Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

Just bought A Pittsburgh Modular System 1. The system seems to be making no sound from any of the oscillator outs, the mix out or the outs module. Only thing that can be heard at all is the lfo at high speed but that is only with my speakers and the out knobs turned right up. (ridiculous levels).

envelope light not showing triggering

midi showing input.

Guy tested outputs with headphones in shop, said working fine.

I understand that things are patched internally. Could something have become lose inside during transport home on train? Shop I bought from is far away so would like to avoid taking it back.

EDIT: yea took unit back. Place I bought it from repaired it, apparently lose chip on Synth block. Working fine now (touch wood).

So when you plug headphones directly into one of the oscillator outs (the upper block of outs on the Synth Block), you hear nothing?

pflosi wrote:So when you plug headphones directly into one of the oscillator outs (the upper block of outs on the Synth Block), you hear nothing?

I've only tried a pair of normal stereo mini jack headphones. I hear nothing.

Yes, that should work fine (modular levels are very high, easily enough for headphones). Something seems to be wrong in that case I guess.

When you plug a gate from the Midi2 to the EG In on the Block, the EG light does also not respond?

Have you tried unscrewing the modules and checking whether they are connected properly to the bus board?

The VCA CV IN ? Yep, nothing happened...

I did that and also patched the cv to the 1v /oct and was getting a popping sound with the volume highish

I haven't unscrewed any of the modules. little afraid that the shop I bought it from will kick up a fuss if they *somehow realised it had been opened up.

The lfo light is working. So you think it could be that a bus connector is lose?

Thanks for your help btw (:

So many of the modules not working points to a cabling issue.

Modulars are meant to be opened up. So open it up and check that the cabling is still seated properly.

madmarkmagee wrote:The VCA CV IN ? Yep, nothing happened...

No! The EG in. Then a gate from midi should trigger the envelope.

But yeah, sounds like something is wrong. Checking the cabling would be a good start. Pittsburgh modules have very little holes for the screws so you can hide rack rash

opened it up and had a look. The three cables that go into the synthesizer block are firmly in place. I assume that one is power and the other two are for the internal wiring to the midi 2 and the outs? From the picture in the booklet is appears that all the modules are supplied by one cable soldered on to a circut board. I think the problem is probably something faulty in the synth block.