Theremin not working HELP!

Contact Amos over at moogmusic. They'll fix you up with a new power supply. They're great folks over there.

There is a 50% "risk" that your Etherwave will work with a new power supply. In the other half of cases the noise comes from overload due to a short circuit in the Etherwave...

Please forgive my ignorance, but how can a thereminist exist without a multimeter, a frequency counter and an oscilloscope???

It never occurred to be that I would need those things...on a scale of 1 to terminator how much would you say I need one...and how much are they?

[i]how can a thereminist exist without a multimeter, a frequency counter and an oscilloscope?[/i]

How would it benefit me to own three devices, the functions of which I understand in only the most simplistic ways and whose specific application to fixing a theremin is a mystery to me?

:-)

[i]how can a thereminist exist without a multimeter, a frequency counter and an oscilloscope???[/i]

I have no idea what those are or what they do and I've been playing theremin for over ten years.

The other Andy

Perhaps you could take the power supply and Theremin to a local TV / Radio repair shop, get them to check what voltages appear from the power supply (both unconnected and connected to the Theremin) - then with these results we should be able to get a clearer idea about the problem.
I suspect the power supply has 'gone down' - they should not make audible noises.. So you may save time by just getting another one from Moog..
One other possibility - have you tried a different 'mains' socket? - If you have just moved, there might be some mains fault (faulty groung / neutral, supply crossover, something like that) - unlikely, but perhaps possible.

If you check the schematic in the Hot-Rodding Manual you will see the "DC power supply" is inside the Etherwave theremin. The "wall wart" "power supply" only steps down the voltage to a safe 14 VAC.

Moog probably did this to avoid the expense of having a certified full-voltage power supply inside the units. Another benefit of such propietary parts is the ability to make some extra coin selling replacements. Anyway....

I live a bit too far away in N.E. Ohio, but Teslatheremin lives in the Toledo, Ohio area, which is only 2-1/2 hours from South Bend, Indiana. I'm not sure if he actually owns an Etherwave.

how can a thereminist exist without a multimeter, a frequency counter and an oscilloscope???

Simple Thierry! - They depend on people like us who have this kit, and know how to use it! -- A bit like me driving a car, and getting someone knowledgable to find and fix even minor faults.. if it wasnt for the fact that these people exist, I would probably only use a pedal bike.. I could manage to fix that!

I think that sometimes people (like us) who have (the required specific) technical understanding forget that the vast majority of the population do not even have rudimentary knowledge related to our field of expertise, and we can (easily) make arrogant assumptions - and this can sometimes be seen as unfriendly and lead to (us) becoming unpopular / disliked..

And to those non-technical people out there who can play a Theremin, but cannot use a multimeter (let alone an oscilloscope or frequency counter) and to whom the ramblings of us 'technocrats' is irritating / boring / offensive - Sorry! but this is just the way we are! ;-)

And some of us are men of many talents...and masters of none!

Or, to put it another way...know just enough to be dangerous!

If I order a new power cord and it doesn't fix the problem will moog let me return it, I asked someone at Moog this and they managed to respond to my e-mail without actually answering my question (sly)


Andy