[A6] More SRAM problems

[Michael E. Caloroso]

> So, the moral is (at least for me anyway), never trust these cards.

Never trust static memory cards or the memory in *ANY* synth.  These babies have batteries which can go down at *ANY* time.

No matter WHAT synth - A6 or vintage - backup to a reliable non-volatile medium, always.  I use MIDI sysex stored to an Alesis Datadisk so I have backups ready on a gig.

The A6 *does* have a 2532 battery in it for memory and calibration data, which went flat on me this winter and had to be replaced (soldered to the board!).  Now don't panic, I have a beta unit and it is older than everybody's A6.  OK, maybe Brian and a few others should panic ;)  A gig saver was using SB eight on power-up to replace the factory patches in flash ROM with the patches in the user bank - when the battery went sour, I restored patches in the user bank with a factory restore (SB four? on power up) and made it through the gig.

I visited a guitarist buddy last night who wanted to show off his latest patches in his Behringer V-amp - and his patches were wiped out.  User manual said nothing of batteries and the V-amp has a "no user serviceable parts inside" label.  My bullshit meter was pegged.  I popped the hood and inside was a dying 2032 battery - mentioned nowhere in any documentation.  He was quite p!ssed and did not backup his sounds.  Now he has vowed to backup everything.

Back 'em up - now.

MC