My MT-32 is (very) noisy, and that's not hiss!

[Maxime]

Hi All,

I have just bought a MT-32 sound module last week, with its original adaptor, the ACB-220.

It works great linked to the MIDI Out of my Evolution MK-249 USB keyboard, except that it produces a very annonying noise at the background.

And that's not a light hiss! It's a quite treble noise which I can hear after the MT-32 has been powered on, immediatly after it displays "Roland MT-32", and even if MT-32's volume is set at 0, the noise remains at the same volume.

My current setup: the MT-32 is linked with a standard MIDI cable to my master keyboard, which is plugged on the computer using USB. The sound output is done with a hand-made cable with two big male jacks on the MT-32, and two RCA/cinch connectors on the other side, plugged either on the line-in of my Sound Blaster Live! using an adaptor, or directly on the RCA inputs of my TV card. That card is linked to my onboard sound chip, itself linked to three pairs of 2/2.1 speaks, making a 6.1 setup.

I've tried different setups as well at my father's home: linking it to a P233 MMX computer (with a SB 16 PnP) or a 386SX 25 MHz (with a SB Pro II) using a MIDI/joystick cable, using small computer speakers for the sound output, linked to the L/mono output of the MT-32 using a big male jack/female mini-jack adaptor.

Even with different material, this background noise does not disappear. I suspected the power adaptor of the MT-32, but I tried to put the power adaptor of my speakers on the MT-32 for a few seconds, and the noise is still here.

What do you think? What could be the source of the problem? The MT-32 itself, it's jack connectors, maybe? I can't replace them myself! And sending the MT-32 for a repair (where?) would cost me a fortune, I would rather buy another MT-32 and chain it with my current one to have 16 channels and more polyphony!

If you have suggestions or tips, please share them, I'm quite disappointed to see that the MT-32 can produce such a good ouptut (I've some game MP3s recorded from it and they don't have this noise!) and see that I can't get the same sound with mine!

I've got a lot of questions about this sound module as well (where to find good patches and banks, is there a good Windows-based editor for it, how to avoid buffer overflows or checksum errors, ...) but I would like first to check if I can solve this issue, it would be very great!

And sorry for such a long post, but I wanted to be as detailed as possible, and, I hope, clear.

Regards from France
Maxime

[Alistair]

A Live!, eh? I do 50% of my digital recordings on one... it's a very noisy card. Not that it can't be cleaned up a bit.. but it's still noisy. Make sure microphone setting is muted in 'playback', and any other unnecessary playback devices.

- Alistair

[Tom]

I would connect the MT-32's output to a good quality external stereo amplifier, not a sound card's input.  That should determine if you have a problem with the MT-32, or your sound card's input.  Since one of my MT-32's is connected to an old AWE32's input, it's not noisy.  So I suspect there's probably a problem with the MT-32, itself.  Like Alistair suggested, check the the sound card's MIC input is disabled.  Disable everything except the LINE IN to rule out a sound card problem.

[Maxime]

I've tried first to connect my MT-32 on the RCA/cinch connectors which are on my TV card (because they are in front of my PC) before connecting to the line-in of my SB Live!, but the noise was the same.

I've also tried to plug it directly into a 5.1 set of speakers (which offers its inputs as RCA connectors, on which are linked the speakers), the noise is exactly the same.

And, all unnecessary inputs of both my soundcards are muted. My cheap microphone is not permanently connected on my computer.

Like you suggested, Tom, the MT-32 shouldn't be so noisy with a soundcard which is nearly 10 years newer than it! I don't really think that the quality of the amplifiers that were on the market in the late 80's were tremendously better that today's soundcards...

I do effectively suspect a problem on the MT-32. But I don't even know if I could change its audio connectors myself (if it comes from the connectors... I don't really know, as both L/R are noisy...)

[Tom]

Unfortunately, it DOES sound like an internal MT-32 problem, and I wouldn't know where to begin trying to correct it...other than replacing the unit.  Bummer.

