Heads-up: SpaceStation keyboard amp is apparently back

[spazzkey]

So I've had my SSV3 for a year now - wow - definitely went through some learning curve to get it dialed - but this is one amazing little unit - have used it for solo piano, mostly use it with different live bands, with the little and low angled amp stand on it's side within a couple of feet of me - that way I hear myself most and don't hurt any of the other players... at home I hook it up to my C2 via a small mixer (the C2 output is HOT!) and my original ventilator as well as my AI ten2 as a sub - PHAT sounds...

 

thank you Aspen!

[MPN21]

I don't know what I did wrong. I connected the SSV3 to my Ai Corus, and the Corus did not sound right. There wasn't any volume or bass... However, when I connected a cheap home audio subwoofer, there was a lot of bass, and the whole thing sounded great! It is good to know that the SSV3 does work and sound great for many. I guess I will just have to go through the leaning curve.

[Danny Linguini]

Are you running your keyboard straight into the SSV3? I run my PX5s through a small mixer and I can get more bass than I need.

 

Definitely this. Especially since the SSv3 has no EQ of its own. A decent small mixer with at least 3-band EQ gives you that much more control over the shape of the sound, as well as a hotter all around input signal. Although I did get pretty satisfying results running my CP4 direct in for the first trial run, I like it much better sticking a mixer in between.

[Danny Linguini]

I don't know what I did wrong. I connected the SSV3 to my Ai Corus, and the Corus did not sound right. There wasn't any volume or bass... However, when I connected a cheap home audio subwoofer, there was a lot of bass, and the whole thing sounded great! It is good to know that the SSV3 does work and sound great for many. I guess I will just have to go through the leaning curve.

 

The output of the SSv3 is throttled by the main volume level (it gets louder as the main level is turned up, softer as its turned down), so you might have to crank up the Corus volume a bit more than normal to hear it. At home, my main level on the SS is only about 1/4 - 1/3 of the way up, so I've got the volume on the little Tremor sub almost maxed to hear anything out of it. This could be the case with your Corus, as I'd expect it should give you some noticeable added punch with that much power.

 

Just for grins, on the Corus, try turning your mid and high levels way down, and your bass level up (not all the way up, but maybe a little past half way). Keep the channel level at about half, and then tweak the main level up until you can just hear it over the SS. You may need to nudge up the channel volume as well -- I'm not sure how loud this guy goes. I'd be curious to hear if this changes anything for you.

[ShadowMan]

I don't know what I did wrong. I connected the SSV3 to my Ai Corus, and the Corus did not sound right. There wasn't any volume or bass... However, when I connected a cheap home audio subwoofer, there was a lot of bass, and the whole thing sounded great! It is good to know that the SSV3 does work and sound great for many. I guess I will just have to go through the leaning curve.

 

 

Try running through a mixer and have separate sends to the SSV and the sub. I do this with a small Barbetta amp and can dial in more lows as needed - at any volume.

 

Your mileage may vary, of course.

 

 

[TommyRude]

Played a luncheon today at a hospital. Low volume, stuck in the corner of a nondescript room - exactly the type of gig I bought the SSv3 for, and it was perfect.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/59XWbfY.jpg

 

This photo needs a caption.

 

C3-PO, are we getting paid in cash for this gig?

 

[MPN21]

Thanks, Sleepingbear, for your tips. Your suggestion did work though some faint treble sounds did come through the AI even with the Mid and High at zero. That AI is a complicated thing! The cheap KLH E10 home audio subwoofer gave more bass than the AI without any treble sound! So Until I get the MINI, I will use the KLH. The SS3 sure sounded better with sub support.

 

Shadowman, thanks for the tip.

[Synthaholic]

What's a good way to test my HF in my Spacestation? When I turn the knob up or down I don't notice any difference. I've tentatively chalked it up to hearing loss, but I want to be sure there's no issues while I'm still in my first month of ownership.

[DanL]

The tweeter is very subtle. Take a string sound or other sound with a lot of highs in it and play with the tweeter

volume, you'll hear it.

[zaphod betamax]

When Dialing in the CPS, I find starting with the Side Speaker control lower than half way is a good starting point, as my Waldorf synths seem to have a huge amount of mid content, and if I start at 12 o'clock it is too harsh, compared to say two KC-150 amps. I am going to get the Tremor sub and continue my experiments.

