Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

[BowieLives]

Hello! After reading all about it here, I replaced the infamous 2 Bad Caps in my Emu 1820m soundcard, which was working okay before the cap replacement. Now it does not show ANY power signs at all. Could the new caps be the wrong kind, bad or is it my crappy ugly soldering?

I replaced the exact two caps everyone else does with success. As seen in the picture here:
http://productionforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=13240

They WERE BULGING, but still working, with static. The bad caps I pulled were G-Luxon, 10Vdc 680uF, 105c, LZ. To replace them, I installed Nichicon -- 1000UF 1000mfd 25V Electrolytic Capacitor 105c.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271408068601...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Shouldn't they work in theory? I followed ALL the advice. Everyone says it's okay to up the UF a little and volts a little, but not over 25v. Before I yank and jiggle and pray, any advice is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you very much!

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Hello! After reading all about it here, I replaced the infamous 2 Bad Caps in my Emu 1820m soundcard, which was working okay before the cap replacement. Now it does not show ANY power signs at all. Could the new caps be the wrong kind, bad or is it my crappy ugly soldering?

I replaced the exact two caps everyone else does with success. As seen in the picture here:
http://productionforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=13240

They WERE BULGING, but still working, with static. The bad caps I pulled were G-Luxon, 10Vdc 680uF, 105c, LZ. To replace them, I installed Nichicon -- 1000UF 1000mfd 25V Electrolytic Capacitor 105c.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271408068601...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Shouldn't they work in theory? I followed ALL the advice. Everyone says it's okay to up the UF a little and volts a little, but not over 25v. Before I yank and jiggle and pray, any advice is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you very much!

I just realized I had disabled the device in Win7 Device Manager. Once re-enabled, the lights and power are ON! Now...I presume it will work at full function. I'll post an update, but I think the 'ol replace the 2 bulging caps is once again a viable wonderful way to keep these babies, which can't be replaced for under 700.00, going for another 10 years :-) Thank you all!

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

ALL PROBLEMS ARE GONE!!!! No lost gain on the front mic preamps, no more sound spikes, popping, cracking, exclamation point on the Emu icon - two caps is all it took!!! I just cannot believe this!! I suffered through degraded performance for years, occasionally reading about others who replaced their caps. When I first tried, 24 hours ago, with a 35w radio shack soldering iron - IT WAS A NIGHTMARE. I just could not melt the solder, nothing happened and I was discouraged and calling electric repair shops. Then I saw a 140 watt weller 8200 soldering gun in the garage. But it worked intermittently - when would it end!!? But then I tightened the screw tips on this orange gun and now it was working and how! It would melt solder within 4 seconds of pulling the trigger and touching the solder! WHOOPIE!!! Well, after I learned to TIN THE TIP. This helps a lot. And keep a big wet sponge, or in my case, I wrapped a very wet washcloth around a brick. You learn the right blend of wiping away excess and lots of little tricks become self evident.

But I had no solder sucker or wick. So I tried using copper monster speaker wire of the many strand kind but without flux, it was of negligible value in pulling solder out of the holes on my test runs. I found a tiny safety pin - PERFECT. I would heat from the bottom side and push the pin in through the top. Once heated, it would go through.

Just so newbies know - when the solder/hole is heated right - EVERYTHING FALLS THROUGH - be it caps or saftey pins. If it's not moving, there's simply not enough heat in the solder. DO NOT WASTE your time on soldering irons below 100/140 watts. That's my shoot from the hip advice. I didn't test a 65w iron, but why bother when the 140 does it so fast? A gun is the way to go. The hardest part for me was leaving that minimal bit of solder precisely where needed. My solder beads are only slightly smaller than basketballs. Don't be that way.

Also, CLIP those longish legs on the capacitors. I had little room and the long wires (which I had shortened but not enough) and the solder made little pointy high obstacles that just might touch the metal container into which the emu board lives. I recommend cutting the capacitor legs to 1/2 centimeter, half a bb in size: enough to make a good connection with the metal pad, but no more than that.

