IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS!

[DougB415]

I just ordered a Mogami XLR cable. It’ll be the 4th cable I’ve tried (2nd new one), but at this point I’m willing to try anything.

 

[JamesBWood]

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

When the inevitable AI armageddon finally happens our downfall will be a loose network cable somewhere

...or maybe our salvation.

 

[Glen Carpenter]

I have heard a few guitar players that will make you think twice on that rule.

Back in the day when I had to do CS (I had been hired as a DBA), the #1 response to any problem was, ”Please unplug it, wait for a minute, plug it back in and tell me what happens.” They’d usually reply, “That worked!” Yup.

 

[REDD]

Many many years ago, I was in charge of PA for a band I was playing in. We had a gig in Presque Isle Maine, fairly North, dead of winter. Big blizzard when we arrived, day before the first night of the run, so we parked the truck and went to bed. Got up next day, set up, and the JBL horns on both PA stacks were dead. Of course logic says, well, what's common to the horns on both sides, and I went digging, didn't find anything.

Eventually I proved that both horns actually were dead. They got cold enough overnight that when we brought them in, moisture condensed inside, dissolving the glue that holds the voice coils to the diaphragms. First signal hits, voice coil moves, diaphragm doesn't, they separate, all done. We played with no horns that night, no choice.

Sound company overnighted us new diaphragms. They also complained to JBL, and the glue got changed to something more waterproof.

So, it's not ALWAYS pilot error PEBCAK.

You aren't going to believe this but I played there many years ago and the exact same thing happened to us! Thats so crazy! Did you have military guys there to see you play with lots of drugs?!?! We did and it was a crazy time back then. I think our horns were EV, blown diaphragms and had some sent out asap.

 

[Cooper Carter]

My longest and most inopportune tech support call ever (with one of the biggest stars) ended with it being a cable: the REPLACEMENT cable was also bad!

This sounds familiar

This rule seems to rear it's head most often at the most inopportune times on the biggest stages

 

[Dave Merrill]

You aren't going to believe this but I played there many years ago and the exact same thing happened to us! Thats so crazy! Did you have military guys there to see you play with lots of drugs?!?! We did and it was a crazy time back then. I think our horns were EV, blown diaphragms and had some sent out asap.

Hah, that's too funny! Gets cold up there!

I hadn't remembered military guys, but I'm sure you're right, must be a base nearby. They do party up there though, at least they did. Some things I DO remember I won't repeat here... Swamp Fox Motor Inn, if memory serves. Don't see it in the Googles, must be gone.

Small world, crazy times...

 

[Brian Coonan]

Not long after I got my first Axe-Fx II and MFC-101, I set up for a local gig and could not get signal through my guitar rig. The meters on the Axe-Fx were showing signal going in, but nothing was making it out. I tried different cables to no avail. Panic mode hit. I rushed home and grabbed my POD XT Live and did the gig with it, bummed that my new Axe-Fx wasn't working. When I got home, I plugged in the Fractal rig and it worked perfectly. A few gigs later I had the same "no signal out" problem right before we were supposed to start playing. It was then I realized the expression pedal that controls the Volume block in every one of my presets was heel down. Doh! Now, any time I'm trying to figure out a "no signal" issue with my rig, my bandmates ask me if I've tried the volume pedal.

I've been hit expression pedal issues as well...I use the Moog EP3s which I love but at one of my first gigs, after touting to the band how great the AX8 was, about midway through, my wah went on and I couldn't shut it off so I played half the gig with that really trebly wah on! Was so bummed! Then I found out there was a switch on the bottom of the Moog that got switched an caused the issue. My inexperience with the AX8 though, my first inclination was to think there was something wrong with it.

I will say though - at the time I had come out here from my phone and had several people try and help in the crisis which was awesome to know there was help available! And naturally after that, it never happened again and the AX8 rocked.

 

[iaresee]

I will say though - at the time I had come out here from my phone and had several people try and help in the crisis which was awesome to know there was help available! And naturally after that, it never happened again and the AX8 rocked.

I really like hearing stories like this. Bummed you didn't get it figured out, but love that people were there to help in a pinch.

 

[Brian Coonan]

I really like hearing stories like this. Bummed you didn't get it figured out, but love that people were there to help in a pinch.

Tell me about it - I was really new to Fractal and all the new technology (for me) and just knowing that, even now, is very reassuring. Really enjoy the forum a lot.

 

[stdio]

Always check the lightbulb before you rewire the house.

 

[HAhN SOLO]

One of my techs used to work in the Army. He told me a story about how he got a radio to repair one day and the tag read "Does not work in OFF mode".

I need to start using that as a goof on the new Maint. Tech at my shop

 

[J.C]

One of the things I enjoy most of the Axe FX is the ability to chain multiple things with no audio problems or failures. To me it is worth the price of admission.

 

[bongo]

One of my techs used to work in the Army. He told me a story about how he got a radio to repair one day and the tag read "Does not work in OFF mode".

Why that's just...too dumb to not be true!

 

[Rex]

One of the things I enjoy most of the Axe FX is the ability to chain multiple things with no audio problems or failures. To me it is worth the price of admission.

This.

Cable-free connections save hours of headaches.

 

[leemhouk]

I like it when your PA guy chains the big QSC sub amp to the subs, chains the sub cabinet to the mids, chains the mids cabinet to the highs and runs the speaker out from the highs back to another QSC amp. As he stands there for an hour screaming oh god why doesn't it work! True story lol

 

[tealtonerick]

I suppose this is more directed at a development team than at customer troubleshooting, but this is the sign in my office...

Westheimer's Discovery

A couple of months in the lab can frequently save a couple of hours in the library.

- Attributable to a Harvard chemist.

 

[Callan]

My first outdoor gig with my near brand new jbl srx powered speakers..
I setup, and one of them won't power on.
I mean, the light is on, but the screen is blank. I can hear the relay change with power, but the screen just won't come on.

I start to panic and get ready to use just one speaker for the gig.. then I took my polarised sunglasses off...

What do you know, the screen works fine when my eyes are open.

One of those things you only do once and never forget..

 

[touch33]

Waaaay back in The Day I worked with a company that was one of the first DAW players in The Game. Their app ran on a Mac II, probably OS 6.something IMSC. Those goofy 9PIN mini-DIN connectors that were all the rage with Things Mac would ALWAYS fall out of the back panel – so much so that there was a small button glued to the side of every TS phone that, when pressed, would let The Caller hear a "Polly wanna cracker?" voice saying "Braaaaak – check the cables. Check the cables!"

It got pressed A LOT.

 

[Lax]

I think that's why the plug/replug tip works, it's because things gets done then !