mkrznar** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 5:03 pm

1) Hiss is present in all modes, in setlist eq is bypassed
2) No program eq has highs at 0 dB
3) Back inputs are offline and gain is set to minimal possible

This is audio file - you can hear this hiss effect when I hold last notes to decay, after certain time, hiss is almost gone.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b30filithf8bd ... o_hiss.wav

levioter · Post by **levioter** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:40 pm

Hi,
are you refering to the sustain pedal timbre ?
If yes this is a normal sound in a real acoustic piano when you maintain the sustain pedal.
If not I examined the wav file with a spectrum analyzer and there is nothing special to mention in the High spectrum.

Cheers

levioter · Post by **levioter** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:49 pm

BTW I forgot to say that if you don't have a sustain pedal connected you may have the global corresponding setting not set correctly !

In Global P2

2–1a: Foot Switch & Pedal/Damper
Damper Polarity [(–) Korg Standard, (+)]
Set this to match the polarity of the damper pedal
connected to the DAMPER jack. If the polarity does not
match, operating the damper pedal will not produce
the correct result. If no damper pedal is connected, set
this to (–) Korg Standard.
(‐) Korg Standard: Use this setting for “open‐type”
damper pedals, such as the optional Korg DS–1H.

So set the damper pedal by default as KORG !
Then save your global settings.

Cheers

PianoManChuck · Post by **PianoManChuck** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:05 pm

This may or may not be related... but I got a high-frequency type sound as you described when using a USB cable. Got the same problem with my Nord as well. I replaced the USB cable and the problem went away.
A quick way to test this... if you're using a USB cable, pull it out... if this fixes the problem, voila!

mkrznar · Post by **mkrznar** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 5:32 am

@levioter

No, I don't refer to sustain timbre - this is really loud hissing when you play multiple notes with sustain pedal pressed at high velocities (like FF, or FFF). I haven't heard this on other keyboards, like my former PC3k. I will go to store and try new Kronos to see if is same effect present. This is not simulation of higher harmonics sound and resonance of real piano - it sounds like poor samples. Maybe samples on SSD became corrupted in some way.

Damper settings are correct, and I'm using Korg damper DS-1H

@PianoManChuck

Did you hear this hiss in my wave file? I'm connected from main outputs of Kronos to inputs of EMU 0404 USB and then to PC. Hiss is also present through phones plug, and when I connect Kronos directly to active monitors. I will try USB connection, and optics output also.

When I come home from work today, I will record more audio examples with this effect, to be clear about this hiss problem.

Also - I loaded Oasys piano from EX2, and this piano does not have hiss problems.

I kinda have felling that something happent during OS update, and when I restore to factory via DVD's that problem will be solved.

Thank you everyone!

mkrznar · Post by **mkrznar** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:35 pm

Hello again!

I've recorded another sample of hiss:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w77uo5og8s50hw3/hiss.wav

Hiss is present when I use damper, and a lot of notes at same time.

Can anyone hear what I'm hearing? You can hear it clearly if you raise volume of your sound system, and focus on parts when I use damper.

EDIT: Another record - hiss present before next part in waltz...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqpyowbfsj1n7ab/hiss2.wav

pedro5 · Post by **pedro5** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:59 pm

Sorry to learn you're having sound problems with the piano voices.
Although I can't hear any hiss (white / pink noise type ) in your samples....obviously you can (plus others) which will need sorting if possible.

I was wondering if someone could download their own piano audio file for comparison to check if there are any differences between them etc.

Are your velocity responses correct to your preferences ?

Good luck with finding a cure.

PianoManChuck · Post by **PianoManChuck** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:20 pm

Sounds like a clean recording to me - no hiss!

mkrznar · Post by **mkrznar** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:19 pm

PianoManChuck

Try hear Chopin Waltz that I uploaded (File 2)

From 0:40 - 0:46. It's subtle, but present, and very annoying. Are you listening trough studio speakers?

Could this issue be caused by grounding problems? Or balanced/unbalanced cables?

Thx!

I've just listened it again. I hear this clearly if I raise my speakers volume or put my ears close to HF driver.

PianoManChuck · Post by **PianoManChuck** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:24 pm

mkrznar wrote:PianoManChuck

Try hear Chopin Waltz that I uploaded (File 2)

From 0:40 - 0:46. It's subtle, but present, and very annoying. Are you listening trough studio speakers?

Could this issue be caused by grounding problems? Or balanced/unbalanced cables?

Thx!

I've just listened it again. I hear this clearly if I raise my speakers volume or put my ears close to HF driver.

Again - crystal clean!

danatkorg · Post by **danatkorg** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:44 pm

mkrznar wrote:PianoManChuck

Try hear Chopin Waltz that I uploaded (File 2)

From 0:40 - 0:46. It's subtle, but present, and very annoying. Are you listening trough studio speakers?

Could this issue be caused by grounding problems? Or balanced/unbalanced cables?

Thx!

I've just listened it again. I hear this clearly if I raise my speakers volume or put my ears close to HF driver.

I've listened again. I am quite certain that, as others have also suggested, what you are hearing is the damper resonance (which on the SGX-1 is generated by a second set of stereo samples - not just an effect). With a real grand piano, this part of the sound is actually pretty loud. However, if the resonance is too loud for your taste, it's easy to turn it down.

mkrznar · Post by **mkrznar** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 5:35 am

Thank you for your kind answers.

I will see what will be after full system restore.