I know nothing of course. But that's my first time soldering experience! Nothing is more satisfying than overcoming a seemingly insurmountable task and everything working like silk in the end - so go ahead and change your caps already :-)
God bless!!! Love - http://VeganGod.org <3

[Rob Northen]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

The items in the ebay listing you posted, clearly show FAKE parts. You should never, ever buy parts from ebay

[ReeceyBurger123]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Yeah you have brought FAKE nichicons

[michael dranfield]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Yeah you have brought FAKE nichicons

Too right , I once had some fake nichicons and I fitted 2 into a DVD player,the guy brought it back 3 days later with the same fault and the 2 caps I had fitted had gassed up , in only 3 days !!!!!

[R_J]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

It looks like the ones in the picture from that seller are already leaking

[Khron]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

The one reliable source of genuine japanese electrolytics on eBay would be the user egekecu I had seen him recommended around here before, and i've ordered stuff 2-3 times from him in the past few years. Surprisingly fast shipping, might i add

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

The items in the ebay listing you posted, clearly show FAKE parts. You should never, ever buy parts from ebay

Well, I looked at his ratings and he has sold thousands and still has a near 100% feedback. I figured, how could these be bad parts? They work..but...are you sure they are fakes? And what is the consequence of that do you think? Will my audio quality or recordings suffer? I had only a few dollars to spend on a gift card.

Somethings, are faked very well...digital watches for instance. So could it be that this kind of product is so basic or well known or machined easily to spec, that their is no real down side in this particular instance?

Someone said that these caps are more responsible for POWER and do not effect sound at all, compared to the other caps which are less about power and more related to sonic quality? Apparently people cheap caps here and more hi-fi in other places?

But, you guys are the experts! To what horrid fate have I just foolishly consigned myself?

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

The one reliable source of genuine japanese electrolytics on eBay would be the user egekecu I had seen him recommended around here before, and i've ordered stuff 2-3 times from him in the past few years. Surprisingly fast shipping, might i add

Now this is useful info! What would be the most reasonable replacements for these particular caps? As I mentioned, some say they are not sound-critical, but are only for the main power regulation, which is a binary proposition? It either works or doesn't?

I looked ALL OVER for various cap recommendation. In the end, it seemed almost any caps which met the specs would be fine if not unnoticeable in this particular slot on this Emu PCB.

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Did some checking: the caps I received appear to be this exact type:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...nuHpeEog%3d%3d

And this is an authorized dealer selling them for .67 cents each. The Ebay price is similar. What makes you so sure they are fakes? And would those obtained from the mouser site likely be authentic?

[Rob Northen]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Did some checking: the caps I received appear to be this exact type:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...nuHpeEog%3d%3d

And this is an authorized dealer selling them for .67 cents each. The Ebay price is similar. What makes you so sure they are fakes? And would those obtained from the mouser site likely be authentic?

Yes, Mouser is fine. The rubber bungs shows they are fakes. At best, you will loose audio quality, at worst, ripple will kill other components.

[Rob Northen]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

And you should not just use any cap. Find specs of old one and match spes with a new QUALITY one.

[ReeceyBurger123]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Too right , I once had some fake nichicons and I fitted 2 into a DVD player,the guy brought it back 3 days later with the same fault and the 2 caps I had fitted had gassed up , in only 3 days !!!!!

Hmm what happened when you replace them again sure the caps were just the issue ?

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Hmm what happened when you replace them again sure the caps were just the issue ?

Over the past 2 days, I replaced TWO 1820 sets of caps. One was an 1820 non-M, the other an 1820m. The 1820 had noise spikes on first one channel, then two then all. But it would warm up and work intermittently. Now it works like new.