[Alistair]

Hey, Maxime, can you do me a favour and digitally record some non-reverby MT-32 file, like 'All Tied Up' from LSL1, or a song like 'Dewey, Cheatem and Howe'? I'd like to hear how 'noisy' your MT-32 is.

- Alistair

[Maxime]

Hey, Maxime, can you do me a favour and digitally record some non-reverby MT-32 file, like 'All Tied Up' from LSL1, or a song like 'Dewey, Cheatem and Howe'? I'd like to hear how 'noisy' your MT-32 is.

It's exactly what I was going to ask...

I do not own LSL, but I've some Monkey Island and Kyrandia music in MIDI format, I'm currently recording some short extracts, you'll hear the noise by yourself...

Thanks!

[Maxime]

Okay, there is a test tune.

Recorded in OGG with Audacity 1.23 straight from my SB Live! (without processing or reverb). This is track #6 from The Legend of Kyrandia (Outside Brandon's Home, The Timbermist Woods), two extracts: the first part is recorded from my MT-32 (the noise is clearly audible, I kept it recording for a few seconds before starting the song), and the second part is from the main SoundFont synth of my Live!, with the MT-32 powered off, so that you can see if my Live! sounds noisy to you without the MT-32.

Please tell me when you'll have downloaded it so I can delete it from my FTP server.

Thanks again for your help
Maxime

[Alistair]

Recorded in OGG with Audacity 1.23 straight from my SB Live! (without processing or reverb). This is track #6 from The Legend of Kyrandia (Outside Brandon's Home, The Timbermist Woods), two extracts: the first part is recorded from my MT-32 (the noise is clearly audible, I kept it recording for a few seconds before starting the song), and the second part is from the main SoundFont synth of my Live!, with the MT-32 powered off, so that you can see if my Live! sounds noisy to you without the MT-32.

Please tell me when you'll have downloaded it so I can delete it from my FTP server.

Yep, got it.

You know what's funny, on a side note? Originally people called this piece something silly, like 'Timbermist Woods'- when obviously it's not. The name you gave there is what I started calling it, which I've noticed has been adopted by various sites now.

Anyway, this recording sounds fine! I certainly wouldn't replace your MT-32 on the evidence of this recording. Sounds cleaner than my Live!, and I create CD's on it!!

Ah.. NOW I hear it. Must've had my speakers low. That high piercing noise. Weird. How exactly are you recording this, and have you tried just hooking your MT-32 up to your SB Live via joystick port, no middle devices?

- Alistair

[Maxime]

Yes, the recording is clean, but only the second part, which has been recorded from my Live!'s first SoundFont synth with the MT-32 powered off  :lol: Only the first part is from the line-in of the soundcard - where is connected my MT-32.

Hooking up the MT-32 directly to the joystick port? I don't think it would change something, because I've already tried to link it directly on some speakers without even linking it to a computer, and the noise was still here, just after displaying "Roland MT-32" on the LCD.

But, anyway, I've already tried this, and it never worked! Hopefully I have my USB keyboard... because I've tried to put the MT-32 on a Pentium 233 and a 386 SX 25 using a MIDI/joystick cable (bundled with my USB keyboard), and I never got any MIDI data transferred to the MT-32. Maybe my cable is somewhat broken, but it would be silly, I've never used it until now!

I've also tried to hook this cable on the OUT of the MT-32, in order to capture MIDI from the MIDI port of my Live!, but, same way, it does not work. And the MIDI/joystick port is OK, as I have a SideWinder game pad usually connected on it...

I've tried to play around with the soundcard mixer, but if I lower the line-in volume, I do not hear anything :cry:  And if I put the treble slider at 0, the sound is not natural... And I always have this weird noise  :cry:

[Alistair]

and I never got any MIDI data transferred to the MT-32. Maybe my cable is somewhat broken, but it would be silly, I've never used it until now!

I'd suggest that on your 233 at least, you haven't set it up correctly.

