Next on the Bench
While I’m waiting on parts for the SEMs I’m replacing some bad power capacitors in my Krohn-Hite. It’s a lovely sounding multimode filter with a hybrid tube/transistor design, from the early ‘60s. This is the super-deluxe model 335 R9, like the more common (?) model 330 but with variable number of poles and resonance. In non-technical terms that means you put the synth through it and decide which of the many awesome sounds coming out you want in your mix. Despite its complexity it has a really excellent layout inside and a well-written manual which allows even a dangerous buffoon such as myself to repair it. Really I should replace all of the capacitors in this beast right now, but I want to get back to making music someday soon.
posted by randy
2:21PM,
20 Jun 2006
5 comments:
Yum.
– PaulEdwards
11:16PM,
20 Jun 2006
i think a lot of gear’s power supply rails’ caps go first. I hear some modular repair pros will replace them before they’ll even start troubleshooting if they see the originals.
i got em-200 to talk midi, but scaling it to a normal range has been very difficult. In any case, the gate control was a no brainer and makes the synth extremely handy for percussion....
Can’t wait to hear what mr Walter Krohnkite’s got to say! Good luck with that guy!
– solenoid
11:42AM,
25 Jun 2006
Krohn-Kite is working great-- capacitors again-- replaced some giant AC power supply caps and lovely sounds are being made once more. It sounds pretty much like the one I gave Paul, but has a lot more options.
– randy
4:25PM,
25 Jun 2006
oh, that’s where Paul’s mystery machine came from!
– solenoid
6:54PM,
28 Jun 2006
Finally something’s working! Replaced the ancient power caps with two new Panasonic dry film 4uF, 440VAC. Now the distortion this thing produces when I crank it is actually musical sounding and not like nasty crackles. Of course, many other parts could fail at any time, so… better make some music with it quick.
– randy
9:51PM, 20 Jun 2006