ChromaTalk Archives: July 2004
- Re: Fwd: Chroma For sale posting (2 messages)
- Re: Chroma Expander D.O.A. (Z4 M.I.A.) (5)
- Polaris Service Manual (6)
- MAP80-4002 (3)
- Chroma on eBay
- Chroma on eBay.fr (2)
- Ken Ypparila Address OK? (4)
- Battery Reminder 2004
Re: Fwd: Chroma For sale posting
Go to first message in thread (June 2004)
David Clarke [21030085++] · Fri, 02 Jul 2004 19:35:28 -0400
Anybody from this list contact Julie Yarbrough to check out the 3 Chromas for sale (per the June 10th Chroma Talk e-mail and the ads on the Ad page)
Ron Joseph [21030042+] · Sat, 03 Jul 2004 04:44:28 +0000
I did. She was supposed to check the voice cards and contact me but hasn't got back to me yet.
Re: Chroma Expander D.O.A. (Z4 M.I.A.)
Go to first message in thread (May 2004)
David Clarke [21030085++] · Fri, 02 Jul 2004 19:32:00 -0400
Wayne, just checking in - how did you make out with your semi-sick expander?
Wayne Griffin [16330111] · Sat, 3 Jul 2004 23:17:33 -0400
Thanks for asking-
I am getting up the funds to purchase a MAP 80-4000... but I need some clarification about the special board that must be constructed. I think a parts list and a final schematic would really be in order for the site. I cannot make out some of what's on the gif from the Tillman page [Upgrading the Rhodes Chroma Power Supply]. Would anyone care to volunteer? As I have recently had to entomb all my other polysynths, it would be splendid to get this machine off the ground. [w]
David Clarke [21030085++] · Sun, 04 Jul 2004 11:31:10 -0400
Wayne - eyeballing the .gif schematic here's what I'd make out as the parts list:
Resistors
- 16 ohm, 1 watt
- 240 ohm
- 720 ohm
- 2.2K ohm
Caps
- 0.1uF
- 2x 10uF
Other
- LM317T
- 1N4148
- 2N3904
Looking in the ChromaTalk archives it seems Mike Maloney had at one time thought about making up some of these little circuits boards for sale [see Chroma power supply upgrades, August 2000]. I've cc'd Mike on this note (based on the address from the archives) - perhaps he can tell us if he did ever go forward with that plan.
Wayne Griffin [16330111] · Mon, 5 Jul 2004 9:27:39 -0400
Thanks very much - I will certainly keep fingers cross-modulated [w]
Chris Ryan [21030691] · Tue, 6 Jul 2004 17:42:13 -0700
On Jul 4, 2004, at 8:31 AM, David Clarke wrote:
Looking in the ChromaTalk archives it seems Mike Maloney had at one time thought about making up some of these little circuits boards for sale. I've cc'd Mike on this note (based on the address from the archives) - perhaps he can tell us if he did ever go forward with that plan.
I did a bit of sleuthing on this. Fred Warren (who put his Chroma up for sale in October 2002 and left the list in June 2003) said in a November 2001 post that he had tried contacting Mike about the boards. As there was no follow-up to the list, I don't know whether he was able to get in touch. However, list messages to Mike's address began bouncing and I removed him in May of 2002.
Does anyone know if he ever produced any of the reset boards?
The last record I have of an e-mail from Mike is his post on the power supply upgrade he was putting together, PSU upgrade - reset board: LAST CALL, from August 2000.
Polaris Service Manual
Chris Ryan [21030691] · Fri, 16 Jul 2004 22:58:03 -0700
Does anyone out there have a soft copy of the Polaris service manual?
David Gowin [21030611] · Sat, 17 Jul 2004 04:15:06 -0400
Full manual and service manual with specs. paper copy, I may be able to PDF it.
Olli [21010284] · Sat, 17 Jul 2004 11:21:05 +0200
if you send me the scans, i can PDF it.
David Gowin [21030611] · Sun, 18 Jul 2004 06:11:44 -0400
Have a paper copy, no scanner. I may be able to PDF it.
David Gowin [21030611] · Fri, 30 Jul 2004 09:55:35 -0400
Did you receive the PDF's I sent?
Chris Ryan [21030691] · Fri, 30 Jul 2004 08:05:32 -0700
I did! Thank you very much. I forwarded them on to the fellow who requested them, and will post them on the new site.
See the Polaris section. An HTML transcription has since been added to the site as well.
MAP80-4002
Wayne Griffin [16330111] · Mon, 19 Jul 2004 1:39:03 -0400
Hey Guys...
Would the MAP80-4002 model work just the same as the 4000?
As far as a used MAP80, caveat emptor???
