Well, next week I'll use the SD1 for the first time live.
I've been using the keyboard only for a week... but i've already found problems...
I only hope I won't regret having bought this keboard...
The keyboard(without microphone) has a constant HISS... but I'm using the microphone, the vocalizer and the voice reverb and then the hiss is multiplied by 3!!!!!!! IS THIS NORMAL?!?!?!!? Is this a PRO keyboard or a HISS keyboard??
and sometimes I hear strange noises coming from the keyboard when not playing it! "pops"!!!!! is this also normal on other SD1?...

I'm using a Shure SM58 and the gain on the keyboard is really small... I have to set the gain and the volume of the micro to the maximum and decrease the keyboard volume to have a decent sound.......... Anyone doing the same?!...

Another flaw i've found is that I can't use the harmony function(for the lead voice) with more than a note, especially on the jazz harmony, only as an example. If I play more than one note for the melody, the harmony plays a unwanted sound when depressing the keys, if a play a 4 or 5 note chord... Anyone has experimented this already?? Even my old VA3 did this right!...

Another thing... I have noise on the effects of the drawbar organs I think, and on another sounds too... normal?...

Any help will be very appreciated...

I'm really getting very sad with the keyboard... Like I said, I hope I won't regret having bought it instead of a 9000pro...

[This message has been edited by Luis.Santos (edited 11-27-2002).]

Luis,
Sorry for your problems with the board. Does the place you bought it have a return policy? If so, you might consider doing that.
Terry

I'm considering that now. I'd really want to know if this happens to another sd1 users, if it's a general problem...

Here's something you may want to try .
Press F2 for effects F6 for equalize than F6 + F7 will allow you to turn the output volumnes lower . Lower the volumnes than press SAVE/ENTER and power on set up .

Tell me more about your setup .

What type of amp or mixer etc .........

By chance , are you plugging everything into one power strip ?

I'll forward this post to KETRON for you .

Dano

As soon as I got my SD1 (june 2001) I too noticed these problems and forwarded them to Ketron :

HISS of the MIC preamp
'extra' (but unwanted) noise while using the Chorus DSP, e.g. Drawbars, E-piano etc.

My SD1 has NO 'pops', this can be caused by external equipment/cables.

I never use the MIC-inputs and it takes a little time to get used to the DSP-noise

Roel

AND mobile phones! (clicking noise)

------------------
John
_______________________

Luís,

I think that X-series users found similar problems with their keyboards, so I believe I can give you my impressions on this.

My X4 has a constant hiss. I, like Roel, got used to it! With the mic preamp it's a bit worst. My first mic was a Shure SM58 and indeed it's not "hot" enough to work with internal preamp. The best choice I've found (hotest signal among dynamic mics) was the Shure Beta 58, but you still need to reduce the music level to achieve a good balance. Donny Pesce (DnJ) had similar complaints on his XD9. My present solution is to run a condenser mic (Shure Beta 87) through a feedback killer device (Behringer Shark) and then to the Ketron mic preamp. This allows me to control gains much better (besides killing feedback frequencies). I need the instrument mic input in order to get the harmonies from the internal vocalizer. This solution is working great for me, right now. Roel, if you don't use the mic preamps, it means you don't use the vocalizer at all, right?

One thing I have learned is that the hiss level also depends on the PA you use in your live acts. Some PA's enhance the hiss, making it more noticeable. The best is to try and see if it's a good match, before you buy. Also watch out for the equalizer settings. Don't push the high frequencies too much or the noise will be stronger.

The "pops" on the sound can come from bad connections or other electrical equipment connected to the electric network in the neighbourhood.

DanO recently produced some terrific demos with the SD1. The sound quality is great, too, and I wonder what are his secrets to get such a clean sound (no noticeable noise/hiss on his recordings). Dan ?

-- José.

Luis, I suggest that you relax a bit and allow yourself a 2-3 weeks trial period to see if the SD1 suits you or not. The 9000 pro is no doubt an excellent keyboard, more reliable hardware-wise and with a better OS compared with Ketron, but I am afraid that, after playing the SD1, it can be a bit of a disappointment to you.
The SD1 is still my first choice when it comes to playing music, because (IMHO) has the most natural and realistic styles and some of the sounds (saxophones, organs, vibraphones, brass) are also among the best I have ever heard among all the arrangers, not to mention the acoustic piano, which is brighter than Yamaha's (9000) or Roland's (VA7) own pianos.
No keyboard is perfect and for everyone there is a "Yes, but..." or a "Too bad that...", so it all comes down to realize which one has the defects that are most tolerable to us.

