I got given this synth a while ago (thats right for free!) in a non working state...when I turned it on it proclaimed on its little LCD "cng ram bat"..so thats what I did. I've had to do this on a couple of old bits of kit in my arsenal now and invariably when you find the ram backup battery it is soldered to the pcb via solder tags that are spot welded to the battery..no exception in this case (see pic below). It's sometimes hard to find the required battery with the solder tags welded on so most of the time a better option is to wire a small battery holder to the original pcb points that can hold a comparable battery.
So this battery is a cr2032 which is pretty common but I've still soldered in a battery holder so that in ten years time when I need to do this again I can just clip a battery in without breaking out the soldering iron. For those who may need to do this job in the future and stumble here...it's not immediately apparent where the ram battery is once you get the back off of this synth...this picture shows the board (big green tick) and the corner (green spot) where it is..you need to remove the six screws holding this board to the frame and I found I didn't have to undo all the connectors to the board just the one labelled "cnd1"..that allowed me to lift the board to a workable angle
That last pic shows how I attached a couple of short leads to the points where I'd removed the old battery and connected the new battery holder (actually one I'de scavenged from an old computer motherboard.. most of these use cr2032 to backup the bios ram in battery holders) I taped this into a little space I found so it wouldn't rattle and then put it all back together.
Then I've got nothing else done apart from playing around with it all afternoon! It's a great synth..people overlook them as they are interested in the DX7 which has 6 operators instead of the DX11's 4 but then the DX11 has 6 different waveforms available for each operator (the DX7 only has sin waves) so it's a pretty even match in my humble opinion and can with experimentation create some glorious digital fm goodness.
44 comments:
Thanks for that! I too have just been given a nonworking DX11 with the same Chng Ram Battery! message. I will try your fix out and see how it goes.
Glad it's of use..let me know if you are successful.
Today I followed the above instructions, with a slight difference: I left the old battery in, and I clamped the new battery holder onto the contacts of the old battery with mini-clips. So I did not have to solder on the DX11 board.
again...glad these instructions have been of use in reviving other dx's
Nice one, helped perfectly. I had a DX100 that needed the ram battery replacing, short trip to sainsbury's and a tiny tiny bit of soldering and it was sorted. Easy job really, I hadn't used a soldering iron since school, but it wasn't a problem, Just soldered wires on to the battery then onto the terminals.
Thanks a lot! I've done it and it worked! I didn't loose any of my data, because I kept the new battery always plugged in. Instead of a tape I used silicon to glue it to the board.
Nice one, it's really good to know this helped a few dx's back to life!
Thanks for this post! I have the same situation. Crossing my fingers I don't screw up the replacement cuz i'm horrible at soldering!
hope its worked out for you paris.
Thanks for this post - my DX11 now works a treat!
Only problem I had was after the installation of a new battery holder - no sound (at all). Other sites recommended a factory reset which solved the problem - switch off, then on, hold down 'edit', '16', & '32' and you get an invite to test mode, hit 'yes', message 'RAM check OK' brings comfort and general well being.
After that I agreed to everything (Test Load?, etc.) and eventually the unit froze (all predicted by the other sites - it's because you don't have the service engineers test cartridge). Turn off and on again, and all working perfectly.
Thnks for that comment Andrew, I wondered when I did mine if I'd have to factory reset but I didn't. Thanks for putting those details up though they'll be useful if anyone else reads this and needs to rest. Enjoy your DX11!
I made a small PCB with 2 paralel button cell holders so the RAM always has power when "1" cell is removed for replacement. I rapped the PCB in a section of rubber stock from a new bicycle inertube and used 2 small zip ties to keep it wrapped the n use a large zip to attach unit to cables left of main board . easy to do.
I made a small PCB with 2 paralel button cell holders so the RAM always has power when "1" cell is removed for replacement. I rapped the PCB in a section of rubber stock from a new bicycle inertube and used 2 small zip ties to keep it wrapped the n use a large zip to attach unit to cables left of main board . easy to do.
I made a small PCB with 2 paralel button cell holders so the RAM always has power when "1" cell is removed for replacement. I rapped the PCB in a section of rubber stock from a new bicycle inertube and used 2 small zip ties to keep it wrapped the n use a large zip to attach unit to cables left of main board . easy to do.
