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[Steve Ferreira]

Hi all,

I have an Si expression 3 that I have owned basically since it's release. The console has been rock solid for 10 years until last Friday. I was connected to the MS32R with an STP cat5. I noticed that some channels that were not in use had signal in them. The levels on those channels were peaking and just creating noise. This was during the event so I just wanted to get through the event and have a look after.

The event went off without a problem. Once the event was done I did a reset on the console and more channels seemed to have the same problem, and not just to a bank of 8 or anything like that. I had about 6 channels with this issue but in different channels scattered throughout the console. I noticed that during the event and after the reset that the channels that caused the noise were "patched" on the console XLRs even though I didn't have anything physically patched into them. I decided to patch one of the noisy channels into a stagebox channel and the problem went away. Seems like I have an issue at the console itself.

I didn't realize that the software for the console was updated last year to 2.1 and I have been on 1.8 since they released that. I will try to get in front of the console this week, clear the memory and do a software update.
Has anyone encountered this issue? I was on the Soundcraft forums looking around and that place is a ghost town. I did read about 1 person sending in their console for repairs for it to be there for 7 months and then coming back unfixed. Also read of another person with a similar issue that was quoted $2000 for a the repair but the parts are NLA.

Indoors I use the cat5 with MS32 but when I do events outdoors I do like to use analog snake just for peace of mind.

Am I SOL and should start looking for a replacement?

[Scott Helmke]

I see those consoles pretty rarely, but I did have one in a few months ago - most or all of the first 16 inputs on the back were bad.  In that exact model the first 16 are one big circuit board, and we had to wait a few months for a replacement.

Sorry to give you a very depressing answer. 

[Steve Ferreira]

Scott,

It it is what it is. I was hoping for the best and expecting the worst. For now the issue seems to be tied to the local I/O but I need to get the console in front of me to be sure.

[Adam Cooke]

Hi Steve,

I just had what sounds like the same issue with a Soundcraft Performer 3 that's been working fine for over 9 years. Loud static at full scale digital level on first one channel, then another, then more and more. The tech working the show reported that they were all in the 1-16 bank, and he was also also getting the noise when he switched fader banks or tried to put a mix on faders. It was a nightmare for him since he was losing channels he needed for the band that was playing and the noise was extremely loud in monitors and FOH.

It seems to be an intermittent issue - I've been trying to reproduce it for three days with no luck. I initially suspected a oxidized ribbon cable connection but the way it started happening when faders were moved might point to more of a power supply problem.

[Mike Caldwell]

Just had a school where their SI Expression started random fader moves and all the lights on the surface were randomly flashing like a light show, actually nothing random about it, it did it every time when powered up.
They replaced it with QU32, they were all about how much easier it was to use both at the surface and with the app.
The loss of scribble strips was not a big deal to them.

[Russell Ault]

{...} Indoors I use the cat5 with MS32 but when I do events outdoors I do like to use analog snake just for peace of mind. {...}

Could you not still do this with the MS32 (i.e. put the stagebox at FOH beside the console)?

-Russ

[David Junius]

Scott,

It it is what it is. I was hoping for the best and expecting the worst. For now the issue seems to be tied to the local I/O but I need to get the console in front of me to be sure.

I had a weird problem several years ago on my expression 1. The shop asked if I somehow got moisture in it because the main card (brains) for it was basically toast. It wouldn’t pass audio and the faders were acting weird.  I went ahead and paid the $1800 or so for a new part and also bought an expression 3 around the same time. Haven’t had any other problems since with either console, knock on wood. I carry both with me to every show as a backup just in case now. I like my Soundcrafts, but I think if one should start having problems at this point it might be easier to replace it rather than repair it. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like Soundcraft has got much in the works for future models or support for current models.

DJ

[Tim McCulloch]

I had a weird problem several years ago on my expression 1. The shop asked if I somehow got moisture in it because the main card (brains) for it was basically toast. It wouldn’t pass audio and the faders were acting weird.  I went ahead and paid the $1800 or so for a new part and also bought an expression 3 around the same time. Haven’t had any other problems since with either console, knock on wood. I carry both with me to every show as a backup just in case now. I like my Soundcrafts, but I think if one should start having problems at this point it might be easier to replace it rather than repair it. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like Soundcraft has got much in the works for future models or support for current models.

DJ

Soundcraft is a dead brand.  When Tom Der left for a competing brand, after being the last man standing at Soundcraft, I knew it was over.  I'd be surprised if there's more to Soundcraft than a phone number that forwards to someone at another Harman brand office.

[Steve Ferreira]

Update:

I got in front of the console today, formatted the internal SD Card and gave the console an update to Ver. 2.1.
The console was on for over 2 hours and I didn't notice anything weird going on. No noise or any issues whatsoever.

I'm not going to sit here and lie, but I think it's time to move on from Soundcraft, the question becomes to what. I need to dig a bit deeper into what's out there and what my needs are.

[Brian Jojade]

I'm not going to sit here and lie, but I think it's time to move on from Soundcraft, the question becomes to what. I need to dig a bit deeper into what's out there and what my needs are.

It's amazing how time flies. Seems like just yesterday when the Soundcraft boards came out and they were a top contender.  But they've done nothing new in a LONG time.  Sure you could buy a new of the same, but with so many other offerings out there, yeah, I'd be looking at something else.

As far as trusting the board, it's now 10 years old. For electronics, that's getting up there.  Maybe the firmware flash was enough to make it happy, but I'd be a little worried that it's going to crap out again at the worst possible moment.  If the cost of sending it in for repair is $2K, it makes no sense to do that. Put that money towards something new.

[ProSoundWeb Community]