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  #1  
Old 04-16-2017, 06:24 PM
bhilton bhilton is offline
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Default K&K Trinity with Solstice problem: any suggestions?

Hi folks,

I recently installed a K&K Trinity Solo Mini in my Goodall and tried connecting it to a D-Tar Solstice that I have owned for several years. I have used the Solstice with a dual-source K&K/Sunrise without any issues.

I used a TRS cable into channel 1 of the Solstice and enabled phantom power on Channel 1, which sends phantom power to the ring of the TRS cable per the Solstice manual.

The K&K transducers sound fine, but the mic generates no audio signal. Instead, the 2nd channel of the Solstice generates a very loud hissing sound if I turn up the volume at all for the mic.

The Trinity came pre-wired by K&K - I simply installed it as it came from their factory.

Based on this behavior, does anyone have a suggestion as to where the problem might be? There are 3 possible culprits I can think of:

1) Bad wiring at the end-pin jack
2) Bad microphone
3) The Solstice has a problem

If anyone has an idea for how to isolate the source of the problem or has seen anything like this before, I would be grateful.

Thanks!
-Brad
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  #2  
Old 04-17-2017, 07:35 AM
Mobilemike Mobilemike is offline
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You have to enable phantom power on channel 2, not channel 1.

The Solstice will automatically route the ring from your TRS cable to channel 2, so enabling phantom on channel 1 only sends phantom to the Pure Mini, not the mic.

-Mike
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  #3  
Old 04-17-2017, 09:12 PM
bhilton bhilton is offline
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Thank you for the note, Mike. I had tried all combinations of the phantom switches before sending the original post, but went ahead and disabled phantom on channel 1 and enabled it on channel 2. With this configuration, channel 2 is completely silent. If I turn up the volume all the way I start to hear a faint hissing, but there is no mic audio coming through. The transducers continued to work just fine through channel 1.

I'm trying to decide whether to purchase the Trinity Preamp or a replacement mic to try to root cause the issue, but I have no idea if either will fix the problem.

-Brad

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mobilemike View Post
You have to enable phantom power on channel 2, not channel 1.

The Solstice will automatically route the ring from your TRS cable to channel 2, so enabling phantom on channel 1 only sends phantom to the Pure Mini, not the mic.

-Mike
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Old 04-17-2017, 10:43 PM
Mobilemike Mobilemike is offline
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Hmm that is weird. If I were troubleshooting the next steps I take would be:

Plug the guitar into channel 2 with a regular TS cable (a normal, mono, guitar cable). This will just send the signal from the Pure Mini and ignore the mic. This will just verify that you have channel 2 set up correctly to pass audio, and that channel 2 is working ok.

If you can hear the Pure Mini through both channels of the Solstice, it is unlikely that the preamp is the problem. At that point I would try a different TRS cable into channel 1, in case the cable is broken or wired wrong.

-Mike
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  #5  
Old 04-18-2017, 10:12 PM
bhilton bhilton is offline
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Thanks again, Mike - I appreciate your help!

I tried swapping cables (same problem) and also using the 2nd channel of the Solstice with the Pure Mini (mini worked fine). This leads me to believe the problem is either with the wiring of the end-pin jack or the mic is faulty. I'll start by examining the jack wiring job to make sure K&K didn't make an obvious mistake. Then perhaps I'll have to purchase a replacement mic if that doesn't solve it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Mobilemike View Post
Hmm that is weird. If I were troubleshooting the next steps I take would be:

Plug the guitar into channel 2 with a regular TS cable (a normal, mono, guitar cable). This will just send the signal from the Pure Mini and ignore the mic. This will just verify that you have channel 2 set up correctly to pass audio, and that channel 2 is working ok.

If you can hear the Pure Mini through both channels of the Solstice, it is unlikely that the preamp is the problem. At that point I would try a different TRS cable into channel 1, in case the cable is broken or wired wrong.

-Mike
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  #6  
Old 04-19-2017, 08:36 AM
Mobilemike Mobilemike is offline
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Bummer.

You should get in touch with K&K and ask their advice too. They will definitely take care of you if the pickup is faulty.

-Mike
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  #7  
Old 04-19-2017, 09:05 AM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bhilton View Post
Thanks again, Mike - I appreciate your help!

