note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

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canefire
Posts: 311
Joined: 16:12, 15 November 2004
Location: silver spring, MD

note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by canefire »

I was starting to get interested in the sonic cell and I think it is an interesting concept. I was very close to buying one and then I asked about the connection to output. IT has unbalanced outs.
I have behringer Truth monitors and they definitely need balanced cables as the "hummm" and "wrrrrrrr" from even the shortest unbalanced cables is annoying.
I do not understand why any company making pro gear still uses unbalanced.
If the sales rep was wrong please let me know. But now I am back thiinking about adding a fantom xr instead of the sonic cell.
In case anyone cared...
Thanks,
Canefire
javaj_
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Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by javaj_ »

Correct- this is true. Why they didn't offer it- who knows- but a lot of gear still uses unbalanced. I guess they figure everyone is going to go out to a DI box anyways for live work and don't really need it for home studio work.
I would have loved to have it- but I can live - my past keyboards were all unbalanced so I am no worse for wear.
Megakazbek
Posts: 10
Joined: 18:52, 2 April 2008

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by Megakazbek »

You're probably incorrectly interconnecting unbalanced and balanced equipment (you can find lots of information in Google on how to properly connect unbalanced source to balanced input) or just have a bad cable. Generally, unbalanced outputs shouldn't cause any problems with fairly short (a few meters) cables.
By the way, in the studio you can connect SonicCell digitally to your computer via USB and completely avoid any possible audio quality losses.
canefire
Posts: 311
Joined: 16:12, 15 November 2004
Location: silver spring, MD

sonic cell it will be.

Post by canefire »

Okay so now I want to buy the sonic cell again. I have a fantom S88 and I am thinking that I want to get the few different waves that the Fantom G and the sonic cell share.
I am on the lookout for a used one on ebay or craigslist. I will definitely use the digital out now that you mention it Mega.
The guy at guitar center says many people keep bringing the sonic cell back after a week. They also do not talk it up well.
Another thing I noticed at guitar center is that the fantom xr and the fantom x6 are also the same price once you factor in the rebate.
Thanks,
Ian
keysme
Posts: 592
Joined: 21:10, 15 March 2008

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by keysme »

That is incorrect when saying that the audio connections of the Sonic Cell are unbalanced! The Sonic Cell has "balanced" connections i.e. both the Input and Output connections are balanced. Page 17 and page 40 of the Sonic Cell Manual clearly states that the Sonic Cell has "balanced" connections i.e. both XLR and 1/4".

When connecting other devices to the Sonic Cell's Inputs (depending on what type of device you connect) the cable for some devices you connect can be either balanced or unbalanced TRS/TS, XLR; and some devices have to be unbalanced type; again, depending on what kind of device you connect e.g., Guitar, Mic, etc.

Unless I am missing something and the Sonic Cell Manual is giving false information, (and in which case Roland should be chastised for doing so), but if the Manual is correct then my presumption is the connections are indeed balanced.

Don't believe every thing people tell you. Search out the answers for yourself to see if they are really correct or not.

Now it can also be said: Don't believe everything you read too. ;) So if the Sonic Cell Manual if giving false information when it says the audio connections are "balanced", then Roland needs to be reprimanded for doing so, if indeed it is incorrect. But my instincts tell me to accept what the Manual says, since it was produced by the company who makes the Sonic Cell i.e. Roland Corp., instead of some sales rep at Guitar Center. ;)
jef_citron
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Joined: 14:27, 14 July 2005
Location: France

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by jef_citron »

according my manual, only the mic input (TRS and XLR) is balanced the others connections are unbalanced
javaj_
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Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by javaj_ »

Jef- you are correct. I originally thought it would have been balanced like the Fantoms but discovered only the combo jack was balanced.
again- no issue for me and my use.
keysme
Posts: 592
Joined: 21:10, 15 March 2008