 

The CPS does require some dialing in, and the recommended setting of 12 o'clock is only a suggestion, as it can not possibly cover the timbre range of all synths.

A Waldorf Blofeld sounds different from a electric piano, sound different from an MS-20......

 

happy dialing!

Mark

[Aspen]

My SS3 has developed a rattle at mostly low pitches. Oddly enough if I tilt it more than 30 degrees rt or lt the rattle gets better - tilting forward or backward makes no difference. I checked that the screws were tight on the front & side speaker covers & the ones on the side speaker itself. The only thing I didn't do was take off the front speaker cover & check the screws on the woofer. Has anyone else experienced this & what ended up curing it? Thanks.

 

I had the same issue not too long ago and after speaking to Aspen (who was very helpful and offered to have me send him the speaker on his dime if it was indeed bad even though it was out of warranty) I removed all the screws on the front of the SS3 and popped out the main center woofer speaker and there was a metal cap thingy that had broken loose from inside somewhere and stuck itself to the big magnet - I showed Aspen and he said it doesn't have any effect on anything and if I wanted to I could just glue it back on to where it came off, which I did and everything has been fine ever since ... It probably just came off when I was transporting it back and forth to gigs ... here's a couple pics of the part and maybe it's the same for you:

http://pctechsource.com/musicgear/pix/thumb_IMG_1939_1024.jpg

http://pctechsource.com/musicgear/pix/thumb_IMG_1940_1024.jpg

http://pctechsource.com/musicgear/pix/thumb_IMG_1941_1024.jpg

 

Hope that helps ...

This small graphite shielding cap marked "470" covers one of the inductors on the PCB. They can be easily bumped in assembly (oor disassembly) and crack off. Other than the above mentioned rattle issue, they are harmles. If you want to glue it back on, you will see a bare coil on the PCB where it belongs, or also you can toss it as it isn't vital to sound or operation in the SS3 application for which we use this component.

[Aspen]

Play a CD or MP3 with a Hi Hat, you'll hear it.

My SS3 QC process;

1) Start with a full range signal source (CD or MP3). I use Steely Dan "Babylon Sisters" as my reference song, or sometimes Michael McDonald "What a Foll Believes".BUt any familiar track that was well recorded, not too distorted, and with a full range band.

2) with all knobs off, turn up just the Level about 1/3 to 1/2. This gives you just the 8" woofer fairly loud...so the "bass to low mids" range.

3) Now turn up the "MIDS" level, this powers up the coax 1" compression driver which is centered in the 8" coax woofer...this will bring up the vocal range. I usually crank it to overkill, then back it off to 50%. BTW, 50% is where I "tuned" my SS3 in the design stage...for WIDTH, MIDS and HFQ. This is a good "starting point" for the plug and play crowd.

4) Next bring up the HFQ level (High Freq). Here's where you will hear the Hi Hats start to sizzle. NOTE: if you're playing a Rhodes of Hammond patch there is really nothing in this HF Range to get the tweeter excited...so it may seem like it's not working.

5) Lastly, I bring up the WIDTH level, and feel the stereo patch...which is nice on those above mentioned tracks. Again, try to crank it (yuk, will sound bad I promise...like too much "wet" sounds on any stereo FX box), then back it of top 50% and you will be smiling. NOTE: if using a mono patch, like a straight EP w/o effect...then you will hear NO side speaker and the width control will do nothing. Just turning the width control all the way on/off will also tell you how "wide" the stereo source is)

Once you balance your MIDS, HFQ and WIDTH, the LEVEL will raise and lower the overall SS3 component mix to the required SPL for your application.

NOTE: If using a powered sub "post" SS3 thru the SS3 SUB output (recommended), set the sub level last in the above process. Then your SS3 master LEVEL will also maintain the level balance of the SUB to the SS3.

I'd offer the same suggestions whenr using the SS3 SUB out as a full range send to add a "re enforcement" amp for those double Marshall stack battles with the nearly deaf & over tattooed shredder that just joined the band...be sure to point your Roland KB amp w/ Piezo directly at his good ear :-)

 

[zaphod betamax]

See, you learn something new every day!

