Roland Prelude questions

[spydox]

Hi team,

I have a Roland Prelude which I think is a very rare keyboard, since I see almost no info on it anywhere.

My question is, can I turn off the internal speakers? The volume control ALSO controls volume to LINE OUT, and I only want to use the LINE OUT , not the internal speakers. I've read the manual front to back, and unless I missed it, they cannot be disabled. Seems like a major performance flaw.

As a follow-up, assuming the answer is no, how can I open the case to add a physical switch to the speakers? That's my next step if I can't control them.

TYVM

 

[goldi5210]

I found a note about turning off the internal speakers:
PHONES 1 & 2 socketsThis is where you can connect two pairs of optional
headphones (Roland RH-25, RH-50, RH-200 or RH-300).
Doing so will switch off the internal speakers.

I can't say whether this also has an effect on external speakers, since I don't have a Prelude.

 

[vincesssssss]

I have the same exact keyboard but my speakers arent working at all. I am getting power to the keyboard but audio jack and speakers wont work. I dont think I have the right power cord but it fits and it is getting power. I dont know what to do to get it to work it has been over 3 years since I have played/touched it. It worked fine before. I NEEED HELP

 

[TedS]

The Prelude is an odd duck. I don't believe that it was developed or programmed by Roland Europe (Roland's usual Arranger team.) I think it might have been developed by the Synth division out of Japan, right alongside the equally-odd GW-8. Although the GW-8 was branded a "synth", it has almost exactly the same feature set and menu structure as the Prelude--sans speakers! I'm not sure that the Prelude was "rare", but it was only on sale for a year or two before it was preempted by the mid-range BK-5 "backing keyboard" with a more traditional arranger feature set (although you had to step up to the 76-key BK-9 to get a full sequencer.)

Vince, please double-check that you're using a power supply with the correct voltage and polarity. You may "zap" something by using the wrong one! I try to plug my keyboards into an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) whenever possible. Over time, "spikes", lightning storms, brown-outs etc., take a toll on integrated circuits and electronic components. If the amplifier is blown, it would have to be replaced by someone qualified in electronics repair.

If you search around on the Web, you might be lucky enough to find your keyboard's "service manual." (Usually these are only shared with registered Roland techs.) If you find one, it will tell you how to run a self-test, perhaps by holding certain buttons down at power-up. The keyboard will scan its own circuitry and display error codes that provide clues to the failure. If you contact Roland Support, they tell you how to run a self-test.

Unfortunately the Prelude now 15 yrs old and repair parts could be very hard to find. Given its short production run, you have to hope that the amplifier circuit was used in other Roland models. Otherwise, your board will be relegated to the role of "silent slab," i.e., a MIDI controller. (Does it still output MIDI?) Perhaps time for a used BK-5 or a new E-A7?

 

[vincesssssss]

The Prelude is an odd duck. I don't believe that it was developed or programmed by Roland Europe (Roland's usual Arranger team.) I think it might have been developed by the Synth division out of Japan, right alongside the equally-odd GW-8. Although the GW-8 was branded a "synth", it has almost exactly the same feature set and menu structure as the Prelude--sans speakers! I'm not sure that the Prelude was "rare", but it was only on sale for a year or two before it was preempted by the mid-range BK-5 "backing keyboard" with a more traditional arranger feature set (although you had to step up to the 76-key BK-9 to get a full sequencer.)

Vince, please double-check that you're using a power supply with the correct voltage and polarity. You may "zap" something by using the wrong one! I try to plug my keyboards into an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) whenever possible. Over time, "spikes", lightning storms, brown-outs etc., take a toll on integrated circuits and electronic components. If the amplifier is blown, it would have to be replaced by someone qualified in electronics repair.

If you search around on the Web, you might be lucky enough to find your keyboard's "service manual." (Usually these are only shared with registered Roland techs.) If you find one, it will tell you how to run a self-test, perhaps by holding certain buttons down at power-up. The keyboard will scan its own circuitry and display error codes that provide clues to the failure. If you contact Roland Support, they tell you how to run a self-test.

Unfortunately the Prelude now 15 yrs old and repair parts could be very hard to find. Given its short production run, you have to hope that the amplifier circuit was used in other Roland models. Otherwise, your board will be relegated to the role of "silent slab," i.e., a MIDI controller. (Does it still output MIDI?) Perhaps time for a used BK-5 or a new E-A7?

Thank you very much I am going to look into a real power cord on amazon. Then I will try to run a self test.

THANK YOUUUU SO MUCH