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TRAP TRULY

 

From:
Mobile , AL
Post  Posted 30 Jul 2000 5:04 pm    
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I am interested in buying a profex II,but it doesen't have the newman presets.How involved and expensive is it to get them installed,who does it,and can somebody explain the ram card? to me. Any other info or tips about this processor would be greatly appreciated.
thanks. trap
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Kenny Forbess

 

From:
peckerwood point, w. tn.
Post  Posted 30 Jul 2000 5:55 pm    
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You can buy the card from Peavey or there's some always on the forum reasonable that have the Newman patches already on it.

It's a simple operation to program it from the card to the Pro-Fex.
Jeff has a tape you can buy for 10 or 12 bucks that tells Everything about it,
priceless info for this unit.

If you're getting a good deal, go for it,you'll like it.
good luck and enjoy it.
Kenny

------------------
kenny
66 Emmons D-10 8&7
Blue Derby D-10 8&6

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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 31 Jul 2000 2:24 am    
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If you buy a Profex II, even with the Newman Programs already loaded you will still need a Cache32 card (ram card) for backup. New Cache32 cards are around $75-$80 but I've seem used ones advertised on here for a lot less. They don't really wear out and have a battery to retain the cards memory.

There is also a listing of all the Newman Programs on my web site. You can download that and keep for reference - or if you're ambitious you can manually proram the Profex II from the listing. There are 128 programs in the Newman set but there are several duplicates in the list both in name and some named different but the same as other programs. But in reality most people only use 5 or 6 of the programs after they get their unit setup.

My web page is http://home.earthlink.net/~jestoner/

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Bobby Cox

 

Post  Posted 2 Aug 2000 4:30 pm    
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Jack,how common is it to have a profex loose it.s programs?

Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 3 Aug 2000 2:04 am    
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I don't know how "common" it is. But it's just like your PC, you should have your files backed up just in case.

If the Profex II internal battery dies, you will lose your user programs. If there is a problem that requires a "factory reset" you will lose your user programs. I also had a friend that had a power hit that scrambled the user memory and it had to be reloaded.

If for no other reason than "Murphy's Law" you should have a memory card with the programs backed up.
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Bob Jackson

 

From:
Regina Saskatchewan Canada
Post  Posted 6 Aug 2000 1:38 am    
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Hi
Just thought I would let you know that you can also store your presets on your Computer if you have a program like Cake Walk and a midi cable. Once on the PC they can be stored on a floppy or emailed to a friend etc.

Bob Jackson
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Mylos Sonka

 

From:
Larkspur CA USA
Post  Posted 10 Aug 2000 4:11 am    
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Bob--

How does that work? Can you upload the settings directly into your profex unit from your PC?

Mylos
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Greg Derksen

 

From:
Alberta, Canada
Post  Posted 10 Aug 2000 6:35 am    
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Trap, I picked up a used Profex II, a while
back, and it didn't have the Newman Programs
in it , I went and made my own with pretty
good results. The factory programs to my ears
are way to bassy or whooly sounding.
Have Fun, its a good unit, make sure you
use your own taste in EQ. There is alot of
potential in that unit, but I find people
just dial up the programs and then complain
that it doesn't cut it the way there amp does! Crank the highs,Cut the mids, 570 or so
,with average amount of lows.
Greg
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 10 Aug 2000 8:07 am    
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You've all got me worried now! I've had my Profex II for at least five years - how long do batteries last and, if you change it/them, do you lose your settings in the process?
I've altered a lot of the Newman patches (slightly) to my own taste, but would hate to lose them and go through it all again!

Bob, do you have the patience to go into the business of transferring the settings to the computer in a little more detail? I've just got mine and it requires all my cyber-intellect just to write to this forum!
It's a great unit, though, and Jack's right - I'm more than happy with only using four or five settings at most.
Thanks
RR
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 10 Aug 2000 10:14 am    
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Roger, ref my comments above. If the battery (backup) fails you WILL lose your user programs and it will have to be reprogrammed. The battery is a soldered in battery and it has to be unplugged from the AC power, get into the PC board and maybe even remove the PC board to solder a new one in (I've never checked that part of it).

If you don't have the programs backed up, either on a Peavey "memory" card or the facilities to upload/download midi and have everything backup on the PC you are "SOL" and will have to either reprogram it manually or have it reprogrammed by someone who has a card with the Profex II steel programs. (This also applies to the newer TubeFex and Transtube Fex).

The memory cards are around $80 (plus or minus) from Carter Guitar Co with the Newman programs already loaded. Used cards come up from time to time in the buy/sell area and most are already loaded with the Newman programs.

Someone mentioned one time on the forum that a certain model Roland card would also work, but I can't confirm that.
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PLAYSTEEL9

 

From:
Chandler ARIZONA
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2000 1:18 pm    
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how long does the average battery last in a pro fex, any body know??
also what roland card fits the profex
wayne


------------------
Those that make music, pray twice.



