New installation of Spencer Chase eValve System

Dear Readers,  Last weekend my player tech, Kirk Russell, and I
(mostly Kirk!) installed the latest version of the Spencer Chase
eRoll system on my Steinway Welte-Mignon upright grand (recently
restored to as-new condition, also by Kirk Russell).   As an existing,
satisfied customer of a previous Chase eRoll unit (installed in my
Steinway Duo-Art XR), I was anxious to get another for the Welte,
especially because Welte rolls can be hard to come by.

Before I go any further, I should say that installation of these
systems into a historic instrument is, in most cases, a 100 percent
reversible proposition, with no damage done to the existing instrument.

The eRoll system plays pneumatically-controlled instruments via MIDI
files; these files are actually scanned music rolls of a given
reproducing system (i.e., I own a Welte, therefore, I generally play
scans of Welte music rolls with the eRoll system).

In my application, the eRoll system consists of six 16-valve blocks,
where each valve corresponds to a specific note or specific function
(expression or pedals); this gives a total of 96 functions/notes.

Each valve on each block has a corresponding nipple which can be "teed"
into the existing tubing.  Each valve block is separately wired back
to a control box which accepts the MIDI signals from a scanned music
roll MIDI file.  The wiring for each block consists of a ribbon cable
(for the MIDI signals) and a power cord (to give power to the valves).
The power cords and ribbon cable plug easily into each valve block, and
then can be unobtrusively run back to the control box.

For my Licensee installation, one block (16 valves/functions)
covered each of the pedal and expression functions.  The remaining five
blocks (80 valves) were assigned to each of the sounding notes.  A big
advantage for the Welte owner is that scanned Welte rolls of any roll
format -- Red, Green or Licensee -- can be used to power the eRoll
system.  In other words, the system is only relying on getting the
commands from the MIDI file; it doesn't care that the source was a
Welte roll of a certain dimension -- just that it is a Welte roll and
contains the appropriate Welte commands).

Installation was very straightforward, in spite of the fact that we
requested the option of "assembling" our own cables on-site.  Spencer
Chase offered to do this for us, but we wanted to do it ourselves
because we were unsure of the lengths involved until we got right
"into it".  The assembling merely consists of carefully cutting the
ribbon cable and power cables and then attaching the requisite plugs.
Spencer included a tester so you could be sure that there were no
shorts in the cables and that you do not have polarities mixed up.

Spencer's clear instructions made assembly of the cables a snap, and
we had the system up and running in a little more than five hours.
We spent a bit more time installing the automatic pump relay and
tidying up the wiring so that it appears virtually invisible when you
open the piano.

I would say the expertise required for this is "medium" (for the
hobbyist) and "minimal" (for the professional restorer).  In either
case, one simply needs to be able to follow clear instructions and have
the patience to "T" the eValves into the existing tubing connections.

A basic familiarity with MIDI and electric wiring would be helpful,
but the wiring diagrams provided are very clear.  In fact, I must say
that the documentation & installation manual for the eValve system was
great, but Kirk and I both felt the installation went easier from our
reading the material over a second time.

In our installation, Kirk had the requisite electrical ability, but no
computer knowledge. I was familiar enough with MIDI to be able to run
the computer to test the eRoll and plug the MIDI cable into the
controller box (d'oh! ­- I'm a genius!).

The 2007 version of the eValve system has some advantages over prior
incarnations.  The most important improvement is that if you purchase
the pump relay add-on, it is now virtually impossible for the pump to
stay stuck "on" due to a computer glitch.  (The previous system required
a MIDI "off" instruction to shut off the pump.)  In the 2007 system,
the pump automatically shuts down when it doesn't receive a MIDI signal
for fifteen seconds.  This is a real benefit and offers piece of mind
for the owner -- especially if you have a remote pump and might not be
aware it's on!

I am placing a link here to my previous submission about why these
systems are a "must" to the reproducing piano owner:

  http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/200302/2003.02.24.09.html

The only problem is that I am not sure Spencer will be manufacturing
more of these, which is a pity.  I think these systems are just what
the pneumatic instruments need to close the gap with solenoid pianos.
With an installed eRoll system, a pneumatic reproducer owner has:
(1) access to a far larger library of selections than a solenoid owner,
and (2) a piano with superior expression abilities to a solenoid piano
(unless you own a Boesendorfer SE, or maybe, on a good day, a Yamaha
Disklavier Pro).

And, assuming a full restoration of your reproducing piano, chances
are that the piano itself is better than many of the PSOs ("Piano
Shaped Objects") one finds in glossy black plastic on piano showroom
floors equipped with after-market solenoid systems.

One final word: installation of these systems is not limited to
reproducing pianos, but can be used in any pneumatic instrument.
They are especially advantageous in pneumatic instruments with limited
music libraries and/or where the original media -- paper rolls -- is
disintegrating.

Okay, enough ranting from me.  I am having a great time with my second
eRoll player!

Best,
Tim Baxter
Atlanta, Georgia