KAOSSPAD 3 Problem (Live)

Thyllian22 · Post by **Thyllian22** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:08 am

Hello,

I'm having a lot of discomfort with my KP3 Live, its a great device but it has its negative points. Im playing in a rock band and we are performing a lot now.

This is how I build my stuff on stage:

- Yamaha PSR1000+Microkorg go through a mixer to the line in
(connection cable tulip(L/R)->tulip(L/R) on the line-in of the kaosspad)

- My main vocals are going straight through the Jack microfone INPUT of the kaosspad.
(connection cable XLR(female) -> XLR(male) // XLR(female -> Jack)

- Finally my line out, goes through the kaosspad to.
(connection cable tulips(L/R) -> XLR's // These cables lead to the DI)

The problem:

Im having a lot of noise/interruption on my microphone, no matter what kind of microphone or quality I use, cables? Vise versa... The noise is still on my microphone line.

- Some people mention it's all about the magnetic fields on stage that cause the noise. (like a heater or something with electric fields)

- Some say its all because of the Jack input of the kaosspad.

- Some people say that the kaosspad or the DI isn't grounded.

Is a grounded DI going to solve the problem? or are my cables not shielded enought...? there has to be a simple solution for this.

PLEASE NOTE: I'm not having interruption or noise when I flip the MIC switch to the LINE IN switch. So I can play on my keys through the KAOSSPAD3 perfectly. The line out shouldn't be the problem then.

Every suggestion/answer is welcome...

Cheers! Thyllian

Thyllian22 · Post by **Thyllian22** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:17 pm

, hmm, I thought this was support... but I guess I have to be somewhere else

decrepitude · Post by **decrepitude** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:15 pm

I've performed out with the KP3 without any extra noise, just so you know it is possible.

How long are the cable runs?

I would recommend you read up on balanced versus unbalanced cables...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio

If it turns out you are running lengths of 20' or more, this could be why. You'll probably want to invest in something like this:
http://www.mercenary.com/lilasitrdesm.html

You didn't mention what mic you use. I use a Shure SM58 and a heavily shielded 15' mic cable which has a balanced male XLR to male TS (commonly called 1/4-inch) plug. The shorter the cable, the better.

Likewise on the output side of the KP3 for long lengths make sure you use heavily shielded RCA cables.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DKRR20/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MSLR6/

I now employ a Soundcraft Compact 4 to route several audio sources to the KP3, so this way I'm only using the line level input.

decrepitude · Post by **decrepitude** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:16 pm

Nope, this isn't support. Goodluck trying to get any from Korg.

Thyllian22 · Post by **Thyllian22** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:57 pm

decrepitude

thanks for your reply...

I use the shure 55 SH , its a bit higher quality... and as I have mentioned, Its no matter whitch microphone I use, the interference is the same.

however...
- I have a normal Male/female XLR cable (1M)
this is like a converter cable.
- Then its combined with an XLR(male) to Jack 1/4 plug (like 2,5M) cables

The cables are not extra shielded , Im using the CORDIAL mark stuff...
I had a cable that did go directly, but the quality was the same.

-> So youre saying that some sort of breaking device like a hub/DI could do the thing ?

decrepitude · Post by **decrepitude** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:06 pm

> So youre saying that some sort of breaking device like a hub/DI could do the thing ?

Sure, absolultely.

You never mentioned how long the cable run is coming from the KP3 outputs to the DI box.

ani · Post by **ani** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:14 pm

Maybe not exactly an answer to your problem but just a good advice:

Buy one of these small mixers (behringer anyone??) so you mix everything in there and rout that output to your KP3.

That way you can set up all your levels in the mixer and you won't have to switch between inputs on you KP3. Be aware that if your mic needs phantom you buy a mixer which can deliver that.

I think this would be a much more reliable and robust solution to your problem, instead of checking cables, fiddling with D.I.'s or anti-static cables...

Grtz

[edit]didn't read the post that good, it's the same advice as decreptitude gives you in his first post[/edit]

Thyllian22 · Post by **Thyllian22** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:32 am

Thanks for your advise guys,

Ani ? What is phantom?

Im in possesion of :
- A Yamaha PSR 1000
- Microkorg
- KP3
- Microphone set

What would you suggest as a central hub to collect all audio and sent it out ? because I want several synths steered out...

subVert · Post by **subVert** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:55 pm

Thyllian22 wrote:Thanks for your advise guys,

Ani ? What is phantom?

Some microphones need power to function. This is usually referred to on mixers as phantom power. If your microphone needs phantom power and the mixer doesn't supply it then you would need another box inline to supply the power so it's much simpler to have it on the mixer where it's usually a button press away when you need it.

Here is a wikipedia entry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_power

ani · Post by **ani** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 4:49 pm

Just make sure you know how many inputs you need on your mixer e.g. how many synth's you want to hook up + mic.

Buy a mixer that size, enough audio inputs

Rout the mixer output through your KP3 or send the audio signals via aux to your KP3 and use another input on your mixer as return from your KP3.

Thyllian22 · Post by **Thyllian22** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:27 pm

Done, I bought a mixer this weekend, thanks you guys and happy easter