I always thought the MF and HF controls only worked

with the width engaged, that the 3 all worked in tandem.

 

Now I know the MF and HF controls work regardless of

the Width setting!

 

 

 

Thanks Aspen!

[zxcvbnm098]

And proving yet again, that this is the best damn forum in the world!

 

When you learn something new from the forum........AND it's from guy that makes the product who's also on the forum.......well that's pretty awesome.

 

KC rocks.....and thanks to Aspen for hanging around here and helping all of us get the best performance out of his product!

[endlessummerkeys]

I haven't posted for several months and thought I would report back from the field. The SSv3 is working great still with just under 100 gigs with it and the B1200d Sub. I have had the best luck playing the NORD Stage 2 88 through it but I did increase the treble a bit on the EQ on the Nord to enhance the Bosendorfer Piano sample and it sounds great. Have loaded and unloaded almost 100 times into trailers and vans and trucks and so far nothing has broke. Cross my fingers!!! All in all I am very satisfied with the SSv3 and am fortunate to have gotten it at the early adopter pricing. Will report back again in early winter. Keep Playing!!!! BC W9UC

[Doerfler]

And proving yet again, that this is the best damn forum in the world!

 

When you learn something new from the forum........AND it's from guy that makes the product who's also on the forum.......well that's pretty awesome.

 

KC rocks.....and thanks to Aspen for hanging around here and helping all of us get the best performance out of his product!

 

Hear! Hear!

[zaphod betamax]

OK, so I set up m CPS using the instructions that Apsen posted earlier, and I must say I was able to get a sound that rivaled the

stereo setup I have with two Roland KC-150 amps.

 

It really brings out the monster in an MS-20K(it) keyboard, which is stereotized with a Strymon Deco in the effects chain of my Mackie 1202VLZ4 mixer.

 

Good stuff!

[Aspen]

I haven't posted for several months and thought I would report back from the field. The SSv3 is working great still with just under 100 gigs with it and the B1200d Sub. I have had the best luck playing the NORD Stage 2 88 through it but I did increase the treble a bit on the EQ on the Nord to enhance the Bosendorfer Piano sample and it sounds great. Have loaded and unloaded almost 100 times into trailers and vans and trucks and so far nothing has broke. Cross my fingers!!! All in all I am very satisfied with the SSv3 and am fortunate to have gotten it at the early adopter pricing. Will report back again in early winter. Keep Playing!!!! BC W9UC

 

Awesome Endless, thanks so much for sharing and the update...you made my week. Wow, 100+ gigs under your belt, ! guess your talents are in demand!

 

Of course I field every "problem", and do my best to solve them quickly and keep my CPS family happy. Not that we get THAT many issues springing up, but any thing man made can be broken.

 

So it's REAL nice for me to hear your SS3 is holding up as designed, making you happy, and that you are kind enough to share that with me and the members on this amazing forum.

 

It just reaffirms my faith in the technology and in my wonderful manufacturing, and dealer partners who are sharing in this amazing success story...along with all my early adopters here on KBC...without which this success story does not exist!

 

So THANK YOU!

[Aspen]

OK, so I set up m CPS using the instructions that Apsen posted earlier, and I must say I was able to get a sound that rivaled the

stereo setup I have with two Roland KC-150 amps.

 

It really brings out the monster in an MS-20K(it) keyboard, which is stereotized with a Strymon Deco in the effects chain of my Mackie 1202VLZ4 mixer.

 

Good stuff!

 

Excellent Zaphod, thanks for sharing your experience!

 

So now...are you ready to add the SS3 to your "active gear" signature tag now :-)

[zaphod betamax]

done, but 200 characters is too little.

i did not include the Roland KC-150s or the Mackie 1202VLX4! :steve:

 

 

 

So now...are you ready to add the SS3 to your "active gear" signature tag now :-)

[MPN21]

My SSV3 started developing a horrible distortion noise when the Width knob passes 9 O'clock. I connected the midi module and the amp on the same strip. Even before, I could not turn beyong 12 on Width. Has anyone had this problem?

