Re: Boomerang Update

[Larry Stites <ggnetworks@jps.net>]

Thank you

Larry Stites
Golden Gate Networks
1 530 478 7960




> From: "Steve Rudolph" <spr@home.com>
> Reply-To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 13:44:37 -0700
> To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
> Subject: Re: Boomerang Update
> Resent-From: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Resent-Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 16:46:19 -0400
> 
> Here is the original email from Mike Nelson at Boomerang Music.  The 
>upgrade
> is being shipped directly from Texas to existing Boomerang owners upon
> order, payment and proof of purchase date.  The new units with the 
>upgrade
> already installed have yet to reach vendors.
> 
> -Steve
> 
> Hi loopers, plexifists, and Rangsters,
> We have not gotten our supply of parts for the new V2 upgrade module to
> a
> point where we are making "new" Rangs, though our manufacturing problems
> have
> eased a little and we are shipping again. We are, however, selling the
> upgrade
> to Rang owners. The price is on a sliding scale depending on how long 
>you've
> owned your Rang. The following letter pretty well covers what's up with 
>the
> upgrade.
> 
> =============================================
> 
> Any and all Rangs can be upgraded by replacing the current
> microprocessor with the 2.0 Module.  Older units have an additional part
> 
> that needs to be changed.  If your AD/DA converter is an 1848, you will
> have to upgrade it to the newer 1845.  The new software will not
> recognize
> the old converter.  In this case, your Rang will have to make a trip
> home
> to Texas because it takes a special tool to remove this part.
> To check this out, remove the 4 front screws & 10 bottom ones; then
> place the Rang on its face with the roller to the right and remove the
> bottom cover.  You'll be looking at the circuit board in all its glory.
> The AD/DA converter is made by Analog Devices, is one of the larger
> parts
> and is the only square one.  The part number information is printed on
> the
> part and reads like AD1845JP.  The important piece of info is the 4
> digits.  If it says 1848, then it's got to be replaced if you want the
> new
> software.
> Also, some of the early Rangs were sold with 1Mbyte of memory.  This
> 
> provided 32 seconds of recording on normal speed and 64 seconds on half
> speed.  If you have a 1Mbyte Rang, this is a good time to upgrade the
> memory to 4Mbytes as the increased sample rate of the new software will
> reduce the normal speed record time to 21 seconds.
> Until recently Rangs came with 2 x 275 op amps and 1 x 283.  They're
> 
> small 8 pin chips that reside in sockets.  The objectionable pop, that
> can
> occur when pressing the thru mute switch, is related to these parts.  If
> 
> you've noticed this problem, it can be fixed by replacing one of the
> 275's
> with a 2134 op amp.
> And finally, there will be a sliding scale for the price of the 2.0
> Module.  This is a move to avoid the "my new toy is obsolete" blues.  As
> 
> you might expect, proof of purchase is required if you didn't send in a
> dated warranty card.  If you purchased your Rang in June or July 2000
> (or
> later), then the module will cost $39; May 2000 and you pay $49; April
> 2000, $59; March 2000, $69.  February 2000 and older Rangs will pay $79.
> 
> V2.0 Module with 2.0 User Manual, $39 - $79
> AD1845 Converter, $19
> 4Mbyte SIMM (memory), $23
> 2134 Op Amp, $3
> Rang Gig Bag, $39
> Return shipping (if Rang is sent to us), $9
> 
> 
> "So, what do I get for my money?" you ask.  Good question.  Here's
> what's
> in store.
> 
> *   Version 2.0 has 2 independent loops; this is like having 2 original
> Rangs side by side. There are a couple of modes for transitioning
> between
> the loops. One mode, called AB1, smoothly transitions to loop B, plays
> it
> once, then goes back to playing loop A, all with one button press.
> *   A higher sample rate has been added; original max was 16KHz, new max
> 
> rate is 24KHz. While this drops the sample time to 1 minute 27 seconds
> (with 4Mbytes of memory), the Rang now captures a lot more highs and
> sounds a lot crisper.
> *   The STACK button can be programmed to be either latching or
> momentary.
> 
> *   You can go directly from recording to stacking. Press RECORD to
> start
> recording, then press STACK to conclude recording, start playback and
> enter stack mode.
> *   There are 7 selectable decay rates. On the original the decay rate
> was
> fixed at about 2.3dB. The new rates are as follows: 1 is no decay, 2 is
> the original rate (about 20-25 repeats), 3-6 are progressively quicker
> decays and are great when using the Rang as a pure delay, and 7 is
> slapback (1 full volume repeat). The new decay rates & latching STACK
> button make the Rang a great sounding digital delay with tap tempo. The
> foot roller becomes the delay level when used like this.  Each loop, A
> and
> B, has its own decay rate.
> *   The RECORD button can be programmed to behave as it does now or be
> disabled during playback. Some folks didn't want to worry about hitting
> it
> while adjusting the foot roller.
> *   The half speed concept has been replaced by slow speed, and you have
> 
> your choice of five. All are musically related to "normal" speed. The
> choices are: down a 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th or octave. Playback tempo is
> slowed
> similarly to the current software.
> *   This one is small, but an improvement. Originally, if you pressed
> ONCE, the next press of PLAY(STOP) would stop the loop. Now you can
> transition between "continuous" play and play once mode. Confusing?
> Here's
> what you can do that you couldn't before. Start an existing loop with
> several stutters or re-starts and then smoothly transition into playing
> the loop repeatedly.
> *   There are improvements on clicks that occasionally occur at loop
> boundaries, particularly when using the Rang in continuous reverse mode
> (live reverse lead playing).
> *   And finally, we extended the button behavior so that it is more
> consistent. For example, in the original, if you were stacking, the
> REVERSE button didn't do anything. Now you can be stacking additional
> parts and freely reverse direction or go into play once mode.
> 
> All the new features are ADDITIONS. That is, no original features, even
> the lower sampling rates, have been omitted or replaced. The ONCE button
> 
> shares duty as the loop A/B button. Either the REVERSE or STACK button
> is
> held down to enter one of the two program modes.
> 
> ========================================
> 
> Mike Nelson
> 
> Boomerang Musical Products       800-530-4699
> PO Box 541595                    214-340-6913, Outside USA
> Dallas, TX  75354-1595           214-343-1038, Fax
> 
> http://www.boomerangmusic.com    mnelson@dmans.com
> 
> "Some products make you sound better;
> the Boomerang Phrase Sampler makes you play better."
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Larry Stites" <ggnetworks@jps.net>
> To: "Loopers Delight" <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
> Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2000 1:25 PM
> Subject: Boomerang Update
> 
> 
>> Is the Boomerang update shipping? I called Mars Music in Las Vegas and 
>the
>> sales guy didn't know when or even if they'd be getting any...
>> 
>> "Won't know until the truck rolls in on Wednesdays."
>> 
>> When will it be available and where?
>> 
>> Larry Stites
>> ZenDrumPercussiveVocalist
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
>