A4 gives me electrical shock

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#41

Hi guys

Just wanted opinions and others experiences. My analog four has always given small shocks from its case since new and electron advise me this is normal and acceptable. I found the other day though it’s also introducing a lot of noise to my system and gives off so much interference that if I hold a jack connected near the box it goes mad (I can upload a video showing how severe of it helps). Elektron have said it is normal for a PSU to cause this and is acceptable and that I need to buy and connect into an earthed mixer. The box has this issue no matter what socket it is connected or even if no other connections are conneted.

Does everyone else have this same issue as it doesn’t seem right to me even though this is what elektron tell me?

Cheers

Craig

#42

Poorly grounded means normal?? :hushed:
Are you sure that’s what they told you?

#43

The PSU isn’t grounded, it’s all low voltage anyway

I notice it once in a while, but only when gently touching near the corner/screws … more like a tiny static jolt, never any noise though

1 Like
#44

Here’s a link to what elektron replied

Hi Craig, What you are feeling is the filter capacitor in the PSU and not the mains. This is normal to all non grounded units that has a larger PSU filter capacitor. You will need to connect the unit to a grounded mixer. Regards, Olle

Doesn’t seem acceptable to me that I need to buy something g seperate to make it work correctly and introduce something else to my chain.

The interference running a jack end near the A4 is mad. Tried to upload a video but the file size is too big

Jumpy encoders
Turn off elektron device before plug in/out stereo cable
#45

The PSU thing is quite normal, not just in Elektron products, I get it with a number of devices, not least my iPads when they’re charging. The interference seems to be a separate issue, either you have a faulty A4 or you have noise induced in the ground loop of your system, hence the recommendation to ground it at a mixer for the latter.

#46

I would think the shock from casing and interference are one and the same thing. It would be unlikely to be seperate considering.
As for ground loop in the system I’ve used both socket and see on plug sockets to test as well as Megas and multimeters to test and all sockets and adapters are good. Plus the rest of my system is absolutely running smooth with zero issues. It also doesn’t matter what socket it’s connected to and has the same issues in completely different buildings/ electrical circuits. Due to the box not even being grounded either does this not mean ground is lifted and any ground loop would not show anyway?
By interference I am talking about say having one end of a trs connected to soundcard in and having the other anywhere within about 3 feet of the A4. No other gear does this only the A4 so it’s giving off something that it shouldn’t be. I think to be advised to go and earth through a mixer is a joke as a solution to a design problem to be honest

#47

Why do they not ground the boxes in the first place?

#48

Heard from the source that A4 MK2 comes with improved, better overdriven electrical shocks :heat:

1 Like
#49

:joy:

#50

size, cost, power consumption is low enough to pull it off…Besides, if these needed ground, they’d be lot more difficult to power with batteries

#51

Well that’s not electricity works, DC wouldn’t give anything other than a bias, you need AC component to induce noise. I did suggest that your A4 itself could be faulty, as for ground issue, there are more than simple ground loop hums. You can have all kinds of digital noise present itself through ground and cable//equipment shields. I had a similar issue recently with a USB interface that wasn’t easily traceable, the fix was to lift pin 1 to monitors. Before that I was getting digital noise through my whole setup from my graphics card as everything acted like an antenna.

As for why they use DC lumps, it’s easier to replace, safer and ironically saves you from a lot of ground issues!

2 Likes
#52
#53

Yeah fair points and that makes sense. but surely elektron saying this is acceptable as a grounding issue and I need I use a grounded mixer points to the design not working properly if it regularly causes these issues?

#54

hard to say. I’ve never gotten any kind of shock/zap from my rytm nor from my heat.

You sure your unit is not defective somehow? That’s what I’d suspect if the behaviour would persist even in different locations/powergrids…

#55

Ok So considering I’ve localized the issue purely to the A4 on its own no matter what socket it’s connected to and even if no other cable is connected to the box other than power does this sound faulty? I mean if I have it connected like this on a seperate main and then put the end of a jack anywhere near it it’s still giving off insane amounts of interference. I just think its a bad cop out for elektrons reply to be well that’s how it is deal with it and use an earthed mixer.
Love elektron boxes but that service has really not instilled confidence to stick with elektron

#56

This is my thinking but elektron are saying this is normal and always have but it bugs me i have to work around this design flaw if that is the case. I just find it hard to believe everyone’s boxes are the same as this so wanted to get some opinions really. Just not happy as I feel fobbed off by elektron

#57

Think I’ll have to get the multimeter out tomorrow and see what kind of electrics I have running through the case. To me i’d think any electrics running through the case would be down to poor design and not something to expect from expensive gear

#58

What about when it’s plugged in by itself and using headphones? Not doubting your problem btw, this is one of the many reasons why DI boxes get used in venues. :slight_smile:

#59

This ALWAYS happens to me! It gets so annoying

#60

No noise over headphones all seems to be good in that respect. I’m more concerned about the box giving off shocks and giving off so much energy it creates that much interference when non balanced cables are placed near it. To me it seems faulty and my concern is that using it connected to my other gear could damage the other gear (not sure if this could happen?) and don’t like constantly working on something that is leaking all this energy from the case, sure this can’t be great for me?:joy: