Re: EchoplexDP Plus: "tick-tick-tick" noise problem

[Doug Cox <dougcox@pdq.net>]

I'm very sorry that I'm late in posting to this thread.

I think the EDP knows when a "Cox" owns it, and does this :)  Actually, 
mine is MUCH worse, when it occurs.  Those pops sound like explosions on 
my EDP.  On my unit, it only happens after some serious overdubbing, 
multiplying, and next-looping.  But I have done all of the tests 
mentioned (and more) and I can confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that 
it is internal to the EDP, and is not heat related (I've had it happen 
on the first loop of the day on a unit that has been powered down all 
night).

Kim Flint suggested that I try new memory, and I've yet to get that 
done.  I *have* swapped memory between my 2 EDPs (didn't help), but 
they're both the same memory type, and I suspect it may be realted to 
the fact that they are the 8 chip variety vs. the 2 or 3 chip.  So, in 
the end, I can't help much on a fix, but I CAN confirm that this happens 
on one of my EDPs also.  Just worse - much louder and nastier.

I will post Kim's reply to my questions here, in case it helps.  I'm 
sure that he won't mind:

Hi Doug-

I don't see anything from your setup that would cause the problem. It is 
likely some hardware issue with that unit.

There may be a few things you can do before sending it to somebody. You 
could try reseating any of the IC's that are in sockets, sometimes they 
get dirty or corroded with time and cause strange behavior like this. 
Carefully pull them out of the sockets, clean the pins as you did, and 
reinstall them. Often that is enough to make the electrical contacts 
good again if they have gotten flaky.

Another rare possibility could be a problem with one of the memory 
simms. You might try replacing them if you can get your hands on some 
4MB 30pin simms, and see if that helps. I recommend simms that have 2 or 
3 chips on them. (the 8/9 chip variety has on rare occasion caused 
problems, so you might as well not take the chance.) I most recently got 
these from Kahlon:
http://www.kahlon.com/category.asp?catID=1#4

Otherwise you will need to send it to somebody for repair. You would 
have to contact Gibson for that. Ultimately the person you want is Shane 
Radtke, who I assume they will direct you to. I'm not sure if he still 
works for gibson. His service company is http://www.britishaudioservice.com

kim

Cox wrote:

>Ok, I will try to anwer your questions;
>
>1 - I have posted the Wave sound, it's here :
>http://www.familoo.com/familoo/RepFiles/9042563465/tick-01.wav . It's
>another loop. the input knob was not at its minimum, that's why you can 
>here
>some sound in the background (a mic was plugged in).
>
>2 - I 've tried several times, and each time the noise came by groups of
>four, always separated by the same time of silence (or almost?)
>
>3 - By "swapping the memory around", you mean to invert the position of 
>the
>memory simms? If that's it, I will try tomorrow( it's already 1AM here in
>France...)
>
>4 - I've tried with several loops, and it seems to be the same with every
>loop; sometimes it apears on loop 1 and only, and sometimes in other loops
>too, sometimes in other loops and not in loop 1...
>
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