@LENZPOINT, yeah sounds like a great solution, old inner tubes are massively useful things I find. Its amazing how this post keeps getting picked up on!
i also just aquired a dx11 synth it is giving me this high pitch sound and yes the battery need to be changed. I am not familiar with soldering and not just cause i am a girl. Will the change of the battery take care of the high pitch? I was wondering about the cartridge I do not have one nor do i have a cassette player to load sound off the cassette that i just aquired as well. ANy Ideas
Where can i purchase the battery
Thank you in advance
Louisa
Hey louisa, sorry for the massive delay...firstly I would never resume you can't solder because you're a girl..soldering can be done by anyone male or female but everyone probably needs showing how by someone. Regarding your dx, the symptoms you describe can be cause by a run out ram battery...if you cant find the battery you could try an experiment by carefully attaching 2AA (1.5volt batterys) to the old ram battery using crocodile clips or something nd then trying your dx.....you need to make sure to close the dx up before turning it on but this could show you if its the rm battery roblem...if this cures it maybe you can find someone to show you how to solder and find a more permanent solution.
Where abouts in the world are you? if in the UK I can recomend a lot of places that would sell the battery but maybe your best bet is searching on ebay.
sorry that should read PRESUME in the first line, not RESUME!
Hi,
After changing the battery on my DX11
what keys do I need to press to set the factory sounds?
Regards
Ian
Hey Regi...sorry it's taken me soooo long to see your comment here man, thats really bad. I didn't have to do a factory reset but somebody else made this comment which has the required proccess in it a bit further up the page...
Thanks for this post - my DX11 now works a treat!
Only problem I had was after the installation of a new battery holder - no sound (at all). Other sites recommended a factory reset which solved the problem - switch off, then on, hold down 'edit', '16', & '32' and you get an invite to test mode, hit 'yes', message 'RAM check OK' brings comfort and general well being.
After that I agreed to everything (Test Load?, etc.) and eventually the unit froze (all predicted by the other sites - it's because you don't have the service engineers test cartridge). Turn off and on again, and all working perfectly.
Yamaha DX11 revival after Sleeping Beauty felt in a very long sleep.
Hi DX11-Fans,
2 days ago I took out my forgotten beauty out of the basement after 21 years.I turned the power on and it says:<> How are you ?
"Chng Ram Battery" . There was no sound on Voice-Bank A,B,C,D and no on the Internal Voice-Bank.
The Internal Voice-Bank shows funny signs like this:
I01 <- <-&<-$<-$<-<-$<-
I02 <- <-@<-<-@<-<-$<-
I03 <- &<-<-<-$<-<-&<-
....and so on until I32.
A little shock, no really life. I searched the www and found this great site and I began the revival.
I installed a new battery-holder with two wires ,soldered on the board,took a new CR2032 battery and screwed the DX11 together.
I turned the power ON ,
Error-Message (Chng Ram Battery)was not shown. No sound at all.
Now starting a reset :
> 1.Turn the power ON.
> 2.Press and hold the [EDIT] button, [16] button, [32] button.
> 3.Release the three buttons.
> 4.Test Entry? Press the [YES] button.
> 5.Turn the power OFF, wait a moment, and then back ON.
After that procedure the Voice-Banks A,B,C,D (all 1-32)are working.
Only the Internal-Voice-Bank 1-32
shows the funny signs and gives no sounds further on.
Was it broken ???
No. I have to switch the "Memory Protect"-Function to "OFF"with yes/no (on/off) buttons.
(Display shows "MEMORY PROTECT INT:OFF CRT:ON ")
I don't remember that after 21 years and without User-Manual by the hand.
Yeah, that's it
**** Sleeping Beauty is living ****
Thanks for all the Information, maybe is my description helpfull for other DX11 Fans.
Sorry, my english isn't the best.
Regards
Dietmar
1 March 2013 20:18 (MEZ) Germany
Dietmar, your english is great, thanks for the comment with so much detail. Really pleased you got your dx11 going again.
how to change yamaha dx11 sounds without using the cassette and configure to transfer information through the pc?? please help me!!
Just wanted to thank you and let you know that years later, your post is still helping folks get these little babies back in action. Battery swapped out (did the same thing you did - snagged a holder from a dud MB), re-init memory and off it went. Now if I could only find that copy of the Performance Bank I wrote out back in the 90's I'd be factory fresh. :-)
Thanx again for the post.
Brilliant...so proud that lots of these are being ressurected!
Just been given one of these sleepers. Will change the battery and see how she goes! Thanks for the tips.
Matthew
In a New Zealand high summer
Thank you! Another unit back in service...
Sorry for the delay in publishing your comment.. I am useless at checking! Thats BRILLIANT that another one is back in service.
Very useful information. It's helped me resurrect a DX-11 synth I've recently acquired, and needed the battery replaced.
As per other comments here, the factory Performance and Internal bank data is irretrievably lost, and searching the internet reveals that data is hard to find.
Fortunately, while doing a bit of clearing out, I found my old Atari ST, including an application I wrote when I originally owned one of these synths, to reset it to factory settings (including the Performance data).
