hissing/crackling noise/distortion in some voices, some notes (especially lower)

[aalhad.saraf]

Greetings!

I have a PSR e403 that was bought in around the year 2007. It was unused and kept in a zipped up gig bag for around 13 years.
Now, as I take up learning music again, it is being used.

However, some of the notes on some of the voices have pronounced hissing noise. Hearing it through Sony MD 7506 monitor headphones makes them sound even worse.
The main voice for me right now - the acoustic grand, also has the hissing and distortion in the lower octaves.

Does a Yamaha Keyboard need any kind of servicing if left unused for a long time?
Since only some of the notes are affected and mostly the lower frequencies ... where could the problem lie? What might be causing it?

Am I alone in facing this?
Is this fixable - I am hoping so!?


I can upload sound samples recorded by plugging out the o/p to a zoom H6 recorder, also the built in speakers.
Uploaded sample here - https://app.box.com/s/kphh3s0axx79n5h6v1949ttcz1d9j2ge
The first voice is Acoustic Bass, the next is the 001 voice Acoustic Grand Piano and the third voice, the one that does not have clipping or hissing is voice 002 Brite Piano.


Thanks and warm regards from Pune, India!

[SciNote]

I really wish I had a suggestion for you, but it does seem like something in the keyboard is toasted.  I played the Acoustic Bass sound on my PSR-E433 (which is of course a later version of your keyboard, but may have similar samples), and did not get any of the distortion you have in that recording you posted.  I would've originally suggested that it could've been a bad speaker, but if you're hearing the same distortion with headphones, then that rules that out.  Seems like it could be in the digital-to-analog conversion, or perhaps the pre-amp section that feeds the sound to both the internal amp and the headphone jack, but I'm just guessing here.

[Toril S]

A tone generator problem maybe?

[pjd]

Hi --

I once had an E443, but it's been a while...

The headphone out and speakers are driven by the same power amplifier Rohm BA5417. The power amp is driven by the same DAC and low-pass filter circuit. The BA5417 is now obsolete, so it would be difficult to find a replace power amp, IF that is the issue. The BA5417 is not exactly a hi-fi part.

I hear buzzy-ness more on the low notes. The early E-series did not have especially clean audio out signals. You're listening with some pretty decent headphones which likely are making any harmonic distortion more apparent.

Another thought is power. How old is the power adapter? Do you get the same behavior with fresh batteries?

Just some thoughts -- pj

[SciNote]

Hey, that's a good thought, as well -- the power supply.  If batteries, make sure they are all fresh.  If a power adapter, make sure it is putting out the correct voltage and capable of putting out the correct amperage/current.  Too low of voltage or current can certain cause issues, and the deeper notes take more power to reproduce.  Though, through headphones only, it shouldn't require too much power.  Still, you want to make sure those power supply voltage and current ratings are correct.

[aalhad.saraf]

Thanks!
So, finally I took the board to the Yamaha Service Center - the power supply turned out okay - they said that it'll take a couple of days, but it should be fixable.
Waiting to see what the problem turns out to be.

[SciNote]

Okay, sounds good!  Let us know what the service center says -- this information could be helpful for anyone else who may encounter a similar problem in the future.

[aalhad.saraf]

Fixed!

Just got my PSR-e403 back from the Yamaha Service Center.
They had to replace the DAC and a few capacitors. Cost about 32 USD for the parts and 10 USD for the service charges.

Sounding good now. Thanks everyone!

[Toril S]

Glad to hear that!!😀😀😀

[SciNote]

Yes, definitely glad to hear that it wasn't too expensive to get it working right.  I occasionally have this kind of light buzzing/distortion, and I still cannot definitively say whether it is my PSR-E433, or something else in my audio chain.  It seems to come and go, and is certainly not as severe as the distortion in the recordings that the OP posted.  Sometimes I seem to hear it with my Roland synth, too, which would imply that it is something else, like my mixer, amp, or speakers.  Other times, when I hear it on the E433, I disconnect the line-out going to the mixer, and the distortion still seems present in the sound on the onboard speakers, which would imply the E433 itself has the issue.  It only happens with certain sounds, and like I said, it's really not that severe.  Maybe I'll eventually take it to a Yamaha service center in my area as well.

I do wonder about the mixer.  It's a Samson mixer, and was not very expensive.  Anyone here have any experience with these?