I think there's a user here that is not having this problem - I can't remember who it was. I think it was either the N1 or N2 that he was using. Maybe that user is using equipment that has a good strong output level.

Greg.

If I let a note decay forever though, the signal will get quieter and quieter until it eventually reaches zero, no matter how loud the input signal was to begin with. That's what I would think at least. So the noise gate should kick in anyway.

[quote=Gigantoad]
I assume it's fiddly to adjust the headphone volume on the N1, and that's why you want an amp with an easy to use volume control - yes?

Greg.

It's true, I couldn't yet replicate the issue on my N1. I don't know about output levels. My signal currently goes from my home studio mixer headphone output through long messy cables into the living room and into a small portable headphone amp (basically just to have easier volume adjustment on the N1 side) and then into the N1 inputs. Then to the N1 I connect my HD650 headphone.

To call it a defect suggests it was unintended by Yamaha and that something is faulty. It clearly was intended so it's not a defect as such - but there just doesn't seem to be a sensible explanation!

In fact it's totally crazy that there is this noise-gate. ...

Regarding generating a background sound to defeat the noise-gate, here's a copy & paste from a post in an earlier thread:

FWIW, here's a VST test tone generator that you could try using in your VST host alongside your virtual piano, to (hopefully) defeat the noise gate: http://mda.smartelectronix.com/ (download the plugins and extract the "TestTone" one. Set mode to "Sine" and adjust the frequency and level. Careful not to blow your speakers).

If the idea works, it would be better if the test tone could be silenced when not required, to maintain headroom. I.e, it would continually monitor the (real) signal level, and only introduce the tone if the signal level drops below a threshold level. I'm sure a plugin developer could whip this up in no time. (I wonder whether some DAWs could be configured to do this, too)

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but the noise gate (which you cannot defeat) ruins and external audio playing through the N3's audio system.

[quote=Melodialworks Music]
I'll run my wife's laptop (which is more or less permanently connected to the N3) as the sound source for internet radio as well as playing back WAV or mp3 files to play against.

I have never encountered any deficiency in the sound and if there is in fact a noise gate, I've never noticed it, never.

Does this happen to other yamaha dpianos? I was getting a copy of ivory 2 with an external usb sound card and was going to use the internal speakers on the piano.

In real time, actual playing or in recordings for professional use, would anyone hear this?

Good grief. The answer is yes. Do you think we're making this stuff up?

Just because you don't hear it, doesn't mean that the problem doesn't exist.

In any case, you're not running software pianos through your N3 audio system. In fact, you really don't actually even use the audio system of the N3, but typically use headphones, right?