Nord User Forum

[Tasten-Bert]

I once had a similar distorted noise. The reason was that some of my cables - mainly the cheap ones - had jack plugs which seemed to be slightly thinner as those of my branded cables. The sockets of my nord seem to need „thick“, really tough sitting plugs. Try to move the plugs a bit to find out if this could lead to your issues as well. And, as others already mentioned, try to avoid adaptors as far as possible. Good luck.

[Projet Xion]

Is there any equipment between the Nord and the monitors?
Are they powered monitors? It really helps if you can provide more details. Simplest way to find the problem:

1. Single cable between Nord Left out and monitor left in. If good, then
2. Same cable between Nord Right out and monitor left in.
3. Repeat steps with Monitor Right.
4. If still good, repeat all steps with the other cable.

This way you are only changing one variable at a time to isolate the problem-

-dj

Yes, the monitors are powered and quite old (10 years old M-audio Bx8a deluxe) .

I'm going to try your method, thanks.
If I plug my Yamaha EX7 with the same configuration (cables and connections), the monitors work fine with no artefacts at all.

[Projet Xion]

So here are the results of the test :

1- with a single cable plugged in NP4 right out, the two monitors work fine.
2- with this same cable plugged in NP4 left out, randomly (but frequently) loss of power, the volume decrease.

So it seems the NP4 left output is deficient.

BUT : if I plug my little guitar amp (yamaha TH30) or even a headphone in the NP4 left out, I can't reproduce the problem anymore, the volume is normal and no artefacts.

So who is the guilty? NP4 left output or M-audio monitors? It makes me crazy!

[maxpiano]

The cable jack? Re-read what also Tasten-bert wrote about that; if it happens with "all" cables then it is the jack plug on NP4 having become too "loose" for standard jacks (or needing some resoldering)

[Tasten-Bert]

Could you perhaps post photos of your cabling and jacks? And is monitor 2 linked to monitor 1 only or is there a direct cable from the nord to it? Very sunny regards today from Germany

[Projet Xion]

I followed the DjKeys advice : just one cable between the Nord and the first monitor, then the other.
I used at least 5 différents cables with always the same result.
Maybe it could be just a problem with the left out jack plug of the NP4 but I don't want to open the Nord, it's only 2 months old.

[Projet Xion]

I did not find mono setting, just stereo or "piano left - sample right". It doesn't change anything.
The entire signal from the left output decrease, I don't think it's a question of mono or stereo.
Th
Thanks anyway for your help!

[DJKeys]

I followed the DjKeys advice : just one cable between the Nord and the first monitor, then the other.
I used at least 5 différents cables with always the same result.
Maybe it could be just a problem with the left out jack plug of the NP4 but I don't want to open the Nord, it's only 2 months old.

I think the chances of a defective output on the Nord are relatively low. Since you tried different cables with the same result, I would buy a can of compressed air, inject it into the output jack, work a cable in and out a number of times and see if that solves the problem. The fact that it is random and intermittent means that there could be some dust or debris preventing the connection from being stable.

-dj

[Projet Xion]

I followed the DjKeys advice : just one cable between the Nord and the first monitor, then the other.
I used at least 5 différents cables with always the same result.
Maybe it could be just a problem with the left out jack plug of the NP4 but I don't want to open the Nord, it's only 2 months old.

I think the chances of a defective output on the Nord are relatively low. Since you tried different cables with the same result, I would buy a can of compressed air, inject it into the output jack, work a cable in and out a number of times and see if that solves the problem. The fact that it is random and intermittent means that there could be some dust or debris preventing the connection from being stable.

-dj

I tried the compressed air with no result.
I would like to try another pair of monitors in order to be sure they are not defective.
But honestly I don't think so : they work fine with any other source than the left out of my Nord.
I guess I will have to call my retailer...

[DJKeys]

Do you have any pedals or cables plugged in?