Recessed pads on the E2/ES2, normal or production fault?

phillwilson · Post by **phillwilson** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 3:58 pm

BTW , no problem at all with using the image Dutchcow...we are all investigating the same issue with whatever tools are available.

I don't think you are being picky at all... 8 months since paying for my pair, I have had one with a buggy firmware now one with a physical issue that is different to its sister unit... I think we have a right to ask questions...what would apple do if they released a batch of ipad's where the screen was let responsive in places... they would use their dealer network to allow customers to bring in their dodgy one and have it replaced with a functioning one... I don't see why korg can't get more on the ball with these kind of issues.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 4:15 pm

Thank you phillwilson. I am so tempted to pop it open and sort it out. But that warranty eh!

bladuck · Post by **bladuck** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:34 am

This thread proves that korg had to cut corners ... Wish this was 1990 where the synth makers would consider this as a defect

1_inch_punch · Post by **1_inch_punch** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:09 am

The Pads for my E2 and ES2 are completely different between each other - ES2 knobs much stiffer - F'nar, F'nar -

but I have noticed the mighty Value knob 'skipping' over Values - one click jumping to 2 or three higher.

I cant replicate it regularly. It hasn't caused grave offence and stopped me from programming.

I grabbed some Angle wall brackets and bolted them together - so I have the 2 machines sitting on those at with keyboards angled. Whether the pads are down or up doesn't worry me in that situation. After playing them angled I hate playing them lying flat on a table.

bladuck · Post by **bladuck** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:28 am

One inch, It is like a Scratch on brand new car... No excuses

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:37 am

Yeah, it seems Korg isn't going to speak out and tell us whats what. I am done with this company. Returned mine for my money for the last time. I will not reorder it again. Too many issues and bugs/gripes for me.

I gave it another shot but the quality control is bad, the software testing is bad, the communication is bad, it is all pretty much bad. Korg doesn't even have a rep here or on the Facebook page. Or anywhere publicly. Korg should reconsider how they communicate with its customers.

I might not be world famous but I sure get a lot of "what to buy" requests from people. You can be sure Korg will not even be in my recommendation lists anymore. I know everybody here thinks I am a nag. Which is fine. For me a device this "cheap" should also work fine and be build ok and include customer support you can talk to and communicate with.

I really hope Korg will continue to fix the firmware, but I worry that like with the QC issues there will be new issues with every fixed one. Once note decay works when changing patterns I might pick one up 2nd hand.

For now I will probably use the refund to grab a JD-Xi, Roland seems to be much more on the ball. And I can actually get in touch with real Roland people for real support. Amazing

Tom 62 · Post by **Tom 62** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:29 am

Months ago somebody has posted photos of the E2's internal stuff. After a deeper look on these pictures I think there are two possible reasons for misaligned pads: The mainboard is bended because of a misaligned installation. Or something with the screwing threads in the metal housing is wrong.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:20 pm

Yeah, I think that too. Mine were worst in the middle and the getting better near the outside. Like a dent or something. But I ain't voiding the warranty to fix something brand new. Maybe in a few months they will do a h/w/ revision or some production lien changes, who knows.

I think something went from with the assembly too, something misaligned in the factory. If this German dealer really returned a whole batch Korg might just wake up and start fixing stuff, or at least bring out some press release or something.

supermel74 · Post by **supermel74** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:22 pm

Wow. It's a shame what Korg has done to the Electribe legacy. I was on the fence about picking up the sampler but after reading this thread no f*ck*ng way.

aquifer_music · Post by **aquifer_music** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 9:15 pm

supermel74 wrote:Wow. It's a shame what Korg has done to the Electribe legacy. I was on the fence about picking up the sampler but after reading this thread no f*ck*ng way.

