PBC 10 Output A Issue

C

Clibbus International

Member
Hello I have experienced an issue where the RJM stopped putting out sound from output A during a show last night.
Earlier in the tour I had a show where the signal was very weak from Output A but then the following day (was a walkway show) it worked fine.
The last pedal before the output is a Neural DSP Quad Cortex which was receiving signal as it should in both scenarios (we also take the L/R of the Quad for a Redundant Amp Sim)

Output A of the RJM goes back to a Radial JX 62 Wireless switcher FX Loop and then to 2 Amps Offstage , Output B goes to an offstage Acoustic DI.

The issue has been very inconsistent and seemed to have happened on a preset change.

Being that it happened during the show (I am the bands Tech) I dont really get a chance to go through with a fine tooth comb until the next load in (also afraid the issue might go away again as it did the last time). My solution at the show was to just bypass the RJM output and take the signal from the last pedal output (Quad Cortex) and go direct to amp.

I have deducted that the Issue is some where between the RJM output A >Radial Switcher and the Amp input but I am curious if anybody has ever experienced an issue with specifically one of the A or B outputs before , possibly with the Relay failing where it would put out little or no signal?
 
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Hey, thanks for posting your question and sorry for the trouble, if it does turn out to be our PBC10.

Here are a few things to note and keep in mind as you try to narrow down where the issue lays.

(1) Loops 7 to 10 on the PBC10 are able to feed into a mixer. If any of those loops are configured to operate in parallel mode or have trails, then the mixer is enabled. And it could be that one side of the mixer is intermittently malfunctioning. When those loops are configured for series operation and no trails, then all mixer circuitry is physically switched out of the signal path with a relay, and said circuit can not be the issue.

(2) The only other thing before OUTA is Buffer #3 which also has our click-stopper circuit associated with it. If Buffer #3 is turned on, then it could be either the buffer circuit for the OUTA side of the signal path or it could be the click-stopper circuit. The click-stopper can be disabled on its own, independent of Buffer #3, but when the buffer is turned off, the click-stopper is also turned off, and both are bypassed by a relay.

So to troubleshoot, either if/when it happens again or preemptively, you could turn off Buffer #3 to see if that has any affect. This would be the easiest and the first thing I would try.

If Buffer #3 is already off, and is always off in your artists configuration, then I'd look at the mixer for loops 7-10.

If both Buffer #3 and loops 7 to 10 are not using the PBC10's mixer, then that would indicate to me that the issue lays somewhere else.

I hope this helps, please keep us posted.
 
Copy that and thank you Mario for the detailed response.

I mispoke - the issue is with OUTPUT B and not OUTPUT A; but regardless do both outputs have the same path through Buffer #3?

Buffer #3 is always engaged in our setup.
As is the Click Stopper on L7 and L10
(Set At 2Msec Pre and 2MsecPost)

Loop 8 (Strymon Capistan) is configured to have trails but was not in use when the issue happened and as previously stated the last loop in use (#9 Quad Cortex) was receiving its normal signal.
 
You're welcome.

Buffer #3 and click-stopper also apply to OUTB, it's just a different side of the exact same circuit. Same applies to the mixer.

Without looking at the schematic again, any of the loops 7 to 10 that have parallel/trails engaged, automatically activates the mixer, so it should be ruled out.
 
Got it-
Upon spending some time in the current file this morning, I see that on the particular song that the issue first appeared in last night, Loop 9 is set to be in Parallel and that is the only song in our entire file in which the presets have parallel turned on. This could be entirely coincidental that the issue started happening around this time, especially since the past few shows using that preset we had no issue but I guess it is worth noting.

Tomorrow at our next show I will go through the rig and re-test all the cabling again downstream of the RJM to the Rack/Amp again and see if toggling the buffer/series/parallel setting on that one song changes anything. Hopefully the Issue will be patiently waiting for me when I set up everything instead of disappearing like it did the last time! I shall report my findings , thanks again.
 
Unfortunatley upon load in/Soundcheck the issue was not present at all.
After testing under standard conditions:

-I preemptively turned off Buffer 3, universally
-checked all cables throughout the rig both on the pedalboard to the rack and to the amps.
-cleaned all jacks
-opened up the unit to see if the connector between the two boards has come loose and made sure standoffs weren't pushing them apart as mentioned in the disassembly video.

Somewhat of a side question-
I have Loop 10 Free on the RJM and an- all my loops are in mono. Is there any issue with turning loop 10 on universally and using Loop 10's send as a quick access output should the issue appear again and I need to homerun a cable offstage? Seems that it passes all the signal from previous pedals just fine and wouldnt affect the Out A/B Signal whether there is or isnt anything plugged into it while it is turned on.
 
Clibbus International said:
Unfortunatley upon load in/Soundcheck the issue was not present at all.
After testing under standard conditions:

-I preemptively turned off Buffer 3, universally
-checked all cables throughout the rig both on the pedalboard to the rack and to the amps.
-cleaned all jacks
-opened up the unit to see if the connector between the two boards has come loose and made sure standoffs weren't pushing them apart as mentioned in the disassembly video.
Click to expand...

Preventative maintenance, check, check!

Clibbus International said:
Somewhat of a side question-
I have Loop 10 Free on the RJM and an- all my loops are in mono. Is there any issue with turning loop 10 on universally and using Loop 10's send as a quick access output should the issue appear again and I need to homerun a cable offstage? Seems that it passes all the signal from previous pedals just fine and wouldnt affect the Out A/B Signal whether there is or isnt anything plugged into it while it is turned on.
Click to expand...

Yes this will work, good idea!
 
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