Roland S-50 Output Relay Replacement

This video shows how to perform the relay replacement on the Roland S-50 Sampler from 1986. Roland engineers unfortunately used an un-sealed relay on the output signals of the instrument, and over time this relay oxidized, causing the sampler to have a distorted output. Most S-50's still functioning today will likely have this distortion issue unless the relay is replaced.
0:00 Intro
1:13 Removal of old relay
4:11 Desoldering
5:09 New relay
6:12 Re-assembly and Test
7:39 Outro

[@ecoutezpourentendre]

Thank you posting this video, purchased a new relay a little ways back. Glad this project was on the back burner in our studio till you posted this video😎

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

ok awesome - how did everything work out for you?

[@ecoutezpourentendre]

Workbench should be clear next week and I’ll have a chance to get to it. Very exciting to replace this part and get the S50 back into the studio. Will let you know… peace@@johnnymorgansynthdreams

[@33SoundandVideo]

Johnny, Where could I send the board from my S-50 to have this done? And, alternately, who could I purchase the replacement relay from if I chose to try to do it myself? Thanks!

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

Hey there! You can ship the output board to me and I can do the repair for you. I'll do the repair for free, but it'll cost you a little extra for shipping. Contact me through my contact info above and we can go from there.

[@thirty3na3rd]

@@johnnymorgansynthdreams Thank, Johnny! I just ordered the relay from you and I think I'll take a stab at it, using the excellent demonstration. I'll be clipping the leads from the old one before applying any heat.

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

@@thirty3na3rd Ok great - feel free to ask any questions - I just shipped your relay out this morning. All the best.

[@AboveTheTrees00]

does d50 has the relay too? i'm having issues with one i just purchased, where i almost hear noise only some patches are faint in the background but unusable. i'm thinking about upgrading plans on the main board (all 3) and see if that fixes the problem but if not do you have any recommendations? i also don't think im getting any sound from L/T outputs but headphones out

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

no - it doesn't have this issue. Likey is an op-amp issue on the output board. This is a smaller board located just behind the output jacks inside the unit

[@synthead]

Probably best to desolder the part without clipping its legs off

[@improbablesafari1491]

Arguably that’s the “right” way for someone with experience and desoldering tools. That’s not everyone. It will be far easier for someone with limited tools and experience to complete this repair successfully by clipping the legs and removing the leftovers individually. The reasons are several, including: less heat will be required to remove the small leftover bits and there is no temptation to pry on the component to remove it and thereby mangle the traces (as Johnny describes).

[@SpikesStudio3]

I am a novice at electronics, but i have worked on a few of my older synths and, honestly, desoldering anything with more than 4 pins is as scary as shit. The safer, the better. 🎯

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

Exactly. I've done this repair a few times now and the traces and pads on this crappy PCB damage so easily - you pretty much need to cut out the old relay so you can use less heat and not damage the board.

[@SlaserX]

Does this happen to the 550 too?

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

No - surprisingly the S550 does not have this relay or the same issue

[@AversuzMusic]

It works for me without a relay at all. with jumpers installed and that's it.

[@darwiniandude]

I wonder what the voltage spike of the power on pop is?

[@AversuzMusic]

A little grunting in the speakers and that's it... It doesn't bother me much.@@darwiniandude

[@johnnymorgansynthdreams]

Yeah as I said you can jumper it for sure

[@thirty3na3rd]

Do you jumper the contacts that are directly across from one another? I might consider doing this.