[Danny Linguini]

My SSV3 started developing a horrible distortion noise when the Width knob passes 9 O'clock. I connected the midi module and the amp on the same strip. Even before, I could not turn beyong 12 on Width. Has anyone had this problem?

Distortion noise, or a hum? Sometimes I get a hum depending on the outlet in the house I'm plugged into. I got a power cleaner that eliminates about 95% of it. But I've never gotten any distortion.

[timwat]

The Width knob is the volume control for the side speaker. If you're getting true distortion (rather than a hum as sleepngbear asked), sounds like something is going on when you try to engage the side speaker or it's related amp circuitry.

 

This could be symptomatic of something really simple. Bad cabling can cause this kind of problem. Remember that L and R channels aren't summed (like in a normal stereo amplifier). If one channel is dodgy, it doesn't always make that big a difference in a true stereo amp.

 

But with SS, because the side speaker is processing the L and R channels with its own secret sauce algorithm, if one channel is dodgy because of bad cabling, all sorts of "interesting" results can come out the side speaker's processing.

 

Have you tried all tested, different cabling with your SS yet? If not, I'd suggest trying that first.

 

 

[Aspen]

My SSV3 started developing a horrible distortion noise when the Width knob passes 9 O'clock. I connected the midi module and the amp on the same strip. Even before, I could not turn beyong 12 on Width. Has anyone had this problem?

 

Chiming in here; 100% agree with timwat that cables should be the first substitution to see if that corrects the issue. Thanks Timwat for your excellent customer service (I owe you a T-shirt!).

 

And you are so right, the CPS encoding matrix is very sensitive circuit. As a "sum and difference" circuit designed to highlight any unique "differences" b/w L&R, if one of those signals has a weak connection or any irregularity it will be heard primarily thru the Side speaker as distortion. And the most common irregularities I have experienced have come from weak or bad cables, connections, or less than optimum signal processing somewhere in the chain (one user discovered he had a bad 1/4" output jack on his "L" Nord KB send...which he didn't notice thru his previous KB amp.

 

However I am concerned you say "Even before, I could not turn beyond 12 on Width". In practice, if you have a strong stereo signal source there is rarely a :need" to go much beyond 12 o'clock...unless you really want an exaggerated stereo effect, or you are in a very dead room. So this makes me wonder if something was wrong from the start with 1) your signal source, and/or 2) again cabling and signal chain processing (mixer/no mixer, etc?)

 

In case you have tried new cables and/or new source material (IE: a familiar recording played from your iPad or a CD Player), and you still hear the same distortion in the Side system, I will PM you directly and we can go thru a short check list of other possible culprits that could be causing your distortion.

 

One way or the other we will find the gremlin in your Side speaker and eliminate him!

[MPN21]

Thanks for all the help! I did use some cheap dual cables, but I think, to my embarassment, that the major source of the problem was a pilot error on my part. I connected a midi module and my MS Surface Pro as my sound source, and the main volume on the Surface Pro was too low! I knew how good the SS could sound, and I didn't want to easily let go of it. I'm relieved now that there seems to be no issue with my SS. My module and VST plugins sound great through the SS. Also, through the process, I learned why my Roland accordion did not sound good nor was I able to control left/right(bass & treble); the Roland V accordion's left and right outputs bleed into each other. On a conventional stereo system, the L/R balance knob of the Roland accordion works just fine, but not with the SS. Once again, the SS is not to blame and but the accordion itself. I found out that going through a mixer, the issue is solved. Thanks again for al the support.

[Brad Kaenel]

Started my summer theater season today with vocal auditions at our usual venue -- but what a difference this year with my SSv3...

 

Our company performs in a classic "Greek" amphitheater. It's a large outdoor stage with no proscenium, but it has a tall, curved wall/arch at the extreme upstage, designed to reflect and focus sound out to the audience. The perimeter wall around the seats is rock, the seats are metal, the stage is concrete; hard, reflective surfaces are everywhere in the "bowl".

 

Usually I setup my DP downstage on the lip of the stage, with my speaker next to me. But today I decided to place the SSv3 upstage, right in the sweet-spot of that parabolic arch. Walked back to the keyboard and pounded just a single chord -- BOOM! Wow, stereo sound was just *everywhere*; it filled the entire amphitheater. The SSv3 was the only speaker in the venue, yet it sounded like we had whole PA going.

