DIY Fix for Headphone Problem

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Does anyone know the cause of the OT problem that causes it to drop the right channel of the headphone out?

I have a nice, neat setup with a dual machine stand but I can’t use it without my mixer now, which is the size of an aircraft carrier. Elektron are great at fixing it but it’s been fixed three times already and has gone again and I don’t want to be without it for a couple of weeks.

I’ve built a ton of modular gear so am comfortable with soldering surface mount components etc.

Has anyone sorted a fix for this?

Thanks

O

#2

Just to add - I’ve tried an empty reset and whacking the gain on a master compressor right up. It’s an issue with the board.

#3

Grave bumping’ here. Did you ever fix this CM?

I’d be very interested in this as well. My set up changed a couple of months back and this headphone issue is driving me nuts. Surely there’s a fix for this.

#4

It’s worth just opening it up and making sure the connector is attached properly. This sorted my OT out on more than one occasion.

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#5

Examples?

#6

Examples of what? Sorry - I’m not sure I follow.

There is a small, two prong connector inside. If it’s loose it will case this issue.

It might not be the cause but if it is, you’ll save a lot on money shipping it to Elektron.

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#7

Ok thanks, so you had problems with those for headphones only, several times?

#8

I had this problem on one of my OTs some years back, removed the top and noticed the ribbon cable had not been attached properly - IIRC the ribbon cable has a dual 3 way female header, and on the PCB are the corresponding pins, the connecter had been put on such that 2 of the pins were not connected, it was offset by 1 row.

I just pulled it off and re-connected it properly and it was working correctly.

Edit: With this kind of connector (same type but different size to eurorack psu) it is very easy to put on incorrectly, given the number of OTs reported with headphone problems I reckon it is fairly common that the connectors are plugged wrong.

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#9

Ok awesome. Thanks for the replies. I’ll definitely be opening up my OT and having a look! The ribbon cable is a common one with bits of gear actually.

The blasting the gain on the compressor worked once or twice but certainly didn’t fix the issue. Weird that it made some effect though?? Same deal with the plugging in the headphones after you boot up. I do hope it’s just hardware though and not some weird software bug which Elektron obviously won’t be fixing.

Operation time. :slight_smile:

#10

Well I pulled it all apart and I reckon it may have been a bad connection on the headphone jack as one of the pins felt like there was a tiny bit of play. I redid all the solder joints on the headphone jack and put it all back together and so far so good! It even worked fine with the headphones inserted before powering up.

Fingers crossed that fixed it!

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