MidiVerb II pots...Anybody know where to get?

[soundchaser59]

I just discovered that my old Midiverb II is the source of a lot of hum and crackling in my sound while mixing. I couldn't figure it out, until I noticed I had reverbed hi hat getting into an acoustic guitar track.......went to turn the Midiverb aux return knob down, and VOILA! The hum and crackling disappeared.

Sure enough, the pots on the Midiverb are shot.

Anybody know where I can get some good quality replacements? Anybody have a schematic or know exactly what kind of pots are in the thing? Alesis will charge me $100 flat rate to send it in to a service center, and you know all they will do to it - the only thing they CAN do to it - is replace the pots. It's the only moving part in the thing.

I have two of these things, so for $200 bucks + shipping, I'd just as soon buy the pots and do it myself.

Any body got any tips on this??
Thanks! - SC

 

[soundchaser59]

Well, I opened up my MidiVerb II, and I found that the three pots are soldered to a small PCB, along with a multi-pin connector.....the small pcb with the pots soldered on can be unscrewed, unplugged, and replaced as a single unit. Just get a new one and screw it back on and plug it back in.

So the question becomes:

Where or how can I get this part?

Please tell me this part is available some where on planet earth.....???

 

[soundchaser59]

The dark cloud is this: I spoke on the phone today with the service center that Alesis directed me to (Audio Design & Service?) and both Alesis and the service guy said the part is not available. When I pressured him for more info, he told me if I sent it to them they would simply end up soldering new pots on to the little circuit board. Which puts me back where I started.......tempted to do it myself.

I'm afraid if I buy a used on it will simply have or develop the same problem.......putting me back where I am now.

If I can get the parts new, that's my first choice....try the Deox spray cleaner in the meantime......and check the parts guy for pots if all else fails??

 

[MOFO Pro]

Alesis shopped all of their warrentee and repair work out to this company after they filed chapter 11... I think they also shipped all of their parts inventory... you might want to give them a call and see if they've got anything left...

Here's the contact info:

Advanced Musical Electronics
8665 Venice BLVD
West LA., CA 90034

(310) 559-3157

 

[mshilarious]

Can you post a (good) picture? You might be able to source replacement pots yourself from Digikey or Mouser.

 

[soundchaser59]

Can you post a (good) picture? You might be able to source replacement pots yourself from Digikey or Mouser.

A specialty electronics store spent an hour looking today, but found nothing, they even had the piece in hand so they could see exactly what it is. Even the tech guy at the dealer told me it is hopeless.....Why?......because it says "Alesis" on it.

But he knows I bought the darn thign there 20 years ago, so since I had the pcb in hand, he sprayed it with DeoxIt. I'll find out tonight if that works at all. If so, I'll take the other one down there tomorrow.

If not, then check out the sale at the local shop? Peavey Deltafex for $130! Oh Boy! Digitech S110 / S200? Yeah right.....whatever.... But to be honest, I have to admit I've never had one piece of Peavey gear go bad on me, ever......

back to the work bench...

 

[dgatwood]

A specialty electronics store spent an hour looking today, but found nothing, they even had the piece in hand so they could see exactly what it is. Even the tech guy at the dealer told me it is hopeless.....Why?......because it says "Alesis" on it.

*rolls eyes*

Okay. Here's the physical info you'll need:

1. Pin spacing.
2. Height from the top edge of the board to the top of the shaft
3. Shaft diameter.
4. If the pots are almost touching each other, width of the pot body.
5. Shaft length.

Measure them all with a calipers if possible.

Now for the electrical. You'll need a multimeter that does resistance. As you look down the shaft of the pot from the front, with the pins pointed downwards:

1. Measure resistance from the left pin to the right pin.
2. Measure resistance from the left pin to the middle pin with it turned halfway up (or as close as possible.

NOTE: depending on the circuit design, the total resisstance measurement may not be exactly correct without unsoldering the pot. If there is a rating on the pot, believe that. However, even in-circuit, this should probably give you a reasonably good idea of the taper.

#1 will tell you the total value of the pot (e.g. 1k, 10k). If #2 is half of #1, you'll need a linear taper pot. If #2 is significantly more than half of #1 (like 90%), you have an audio taper pot. If it is significantly less (like 10%), you have a reverse audio taper pot (very rare).

Report those measurements and we'll see if we can help. I'd be surprised if it were anything unusual or exotic in any way.

 

[SonicAlbert]

Midiverb II's are selling for between $10-90 on eBay. Just get another one.

Use the one that works, and keep the second one to cannibalize for parts for the first.

 

[soundchaser59]

Thanks for all the info...... I do appreciate your time.

(1) The DeoxIt worked like a charm. Spray it, twist the heck outuvit, and no more snap crackle pop in the pots.

(2) The pots are still going bad, slow but sure. I can tell because if I turn the output pot all the way off (full ccw) it gives me a very audible hum/buzz in the aux return. If I turn it back up about 20% (the 9 o'clock position) the hum disappears. This happens on both Midiverbs, and only with the output pot. (BTW, the input and output are 10k, mix is 1k, and I think they behave like linear taper, but that could just be my ears fooling me. The musically usable range on each pot is from 0% to about 70%, above that the signal level soars thru the roof rather quickly.....

(3) Just judging by my online research, reading reviews, specs, etc., it seems to me the TC Electronics M300 is the unit to beat for the under-$200 crowd. It reads like it kicks the Peavey Deltafex, Yamaha Rev100, and Digitech S100/S200 stuff right outa the water. (the stuff my local dealers are pushing) I especially like the idea that the TC can be switched for "dual input" mode, where you actually have two independent (mono) fx units, one on the left input and one on the right input. One black box could service two aux loops, and on my mixer 2 of the 6 aux loops are mono. Low distortion, low noise, etc. There are 3 online retailers that have this unit for $150 shipped to my door.

Now the only problem I have remaining is the snap crackle pop that is coming outa my 22 year old Adcom power amp.......