
D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
Forum rules
READ: VSE Board-Wide Rules and Guidelines
If your Help request has been solved, please edit your first post in order to select the
Topic Icon to let others know your topic has been solved.
READ: VSE Board-Wide Rules and Guidelines
If your Help request has been solved, please edit your first post in order to select the

Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
Looking at the chorus IC pin table would you know what results to expect on a logic probe?


Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
You have to connect the probe´s red terminal to the +5V line that feeds the chip and the black terminal to ground.
Then, probing around will read either a pulsating LED, or a steady High or Low.
The pulses confirm the data is flowing.
A steady High shall appear at the power line itself and at every pin that is pulled High.
A steady Low shall appear at any ground pin and at every pin that is pulled Low.
If you read a steady signal where there should be a pulse it´s where something is probably not right.
Select TTL, not CMOS.
Then, probing around will read either a pulsating LED, or a steady High or Low.
The pulses confirm the data is flowing.
A steady High shall appear at the power line itself and at every pin that is pulled High.
A steady Low shall appear at any ground pin and at every pin that is pulled Low.
If you read a steady signal where there should be a pulse it´s where something is probably not right.
Select TTL, not CMOS.
Herrare umanum est.
Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
No luck. Unfortunately. These are the last updates:
- New PCM54 DAC installed
- Chorus IC & Chorus RAM IC removed, checked and cleaned at 20X magnification.
- Checked all traces from-to Chorus and Chorus RAM ICs. And they are all fine. No shorts or fails.
- Chorus IC & Chorus RAM IC welded back and each pin tested for continuity
Still getting the cracking and noise from all patches. But If I edit patches to set chorus balance to 0 it works just fine.
Would you recommend look elsewhere on the PCB to find the issue? Or seems like a definitely have a back Chorus IC?
Bellow goes an image of the block diagram.

- New PCM54 DAC installed
- Chorus IC & Chorus RAM IC removed, checked and cleaned at 20X magnification.
- Checked all traces from-to Chorus and Chorus RAM ICs. And they are all fine. No shorts or fails.
- Chorus IC & Chorus RAM IC welded back and each pin tested for continuity
Still getting the cracking and noise from all patches. But If I edit patches to set chorus balance to 0 it works just fine.
Would you recommend look elsewhere on the PCB to find the issue? Or seems like a definitely have a back Chorus IC?
Bellow goes an image of the block diagram.

Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
Try contacting the seller in the ebay link. Read the description. Maybe the item didn´t sell or the seller still has one available.
Good luck.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=102457&hilit=crackl ... 45#p806128
Good luck.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=102457&hilit=crackl ... 45#p806128
Herrare umanum est.
Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
Thanks Mooger5. I will do that.Mooger5 wrote:Try contacting the seller in the ebay link. Read the description. Maybe the item didn´t sell or the seller still has one available.
Good luck.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=102457&hilit=crackl ... 45#p806128
I ordered all new RAM ICs as I have seen on another post someone had a issue with one of those chips.
Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
I am wondering what would happen if I just remove the Chorus chip all together. Will I do any harm to other ICs?Mooger5 wrote:Try contacting the seller in the ebay link. Read the description. Maybe the item didn´t sell or the seller still has one available.
Good luck.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=102457&hilit=crackl ... 45#p806128
As I was reading on the other post you mentioned the synth, Reverb, Chorus are all independent blocks that flow to the DAC. So removing the Chorus may just eliminate chorus?!? Is that correct?
Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
Try it. The only problem I see is the unit not finishing booting up. Other than that, if it still boots up, it won´t hurt anything, I think.
Did you try powering ON while pressing preset nr. 26?
Did you try powering ON while pressing preset nr. 26?
Herrare umanum est.
Re: D-50 sounding distorted, noise & creaking
I did manage to create a clean patch by "init" the partials. It sounds clean and perfect.
But as soon as I start messing with chorus look what happens... seems chorus flanger options 3 and 4 are completely busted.
But as soon as I start messing with chorus look what happens... seems chorus flanger options 3 and 4 are completely busted.