If you don't expect an absurd amount out of a sub 500$ piece of gear.... Go to a physical dealer make sure you're pads are ok before you purchase. The es2 does waaay more than I thought it would and MY UNIT has NO pad issues whatsoever. I'm a happy camper. Just remember, some of your favorite music came from gear that would be considered devoid of 'features' or 'usability' by some peoples standards.

supermel74 · Post by **supermel74** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:25 am

aquifer_music wrote:
supermel74 wrote:Wow. It's a shame what Korg has done to the Electribe legacy. I was on the fence about picking up the sampler but after reading this thread no f*ck*ng way.
If you don't expect an absurd amount out of a sub 500$ piece of gear.... Go to a physical dealer make sure you're pads are ok before you purchase. The es2 does waaay more than I thought it would and MY UNIT has NO pad issues whatsoever. I'm a happy camper. Just remember, some of your favorite music came from gear that would be considered devoid of 'features' or 'usability' by some peoples standards.

even my sub $100 Akai MPX8 has consistent pads. It just seems like if it's not one thing it's another with these units.

aquifer_music · Post by **aquifer_music** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:49 am

[/quote]even my sub $100 Akai MPX8 has consistent pads. It just seems like if it's not one thing it's another with these units.[/quote]

Don't get me wrong, I'd be pissed if I had the experience that some have had with korg, or the electribe, or akai(I have seen what the mpx16 delivered @ 200$ and its just wrong.)

my point was that there are people who love the new electribes, that have had a good experience with it.
Is korg off the hook for certain oversights? Not at all.
Is this a problem worth looking into before purchasing? Yes.
Is this a reason to ignore what the es2 can do? Not in my opinion.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:17 am

It's funny to see how divided people are on this one too. Seems everything E2 polarizes opinions. As long as there are people with all pads raised and sticking out above the frame, I think any model that has pads dipping below the frame like mine does is faulty.

They cannot have meant it to ge below the frame, even when pushed the pads should stay above the frame. I guess al the people that claim they have no problem with it don't have their pads drop below the frame. Cuz you notice it when playing.

Korg in their turn has told people to go contact their dealers in responses to these issues. This time they used a location excuse. The person asking the questions is from Switzerland, so Korg UK will not respond to them and sends them to local dealers. Korg UK even does this to me, and I am in the UK!

It tells a lot when companies reply like that on social media. They could've replied that pads are supposed to dip below the frame, or that they are supposed to be raised. But they didn't. All Korg ever told me was exactly the same as they did on Facebook; go back to your dealer, stop complaining to us.

They don't say anything about the price hike. I guess, it is just a coincidence the price in the whole of Europe got raised by $50. Every single shop had it for 399, and now its 449 everywhere. They could be honest and say they raised the RRP and all retailers just went with it. When a price suddenly is the same across all the big European music shops that's not a coincidence.

I really don't understand Korgs way of communicating. I'd try to ask them some questions on the Korg UKFacebook page, such as whats in the pipeline, but since I already returned mine they are even less likely to help me. All my emails to them never got a reply other that 'go back to your dealer'.

I'd be really hesitant to give money to a company that doesn't admit mistakes and flaws and is this hard to communicate with.

SMK · Post by **SMK** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:07 am

Well, for me the I can tell it is design. I would not call it good design cause having a 5 degree incline on the surface of the panel where the pads are most effects (lower pads seemingly more raised than upper pads) was not the best move. But at the end of the day, it the industrial/package design of the case made by artists with no engineering background (which is always the battle between designers and engineers).

I got used to this when I got my E2. I'm Okay with it. When I got my ES2 I looked at the same issue, and pad for pad the levels of the pads on the ES2 is exactly the same as the E2.

Since there is consistency in the design and play-ability, it is not an issue for me.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:46 am

I think that if this is by design the differences between units shouldn't be this big. On the Facebook group there are some people who have two units, one where the pads are fine and one where they're not. Seems you have to get lucky to get a unit with all pads raised. Which shouldn't be the case. Maybe Korg UK will reply to the post on their Facebook page. It has a link to this thread. I would like to hear their opinion on this.

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Recessed pads on the E2/ES2, normal or production fault?

Normal or production fault?