All primary functions of the Boss RC-50 have been successfully validated and that generally constitutes a 'smoke test' for geekish computer types of which I, regrettably am one.
The first aspect of a musical device smoke test is, well, does it catch fire when you connect power. The meaning really is literal.
The only aspect remaining is to leave the unit powered-up for some while and then come back to find if it still smiles. At that point, I'm satisfied with functionality, reliability, and readiness for live.
Stand back for the kick-ass bitchslap punchline evah: it was the power supply again.
Just like when the power supply failed for the computer, it did it in such a demented way it fooled me altogether.
BUT!
This is not a tragedy.
First, in matching power supplies it's crucial to adhere strictly to the specifications or you may very well get smoke. The Boss RC-50 draws 9 volts at 200 milliamps. After rooting through old power supplies from failed devices, I found 3V, 12V, 16V ... and finally 9V at 1000 milliamps. That won't result in smoke because a DC unit will not draw more power than it needs. So, it meets the specs and, presto, the old one is working.
So, this is not a tragedy ... because ...
There are two options, clean her up a bit (i.e. a lot) and put her out on eBay to sing for the chill'uns.
OR
Use both RC-50 loopers and I've done it before. When things were flush, I had two of them as one was to serve as backup for the other in the event of a failure. Things are not flush so the second disappeared years ago.
This gets massive geeky so you may want to bail now.
(Ed: like it wasn't already?)
Um, yah ... well ... this bit gets geekier than the above.
So Boss RC-50 "A" sends MIDI-out to Boss RC-50 "B" MIDI-in and "B" sends MIDI-out to the Boss DR-880 drum machine with "A" providing the clock sync (i.e. the master) for all of them.
Yes, that works, prob'ly. However, the problem is "A" also needs to send MIDI-out to "B" and daisy-chaining MIDI back to the source is not a good idea. This is where comes the need for a MIDI multiplexer. I had one from Opcode long back but Opcode went out of business after Gibson bought the company. No need to write that editorial again as that seriously crushed my trip ... but ... major digression going into it.
Ideally, MIDI-out from all of them goes to the multiplexer and each of them pulls MIDI-in from whichever other device it likes.
(Ed: expensive?)
More than likely and I don't dare look ...
well, screw it ... let's find out.
Found a solution for $25 on eBay. I cannot even begin to believe it because Opcode went out of business fifteen years ago.
Like they say, this changes everything.
Too old for new tricks ... bite me. Bring them on! I love new tricks and this is an old one which rises from fifteen years with the dead. Trippin'.
The first aspect of a musical device smoke test is, well, does it catch fire when you connect power. The meaning really is literal.
The only aspect remaining is to leave the unit powered-up for some while and then come back to find if it still smiles. At that point, I'm satisfied with functionality, reliability, and readiness for live.
Stand back for the kick-ass bitchslap punchline evah: it was the power supply again.
Just like when the power supply failed for the computer, it did it in such a demented way it fooled me altogether.
BUT!
This is not a tragedy.
First, in matching power supplies it's crucial to adhere strictly to the specifications or you may very well get smoke. The Boss RC-50 draws 9 volts at 200 milliamps. After rooting through old power supplies from failed devices, I found 3V, 12V, 16V ... and finally 9V at 1000 milliamps. That won't result in smoke because a DC unit will not draw more power than it needs. So, it meets the specs and, presto, the old one is working.
So, this is not a tragedy ... because ...
There are two options, clean her up a bit (i.e. a lot) and put her out on eBay to sing for the chill'uns.
OR
Use both RC-50 loopers and I've done it before. When things were flush, I had two of them as one was to serve as backup for the other in the event of a failure. Things are not flush so the second disappeared years ago.
This gets massive geeky so you may want to bail now.
(Ed: like it wasn't already?)
Um, yah ... well ... this bit gets geekier than the above.
So Boss RC-50 "A" sends MIDI-out to Boss RC-50 "B" MIDI-in and "B" sends MIDI-out to the Boss DR-880 drum machine with "A" providing the clock sync (i.e. the master) for all of them.
Yes, that works, prob'ly. However, the problem is "A" also needs to send MIDI-out to "B" and daisy-chaining MIDI back to the source is not a good idea. This is where comes the need for a MIDI multiplexer. I had one from Opcode long back but Opcode went out of business after Gibson bought the company. No need to write that editorial again as that seriously crushed my trip ... but ... major digression going into it.
Ideally, MIDI-out from all of them goes to the multiplexer and each of them pulls MIDI-in from whichever other device it likes.
(Ed: expensive?)
More than likely and I don't dare look ...
well, screw it ... let's find out.
Found a solution for $25 on eBay. I cannot even begin to believe it because Opcode went out of business fifteen years ago.
Like they say, this changes everything.
Too old for new tricks ... bite me. Bring them on! I love new tricks and this is an old one which rises from fifteen years with the dead. Trippin'.
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