keyboard recording issue

Hi,

the noise is like no ground wire, when the board volume turned off.

Guitar IN even on full gain gives hi hissing noise that is nice and pleasent :) (I mean the chanell is clean). And a clipping happens at less than a half gain control knob. So you will not go more than half.

I connected two guitars with different cables (that are good on other hardware) to Guitar In - it's fine. And than I connected guitars to Line 1 and 2. The noise is here and when I touch the strings it calms down a bit.

Reminds me amps from 70th when we had to ground amps :)



I guess it's deffective Line 1 Line 2.

I will try to contact Lexicon before bringing Lambda back to the store.

I like the design and features. But I need Lines In functionning.



!!! Oh hell... Just tried a CD player. Connected to Line 1 and 2 with simple cable. Absolutely clean sound. No noise...



I am not getting something :) ... Guitars and keyboard works fine in amp and mixer but not in Lines of Lambda.



May be you can guess what it could be based on given info.

Ideally I need to use 2 inputs at a time. Bass and keyboard.

Tomorrow will try to connect P-80 to Mike input, just for fun.

BTW, mikes inputs are clean with a mike.



Thanks,

Michael.

I found something very "interesting".

Nothing to do with a source (keyboard or guitars).



1. No source connected. No cables.

Full gain for Line 1-2 full output (head phones monitor). Absolutely no noise.



2. TS cable is connected to Line 1 or 2. No instrument - strong noise. When touch a sleeve the noice is terrible and stronger than when touch a tip!!! Without touching tip or sleeve.



3. XLR cable is connected. No noise at all at full volume.



4. Guitar IN at full volume gives some parasite noise. But less than half (before clipping) no noise and is fine for clean recording.



5. When portable CD player connected to LINE 1-2

with simple stereo cable. No noise at full volume.

The same with only this cable (no CD player)



All above is applied when Lambda is connected to a laptop or to PC!!! So it's not computer grounding.



Looks like Line 1-2 are not grounded.

Balanced cable???

Nonsence.

May be for you guys it will clarify something.

Guess, I have to contact Lexicon people.



Your guesses?



Thanks,

Michael.



I

Kev,

you can download Lambda manual here (few megs) if you have time :) :

http://lexiconpro.com/ProductIndex.aspx?ProductID=8



I cannot copy paste routing diagram. It's on page 35.



Specifications

Microphone Inputs: (2) Female XLR Pin 2 Hot

Input Impedance: 600 Ohms balanced

Phantom Power: +48 Volt

GAIN: +44 dB

EIN: −115 dB A-weighted @ 50dB gain (150 Ohm source impedance)

Maximum Input Level: +4 dBu

Frequency Response: +0, −0.2 dB 20 Hz - 20 kHz, ref. 1 kHz

THD+N: .005%, 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Insert Inputs: (2) 1/4" TRS

Send Level (tip): +10 dBu maximum

Maximum Return Level (ring): +11 dBu maximum

Line Inputs: (2) 1/4" TRS balanced or unbalanced

Input Impedance: 20 kOhm balanced, 10 kOhm unbalanced

Maximum Input Level: +22 dBu

Frequency Response: +0, −0.2 dB 20 Hz - 20 kHz, ref. 1kHz

THD+N: .009% A/D, 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Instrument Input: (1) 1/4" mono jack

Input Impedance: 1 MOhm unbalanced

Maximum Input Level: +8.5 dBu

Frequency Response: +0, −0.25 dB 20 Hz - 20 kHz, ref. 1 kHz

THD+N: .0125% A/D

Line Outputs: (2) 1/4" TRS balanced or unbalanced

Level: +15 dBu maximum

Impedance: 1 KOhm

Headphone Output: (1) 1/8" stereo jack 100 mW per channel at 50 Ohms

MIDI Interface: 5 pin DIN connectors for MIDI in and MIDI out

Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (determined by computer application)

Dynamic Range: A/D (24 Bit) 102 dB typical, A-weighted, 20 Hz - 20 kHz

D/A (24 Bit) 102 dB typical, A-weighted, 20 Hz - 20 kHz

A/D/A (24 Bit) 100 dB typical, A-weighted, 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Power Requirements: USB powered

Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.7 x 3.4

Weight: 1.92 lbs.



35 - routing diagram.

It's in PDF I couldn't edit the file for just sending you two pages.



Sure you will be able to explain my issue by veiwing this.