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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2000 1:32 pm    
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I was told the Roland ME256 card would work. I only find ME512 cards listed and the "discounted" price is above what the price for the Peavey card is.

I think I saw something about 5 years on the battery but I know there Profex's older than that still going with the original battery.
There's nothing in the Profex II manual about the backup battery in the unit.
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Jim Smith


From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2000 3:43 pm    
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Bummer! I dumped my Peavey cache card when I sold my TransTubeFex. Now I have a Roland JV-880 sound module for my MIDI rig and just spent close to $100 each for three Roland M256-E memory cards. If someone can confirm that the Roland and Peavey cards are interchangable, I'll sell my Rolands and buy some Peaveys, and maybe make a little money!
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Bill Crook

 

From:
Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2000 6:29 pm    
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Jack....

Believe me, There IS a battery in the profex II. It is soldered in place. It is a 3.3 volt litiumn battery with a lifespan of about 3-5 years. (Some last longer.)

Go to John LeMay's web-site, where he has a listing of this battery, its price and I think he will install it for you if you are a bit electronicly challenged. I believe there is a small charge for this tho.
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2000 7:39 pm    
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Bill, I DON'T have a Profex II. Just trying to help those that do. I had one, but gave up on it after a year - never played a job with it as I didn't like the sound and it had other problems, even after sending it back to Peavey.

I do have a Transtube Fex, which is what the Profex II should have been.
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Mike Brown

 

From:
Meridian, Mississippi USA
Post  Posted 16 Aug 2000 8:16 am    
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From our past experiences with the Profex II, Tubefex or Transtube Fex batteries, they will last close to 5 years. However, a battery is an expendable part and a defective battery can start "leaking", just like a flashlight battery. So, I suggest that you have qualified personel to check this for you every 4 years or so.

We can supply and install the battery here at the factory in our service department.
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Smiley Roberts

 

From:
Hendersonville,Tn. 37075
Post  Posted 16 Aug 2000 10:46 pm    
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I love my ProFex II. There's only 2 things that I HATE about it. Why didn't they put the output level on the front,& why didn't they "hard-wire" an "A.C." cord into it? The "original" Profex is like that! The Tube-Fex is like that! The Trans-tubefex is like that! What was the problem??? I HATE "wall-warts"!!

------------------
  ~ ~

©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-

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Bill Sharpe

 

From:
Hermitage, TN 37076, USA
Post  Posted 17 Aug 2000 12:54 am    
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Smiley;

I wish you'd just say what you dislike on the Profex II, ' stead of beating around the bush

Gotta' agree with you tho' the lack of a direct AC 120 V. connection, Vs. Wall Warts is a pain. Maybe the "Wall Wart" manufacturers have a potent lobby group

------------------

B#
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 17 Aug 2000 2:12 am    
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Read the thread on power ground signal ground here in the electronics section about "wall warts". One of the reasons they use them is UL certification, you can buy a wall wart with UL certification cheap, but if you build a power supply into a unit it takes time and money to get the certification. Also having the power supply (wall wart) external to the unit simplifies (read cheaper) building a unit. Apparently in the time frame the Profex II was designed, Peavey was thinking production costs (they used that same wall wart for various units). There is also the additional space that would have to be available inside the unit for the power supply.

I don't like them either. For the manufacturer it's an easy way to go, for the consumer it's a hassle.
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Bill Crook

 

From:
Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance
Post  Posted 18 Aug 2000 6:13 am    
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I know not too many of us like the Wall Warts but.....

Anytime you put the powerXmer (AC transformer) inside of the same chassis with hi-gain pre-amps and such, you ARE going to have a hum problem. (especially in the rack mounted equipment due to copper runs near the xmer. Because the xmer produces magnetic fields, any copper run that intersects that field becomes a PART of that inductive force and transfers the 60 cycle swing to the front of the amp.) This problem isn't apparent in Power-Amps (rack-mounted) so much as it is in Processors due to most power-amp gear is considered to be current-gain devices, not voltage-gain stuff.

Now, I agree that wallwarts are a hassle but, I can live with them because I understand the why's and reasons of useing them. I know it's a hassle but one well worth it.

My Profex II uses a 16 volt AC wall wart, I have no problems with it. The electronic design of the Profex II power rectifing circuits is truly a master work of design. I have test it using O-scopes and believe me, the AC stuff STOPS at the Power diodes. By the time the DC element is scoped at the Pre-amps, the ripple is less that 0.003 volt on a Tecktronic 212 scope. Can you say.... NO hum.

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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 18 Aug 2000 8:19 am    
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My Transtube Fex has a built in power supply. There is no detectable hum.
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