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by keysme »

according my manual, only the mic input (TRS and XLR) is balanced the others connections are unbalanced
After re-reading page 17 of my manual I see that the Line (R) IN is unbalanced. It was an oversight by me and I apologize. But I am still questioning whether the Outputs are unbalanced. No where in the Manual that I could see does it say that the Outputs i.e. (R, L/MONO) are unbalanced, correct? Unless javaj called Roland Tech and they told him the outputs are indeed unbalanced? ;) Here is my quibble with the notion that the outputs are unbalanced. First of all I can't find anything in the manual that says the outputs are unbalanced. Second, the manual specifically states that the Sonic Cell HAS "balanced" connections i.e. XLR/1/4". Thirdly, I have my Sonic Cell outputs connected to a Mackie Mixer using Mogami "balanced" i.e. TRS cables with the Output Gain on my Sonic Cell at +4dB gain in the System Menu and the sound is INCREDIBLE!!! No distortion, NO HUM, NO problem! So I ask the naysayers, what makes you so sure the Sonic Cell "Outputs" are unbalanced??? Unless as I said you called Roland Tech and you heard it from the horses mouth.. ;) You would think that Roland would have specifically said so in the Manual though if the Outputs were unbalanced.

PS: On page 17 of the Manual where it lists the connector types (what they accept) for Line, Guitar, MIC, i.e. balanced or unbalanced, it is referring to and talking about only the INPUTS correct? I wish Roland would have made it a little plainer in the Manual about the Outputs. The Specifications page of the Sonic Cell manual doesn't list Inputs or Outputs as either balanced or unbalanced either. :( I might have to give Roland Tech a buzz myself to clear this up once and for all. But since my "balanced" Mogami cables are doing the trick regarding my Sonic Cell's Outputs it may be that the Outputs on the Sonic Cell can accept "either" balanced or unbalanced cables perhaps??
canefire
Posts: 311
Joined: 16:12, 15 November 2004
Location: silver spring, MD

sound quality

Post by canefire »

What is important is whether it sounds good or not. All of you seem to say that the output is great. That is what matters most to me at least.
I definitely noticed a difference when I began using TRS 1/4 cables from my fantom to my digital mixer. THe fantom sounded better. Supposedly sticking TRS cables into an unbalanced plug isn't supposed to do anything different.
I am still gonna get a sonic cell since I found out it has a good amount of Fantom G waves. Cheap way of upgrading my fantom S88.
Cheers,
Ian
javaj_
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Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by javaj_ »

OK, that is it- I am going to email Roland tech support and get the final word on this. I would love to be wrong on this- I really would. I will post what I find out (might be a few weeks).

[edit]
Roland.com shows the following specs
Nominal Output Level Output jacks: -10 dBu
Correct me if I am wrong- isn't that unbalanced?
canefire
Posts: 311
Joined: 16:12, 15 November 2004
Location: silver spring, MD

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by canefire »

It has a USB if that is what you mean by digital. It does not have optical or the regular digital in out.
Either way I bought the sonic cell and I am in heaven with it. Especially since I got it used for cheap.
I record into a Roland VS-2000cd and it sounds great. I layer so many of my sounds so I hardly am getting just one straight sound out of any one of my pieces of gear.
Using the Sonic cell with a laptop is easy. I find that having the roland fantom S is great because when I tweak the knobs they all correspond with the sonic cell.
Check me out on You Tube... Ian Canefire
Peace
IAn
royce
Posts: 4
Joined: 05:11, 13 November 2010

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by royce »

I use an SM Pro DI4V to balance the audio outs and record back into the sequencer, so it works but would have been nice were roland to have a digital output but hey, it's about writing music
rcraven
Posts: 629
Joined: 14:36, 9 September 2007
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: note - people thinking of buying the Sonic Cell

Post by rcraven »

"Roland.com shows the following specs
Nominal Output Level Output jacks: -10 dBu
Correct me if I am wrong- isn't that unbalanced? "

Javaj - 10dBu is just the voltage output, in this case consumer level
Balanced has 3 pins - think Cannon plug, but with a jack it is tip,ring and sleeve.
Positive, negative and ground.
You can have balanced -10dBu.
Besides the output can be boosted +12db so you can have 0dB even if you can't have the pro +6dBu.

So we still don't know if it is balanced.

It should only need to be balanced for long cable runs or in electrically noisy environments - motors, dimmer racks etc.
I haven't had any trouble in my studio., but it was designed to take on the road.

I did have some trouble with a USB lead that was causing a small amount of digital noise in the audio.
I also found that if you plug the SC into a USB hub you also get digital noise in the audio.

All the best

Royce (yea spooky isn't it??)
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