Problem with Mastermind and RG-16

R

rocket_rk

Member
My new RG-16 works fine without the Mastermind connected. When I connect the Mastermind via midi and change preset once, the rg-16's leds flash, don't turn off again and the rg-16 is frozen. What have I done wrong? Thanks for help.
 
Do you have any other MIDI controller (or PC with a MIDI interface) that you can use to send it MIDI messages? That would help determine what's at fault (but my best guess is that the RG-16 is the culprit).
 
Problem with Mastermind and RG-16: short update

I've just tried to switch Loops 1-5 by Masterminds IA-Mode and it works.

I think the write button of the rg-16 is the problem. When the rg-16 is frozen, as I described, and I carefully pull the button, the LEDs turn off. So my guess is, if the rg-16 sees a PC-message, it instantly stores the preset and doesn't get that the write button is not pushed/released.
 
Ah, so the Write button is getting stuck. Good detective work on that. Sometimes the front panel can bend just a little bit in the wrong way and it'll cause the button to bind. Sometimes you can get it clear just by taking the front panel and pulling on it in the area of the stuck button. A more permanent fix is to heat the solder joints on the switch and push it down to the board. It's a little tricky, but does the job. Sometimes the switches are mounted just a little too high and need to be lowered.

If you want to send it in, I'd be happy to get it sorted out.
 
Thanks, but since I live in Germany, I try the dealer to exchange the unit. I think I could fix the stucked write button, but the amp switching for my Dual Recto also doesn't work.

The RG-16 is configured for Mesa Rectifiers. If connecting amp1 jack and footswitch jack of the Recto with the custom cable, the amp seems to try switching to two different channels simultaneously, which results in a buzzing noise. After browsing the forum, I checked the cable and it seems fine.
The behavior differs, when connecting amp2 jack -I can switch channels of the Recto with the function switch buttons of the rg-16. This way solo-boost can't be activated.

Channel switching + solo boost still works with my mesa standard footswitch.

Maybe the power supply is the culprit. I use a 9V AC adapter with more than 1A max output, but the power grid in europe works at 50 and not 60 Hz, so the adapters output could be at 50 HZ. I currently have no DC adapter with enough output power to compare. What do you think?
 
It's very unusual to have one amp switching jack work differently than the other. Let's focus on the second jack for now. For the Solo boost to come on, both switches 6 and 8 must be on (because the effects loop needs to be on for it to work). Also, does the effects loop switch? Please check those things.

Also, did you measure the output of your AC adapter? Sometimes they don't output what they say they do. Intermittent switch failure is very often caused by a power supply whose output is too low. Please double check that the supply is really putting out at least 9VAC. 50Hz should not be a problem, although there is a possibility that you might hear more line noise than you would with 60Hz.
 
Doesn't help the problem (it does sound like swapping out the RG-16 might be the easiest option if that's still viable (ie it's under warranty and there are some still available anywhere)) but in my experience, running at 50Hz instead of 60Hz doesn't affect the operation of units, and you actually hear LESS line noise, presumably because it being a lower frequency, it's less reproducable by guitar speakers. I remember doing some tests on it at university in the acoustics lab, where we had variable frequency power supplies.
 
Function Switch 8 for loop on works. The effect loop switches. Function Switch 6+8 do not enable solo boost. The audio loops of the rg-16, I've used so far, work. The output voltage of the AC adapter is about 11V RMS at 50 Hz.
 
Since you're handy with a meter, can you measure resistance between pin 6 on the yellow side and pin 5 of the white end? The two pins should be connected. (Nearly 0 ohms). A pin numbering diagram is attached.
 

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Resistance between pin 6 on the yellow side and pin 5 of the white end is approx. 0 ohm.

I opend the rg-16 to exclude damages on the circuit board. The board itself seems to be ok.

This time I used a 12V DC adapter to retry amp switching and both amp jacks worked as they should. The guitar was directly connected to the amp's input.
The confusing thing is, that it also worked with the AC adpater I had used before.

So I tried different audio wirings with both power supplys:

1. guitar-> amp input -> amp fx send -> amp fx return : the problem sometimes occurs, when I switch on the amp

2. guitar -> amp input -> amp fx send -> rg-16 audio loop 5+6 -> amp fx return : see 1.

3. guitar -> rg-16 front panel input -> rg-16 rear panel 'from front'-> (audio loop 1) -> amp input -> amp fx send -> rg-16 audio loop 5+6 -> amp fx return : see 1./2.


4. guitar -> rg-16 front panel input -> rg-16 rear panel 'from front'-> Buffer In -> Buffer Out -> audio loop 1 -> amp input -> amp fx send -> (rg-16 audio loop 5+6) OR (single audio cable) -> amp fx return : permanent amp switching problem as described above

5. buffer out -> amp input : see 4.

6. guitar -> rg 16 audio Loop 5 input -> loop 5 send -> buffer input -> buffer output -> loop 5 return -> loop 5 output -> amp input : works with rg-16 ground lift. I didn't notice any signal quality changes by switching loop 5.

The behavior described in 1. to 5. is independent from the chosen power supply.
 
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