From Manual:

The Instrument input uses the same recording channel as the Line 1 input;

anything plugged into the ¼" Line 1 input jack on the back of the Lambda

Studio will not be recorded when a cable is connected to the ¼"



NOTE: This jack is intended for electric guitar and bass, or acoustic instrument

pickups, not line-level signals such as the output of keyboards or a direct out from

a guitar amplifier.

For those, use the Line 1-2 input jacks on the back of the Lambda Studio hardware.

>have your tried the insert returns ?

this is an unbalanced input on the ring

at a

" Maximum Return Level (ring): +11 dBu maximum "



I don't have any TRS plugs :( just TR).

I tried Insert with regular 2 TR plugs cable - no signal



>true line inputs are

" Line Inputs: (2) 1/4" TRS balanced or unbalanced

Input Impedance: 20 kOhm balanced, 10 kOhm unbalanced

Maximum Input Level: +22 dBu "



This what I woud like to make work without a hassle :)



>I would try

unbalanced from P-80 with 6.5mm

hot on tip

cold on sleeve

TO

balance (?) into the Lambda

hot on tip

cold(sleeve) on ring

ground - no connection



For that I need TRS plugs...

BUT,

I have 1/4 to 1/8 stereo adapters and 2 1/8 plugs cable which I can "fix"

to made test by your suggestion.

I'll let you know.



>the PDF is still downloading and it will take much more time - so I haven't read it yet

I have slow net



This is not good :))))) (joking)



Thanks a lot.

Michael.

Kev,

I tested everything what's possible and impossible :) ...



I prepared a cable by your instructions.



It improved the situation a lot.

1. I tested it with Lambda connected to a PC. As sources I used bass guitar and old Roland synt (with a left out MONO).

The result is that at 40% gain I didn't get any noise in full head phones volume and bar graph comes to yellow. It means that with this kind of clean signal a recording should be good.

It happened with guitar or synt connected.



2. I took a laptop with Lambda to P-80 (another room).

At full gain and full head phone volume I had the same noise (may be a bit less) without P80 connected. And no sound, only noise with P80 connected.



As I mentioned at the beginning Lines 1-2 are noisy just with unbalanced cables inserted without a keyb.



So I returned to my silly situation. And as not "big" radio man I blame

my loved Lambda.

P80's left ch. is not Mono. In manual they say it will provide you a signal without loosing P80 quality.



At home for P80 I use 40W amp with 2 mic inputs. When I connect unbalanced cables from P to amp. I have absolutely no noise. And it is connection to Mics IN not Line! Sure my P80 is healthy.



Lambda is terrible just by inserting cables in Line.



Sorry that I am torturing you :) . As a regular user I just want to understand what's going on. May be my device is defective.

In manual they not mention any special cables or connections.



I will contact Lexicon. If you are able to "discover" something from my tests please let me know.



I would like to try to connect P80 to Balanced MICs ins.

Don't have all appropriate plugs now.



Thanks,

Happy New Year!

Michael.

I started everything from scratch. Just to see again what I can do with my Lambda.



1. I can connect without any parasite noise 2 sources.

Mic (to mic input) and guitar or piano to Instrument IN (front panel).



However the manual clearly stays on "don't connect synt to Instrument In,

it's for guitar only".



2. I can connect a Mixer with balanced cables to Mic 1 Mic2 INs.

Super clean. The gain is flexible.



3. I can connect CD player to LINE 1-2.

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY CLEAN SIGNAL.



When stereo cable is connected to Line 1-2 there is a noise.

When connect CD player (and it is off) NO NOISE at all.

When press Play. I have a NICE CD sound.



From this I can not tell that Lines IN don't work.



But the weird Piano connection is still there.

I will wait an answer from Lexicon. The Creators should explain how to connect two freaking cables to LINE IN.



Thanks for your input.

Michael.

Kev,

I gave a last try with XV-5050.

The same result. NOISE (in Line).

Took Mono and connected to guitar IN. Fine.

I sent an e-mail to Lexicon. (Didn't find phone support).

They promptly answered for couple of questions.

Interesting how they will explain Line IN "magic".



I don't want less or more than Lambda in this price range. I tried M-Audio and

didn't like it. So I exchanged it to Lambda (more feature rich).



All what I need is recording voice or sax, playback or piano and bass.

All this mostly will be done on one track at a time basis.

Sure I would like to have an option to record sax and piano or bass piano.



I will post the final result with Lambda after talk and advices of Lexicon people. I feel they will recommend to bring it to the store for an exchange.



Thanks for your time.

Michael.