On the 1820m, I had HEART FAILURE. When last I used it, it was just noise spikes, like the other. But when I turned it back on just now - ALL HARDWARE inputs, save for the adats and spdif were GONE. The Patchmix said, "You don't have sufficient hardware..." That was a new and more serious error. Apparently just in storage, the caps had gotten worse...or so I thought.

What scared me was when I opened the 1820m - NO CAPS LOOKED BAD. I thought, crap, WHO KNOWS what the issue is. The typical two looked great, not even a hint of bulge or seepage. Still, I forged ahead and replaced them, just like the other.

ALL IS WORKING LIKE NEW NOW. On both units. Apparently, these two caps are THE MAJOR ISSUE and only issue, for me for the last 10 years.

Now, if these are poor fakes, that's very bad news IF they fail soon (hassle) or if they explode or, as some have suggested, ripple other components into hi-fi oblivion.

But for now, they both went from unworking to working units. Sound great, record great and the channels are dead quiet. I could not ask for more...so far.

I read a good article entitled, "HOW TO SPOT CAP FAKES," or something like that. One criterion was inconsistency and shoddy workmanship. All 10 caps are dead clones, finished like a Porsche paint job and visually stunning. I looked at a few tear-down photos of capacitors. They look very simple. So, I'm hoping these are well built simple little machines. I suppose time will tell. If you walk by my house and I'm burning inside, because the caps caught fire....

...put me out?

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

And you should not just use any cap. Find specs of old one and match spes with a new QUALITY one.

I would have loved to have purchased Hi-Fi, but was limited to the modest sum on a gift card. Besides, many have said in other threads that THESE TWO CAPS do not impact sound. Other caps on this PCB are the major players for sound quality. One consensus says upgrade other caps with hi-fi, but these just need to work, nothing more or less and that they were not candidates for upgrade so get the cheapest working replacement.

I never cheap out on stuff like this, but in this case, I didn't have any extra to spend and, if the stuff I read was correct, buying higher quality would be money wasted, save for any longevity issues.

The rubber bunge is the black bottom enclosure face? That's what makes them fakes? I hope they last: without a solder sucker, the whole process was rather time consuming, with my fastest being the last: 1.3 hours. Pulling them was hard, cleaning the holes was hard, but putting them in was painless. I've become an expert at soldering safety pins into the holes trying to clean them :-)

[michael dranfield]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Hmm what happened when you replace them again sure the caps were just the issue ?

That was over a year ago , never came back when I used ones from Farnell Panasonic FC range.

[michael dranfield]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Well, I looked at his ratings and he has sold thousands and still has a near 100% feedback. I figured, how could these be bad parts? They work..but...are you sure they are fakes? And what is the consequence of that do you think? Will my audio quality or recordings suffer? I had only a few dollars to spend on a gift card.

Somethings, are faked very well...digital watches for instance. So could it be that this kind of product is so basic or well known or machined easily to spec, that their is no real down side in this particular instance?

Someone said that these caps are more responsible for POWER and do not effect sound at all, compared to the other caps which are less about power and more related to sonic quality? Apparently people cheap caps here and more hi-fi in other places?

But, you guys are the experts! To what horrid fate have I just foolishly consigned myself?

Just look them up on the Nichicon website if you are in doubt, the ones I had were green in colour and the range was not even listed on the nichicon site.a sure sign of a fake.

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Just look them up on the Nichicon website if you are in doubt, the ones I had were green in colour and the range was not even listed on the nichicon site.a sure sign of a fake.

I did :-) They have the exact same name, range and appearance as Nichicons listed on Mouser. You may be right about them being fakes. You would know better than I. I'll try to post back with how long and well these work. Thank you very much for your kind help! Love:
http://VeganGod.org † http://ZooSadism.com
"Is the end in sight?"

[BowieLives]

Re: Replaced Caps in Emu 1820 but No POWER

Many uninstall their drivers for the Emu 1820 not realizing they can fix them with cap replacement. Reinstalling things CAN BE A NIGHTMARE. I hope my journal of my experience and final success helps people make music with their precious Emu 1820's.

