Lowrey Mx2 effects board 002

[johnnybegood]

Hello all I just picked up a real clean Lowrey MX2 NT400 it sounds fantastic until I try using either the rhythm or voice buttons. What happens is a high pitch note comes on and is distorted and stays on until I turn off and turn back on and it is fine again until I use an effect. I have tried the factory reset with no change. I have been reading other post and it seems this has been a issue with the MX2 and some think it may be the 002 board. What I would like to know is where the board is located and is it sometimes just caps going bad
I do have access to a new board but wondering if it is worth changing if they just go bad again is it just a few that went bad and are posted here or is it an on going problem with these boards. I know a lot of question but I really like this organ and it is very clean. Thanks for any input John

[johnnybegood]

Here is a picture of my MX2

[tucsondave]

The HL-002 (Orch/Solo generator) is on the shelf to the far left.
Is the noise expressible?

td

[johnnybegood]

Thanks td I will look there . I sorry I don't know what you mean by expressible the noise is a high pitch steady distorted note

[tucsondave]

Does the volume pedal affect the noise volume?

[johnnybegood]

I am not sure the organ is not at my home to try but will be at my hall where it is later today and will look for the location of board and check noise with volume pedal. Thanks for the help would really like to get the effects working but even without them it is a great sounding organ

[johnnybegood]

Ok here is the deal I turned it on both keyboards sound ok, on right side "transpose, record, graphic" panel seems ok. Front panel "rhythm plus" and "PCM voices"causes a distorted static constant without holding any note works with volume up and down. Right panel "harmony and animation" seems ok . Right side "presets" causes steady distorted static works with volume up and down. Now after all these test and factory reset seems all notes have a slight static that only comes through when note is held down. I did locate the 002 board looks very expensive if that is the problem. I think I see why I see all these great deals on these Lowrey's

[andyg]

Expensive or not, this is an almost 30 year old organ and that board is probably going to be tricky or impossible to find, if that is cause of the problem.

Have you tried doing what is almost de rigeur with digital organs, unplugging, cleaning and re-seating all the internal connectors? Now Dave is the service engineer here, not me, but my experiences when working with the NT series for Lowrey UK in the early 90s showed that those ribbon cable connectors could cause all sorts of issues. In fact, despite the presence of any 'Quality Control' labels, our engineer would routinely check them all before the organs were delivered.

[johnnybegood]

Thank you andyg that is going to be my next move maybe I will be lucky I do have CRC contact cleaner It is the good kind with no lubricant . This is such a clen organ hate to not getting it going even if the effects don't work if I can just get a clean sound.

[tucsondave]

In addition to what andy said, also tighten board mounting screws and ground connections.
With power off, disconnect the 8 pin plug CN4, from the 002 board. That removes power from the 002 board. Turn on organ to see if the static is still there.

td

[johnnybegood]

Ok Thanks again I won't be at the organ until Thursday going away for the holiday for a couple of days I really appreciate all the help guys if you celebrate Labor Day have a great time

[johnnybegood]

OK just got back from camping vacation I tried what you said I unplugged all connectors on HL002 and HL005 boards and cleaned with CRC contact cleaner tightened all ground/mounting screws no change. I then unplugged the 8 pin connector on the HL002 board as suggested and seems as though everything is working just fine even rhythms. So what does the HL002 control then ? Also found a small button type battery LR41 laying loose on the HL005 board did someone drop it in from somewhere or does it belong somewhere. So far very happy that organ is mostly working since unplugging HL002.Thanks All

[tucsondave]

The H002 board produces Orchestral voices from connector CN2 as follows:
Pin 1: Orchestration Plus Bass
Pin 3: Lower Manual Orch Plus rt channel
Pin 5: LM orch Plus Lt channel
Pin 7 UM Orch/Solo voices

If the associated volume control affects your noise then you can remove that wire from the connector.

There is no LR41 battery used in the organ.

td

[johnnybegood]

Thank You Dave and Andy and anyone else who may have replied to my thread I now have a MX2 that I can now use even without a couple of options that I can live without.
You guys are an invaluable asset for any vintage organ user I am not a organ musician but am trying to put together a hall that I own for musicians/bands to leave there equipment to have a place to practice and record without disturbing neighbors and hauling equipment all over the place Thanks Again John

[johnnybegood]

O well removed HL002 board to change out caps on board and saw 3 different traces that had been intentionally cut and jumpers added so unless there was a factory service bulletin mod someone hacked up this board and I will just have to live with it without some of the effects