I tried swapping cables (same problem) and also using the 2nd channel of the Solstice with the Pure Mini (mini worked fine). This leads me to believe the problem is either with the wiring of the end-pin jack or the mic is faulty. I'll start by examining the jack wiring job to make sure K&K didn't make an obvious mistake. Then perhaps I'll have to purchase a replacement mic if that doesn't solve it.
Before getting a new mic you should do more testing. Although your internal mic could be faulty, the phantom power circuit on the Solstice could be faulty. Either test the mic with another dual source preamp designed to handle internal condenser mics, or try another guitar with an internal mic (known to work) with the Solstice. Either will further isolate your problem.

You could also test the Solstice's phantom power circuit with an Ohm meter by pluging in a TRS cable and testing the ring and ground contacts on the cable. Voltage should appear there if the Solstice is working properly.
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Old 04-20-2017, 07:12 AM
varmonter varmonter is offline
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Not sure if this would work.but if you took a y cable
And plugged it into your guitar you could split the
Signal and choose which channel on the solstice
You wanted the mic to go to.
Does the solstice supply phantom to a 1/4 inch jack?
Or only to xlr??

Last edited by varmonter; 04-20-2017 at 07:21 AM.
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  #9  
Old 04-20-2017, 08:24 AM
bhilton bhilton is offline
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Thanks for the suggestions folks!

I did try a y cable and no combination of channels to cables allowed the mic to work. I should mention that phantom power works fine with an external mic connected via xlr.

I'll try an Ohm meter before spending more money on a replacement mic, that's a great tip.
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  #10  
Old 04-20-2017, 01:09 PM
Shoreline Music Shoreline Music is offline
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I received confirmaton today that K&K has begun installing a protective device in the mic capsule of the Trinity to prevent non-K&K preamps from frying the mic.

So THAT is why it's not working (and also why the current Trinity Solo won't work with other non-K&K preamps).
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  #11  
Old 04-20-2017, 02:17 PM
Mobilemike Mobilemike is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoreline Music View Post
I received confirmaton today that K&K has begun installing a protective device in the mic capsule of the Trinity to prevent non-K&K preamps from frying the mic.

So THAT is why it's not working (and also why the current Trinity Solo won't work with other non-K&K preamps).
Whoa so... wait, what? The Trinity mic will only work with K&K preamps now?

If that's the case that means I won't be buying any more Trinity systems I guess.

-Mike
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  #12  
Old 04-20-2017, 02:37 PM
bhilton bhilton is offline
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John, thanks so much for sharing this. It's very disappointing but also helps me stop spinning my wheels trying to debug the situation. I'm really surprised that K&K would do this.

I think I need to start a new forum thread now: K&K mic alternatives. All of the other mic options that I've researched are no longer manufactured.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoreline Music View Post
I received confirmaton today that K&K has begun installing a protective device in the mic capsule of the Trinity to prevent non-K&K preamps from frying the mic.

So THAT is why it's not working (and also why the current Trinity Solo won't work with other non-K&K preamps).
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  #13  
Old 04-20-2017, 04:28 PM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoreline Music View Post
I received confirmaton today that K&K has begun installing a protective device in the mic capsule of the Trinity to prevent non-K&K preamps from frying the mic.

So THAT is why it's not working (and also why the current Trinity Solo won't work with other non-K&K preamps).
Hi SM

Now, that's the pits…



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  #14  
Old 05-01-2017, 10:15 PM
bhilton bhilton is offline
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For anyone that finds this thread, I thought I'd post an update:

I replaced the Trinity mic with a DPA 4061 that I found used on ebay and it works perfectly through my D-Tar Solstice. The soldering was a bit tricky due to the thin wire that the DPA comes with, but the sound is excellent. An unexpected, but pleasant end to this journey. Well, the quest for perfect amplified tone always continues, but this brings an end to this chapter at least.
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Old 05-01-2017, 10:34 PM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bhilton View Post
For anyone that finds this thread, I thought I'd post an update:

I replaced the Trinity mic with a DPA 4061 that I found used on ebay and it works perfectly through my D-Tar Solstice. The soldering was a bit tricky due to the thin wire that the DPA comes with, but the sound is excellent. An unexpected, but pleasant end to this journey. Well, the quest for perfect amplified tone always continues, but this brings an end to this chapter at least.
Hi bh

Thanks for the update, and congratulations on the successful internal mic installation!



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