I have uploaded the system exclusive dump files which I had as part of the application here: http://www.sysexdb.com/synth_detail.aspx?dv=105 (look for files 1937.syx to 1942.syx inclusive - they are all labelled appropriately). This should restore those elusive original performances.
Note: This does not restore the test program; if only I could come across one of these synths with it's original battery, so that the test program could be copied to a RAM cartridge (possible from within the test program itself, apparently).
That's brilliant work Wayne, I've moved my DX11 on to someone else now so can't try this for you.. I do love how many DX11's have been resurrected on here!
Hi, guys. This was very useful information. I just resurrected my dx11 as well but now it reboots itself every minute or so, without moving anything just by playing the keys. Any suggestions as to what could be causing this problem?
Yet another DX11 back to life. Thanks all.
No performance bank but that will hopefully lead me to making a few of my own !
I am just hoping the Midi stuff works; I realy just want to play my VST synths using this keyboard - the touch is much better than my newer 26 key controller.
Hi GreyBreard,
The Performance Bank can be found here: http://www.sysexdb.com/synth_detail.aspx?dv=105. The file you need is 1942.syx (see my comment from 21 November 2015).
I tried soldering in new CR2032 but too fiddly so gave up. Far easier to fit 2x AA alkaline battery in a holder, double sided sticky fix pads to inside of case just behind pitch mod wheels. Solder 2 connections where battery was. Worked a treat.
Incidentally I dropped DX11 and it developed power cutting out fault. Easily resolved with multimeter and soldering iron. 3 joints on power board had broken loose so 5v feed dead whilst +15v & -15v still going. Easily identified and fixed. Hope this helpful. Matt
I was succesfull also in replacing the Ram battery in my DX-11 which hadn't been touched for more than 20 years. Ik found all your tips very useful and it lives again, I also didn't found the Performance Bank anymore. If download the 1942.syx file on my computer how can i load it from my computer to my DX-11 ? I'm sure i've missed somthing but theb I/m no expert.
Greets,
Lenno
Thanks to all your suggestions I also succeeded in replacing the RAM battery fo my DX-11. It's alive again since more than 20 years so please have my gratitude. My oerformance bank is not functioning though,. If I download the 1942.syx file, how can I load it form my Computer to my DX-11?
Thank for replying,
LenB
Another DX11 up and running after a battery replacement, I bought it new when it first came out, was in storage for a while. LenB that file 1942.syx can be loaded from any DAW software that supports sending sysex. Or you can try midiox, or just google for a program that will let you send sysex files. Remember to disable memory protect on the DX11 for the internal memory, before you try to send it. For what is worth, everytime I try to load that file I get and error that it doen't end with F0. I am wondering what program it was captured with, might have to use that program to send it. Smitty.
Great post! I just resuscitated my old DX11 which I bought 32 years ago and had been in the attic for 10 years. Re-used a CR2032 holder from an ancient motherboard and it works fine now. I also found the sysex internal and performance patches mentioned above, so I will buy some usb-midi adapter and try to get it working.
I was just wondering if someone had given the effort of saving the factory internal voices and performances to an audio file through the cassette tape cable. Should be fairly easy to do that. I promise that I will generate such files as soon as I have restored the factory patches.
Changed the battery using a 2032 holder and a couple of wires using solder. Works great, butbu0in powering up, still get the change battery message.
Any irldeas?
Very interested in this as I have a DX11 and I've never done any soldering. What exactly are mini-clips - it seems like a neat solution Thanks
I'd like to use the sysex files mentioned above by Wayne Price in Nov 2015 and Feb 2016. However, the files (1937.syx to 1942.syx) uploaded at http://www.sysexdb.com appear to be corrupt: every second byte of each file is missing (i.e., if I download e.g. 1939.syx, the file contains bytes 0, 2, 4, etc. of a sysex file).
If Wayne should be reading here: Do you still have the original sysex files and could upload them again? Or send them by mail?
If anyone else reading here has these files with all bytes: Could you provide these files or post some reply here?
Thanks,
Olaf
Interesting that the files on sysexdb are corrupted. I do still have them (just uploaded them locally, from my originals, to a DX11 I've been repairing).
Let me check and re-upload them to sysexdb.
I am planning to buy a DX11 which is showing the Battery replacement error… the owner says there is no sound (before even replacing the battery, he will not attempt). The synth looks in very good shape otherwise (pics)
I am happy to make the replacement but wonder if any of you could upload the sysex files to a Google Drive and make them public… so many more of us can access them…
The sysex files can be found here: https://www.sysexdb.com/yamaha/dx-11
You need all of the files with id's 1937-1942
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