WOuld it be possible to replace the Mk1 connector with a retrofit of the Mk2 connector to the sled and unit?

This would:

- Possibly allow more control lines in the serial port?
- allow the use of the ISO connectors in the car harness

I do realise that the functionality offered in the Mk2 (headlamp dimmer input, phone mute, perm/switched power feed) are not handled by the hardware of the Mk1, so I would not expect these features to work. I also realise that there is a physical difference in the size of the connectors which would probably require an adaptor plate at both ends.

However, I appear to be experiencing reliability problems with the Mk1 connector, and for me this would be an attractive possibility.

Anyone see any reasons why this could/could not be done? Any benefits/drawbacks?

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

No, it's not possible.

The holes are in the wrong place, the mk1 has components heatsinked to the back panel (hence not enough room to fit it), different internal connectors, etc etc.

It'd be an easier task to replace the 16-way red range connector on the back of the mk1 with a 24-way one. This is a huge beast, but it's the same height, so you'd just have to widen the slot. If you're having problems with the connector, we have some spare internal harnesses (and maybe 1 or 2 spare external ones returned under warranty which could be checked & fixed) for the mk1. Ask Rob, we might be able to get something sent off to you.

Hugo

However, I appear to be experiencing reliability problems with the Mk1 connector, and for me this would be an attractive possibility.

Don't immediately assume that the problem is the connector!

Before leaving on my trip this week, I was having what I thought was trouble with the Mk1 connector. As I inserted the unit into the docking bay, I sometimes got some strange audio noise which sounded like ground loops and alternator whine. Odd, since I thought I'd solved all those problems in my installation.

As I pulled and pushed on the unit in the sleeve, the noise came and went. So I assumed it was just dirty or worn contacts in the connector. But cleaning the contacts didn't solve the problem, and they weren't visibly bent or worn. They looked like they should all be making perfect contact.

I spent several hours diagnosing the problem, disassembling my dash and tracing the fault. It turns out that the fault is within the player. I'm relatively sure of this, although I haven't solved the problem and I have yet to start messing with the player innards. So until I find the exact fault I can't be certain. But here's what I've got on it so far:

In-car connectors all have some "wiggle" designed into them (technical term). On my old Sony pullout CD player, the connector in the docking sleeve wiggled, on the Empeg, the connector in the Empeg itself does the wiggling.

I went to the trouble of unscrewing the back connector from the docking sleeve and plugging it directly into the Empeg. This allowed me to hear the noise problem with the Empeg sitting in my lap while still being plugged into the car, but without the metal docking frame getting in the way. I had already carefully ruled out wiring and grounding problems on my end at this point, and I was being extra-careful not to stress the wiring on the back of that conector since I know it's fragile.

As I gently wiggled the connector, the noise came and went, along with a scratching-crackling sound like the sound a loose ground wire might make. Note that the connector was plugged firmly into the Empeg's connector, so the wiggling was only moving the Empeg's inner connector and the wires which connect it to its componentry inside the unit.

I'm pretty sure that something inside the unit near the connector is loose or is scraping the drive tray or something. Today I'll open it and see if I can locate it. I'm not worried about invalidating the warranty or anything since I've already done that by putting in the second drive.

If anyone else has had similar experiences, let me know...

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Tony Fabris

I haven't experienced any problems, however I'm going to be taking mine apart
and applying loctite to all the bolts. The handle bolts keep vibrating out, so
I'm going check the internals as well. My install is not typical, I wouldn't
think this would be necessary when mounted in an average vehicle.

Alan

The handle bolts keep vibrating out, so I'm going check the internals as well. My install is not typical, I wouldn't think this would be necessary when mounted in an average vehicle.

No, it's typical. Everyone has been complaining about the handle bolts coming loose. Loctite is the correct solution.

I haven't had a problem with any internal bolts. My theory is that it's a loose internal wire that's causing my problems.

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Tony Fabris

I'm pretty sure that something inside the unit near the connector is loose or is scraping the drive tray or something. Today I'll open it and see if I can locate it.

Well, I didn't find any loose wires, but I think I've solved the problem. Here is what I think happened:

The second disk drive's IDE cable was pressing against the differential amplifier sub-board. The board was getting pushed down at a slight angle, and I don't think that's good for it. This alone wasn't enough to cause a problem, but the wires that run from the docking connector to the differential amplifier would move slightly as the unit was plugged and unplugged, exacerbating the problem and causing the noise. This also explains why I couldn't hear the problem through the in-home audio plugs, only the car plugs.

So I adjusted the IDE cable and re-kinked it in a different way so that it didn't rest against the differential amplifier board. The noise problem seems to be gone for now. Hopefully this fix will last in the long term.

To be fair, I'm the one that installed that second drive, so any problems that result from it are entirely my fault.

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Tony Fabris

I am pleased you have had a bit of success finding this. However, it leaves me far from happy. I have to confess this is exactly want I didn't want to hear; that the unit may have a problem. Although since the installation of my second drive it has been worse, I have had this "Crackle/Connector" thing for the better part of 9 months, on and off.

There was always a noticeable number of people complaining about noise/pickup/crackle in the early days. They went to great lengths to cut this down (even irrational lengths, to my mind) butnever managed to eliminate it. Is this the possible source of this problem?


One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

However, it leaves me far from happy. I have to confess this is exactly want I didn't want to hear; that the unit may have a problem.

Hmm, perhaps I made that post sound too dire. There was nothing wrong with the Empeg, the units don't have a problem. It was my IDE cable and the way I installed it that was the problem. Simply moving the cable made the problem go away.

The main issue is that the IDE cables are longer than they need to be (The one I installed was exactly the same dimensions as the original one), and you have to fold them a bit as you re-insert the drive tray. If you don't do this carefully, the cable can fold in such a way that it presses on other components.

This won't be an issue with the Mark2's, since they don't have any fragile daughterboards and there is only one IDE cable and it's factory-installed.

There was always a noticeable number of people complaining about noise/pickup/crackle in the early days. Is this the possible source of this problem?

Well, no, since the noise floor problems were all due to external grounding issues. In fact, as I was trying to trace the source of this last trouble, I discovered that one of my car amplifiers (the cheaper one, of course) was a big source of my ground-loop problems all along. I think most of the people having trouble were folks with multi-amp systems and there were multiple ground loops to deal with. 12-volt amplification is a bit of a black art.

Again, all solved with the Mark 2's, of course...

___________
Tony Fabris