I've also tried to hook this cable on the OUT of the MT-32, in order to capture MIDI from the MIDI port of my Live!, but, same way, it does not work.

It wouldn't. Creative cards such as the Live! can only access 'one-way', that is, they can't transmit AND receive.

Hooking up the MT-32 directly to the joystick port? I don't think it would change something, because I've already tried to link it directly on some speakers without even linking it to a computer, and the noise was still here, just after displaying "Roland MT-32" on the LCD.

Still.. try it!

- Alistair

[Maxime]

I'd suggest that on your 233 at least, you haven't set it up correctly.

.

Set up the same way on any PC: the DB15/joystick side of the cable on the MIDI port Sound Blaster card (SB Pro on the 386, SB 16 PnP on the P233, SB Live! 5.1 on my computer), and the other side in the IN of the MT-32 ; selecting SB MIDI Port as default MIDI device for games, or as playback device on my MIDI player: no data received on the MT-32. Even with MT-32 MIDIs.

It wouldn't. Creative cards such as the Live! can only access 'one-way', that is, they can't transmit AND receive.

I only wanted to receive. My USB keyboard is linked to the IN of the MT-32, so it handles transmissions, and the OUT of the MT-32 is connected on the SB, which *should* receive data if its MIDI port is set as the MIDI-In device.

try it!

I've tried... it does not work... or I am very silly!  
And it does not solve my noisy problem, which I can hear as soon as the MT-32 is on with some amplificated source connected to any of its L/R outputs. :cry:

Any other ideas? I'm really desesperate...

[Zemus]

I thought the OUT port was only for dumping sysex from the MT-32. On my Roland CM-500, I can only record the input by connecting my computer to its THRU port, not the OUT port.

[Maxime]

I thought the OUT port was only for dumping sysex from the MT-32. On my Roland CM-500, I can only record the input by connecting my computer to its THRU port, not the OUT port.

Thanks for the information.

But recording still not works on my machine, even if I connect the cable to my MT-32's THRU port.

And I'm still having this noise... :cry:

[Ari]

I just got an MT-32 and I have a similar problem... Anyone has any idea?

[Maxime]

Unfortunately, no. More than two months and I haven't found anything. I've asked on the LUGNUTS Yahoo! Newsgroup for that, but I lost the discussion thread. If you can find anything, please post on this forum!

[HondaSiR]

Unbelievable, two MT-32s that have mysterious background noises. Ari, are you sure its not hiss since you are accustomed to the quieter LAPC-1? In my experience, there are some tracks that do perform noisily, Silpheed is a good example of this.

[Ari]

No, this is not hiss. You can't miss it. It destorts everything.

[Tom]

Distortion?  Is there possibly an amplifier problem?  Is the signal coming from the MT-32 being boosted far too high?  Have you tried other amplification methods?  

I have this problem from time to time, but it's because of the SB Audigy card that I'm listening through.  One of my MT-32's is connected to an Audigy (after passing through a SC-8820), and the sound will sometimes get distorted -- quite badly.  I always have the Audigy's Bass/Treble adjustments set to ZERO (so that no equalization is added -- I let my external output amplifier do that.)  But sometimes, for no reason at all, the Audigy will add some kind of effect that I can't shut off; my only solution ends up to be rebooting the PC.  

I have, on any number of occasions, picked up a lot of distortion from both my SC-8820 and MT-32 because of the Sound Blaster.  This never happens on my Santa Cruz, so I know it's not the sound modules -- it's the damn SB.  Too much EQ also can cause distortion.  

What do you use to amplify the MT-32?

How about recording something -- about 10 seconds worth, but keep the compression to a minimal (as to not cause further distortion.)

[Ari]

I tried connecting it to the line-in of both my sound cards - a Yamaha WF192XG and a Terratec Sixpack 5.1. With both I get the same thing.

I recorded 10 seconds of it: http://66.49.226.244/digital/miscellaneous/distort.wav (left it as a WAV file, as it is only about 1.6MB in size.