I have used Reaper and various 1820m 1820 rigs with it for years on XP and then Win7 without BSODs - UNTIL I tried using the latest Win7 Beta Drivers after replacing the bad capacitors. You know, the usual two bad caps infamously blamed in many articles.

Emu 1820M Diary and Log

Reaper ha10kx2k.sys BSODs all the time... - Cockos Confederated Forums
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=135850

After replacing my bad capacitors and upon attempting to reinstall the Emu 1820 drivers, I encountered the "you have previously installed drivers without rebooting" error. This is a DEAD STOP for installing the PCDrv Emu driver of any kind or version. I resolved this by using "Driver Sweeper." This is NOT one of those scam apps which attempt to bilk you out of large fees for fixing "errors" they find. This is open source freeware.

Driver Sweeper was written by a music guy who was tired of manually removing Creative Drivers (they make Emu stuff) and wrote a tiny app to do this automatically. If you are uninstalling Emu drivers - USE IT. http://www.guru3d.com/content-page/g...r-sweeper.html

If you get the "you have previously installed drivers without rebooting" error, it's because there are registry entries or temp files or some kind of flag IN YOUR Windows USER ACCOUNT PROFILE. To get around this, create a brand new Win7 Admin User account. (it might work with another existing account, but I got tired of too much trial and error) This user profile will NOT have the flags, files or registry entries (who knows what triggers the error) which caused the "previously installed drivers" error.

When logged into this account, perhaps even from Safe Mode, run Driver Sweeper and "Check the Creative - Sound box." (It will also clean Intel, ASUS sound, Nvidia, etc). Click analyze. It will show you the remnant leftovers from the Creative installs, whether for built in sound cards or the EMU cards. Hit the clean button to remove. If it asks you to reboot, don't do it from the app. But do reboot manually. App reboots are often trouble.

I also ran the registry and file parts of CCleaner before installing

Then I was able to install whatever Emu driver I liked BUT ONLY FROM THE NEWLY CREATED user account. This install of both the Emu driver and patchmix app are universal to all user accounts so when you log back into your usual account, things will be great.

=====So which Emu Drivers Worked without BSOD on Windows 7 64x?
I was running fine for a long time using the latest drivers for XP on Windows 7. Stable for me. But after my caps went bad in the 1820m and 1820, I tried installing the 1616M drivers, since some say they work and are the latest from Emu. But the "You don't have sufficient hardware" error occurred and all strips were !! "banged" out and non functional.

I did install 1616M once and it did work, but I think it was because the old XP working drivers were still in place and this is what gave the appearance of 1616m drivers working?

Using the combination of latest Win7 Beta drivers I got hangs, blue screen in Windows when starting and when closing Reaper DAW. The feature of the BSOD was ha10kx2k.sys.

Now I'm using a Win7 Beta SPECIAL COMBINATION:

From a website:

=====
E-MU 1820m works perfectly on Win7 x64.

BUT there is ONLY ONE combination of drivers and PatchMix working reliably:

EmuPMX_PCApp_L6_2_10_00.exe
EmuPMX_PCDrv_US_2_30_00_BETA.exe

[The above is what I'm using. It's the Patchmix app from the Vista set of drivers and the PCDrv from the Win7 Beta release.]

DO NOT install the following, and if you did, do a clean uninstall of them, before installing the right ones:

EmuPMX_PCApp_US_2_20_00.exe
EmuPMX_PCApp_??_2_20_00.exe
EmuPMX_PCDrv_US_2_30_00.exe
EmuPMX_PCDrv_??_2_30_00.exe and all older or newer ones, unless a release specifically for legacy cards comes up.
=======

This means latest Win7 Beta for driver but for the PatchMix the Vista version.

Everything is working great. Happy Capping!