Nord monitor input connector problem

[CharlieLosGatos]

Hi All,

I am trying to connect my ipad to the my Nord piano 4 monitor input using an audio cable. The signal is scratchy and one or the other channel drops out. Wiggling the cable shows that the problem is an intermittent connection. I have tried changing the cable and the second one was worse. So I have a couple of questions. First are those audio connections standardized or is is possible I have the wrong cable type, or I be better off buying a professional grade cable whatever that might be? Second, is there some easy way to fix a connector like this, preferably without opening the piano. The piano is less than two years old and I have almost never used the monitor input.

 

Charlie

[Baldwin Funster]

I bet the input jack is oxidized. Spray some CAIG spray in there. Dont use the cheap stuff.

[Art-0252]

Hi All,

I am trying to connect my ipad to the my Nord piano 4 monitor input using an audio cable. The signal is scratchy and one or the other channel drops out. Wiggling the cable shows that the problem is an intermittent connection. I have tried changing the cable and the second one was worse. So I have a couple of questions. First are those audio connections standardized or is is possible I have the wrong cable type, or I be better off buying a professional grade cable whatever that might be? Second, is there some easy way to fix a connector like this, preferably without opening the piano. The piano is less than two years old and I have almost never used the monitor input.

 

Charlie

As far as I know any 3.5mm trs aux cable will work. I use a cheap one I bought off amazon to feed audio from the headphone jack of my ipad into the monitor input on my NS3 and the sound is crystal clear. So either you got 2 bad cables in a row, or something is wrong with the monitor input pot on your Nord

[ChiefDanG]

I had this problem when I used to try and get my acoustic/electric guitar to play through my NS3.

Turns out there are 2 different types of 1/8' TRS connectors- one slightly more bulbous at the tip. That"s the one to use with Nord.

I was having problems with crackling or ground hum or no signal at all. Then I put a cheapo extension cable on it, and worked fine.

[Stokely]

Interesting, I didn't know there were different 1/8" connectors. I used that input on my Electro 6 for a few gigs and it sounded fine, so I must have had the right one.

[Spider76]

1/8" connectors are fiddly and fragile anyway, I've never had one that kept functioning for more than a few years (headphones jacks of walkmans, ipods, PCs and cell phones).

1/4" connectors are much more robust, but alas 1/8 is what we have on the Nords.

Anyway, if you look inside there are two contact strips which are bent to make contact with the jack: usually moving them slightly with a thin point (possibly not metal like a screwdriver) is enough to bend them so that make contact again. Or if the problem is oxidation/dirt/dust buildup, wiggling the jack in and out and turning it around on its axis a few times is usually enough to clean it.

If the connector is so dirty or oxidised that this doesn't work (or if one of the contacts is broken), better to take it to a professional to replace it.

[ChazKeys]

I gave up using the monitor in because after trying 3 different leads they all suffered issues. The most expensive one with a metal jack was actually the worst. Any movement would cause dropouts. As Dan says there appear to be two different sizes. Anecdote: about 7 years ago I wrecked the 3.5 mm jack on my Mac Book Pro. I used too much force trying to get jack in and after that most 'normal" 3.5mm jacks didn"t work.

 

In the end I bought an audio interface for my iPad - shame because on E6 the audio is passed to the main outs, unlike the E5 where it just goes to headphones.

 

At least it seems I don"t have a faulty socket!

[CharlieLosGatos]

Hi Dan, I too noticed that some 3.5mm jacks seemed slightly fatter than others, but I have no idea how to purchase one over the other. Any pointers for how to procure the "slightly more bulbous one"?

 

Thank you Spider76 for your advice; when you said look inside for contact strips to bend with a screwdriver tip do you mean doing this from outside the keyboard or opening it up?

[CharlieLosGatos]

Just an update, a third cable seems to have fixed the problem. The cables look very similar so I haven't been able to determine which connectors the Nord likes best.

[Docbop]

Just an update, a third cable seems to have fixed the problem. The cables look very similar so I haven't been able to determine which connectors the Nord likes best.

 

Probably going to need a micrometer to measure and find out. Coming from the guitar world where some go nuts for ridiculously priced cords that they swear they can hear difference with. Many try those Monster cables only to end up not understanding why start having trouble with the jack connectors in their gear. Part of what Monster does is use slightly over sized jacks with bigger tip for a better connection, but the over sized jacks end up over bending the jack in the guitar or amp and causing problems. Then you get the companies that make inexpensive cables using copper coated thread instead of wire and making undersized jacks. Seems like they can't be saving much that tiny bit smaller, but when you're making thousands of cables a day that tiny bit adds up fast.