Anyone taken a Balance apart?

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Palmeira
Posts: 111
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

29 May 2018

One channel on my Balance now contains some quite audible distortion. Could possibly be the jack socket so I'm planning on taking it apart and giving it a bit of a spring clean and TLC. I wonder if anyone on here has taken one apart and if so any tips etc would be useful?

Failing that what should I get to replace it???

Cheers

Aiden

jimmyklane
Posts: 740
Joined: 16 Apr 2018

29 May 2018

Palmeira wrote:
29 May 2018
One channel on my Balance now contains some quite audible distortion. Could possibly be the jack socket so I'm planning on taking it apart and giving it a bit of a spring clean and TLC. I wonder if anyone on here has taken one apart and if so any tips etc would be useful?

Failing that what should I get to replace it???

Cheers

Aiden
Distortion? Is it intermittent, like pops and crackles?

If you have pretty constant distortion then it is almost definitely NOT the jack. I’d say that it’s one of the opamps or perhaps the buffer circuit that allows the output to see a (mostly) constant impedance.

You may need a more comprehensive repair.
DAW: Reason 12

SAMPLERS: Akai MPC 2000, E-mu SP1200, E-Mu e5000Ultra, Ensoniq EPS 16+, Akai S950, Maschine

SYNTHS: Mostly classic Polysynths and more modern Monosynths. All are mostly food for my samplers!

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Palmeira
Posts: 111
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

29 May 2018

Cheers, it seems to happens with anything containing enthusiastic bass. So a Kick drum for example will contain the distortion for the duration of the sound and sounds a little like a blown speaker - I thought initially I'd blown a tweeter but have whittled it down to a single channel of the Balance. Thinking about it you're almost certainly right about it not being the jack but at this point I don't really have anything to lose so I'll probably take it apart anyway and give it a clean and a bit of wd40. No luck and it's plan B which would be a pity as I've grown quite fond of the little guy!

jlgrimes
Posts: 661
Joined: 06 Jun 2017

29 May 2018

Palmeira wrote:
29 May 2018
One channel on my Balance now contains some quite audible distortion. Could possibly be the jack socket so I'm planning on taking it apart and giving it a bit of a spring clean and TLC. I wonder if anyone on here has taken one apart and if so any tips etc would be useful?

Failing that what should I get to replace it???

Cheers

Aiden
Focusrite Scarlet 6i6

Palmeira
Posts: 111
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

30 May 2018

jlgrimes wrote:
29 May 2018
Palmeira wrote:
29 May 2018
One channel on my Balance now contains some quite audible distortion. Could possibly be the jack socket so I'm planning on taking it apart and giving it a bit of a spring clean and TLC. I wonder if anyone on here has taken one apart and if so any tips etc would be useful?

Failing that what should I get to replace it???

Cheers

Aiden
Focusrite Scarlet 6i6
Cheers, been out a couple of years now but will definitely be having a look at these.

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rcbuse
RE Developer
Posts: 1175
Joined: 16 Jan 2015
Location: SR388
Contact:

30 May 2018

Palmeira wrote:
29 May 2018
Cheers, it seems to happens with anything containing enthusiastic bass. So a Kick drum for example will contain the distortion for the duration of the sound and sounds a little like a blown speaker - I thought initially I'd blown a tweeter but have whittled it down to a single channel of the Balance. Thinking about it you're almost certainly right about it not being the jack but at this point I don't really have anything to lose so I'll probably take it apart anyway and give it a clean and a bit of wd40. No luck and it's plan B which would be a pity as I've grown quite fond of the little guy!
I've had bad / half shorted cables exhibit this behavior. Swap your cables before doing anything drastic. I would not suggest wd40, that will leave a residue and can make contacts worse over the long term. I swear by Caig Labs DeOxit for cleaning electronics.

Palmeira
Posts: 111
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

30 May 2018

rcbuse wrote:
30 May 2018
Palmeira wrote:
29 May 2018
Cheers, it seems to happens with anything containing enthusiastic bass. So a Kick drum for example will contain the distortion for the duration of the sound and sounds a little like a blown speaker - I thought initially I'd blown a tweeter but have whittled it down to a single channel of the Balance. Thinking about it you're almost certainly right about it not being the jack but at this point I don't really have anything to lose so I'll probably take it apart anyway and give it a clean and a bit of wd40. No luck and it's plan B which would be a pity as I've grown quite fond of the little guy!
I've had bad / half shorted cables exhibit this behavior. Swap your cables before doing anything drastic. I would not suggest wd40, that will leave a residue and can make contacts worse over the long term. I swear by Caig Labs DeOxit for cleaning electronics.
Had brand new cables 2 days ago and tested them and they are good (unfortunately).

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turn2on
RE Developer
Posts: 781
Joined: 13 Mar 2015
Contact:

30 May 2018

Hi. Have Balance very long time.
In last months have few problems with Balance.

A) Work with it more than 4 hours. In Reason, any DAW, macOS to listen Spotify, etc.. In 4 hours outputs (monitors/headphones) add distorted sound.. If nothing to do, in 15-20 minutes sound going to absolutely bzzz-talks rhythms =) Reconnect Balance and can work around new 2-3 hours..
B) Guitar/Mic inputs - only Right channels if press PAD - going to bignoise click-jump, and have background sounds. Left work nice.
C) When try to record anything from time to time on small level of input (like long reverb decays) from ext inputs - have additional low-sounds.

Dont know what is going on, but think that time of Balance is going out. Later I try to open Balance and ceck whats going on.
But need to say that now I look to Apogee Element series + adat 8in/out (smaller latency), better preamps, cleanest headphones output, cool converters.

Problem not in cables, Balance have problems with any cables, jacks.

As topicstarter, need to say that have problem of Right input channels with distortions too..
Its started in few months and it sad. Love Balance.

Palmeira
Posts: 111
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

30 May 2018

All sorted. Took the bottom off, cleaned it up (although it wasn't really that dusty inside) and gave it a little WD40 inside the jack socket and under the PCB. And...it's back to normal. Phew. Can't guarantee that the same will work for anyone else but if you do feel the need to take one apart there are 2 screws under the sticker with the serial number on, 3 screws under the thin strip of black rubber at the bottom (of the bottom) and 5 screws under the larger piece of black rubber. I didn't actually get any further than taking the bottom off as the pots that go through the front of the cover for the out level, headphones and the 2 input levels are bolted to the front of the unit and I didn't have the right tool to undo them.

Turn2On - it sounds like yours may be further down the line than mine so it may be time to admit defeat! I was looking enviously at the UAD Apollo and maybe the new USB Focusrite Clarett but am relieved to be saving some money for now!

Cheers

Aiden

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EnochLight
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Posts: 8405
Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Imladris

30 May 2018

Palmeira wrote:
29 May 2018

Failing that what should I get to replace it???

Cheers

Aiden
Anything by RME. But the Babyface Pro is incredible.
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brand
Posts: 131
Joined: 11 May 2017
Location: New Jersey, US

31 May 2018

rcbuse wrote:
30 May 2018
I've had bad / half shorted cables exhibit this behavior. Swap your cables before doing anything drastic. I would not suggest wd40, that will leave a residue and can make contacts worse over the long term. I swear by Caig Labs DeOxit for cleaning electronics.
Yes, DeOxit D5 is great. If WD-40 worked for the OP, well OK, but I would avoid use on electronics. D5 is made just for cleaning contacts, and is safe on plastics too. WD-40 has "specialist" - a specific contact cleaner - perhaps their answer to DeOxit.

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