A4 MKII Q.C. : Buyer Beware!

Sloppy assembler caught red handed.

I’d def call that a major issue. Completely unacceptable.

i dont have an A4 MKII (since i dont need one, i have an MK1 !!!) but i had an MPC Live with: Hum on the Main-Outs when turning the QLink Knobs, strange Lines on the Display (sometimes, not always), slightly wobbly Headphone Master Volume Knob, slightly wobbly Push behavior of the Main Knob, loose Screw beneath the Cinch Connectors, the Copy Button has not properly clicked when pushed in the exact middle - i had to push it in the upper left corner - and im sure i wouldve found more if i wouldve used the MPC longer.

So … If sticky Buttons - which are known to settle pretty quickly - are your only Problem you havent bought any other Machine in that Price Range yet !!! QA is an issue with most manufacturers these days and Elektron is the company that probably has the least problems here! Although i agree with your Hiss Problem. This should not happen.

Fair enough. Maybe I’m alone on this one then.

If it’s just a teething problem then I can forgive it. Like I said, my Digitakt worked perfectly after the first two weeks or so.

Its a bit difficult to know if something is a malfuntion when you cant get a clear answer from elektron on the current state of performance, I did question the encoder behaviour (amongst other things) in a support ticket but there was no specific answer about the encoders only a general suggestion that I could send it back for service if I wanted. After a longer than expected 3 month pre order wait returning it meant a month or so more with no fun so I decided to see if updates helped, they didnt.
If I knew for sure that my encoders were operating outside the norm I would stomach the wait and send it back, maybe get the buttons looked at too but it seems like an expensive hassle if thats just how they are, it really puzzles me when I see others post that they are fine and I just have to try harder, so far from my experience.

2 Likes

I just had an Mpc 500 with Ot, no issues, and great pleasure with TRC !


Price is irrelevant. :smile:

1 Like

Well, so only because other companies are worse, one should be lucky because it’s “only” stuck buttons, faulty LED’s etc.???

Weird thinking. People willing to pay a lot and so they expect that the people at elektron QC doing their job properly.

There is just no reason to relativize these issues.

3 Likes

I don’t think so, because this is just how the encoders behave. I can understand that it’s not as intuitive for everyone, but I don’t think there can be a difference in how they work because of assembly.

I experienced some bugs with my encoders on A4 mk2 : for ENV and LFO pages, H encoder does not behave as expected (i.e. push+turn = fast jump)
I wrote a ticket describing in details what I observed and what could be expected.
This last part maybe needs a little bit of knowledge about regular :3lektron: UX, but otherwise that’s the way to do it I believe :slight_smile:

I haven’t encountered a critical bug so far, imho the current OS needs refinement but the instrument is totally playable (live-proof, even)

1 Like

Ah OK! But isnt that just unexpected software behavior, and by that I mean that everyone has that problem, rather than a faulty encoder?

Yes, it is software-related, as on other pages it’s working perfectly.
I haven’t noticed any hardware problem.

2 Likes

No, i meant redhanded because the guy who left his fingerprint can’t deny it :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like

From the Elektron ‘Who We Are’ page:

“Designed to the highest standards, assembled by hand and tested exhaustively before being sent out worldwide”

Apparently not…

7 Likes

I could be wrong but I bet it’s not many that are defective. Advertising that each unit is exhaustively hand checked sounds very classy but it’s asking for a little trouble. Someone might call up and say “was this unit exhaustively tested or was it tested by someone who was exhausted?!”

8 Likes

Got mine yesterday. Zero issues so far.

4 Likes

Ohhh, ouch. Yeah, that looks pretty bad in view of all these threads and complaints.

I feel bad for Elektron. When I first started making electronic music I lusted after a Machinedrum for years. I viewed it as the “Ferrari of drum machines” :money_mouth_face:. When I finally got one I was not disappointed. State of the fucking art. Hardware felt downright military-grade. Bomb-proof. No software issues experienced… ever.

But, it seems something has slipped in QC recently. I can’t imagine saving and saving only to get a machine with all these hardware issues, buggy software, nonexistent OB, etc. Ouch. It would color my perception of Elektron permanently. A reputation is not an easy thing to repair.

I think some generous PR firm should coach Elektron on how to handle this. This is like a PR class case-study of watching a company slip up. Even just a short simple statement, explanation, and apology would restore faith. Just good business. So much competition out there. Why should customers pay such a chunk of change for less than perfect machines? Why? I have no idea.

To echo other posters above, if I bought a $150 Volca and it was defective, I’d return it, and might or might not buy another one. But getting up into the $600+ range? I cannot think of a legitimate excuse for that thing being less than rock-solid. I’m not buying a damn scarf off of Etsy for $20 that someone knitted in their spare time! I could roll with it having a few knots or whatever defects scarves might have. I wouldn’t know because I’m not a scarf-person. I digress, but damn it, you get my point! :grin:

All I know is, my flawless Rytm mkI is looking better and better. GAS for new machines decreasing daily.

11 Likes

Imo it all went down when the investors chimed in.

7 Likes

Some sticky keys on MK2 has become nice after a week of use.

Had it for a week now. One major issue - it’s too awesome. Makes anything else look bad.

11 Likes

My Analog Four MKII’s #2 trig was sticking. I fixed it last night. All you have to do is push the button and while pushing it down press it from side to side, up and down a few times. It’s almost like there’s some residual molding on the inside of the unit that needs to be rubbed down a little bit and wiggling it loosens it up. I found that just pressing it against the edges while pushing it down a couple of times completely resolved the issue for me.

4 Likes