Q:
My KB-800 has no model name on the front and says KB-800B / KB-800N / KB-800H
on the bottom. What does the B / N / H denote?
A:
KB-800s don't have the model name on the front, just on the name label
on the under side of the unit. There are 3 different models KB-800B, KB-800N
and KB-800H. The only difference between them is the shape of the power
jack, which must have been determined by region. The inbuilt power supply
itself is the same, there are selectors for 120V / 220V / 240V and they
can operate on either 50HZ or 60HZ. I have a KB-800N which has a
figure 8 connector, I don't know the connector type for the other models.
Q:
How do I put the mic signal through the Digital Effector (delay/echo/flanger)?
A:
The manual is not much help on this. On page 4 it tells you to see page
16 for instructions, go to page 16 and it tells you to see page 4!
The signal for the mic input if routed to the Solo Synthe pots. So to send
the mic signal to the Digital Effector use the FX send level the same as
you would for Solo Synthe. The stereo pan position will also effect the
position of the mic signal.
Q:
Can I put the ext input signal through the Digital Effector (delay/echo/flanger)?
A:
No you can't. However I have found putting line level signals into the
mic input works fine without distorting. Be careful though high level signals
could damage the KB-800. While I think it's unlikely, I wouldn't want to
guarantee it wont cause damage to the instrument in the long term.
Q:
Is there anyway to turn off the speakers when I have the KB running into
an amp or mixer?
A:
Yes, press and keep your finger on Memory then hit Key Split. To turn speakers
back on, do the same again.
Q:
Where can I get an instruction manual or service manual?
A:
Info about this can be found on the general
info page.
Q:
The standby light stays on when I turn the unit off. Should I unplug it
while not in use?
A:
The manual says to unplug it when not in use. So I wonder what the point
of having this stand by mode is? If I'm not going to use it again that
day I unplug it.
Q:
What is the replacement battery for the KE-10 Digital Composer cartridge?
A:
The service manual says it takes a lithium battery type 2032. In
a Dick Smith Electronics (an Australian
company) catalogue I found a battery that is referred to as type ECR2032,
I assume this is the same as type 2023. It is made by Energizer,
the Dick Smith catalogue number is S 3331.
Q:
What does the Guitar Strumboard do? How hard is it to find them?
A:
I've never had a chance to use one unfortunately. This
is what the manual has to say about them. As to how hard they are to find,
well all I can say is good luck!
Q:
Can I still get accessories or spare parts from JVC?
A:
The simple answer to this is probably not! I can only tell you about
my experience here is Australia. All JVC products, parts and accessories
in Australia are handled by Hagemeyer (Australasia) B.V. and have been
since at least 1983, before the KB series was released. I was fanatical
enough to actually call them and ask about spare parts and accessories.
Not surprisingly they didn't have anything. But who knows maybe if you
try in your country they'll have something in some dark corner of a store
room. Let me know if you uncover anything.
Q:
Can it be modded?
A:
Yes. I don't know much about electronics, but at the least there's
a bunch of trim pots in there that could be replaced with knobs.
These include filter depth for Orchestral Presets, Solo Synth and Bass,
2 for pitch, and 2 for the Effector. There are some mp3s of the Solo filter
being tweaked with a screw driver on the soundfiles
page.
-- Send it any sysx data, even just "F0 F7", and lights flash! Could this mean that the KB-800 does actually have some system exclusive (sysx) compatibility? Neither the user or service manual mention anything about sysx though. Interestingly the NS-70, a relative of the KB-800, does have some sysx compatibility, although I don't know if patch dumping, parameter change or what. JVC's sysx manufacturer ID is 48 in hexadecimal which converts to 72 in decimal.
--
In the version of the owner's manual that comes with the service manual
the specifications list is replaced with a special tip not included in
the normal owner's manual about using both melody tracks in the same song.
You can see it by clicking here.
-- Sometimes when a beat
is running and you change variations on the cartridge it'll "remember"
the changes and switch between the last two selected. It can actually
be pretty handy having it automatically change but I haven't worked out
what causes it to start doing this. Perhaps it is meant to do this
although the manual doesn't mention anything about it.