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- Amiga model: A4000TX - 680x0 CPU: 060 - RAM Configuration: 2mb chip/128 fast (BFG)/256 fast (ZZ9000) - Kickstart, AmigaOS Versions: 3.1.4/3.2 - Other Zorro cards: ZZ9000
Hello, I have an A4000TX that I am running ZZ9000 in. The graphics card is working perfectly. I have failed to get the ZZ9000AX working fine and I have reached the end of the road, so I need to ask for some help here.
I can confirm that the ZZ9000AX works, it plays MP3s. But I have a problem with loud ringing background noise and loud static noise from the ZZ9000AX. The noise is irritatingly loud and starts right away when I start the computer (before even when Kickstart screen or HDD has started to load). This makes me believe it is not a software problem.
I have two A4000TX and can confirm that the problem is the same on both of them.
I have tripplechecked wires - And it is correct.
I have also tried running the ZZ9000AX with the three wire cable to the Paula disconnected. This gave me perfect clarity when playing MP3s on the left channel while the right channel kept its loud background noise/static noise.
I would appreciate anysuggestions on what to look for!
Questions:
-Should I reinstall firmware on the ZZ9000AX?
-Anyone else running ZZ9000/ZZ9000AX on the A4000TX, do you have the same problems?
Hi, I’m sorry for this bad experience. Are you located in Europe? We would like to get the card back from you and inspect/exchange free of charge. Please contact support@mntre.com with your order number.
Got a new card today, many thanks. It seems to be working better but I have distortion problems with Paula sound (non AHI) as others here has reported on. Mp3s work fine though . Any idea on fixing Paula sound quality?
This is good. It means there’s something else going on - and it’s not faulty hardware (sound card). Given we all seem to have have BFGs, I’m wondering if there’s something going on with that card causing the interference.
Would you be able to provide some recordings of the distortion of paula vs the original audio from the amiga? I will look into it. Also, what’s the revision of your AX cards? There is a copper colored information badge/table in one corner of the AX that has a bunch of numbers and letters.
Here is some recordings from my A4000TX. Unfortunately I can not do 100% same recordings because I only have one monitor.
File 1 - This is the recording from the sound output directly (from motherboard). Playing some modules in Eagleplayer. Sounds great.
File 2 - This is recording from the zz9000ax with the three cable connector in the default position (as it was specified in the manual). Playing some modules in Eagleplayer.
File 3 - This is recording from the zz9000ax with the three cable connector in the opposite direction on the zz9000. Notice that it seems to play fine. Playing some modules in Eagleplayer.
File 4 - This is also a recording from the zz9000ax with the three cable connector in the opposite direction and now the music does not play fine (it is taken from WHDLoad installed Pinball Fantasies). No idea why it sounds messy. This was taken after I recorded file 3 above.
When music plays fine with the three cable connector on the zz9000 in the opposite direction I still think in comparison with sound output from the Amiga directly, that the direct output sounds just a tiny bit clearer. It is most clear when playing a chip tune or FC13/FC14 tunes. In a mod with a lot of samples the difference between zz9000ax and direct Paula output is less noticable IMHO. Although I have no data to back this up just my ears (sorry).
MP3 files plays fine on the zz9000ax through AHI.
Thinking about doing a cable from the zz9000ax to the internal sound input on the motherboard, that way AHI output gets merged into Paula output from the motherboard.
Thank you very much! I need to look at these in more detail but yeah, the noise is pretty extreme. It sounds like digital noise to me. BTW the “opposite” position is the “filtered audio” from the Amiga, the default one is “raw”. I wonder if maybe in the TX there’s some EMI/digital noise coupling into that line, and the Amiga’s lowpass filter cleans that up. I would need to take a look at the TX’s schematics for hints.
There are no schematics for the TX unfortunately. I can confirm I got the same problem on two different TX (so a plausible solution is that the card has some problems with that motherboard). However, I could test the card on an Acill A4000D motherboard or/and on an JasonBeer A2000EATX (need some time setting them up for testing though) to find if I get any problems on them
I have to agree that the sound was slightly different before the day I made these recordings, it did not sound as distorted in the recordings as it sounded back then when I played sound through AHI on the AX.
Happy to inform that I solved the problem by removing the three pin cable between ZZ9000AX and ZZ9000.
Instead I made a cable that redirect and mixes the output from ZZ9000AX to the sound output from the Amiga 4000 by connecting ZZ9000AX sound output to sound input on the A4000 motherboard. Removing the three pin cable between the sound card and ZZ9000 removed all static, bus noises and distortion.
That means, AHI works fine, MP3 fine and Paula output is crystal clear.
. Any idea on fixing Paula sound quality?