Please Help my DM4 :(

[dabhoys]

I just got a Alesis DM4 off ebay from america. I live in Ireland. The power input on it is a 9V one. I used one of those mulit adapters and set it up. The unit turns on but only seems to hum and make distorted noises. Could I have damaged it? Do I need to get a proper Alesis power plug and if so where would I get it? Would the hum and noise be a sign of damage or just from a crap power supply???

Cheers...

 

[James Murphy]

that would be the D4 or the DM5... there was never a DM4... but yeah, as long as you use an adapter that delivers the correct voltage, miliamps, and has the correctly sized connector with the correct polarity, you should be able to get it to work fine. btw, your cd is coming soon.. just waiting for my order to get in from the label. \m/

 

[Kazrog]

What's the whole mythos surrounding these Alesis units anyway? I'm not knocking them, just skeptical...

 

[dabhoys]

that would be the D4 or the DM5... there was never a DM4... but yeah, as long as you use an adapter that delivers the correct voltage, miliamps, and has the correctly sized connector with the correct polarity, you should be able to get it to work fine. btw, your cd is coming soon.. just waiting for my order to get in from the label. \m/

Sorry its a D4

I sussed out the problem. I was using a crappy ac/dc adapter running in 9v. So The alesis units needs a 9v AC current. It would power up the unit but would cause the hum and noise. From what I can deduce this isn't a problem and shouldn't have damaged the unit. I hope I didn't, we have a few old alesis units in the studio I'm sure there is a proper one for my unit in there. I'll find out for defo tomara if all is well.

I'm looking forward to getting the cd's james. If you could let us know when you get them in.

 

[A Gruesome Discovery]

I think you're going to need a step-down transformer to operate something designed for America's 110V standard in Europe's 220V standard. Since a wall wart is a transformer, the ones you have on your other Alesis gear should work, as long as it has the same voltage/amperage.

 

[James Murphy]

I think you're going to need a step-down transformer to operate something designed for America's 110V standard in Europe's 220V standard. Since a wall wart is a transformer, the ones you have on your other Alesis gear should work, as long as it has the same voltage/amperage.

with devices that use "wall wart" type transformers a step-down transformer is not needed. for instance, when at Backstage i tracked my solo for "The Holocaust Of Thought" in Andy's B-Room using my american POD 2.0... i simply stuck andy's pod wall wart on my pod. i also recorded a D.i. though, and andy reamped the solo later.

 

[dabhoys]

The adapter that came with it is 110v and can't take in 220v. Alot of high end music equipment is multiple input. My 002 can take in either which is great. I know the POD xt stuff is the same and so is alot of more high end pre amps etc...

I just need to get the proper alesis adapter that can take in 220v. I'll let ya know how I got on tomara

I hope it works.

 

[A Gruesome Discovery]

D'oh, I meant a step-down tranny is necessary in order to use the existing power supply in Europe. Getting the 220V version of the DM5's brick, or a reasonable facsimile, would of course be best, but if for some reason these are hard to come by and you need one right away, getting a step-down would be the totally guerilla way to do it.

 

[dabhoys]

I have one but its not working

My biggest concern really is that i didn't damage. My mate who did electrical engineering told me I should be ok. 9v DC shouldn't damage something that takes in 9v AC. I'll know tomara...

 

[A Gruesome Discovery]

My biggest concern really is that i didn't damage. My mate who did electrical engineering told me I should be ok. 9v DC shouldn't damage something that takes in 9v AC. I'll know tomara...

Yeah, if it still worked and was just super-noisy I wouldn't lose sleep over it. You could have just been hearing the 50-cycle hum, which the American supply wouldn't have filtered out (60Hz here). Just be sure you match not only the 9V, but also whatever the current is (amps or milli-amps), because "9V isn't that much" is only half the story; high current, even over a lowly 9V, could mess that thing up something awful.

 

[Andy Sneap]

you wont have damaged it, not with a 110 9v, it'll just be underpowered. just get a 9v with same ma and correct +- and you'll be rockin.

 

[dabhoys]

you wont have damaged it, not with a 110 9v, it'll just be underpowered. just get a 9v with same ma and correct +- and you'll be rockin.

Excellent so I'll be able to get some rockin drum sounds from it very soon

Thanks for all your help guys, tis much appreciated

 

[dabhoys]

I got a proper power supply today for the Alesis and it worked perfectly A happy end to this tragic story...

 

[Nitronium Blood]

I got a proper power supply today for the Alesis and it worked perfectly A happy end to this tragic story...

HOORAH!