Andrea,
With all due respect....if I have to choose between a little lesser on the sounds, but trouble free operation and killer sounds, but one problem and idiosyncracy after another.....I'll opt for the trouble free operation myself.
jam on,
Terry

Me too, so.....why did you choose the Tyros???

OK, on a serious note now...
that's exactly the reason why I got the XD3: to have a replacement for the SD1 (and this is the first time that I buy two things which are almost the same).
I know that an example is worth a million words, so I will record my next songs again with the SD1 and will try to show you what I mean.

LOL.....so what problems have been reported with the Tyros exactly....I must have missed them? But I did see the one about the SD1 back in the shop for the 3rd time though.
Terry

Here my 2 cents........The Ketron KB's do have Excellent sounds and capabilities for "RECORDING" in a studio/home etc. But, it's in a "LIVE" situation on stage where the problems lie. Navagtion is crucial and utmost to a Solo KB performer and if there are flaws in the unit it will make your On Stage working life difficult. So yes.. I will agree that "CHOOSING" the right KB "FOR YOU PERSONALY" is critical. Don't listen to anyone, go play them, listen to them, try them with "YOUR SOUND SYSTEM", play it excactly as "YOU" would in whatever situation you perform. THEN make a decision to buy it. I too am gulity and didn't do this with the XD9 Until I was on stage with it which resultied in trading it for another due to my dissatifaction
"FOR MY LIVE PERFORMANCE" Situation ONLY!

"Musician Be Sure"



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 11-28-2002).]

Donny,
I agree that navigation on the Yamaha is a piece of cake compared with Ketron and I agree that the 9000s are built (both inside and outside) like "battleships" ("tank" is not enough here...), but I heard you complaining about all those boring 4 bars styles, and -believe me- the Tyros is not such a big improvement! I really was hoping it would! Yes, I too was ready to jump on the Tyros bandwagon, but I couldn't!!!
So: why cannot Yamaha program styles that match their sounds? And why cannot Ketron build their keyboards the way Yamaha does and give itself a decent OS, like Yamaha does?

Terry, my friend, are you monitoring the Tyros Yahoo group? The keyboard is not there yet and someone is complaining already. Perfection does not exist (keyboard manufacturers don't even try to approach it!) and we are all victims of the "programmed obsolescence"!
Aaargh!!!

Andrea,

Yes I settled for great Navagation, heavy weight, boring 4loopers, with great sounds with the 9k, it paid the bills and did its job well. But now I am in the process of going back to my Roots with the KORG PA60/80 which I enjoy playing very much. It's all about what is "Really Good For YOU" that is what I was trying to convey in my previous post.

Ciao

Donny

PS.. I have never been on the TYROS Band Wagon :>(

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 11-28-2002).]

Andrea,
On this we can agree. I never said nor thought that any keyboard, including the Tyros, was even close to perfect. What I settle for is the best for my intentions and that inspires me from the chices that are available.

If the person on the T World group hasn't even gotten it yet and they are complaining....they have nothing to say of any value. The old addage about some people cry with a loaf of bread under each arm.
Terry

I don't know if the SD1 is like Yamaha PSRs but I think the intention of Yamaha was that you should use a step up transformer with a dynamic mic. The input impedance is high and there isn't enough gain in the amplifier for a low impedance mic so you'll get a lot of hiss if the gain control is turned up. So it might be worth getting a cheap transformer and trying that before you spring for a mic preamp.

Sd1 has a balanced mic input , no 1/4 inch !

I really think the solution is what I have suggested . Turn the output levels down to around 48 vs. 63 .

Dreamer , have you tried this ? dano

Dan, I have never used the mic input because I don't sing at all and I have never experienced hiss problems with the outputs, so no need to turn down the levels either. My problems with the SD1 are of a different nature, but I still love it.

I have the same problem. Hiss is awful. The best solution I've had though is to turn the master volume output on my mixer amp down to about 3/4 of it's volume. That seems to work better than fooling with the gains. A more powerful mixer amp the better though. It will output more sound at a lower overall volume.

Well, it was just a thought. The PSR740 is unbalanced with an impedance of 50k. The mic amp has a gain of 5 over line level which is next to useless but at least you can plug in a mixer or preamp or transformer to boost things.

Bryan