SP-555's button backlight and power-up time

[Blakk]

Hello everybody, I am new here.

Just several days ago I bought a second-hand SP-555 which is very old and dirty even screws getting rusted, but it works.

Since I did't have any experience for using this machine before so I have two questions hope somebody can confirm me:

1, Are there backlights for these 7 buttons? CANCEL, REMAIN, LENGTH, QUANTIZE, EFFECT ASSIGN, MEASURE and SUB PAD. I tested every botton on the panel only these buttons never lit. If they with backlights please tell me how to activate.

2, It takes 3 or 5 seconds to power up after you switching it on. Is this normal?

I asked the original owner he said he couldn't remember as he has not been touching the machine for years. I just wondering if this SP-555 has any defects? But I luckily found this forum, hope I can get answers from you.

Thanks!

[Blakk]

No replies?? I am sure someone here is very high-level user or original owner for a SP-555, maybe my questions make them self-doubt.

Every button was made from semitransparent rubber, none of them opaque, so I confused if there are backlights for every button. Maybe I have not reached that functions to activate so far, or maybe those 7 buttons have no backlights at all as Roland's product design.

[TainoBlaze]

OK so for the 1st part of your question none of those button's light up. So that's ok.

The second part yeah takes quite a bit of time to turn on once you see the sp 555 pass on the display, the display will turn from blue to red and so on its ready to use. Another bit of advice, 2gb is our max on the cards we use. (I learned the hard way) anyways welcome to the sp 555 family!

[Blakk]

OK so for the 1st part of your question none of those button's light up. So that's ok.

The second part yeah takes quite a bit of time to turn on once you see the sp 555 pass on the display, the display will turn from blue to red and so on its ready to use. Another bit of advice, 2gb is our max on the cards we use. (I learned the hard way) anyways welcome to the sp 555 family!

Thank you very much TainoBlaze!

Yes I downloaded the Quick Start of SP-555 and read from it, there is an answer for the power-on question "This unit is equipped with a protection circuit. A brief interval (a few seconds) after power up is required before the unit will operate normally." So it is normal for that.

Now I am learning how to use SP-555 with its Owner's Manual I found a part of answer to my first question on page 19. "Effect Assign Mode, if you hold down EFFECT ASSIGN and press REMAIN, the EFFECT ASSIGN button will light...". And YES this button ony my machine lit so it seems my rusted SP-555 should be fine with them.

And I'll take your advice to get a 2GB CF card.

The SP-555 was an amazing instrument back in 2008 while people still relied on stand-alone equipments more than computer with midi controllers.

Finally I have my dream machine now I wish I upload a song which make with SP-555 some day if I could, since I am much more computer based now.

Thanks for this forum let people coming together.