 

THAT was cool.

[Aspen]

Started my summer theater season today with vocal auditions at our usual venue -- but what a difference this year with my SSv3...

 

Our company performs in a classic "Greek" amphitheater. It's a large outdoor stage with no proscenium, but it has a tall, curved wall/arch at the extreme upstage, designed to reflect and focus sound out to the audience. The perimeter wall around the seats is rock, the seats are metal, the stage is concrete; hard, reflective surfaces are everywhere in the "bowl".

 

Usually I setup my DP downstage on the lip of the stage, with my speaker next to me. But today I decided to place the SSv3 upstage, right in the sweet-spot of that parabolic arch. Walked back to the keyboard and pounded just a single chord -- BOOM! Wow, stereo sound was just *everywhere*; it filled the entire amphitheater. The SSv3 was the only speaker in the venue, yet it sounded like we had whole PA going.

 

THAT was cool.

 

Great Brad, thanks for sharing...that does sound cool.

 

I'd sure like to see some pix of the SS3 in that venue...it sounds like a CPS dreamscape.

 

Also, maybe we could post those along with your show dates on our CPS family page. Might bring a few curious CPS fans for a listen, and I'll trade you a Spacestation T-shirt!

 

BTW, our SS3 T-Shirt includes the tag that originated here on KC; "Spacestation v.3, everything else is just a box". My favorite one liner...and a KC original!

 

And BTW Brad, in case your SS3 is now a "keeper", then maybe your gear tag signature could use an update?

[Brad Kaenel]

Started my summer theater season today with vocal auditions at our usual venue -- but what a difference this year with my SSv3...

 

Our company performs in a classic "Greek" amphitheater. It's a large outdoor stage with no proscenium, but it has a tall, curved wall/arch at the extreme upstage, designed to reflect and focus sound out to the audience. The perimeter wall around the seats is rock, the seats are metal, the stage is concrete; hard, reflective surfaces are everywhere in the "bowl".

 

Usually I setup my DP downstage on the lip of the stage, with my speaker next to me. But today I decided to place the SSv3 upstage, right in the sweet-spot of that parabolic arch. Walked back to the keyboard and pounded just a single chord -- BOOM! Wow, stereo sound was just *everywhere*; it filled the entire amphitheater. The SSv3 was the only speaker in the venue, yet it sounded like we had whole PA going.

 

THAT was cool.

 

...it sounds like a CPS dreamscape.

Well, it's not exactly the Hollywood Bowl , but the effect is similar. This is probably the best photo of what the Roosevelt Bowl looks like, before the "Junior University Musical Theater" company transforms it in late July:

 

 

...maybe we could post those along with your show dates on our CPS family page.

Absolutely; show dates are here: http://www.junioruniversity.org/

 

Unfortunately, I can't use the SSv3 in performance, the way I used it for auditions. The huge set completely obscures the upstage building and reflective wall, relegating that parabolic "sweet-spot" to back-stage space. The orchestra sits under the trees, on a tiered platform, stage-right.

 

Sound has always been our Achilles-heel, outdoors. Even though we have keys and bass in the orchestra, amps are generally not allowed on the bandstand -- the orchestra plays "live", and the electric instruments are DI'd and mixed into the PA with the vocal mics from the stage, and also to side-fill monitors for the actors.

 

 

...your gear tag signature could use an update?

Done!

 

[Analogaddict]

Just chiming in with another report, I've been using my SSv3 with a Behringer B1200d since autumn 2014 and it keeps on delivering the goods. This week I did a studio session recording covers of a bunch of 80's rock songs, and the way my studio layout is nowadays it's hard to use regular studio monitors when I'm running back and forth between Hammond, CP80, Rhodes and my synth stacks.

 

Solution: I placed the SSv3 in the middle of the room and connected it to the monitor puts of my UAD Apollo 8P. Now I could record each instrument without moving and re-aligning my Genelecs or using headphones (the Leslie is in another room). Highly recommended!

[zaphod betamax]

MS-20Kit keyboard through an enhancer a Strymon Deco then

the Center Point Stereo.

 

I think the MS-20K sound brilliant through the

CPS rig!