Bought a couple of the EWI active DI's from audiopile a couple years ago and both have bitten the dust. What would be the most likely thing to go out in these, and what should I look for if there is a simple repair?
What to look for in a bad active DI?
- Thread starter Donnie Evans
- Start date
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Well, no but I've been calling all day for an order and haven't gotten anybody yet and was going to talk to Mark then.
Well, no but I've been calling all day for an order and haven't gotten anybody yet and was going to talk to Mark then.
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Let it ring for a loooooong time.
Seriously.
Let it ring for a loooooong time.
Seriously.
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Yeah, I know the drill... I've bought plenty from them. I gotten voice mail a lot but finally just talked to Liz, and Mark had just stepped out... my luck... haha.
Yeah, I know the drill... I've bought plenty from them. I gotten voice mail a lot but finally just talked to Liz, and Mark had just stepped out... my luck... haha.
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
OK troubleshooting 101,, look for something obviously out of place or not connected,
check if active circuitry has good PS voltage (battery?). Sometime DI switch power with a switch contact on the input jack, so a dirty switch contact could kill it.
Keep looking, it's always the last thing you check.
JR
OK troubleshooting 101,, look for something obviously out of place or not connected,
check if active circuitry has good PS voltage (battery?). Sometime DI switch power with a switch contact on the input jack, so a dirty switch contact could kill it.
Keep looking, it's always the last thing you check.
JR
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
That reminds me of my buddy who was also the head tech at a commercial editorial house. One day when something went wrong and it took some time to figure it out, the producer for the spot being edited said completely seriously, "why is it always the last thing you try that works?? Why don't you do that thing first??" They could not see the stupidity of their own question. He calmly tried to explain the trouble shooting process, but the producer just didn't get it.
Greg
That reminds me of my buddy who was also the head tech at a commercial editorial house. One day when something went wrong and it took some time to figure it out, the producer for the spot being edited said completely seriously, "why is it always the last thing you try that works?? Why don't you do that thing first??" They could not see the stupidity of their own question. He calmly tried to explain the trouble shooting process, but the producer just didn't get it.
Greg
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
It's a corollary to to the rule about looking for lost keys...
JR
It's a corollary to to the rule about looking for lost keys...
JR
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
You hit 'em with this: "if I did that first and it worked, it would still be the last thing."
You hit 'em with this: "if I did that first and it worked, it would still be the last thing."
Nothing jumps out at me on this one, though. Don't know where to start with it...
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Sent from my DROID RAZR 2
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Everything on that board can be purchased at Digikey and delivered to you next day for very little cash.
If you know how to solder, my bet would be the IC (which is likely an op amp).
Hi Donnie,
Everything on that board can be purchased at Digikey and delivered to you next day for very little cash.
If you know how to solder, my bet would be the IC (which is likely an op amp).
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
It might be time to consider getting some better active DIs. I've never seen a failure like that on an active DI. In fact, I don't believe I've ever had one go bad in 15+ years. I've been using Whirlwind HotBoxes mostly for active units. Yes, the known name brand units are about 2x the price. But I doubt you'll have the failure rate with them that you are with those units.
It might be time to consider getting some better active DIs. I've never seen a failure like that on an active DI. In fact, I don't believe I've ever had one go bad in 15+ years. I've been using Whirlwind HotBoxes mostly for active units. Yes, the known name brand units are about 2x the price. But I doubt you'll have the failure rate with them that you are with those units.
If my memory serves right (not very likely sometimes... lol), I believe I remember that one getting fried by a lightning strike. I was BE'ing for a band at a festival on a hired rig, dont ask me why we had to provide our own DI's. Lightning struck somewhere very close (wasnt my call to stop the show either.....) and shocked my lead singer's mouth pretty bad through the mic, killed a DI and a Roland KC550. The system engineer was leaning on the desk and got a pretty good shock too. Luckily I wasnt touching the board at the time.
Sent from my DROID RAZR 2
Sent from my DROID RAZR 2
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Yup lightning can release the smoke.. I was also thinking a hot ground, but lightning is plausible if coincident with the failure. At least you can see the parts values from the one that isn't fried to know what to replace the toasty critters with.
For the one hit by lightning, the opamp is probably hurting, too.
For the one that isn't fried you might need a VOM to troubleshoot. Pretty simple circuitry.
JR
Yup lightning can release the smoke.. I was also thinking a hot ground, but lightning is plausible if coincident with the failure. At least you can see the parts values from the one that isn't fried to know what to replace the toasty critters with.