Mark A. Lange [21030459+] · Mon, 19 Jul 2004 08:40:26 -0700
Hi folks -
Brian - I've been out-of-the loop for many, many months. However, the MAP80-4002 will provide the necessary voltages / currents as the 4000. I personally chose the 4002, as it was less expensive (~$140 ). With Dr. Tillman's wonderful circuit, and answers to a few dumb questions, I was in like flint. Unfortunately, my problems didn't end with the PS - but now my work-load has finally lightened-up. Maybe I'll have a chance to work on mine, for a change!!
IMHO, as far as used, unless it was really inexpensive ($10 - $20) I wouldn't mess with them. What's a reliable Chroma worth to you - obviously a lot of time and perseverance, and the extra $$$ for a newer supply is actually minimal. But, if they are super-cheap, you could afford to buy a couple, and keep a spare on hand.
Good luck - hope it helps
Doug Terrebonne [21030114] · Thu, 22 Jul 2004 02:20:02 -0700 (PDT)
FS: MAP80-4002
Hi, if anyone wants a MAP80-4002 new-in-the-box never used for $85 + shipping let me know...
Chroma on eBay
Chris Ryan [21030691] · Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:10:29 -0700
Item #3738018896, 4 bids, currently US$157.50 (reserve not met), ends July 31. Decent cosmetic condition--no apparent foam residue. No serial number tag on the back. Looks like it has MIDI jacks installed (to the left of the Rhodes logo).
Here's a portion of one of the photos, showing the presumed MIDI jacks and missing serial number sticker (which is normally affixed to the left of the power switch--see David Clarke's post on serial number locations in the October 2003 thread "First Chroma Serial/Model Number Overlap?"). This is Chroma 21030818, which was put up for auction again in January 2005 and is now owned by George Sarant.
Chroma on eBay.fr
Chris Ryan [21030691] · Fri, 23 Jul 2004 15:50:03 -0700
Item #3737564961, no bids, ends July 26, starting price of €1400, "buy now" price of €1700. French seller (Paris). Difficult to discern from the picture whether there's foam residue. I've contacted the seller for more information.
The blurb:
"Tres rare Rhodes Chroma avec le MIDI Kenton kit. Tres bon etat pour son age. Avec le mode d'emploi, cable d'alim et la pedale de controle. Le son enorme!!! A saisir! Vous pouvez m'ecrire pour d'autres photos."
Rough translation (improvements welcome):
"Very rare Rhodes Chroma with Kenton MIDI kit. Very good condition for its age. With manuals, [cable d'alim?], and pedal controller. Enormous sound!!! A steal! You can e-mail me for more photos."
Later found out through a contact at work (thanks to Colleen Dix and Michel Lavoie) that "câble 'd'alim" is short for "câble d'alimentation," which is a power or feeder cable.
A crop of the photo:
David Clarke [21030085++] · Fri, 23 Jul 2004 19:26:15 -0400
In the same vein, there's Item #3738018896 from the main (ebay.com) site [see above; looks like Dave didn't receive the first message in this thread]. Currently at $585 USD, with 8 more days to go. It looks like the serial number tag is missing from the back - but other than that - looks in pretty nice shape.
By the way, it seems that the Ken B. Chromas (that were on the Ads page) are now gone. Did folks from the list buy them? If so, will there soon be new submissions to the "registry page" for them (so we can at least know what S/N's are out there?)
Ken Ypparila Address OK?
David Clarke [21030085++] · Fri, 23 Jul 2004 19:26:15 -0400
I just tried to get in touch with Ken Y. re: a Chroma Midi Adapters (via the [email protected] address, from the Ads page) and the e-mail bounced citing "User unknown."
Has anyone been in touch with Ken recently via this address? (I'm wondering if the address is really no longer valid - or perhaps there are just some network problems/voodoo out there today preventing the e-mail from getting through).
Chris Ryan [21030691] · Sat, 24 Jul 2004 10:25:29 -0700
Sorry, Ken informed me of his new address, which is kmx33@hotpop.com, and I updated MIDI Retrofits but had neglected to update it on Ads.
John Leimseider [21030434++] · Mon, 26 Jul 2004 08:43:41 -0600
I've been in touch with him with kypparila@adelphia.net.David Clarke [21030085++] · Mon, 26 Jul 2004 18:39:01 -0400
I can also confirm that I've been in touch with Ken via the updated address provided by Chris (kmx33@hotpop.com) [ the Chroma site has also been updated with this address ]. Apparently Ken now accepts Paypal - which makes things a bit easier/faster for Chroma Midi Interface purchases.Battery Reminder 2004
David Clarke [21030085++] · Sat, 24 Jul 2004 11:23:27 -0400
It's time for that yearly battery check.
If you haven't done so in a while, it might be a good time to check the condition of the batteries in your Chroma.
Issue a "Set Split-6" ("Special Funct-6" on your Expander) and view the voltage in the display window.
If the displayed value is noteably under 3V, probably time for a battery change (the service manual says anything under 2.5V is bad).
Dave
(Oh, if you wanted to check your Polaris at the same time - that would be LF-D-1. Two or more LEDs in the assignable Control section indicates things are OK.)