Nord Lead 3 acting very strange

[melech]

Hello,

My Nord Lead 3 has started to make very random noises. It's got a total life of it's own.

There's no midi plugged in and I have plugged my headphones into it. It is not happy at all.

Is there anything I could try before I send it off to get repaired?

Thank you

[maxpiano]

Hello and welcome to NUF,

that can be due to many things, you could try to open your NL3 and check that at least there is no loose flat cable between the boards and from the Power Supply Unit (unplug and reseat each of them on both sides, applying some contacts cleaner on the pins just in case they are oxydated); if still not working properly, it could be a different hardware (PSU or mainboard) problem that needs to be diagnosed by a qualified technician.

[melech]

Thank you. I tried that (it was very dusty in there) but it is still not working correctly. I'll get it sent off for repair.

[kotatsu]

Thank you. I tried that (it was very dusty in there) but it is still not working correctly. I'll get it sent off for repair.

You did the right thing, good luck! Keep us informed whether the repair was successful

[Darkside-Estonia]

Hy every nice persone on this forum.
As I'm totally new here and also a new Nord gear owner - have had a used NL3 for just a week.

Unfortunately there seems to be some serious stuff going on with this synth of my dreams. After some time not just playing, but more programming the synth; changing osc shapes, filter types etc, some dsp crash takes place. Namely every certain number voice, like 4th or 5th makes some totally random sound.

What would be the most sensible steps to diagnose the problem? As I'm completely blind, I wouldn't able to carry anything serious out myself, but I have friends totally good with electronics and I can certainly share instructions and information. I hope my Lead isn't dying, as it would be devestating news after 20 years of waiting and finally getting the instrument.

[Darkside-Estonia]

Sorry for seeming dumb, as I'm not actually all that new to synths, but as I have previously stated I simply have no sight and have to do everything by memory and logic alone.
So could it be, that those horrible crashes are simply a result of a user error of pressing completely wrong button combos, which the synth doesn't like. Why such a question is just because as I avoid doing this, the synth behaves absolutely fine. I can also confirm, that the most frequent blunder on my side has been wanting to init a patch and confusing the level of the buttons so to speak, so instead of shift, which is positioned in a different way to all the other buttons, I accidentally choose just that another one, which has the same positioning and is the active device button. And what have I stupidly pressed together with that one, hell knoes exactly, but definitely not any correct thing.

I have quite an amount of gear and love hardware inspite of my blindness, but it's also quite common, that when getting a new piece of kit, in the beginning controls can get confused in my head thus such mishaps take place. Over time I of course get it all correctly memorized and such mistakes stop, but usually synths don't react in that kind of way.

I don't exactly suggest anybody to try and repeat this particular wrongdoing, just curious, what you all think on this matter. Overall I'm very happy to finally have an instrument, that haunted me for twenty years.

[Mr. Marko]

Unfortunately there seems to be some serious stuff going on with this synth of my dreams. After some time not just playing, but more programming the synth; changing osc shapes, filter types etc, some dsp crash takes place. Namely every certain number voice, like 4th or 5th makes some totally random sound.

go to the thread about NL3 Schematics and look at the Service Manual Test Routines and read up on the DAC Calibration Section...just a thought

[Darkside-Estonia]

Thanks for the suggestion.
Out of interest I have read the service manual and in it it was stated, that while dac calibration might be needed, it's quite a rare occasion. But as I bought the synth used, I have no background of how it was used in the past and what has been done to it. Anyway when I some day manage to talk one of my friends with working eyes into it, we will definitely take a look at the test mode.

[Darkside-Estonia]

Hi all! It's good to be back with some good news. My NL3 is fine again after changing the power supply caps, so yeah, I can finally enjoy my lovely red devil!

[Je Suis Amelia]

Glad to hear you got her working!

I have a NL2. I absolutely love it, but she's showing her age. Mine sometimes crashes when put into Performance Mode. Forcing a restart. I put it down to aged components but it was a bit of a worry as there seemed to be no way of getting into Perf Mode which I generally use most.

However, I found a novel workaround whilst attempting to enter Pelle Mode (I'm new here, but will assume PM is common knowledge). I did the usual procedure, but at the last button press, I forgot what it was, and whilst trying to remember the display seemed to be running through the presets. After it did this it put itself in Performance Mode! So now it generally gets left on. And if I do power it down, I can usually perform the procedure to get it back in PM!