For the one hit by lightning, the opamp is probably hurting, too.
For the one that isn't fried you might need a VOM to troubleshoot. Pretty simple circuitry.
JR
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Yeah. I have some Countryman type 85's that have to be over 15 years old now. I think the extra cost paid for itself by now.
Yeah. I have some Countryman type 85's that have to be over 15 years old now. I think the extra cost paid for itself by now.
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
I'm not quite the electronics genius, but I do have a VOM and a soldering iron. I've never really done much with resistors, capacitors, etc. on a circuit board (although I did have to replace all the stepper motors on all the gauges in the dash panel of my wife's car once). What in particular do I look for with the meter? Continuity between both ends of each component? Resistance of each resistor? Do I need an analog meter to test capacitors?
I'm not quite the electronics genius, but I do have a VOM and a soldering iron. I've never really done much with resistors, capacitors, etc. on a circuit board (although I did have to replace all the stepper motors on all the gauges in the dash panel of my wife's car once). What in particular do I look for with the meter? Continuity between both ends of each component? Resistance of each resistor? Do I need an analog meter to test capacitors?
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
Not saying their products will be as high quality as some of the higher end units, but I've purchased many EWI products from Mark and Liz and have had nothing but great success and quality from them. I still have a dual ch passive DI I purchased at the same time as those 2 (2008) and it is still working just fine. I purchased those after many recommendations from users here (and PSW then) and they were always great for me. I know lightning got the one, so I can't blame that on manufacturing or part failure, but the other I don't know about. When I purchased these I was looking at Whirlwind boxes also and had considered these to be equal to or even better than the HotBoxes. Maybe not. I'm going to try and see what I can do with these, maybe even use the parts off each to rebuild one if I can't fix both. I am, however, looking for a couple higher-end boxes, just don't have the cash right now. Hence my post in the Marketplace looking for trades on some OM7's I have that aren't seeing any use.
Not saying their products will be as high quality as some of the higher end units, but I've purchased many EWI products from Mark and Liz and have had nothing but great success and quality from them. I still have a dual ch passive DI I purchased at the same time as those 2 (2008) and it is still working just fine. I purchased those after many recommendations from users here (and PSW then) and they were always great for me. I know lightning got the one, so I can't blame that on manufacturing or part failure, but the other I don't know about. When I purchased these I was looking at Whirlwind boxes also and had considered these to be equal to or even better than the HotBoxes. Maybe not. I'm going to try and see what I can do with these, maybe even use the parts off each to rebuild one if I can't fix both. I am, however, looking for a couple higher-end boxes, just don't have the cash right now. Hence my post in the Marketplace looking for trades on some OM7's I have that aren't seeing any use.
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
That's my favorite Dilbert cartoon - the pointyhaired boss having that exact conversation with Alice.
That's my favorite Dilbert cartoon - the pointyhaired boss having that exact conversation with Alice.
Re: What to look for in a bad active DI?
#1- does it have power... You can start with VOM in volts scale... check battery, should be 8V or more. Is power getting to the opamp when turned on? If it's a single opamp +V is typically pin 7 (second from top on right side looking at it from the top). Opamp -V pin 4 (bottom pin on left side) will be connected to ground 0V. If working properly most other opamp pins will measure roughly 1/2 the battery voltage.
#2- is signal getting into the circuit.. Plug an an input that is making a quasi constant sound (like a radio) that you can measure on the VOM in AC scale and follow it into the circuitry.
#3 if it getting in, trace it to the output.
Of course it is harder than this... For the fried unit the toasted parts need to be replaced and any burnt traces will need to be patched.
JR
I can't give you a complete technical education in 25 words, but I will try to point you in the right direction.
#1- does it have power... You can start with VOM in volts scale... check battery, should be 8V or more. Is power getting to the opamp when turned on? If it's a single opamp +V is typically pin 7 (second from top on right side looking at it from the top). Opamp -V pin 4 (bottom pin on left side) will be connected to ground 0V. If working properly most other opamp pins will measure roughly 1/2 the battery voltage.
#2- is signal getting into the circuit.. Plug an an input that is making a quasi constant sound (like a radio) that you can measure on the VOM in AC scale and follow it into the circuitry.
#3 if it getting in, trace it to the output.
Of course it is harder than this... For the fried unit the toasted parts need to be replaced and any burnt traces will need to be patched.
JR