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I have a Yamaha CP70. It works fine plugged straight into an amp or studio monitors. I also have a mixer. My current set up is piano into mixer into monitors.

I also have an effects pedal (EX Double Muff). Only when the pedal is on is there sound.

Now... I got an effects rack (Line 6 PODxt Pro) and am having more issues. As I go through the effects it's basically no sound or massive feedback. My other keyboard is a little noisy, but otherwise fine.

I know nothing about this stuff... Anyone have any clue what is going on? It's probably a problem with the piano. Should I just get the electronics checked out?

Sounds like the issue is with the connections to the rack ...

Any suggestion on how I could fix it?

And are you saying it's the cables?

With the distortion pedal I've tried various cables, both unbalanced and balanced. No audible signal is heard unless it's switched on. I ended up using the other outputs from the piano to get the normal piano sound, then overlay with the distortion when I need it.

I can only assume the same thing is happening with the rack, but like I said, some effects aren't audible, some are overly so.

Hmmmm ... I'm familiar with the CP70 but not with the effects units you speak of ... why not overlay them ? If it works ?

Overlaying isn't as effective with the rack.

I posted in other forums and I've been told... Either the CP70 loses output over time or it just doesn't have a lot compared to today's instruments. That I should get a preamp, use a proper amp and not the studio monitors I have or bypass the built in electronics, but that would require me to fiddle with the wires. Not doing that.

Thanks for trying to help.

They are right in that it doesn't have a lot compared to modern digital instruments but I would have thought that would be irrelevant. You could get a nice preamp that would solve your problems (maybe) but possible add coloration to the tone you might not want. I must admit I've had no issues with pedals or effects units failing to pass through with my CP-80M so I'm flying a little blind.

How exactly is this connected? The double muff has a "true bypass" that mains the switch connects the input to the output with just wire between them. It is hard to see how that can not work, unless the switch is broken. If it works when it is "on" and you can adjust the effects with a the knobs then you have no loose conections. The box gives a slight volume boost and you should expect to loose that if you switch it off with the foot switch. (silly question but you aren't shutting it off by pulling the power are you? That will not work)


When you say "massive feedback or no sound." it seems like you have a problem getting the level right. Something is turned up to far but you likely have a half dozen volume controls in the chain. You will have to give a lot of details. Remember we can't see your rig or any of those half dozen controls

You say the CP70 has a low output but your line 6 and double muff boxes are designed to be driven by a guitar. Guitars are not even powered devices. It has about 1,000 times more power than a guitar.

You say you don't like wires and cables but your only options are to either switch to acoustic pianos, hire a tech or learn.

Can you describe your setup? You say you have a mixer. This implies you have more than one instrument or mic if you are mixing. What is cabled to what?


One more thing. Why not solve just one problem at a time. What is the simplest setup that doe not work as you like. Unpug and put away everything else then describe what you have left

Do you have an amp or studio monitors attached?

Honestly I need more time to answer this Q... But...



I never said I didn't like wires and cables. Doing the bypass is destroying it, imo. You lose the controls and the tremolo. Why would I want to do that? If there is something to be fixed I'd rather pay to have it fixed than "destroy" it.

A pair of QSC's K12's but it goes through a Presonus desk first.
I've had no issues but I do run my effects from the desk not inline.

I'm beginning to think the problem is my studio monitors (Yamaha HS50m)...

My current set up... I use 3 of the piano's outputs (The 4th is for a chromatic tuner). The 2 XLRs go into the mixer's (Yamaha MG82CX) 1st 2 mic inputs, I make one L, the other R, so I can use the tremolo. The 3rd is an unbalanced 1/4 into the pedal (the POD will replace the pedal if I get it to work...) and another 1/4th out into the mixer. I occasionally connect another keyboard (Yamaha PSR-150). Then I have my mp3 player. With the mixer I was able to balance it all out.

In my minds eye I didn't remember having an issue with them till I got the distortion pedal. Therefore it's the pedal's fault... But I did as ChrisA said, stripped it down to piano straight into the monitors... Maybe I'm used to it being amp'd through the mixer, but alone it is just audible. Now going piano --> pedal --> monitor. With the effect off I can hear it now, but like I said, it's just low to begin with. With the pedal on, to get the effect I want everything has to be to the max and there's a huge difference between it being on and off. Maybe that's why I remember it as no sound coming out?

Playing with the POD more... Sans mixer, basically any effect adding gain is OK. The rest are barely audible, unless I almost max the volume. I guess I would have an issue if I had to switch from a distortion effect to like... Wah or chorus, then to no effect. I don't think I could constantly adjust volume mid playing. Adding the mixer into it... The effects with gain are overpowering, I get feedback, etc. The other effects are still low in comparison / are overpowered by my signal coming in via the 2XLRs. At this point I'm having a hard time balancing it out.

Oh, and I think I may have done something by dusting off the electronics and pushing down on the wires... Although I was getting a reading on the PODs tuner, the signal indicator light wasn't lighting. Now it is.

Is that explanation any better?

Can you try another set of monitors ?

I don't have anything close at hand. I initially borrowed a cheap guitar amp, but that was before I had any effects. It didn't have enough power, so I don't think there would be an improvement.