Hi all,
I just got my M:C, and I can barely use it because the pads are ALMOST not producing sound at all. To have something barely audible I have to hit the pads with such strenght that I think I’m going to break the unit.
I tried tweaking the VDep , it is actually making the pads working as on/off triggers, and in ‘on’ they sound relatively low. Disappointing.
I tryed to reach Elektron support and shop support…Let’s see.
Did you have similar experience?
Is it set to 80% max volume? That had me with my MS when I got it. You can increase it to 100% in one of the menus on the MS so I assume the MC is the same?
Try setting the pads to fixed velocity (from memory, that’s hold FUNC and then long press BACK). If that makes a radical difference, you have a not uncommon problem that was mentioned in several reviews. It’s a pain, but it is what it is, not sure there are any answers.
It’s not about that. If I play a note using the step buttons I have the 127 velocity and it is extremely higher in volume then pressing pads.
However with my current equipment if I try to ear a preset or a pattern made by me (using step buttons and not pads) at a volume higher then 80% I risk to lose earing 
I would suggest you to not use the pads except if you fix them (but you need to open the model for that). I only use the 16 sequencer pads. We are all waiting for a sensitivity parameter on a future update but atm there is no solution…
oh ok… 
Sorry for doing this question in reverse: do someone doesn’t have this issue?
Because if the response is yes, I most likely ask to get a substitution and let’s see if the next is better.
If the response is no, I will return my unit
It is (more than likely) not your unit. I
t is almost universally agreed that the pads on the Models line are too stiff. There are lots of posts on this forum about the issue.
Sorry.
After a night passed with it, I have to say that it is still extremely enjoyable also with the pad issue, But if I knew before I took the Syntakt!
I needed a new stereo-in audio interface, a glitchy drum machine and a sidechain compressor, and my dilemma was about buying a Syntakt (that can be all of this in one package) or choosing separated devices, and the price was almost the same (however Syntakt is wayyy more compact and brings more tracks and multitrack recording…). I was attracted from playing live with pads
…it’s ok…
You could just resell the model:Cycles and get a syntakt instead? It is a mucn more capable drum machine and the only downside of it is it does not have the same streamlined “one knob per function” design that both models share.
Syntakt sequencer is a bit more powerful aswell if Im not wrong you can program more midi parameters with it and it seems that it is still supported by elektron whereas the cycles has not received any firmware updates for 2+ years.
I’m aware how much powerful is Syntakt. I happily own a Digitone!
But to go back now I should also sell/return all the three devices I bought just one week ago (sidechain compressor, audio interface and Model:Cycles)…too late.
I will make my relationship with MC working
FYI syntakt can’t do sidechain compression. It can do sequenced ducking with the FX block, which is similar, but I have been missing real side chain compression (or real compression in general) on the Syntakt.
I had a nagging feeling there was more to this and eventually found the post I remembered. Unfortunately, it was not a direct help, since it’s just another way of raising the volume of quiet pads, while at the same time losing (mostly) the velocity information.
But I experimented some more. I found that using the pads I got a velocity range of about 10-30. It turns out, if you raise volume/dist on that track to about 100, you get a usable range of volumes from those velocity values, comparable to using the fixed velocity hack combined with default volume/dist.
You still have to hit the pads fairly hard, but you do get a range of velocities.
My values above relate to how hard I was hitting the pads of course, so your numbers will almost certainly vary a bit.
Shame the pads are so stiff, but if you’re willing to do a bit of DIY, your can put some thick tape under the pads to improve sensitivity
At the end I think I will go for this.
However I think my unit is much more non-responsive then what I can see from various videos online: I really need to put a huge strenght in order to change track and makes me feeling that something inside is bending.
I will wait response from the shop however, if they find that another unit is not like mine I will ask for a change, I cannot have responsibilty of breaking this just for something that is not my fault.
Beside this I can say that I definitely love the MC workflow, I think that I never produced so many good sounding patterns in 2 days in my life, difficult for me to ask for a refund now…
Yeah, one test you could do it’s test the retrig modes pressure on the pads that should more or less show you the tactile range of / force needed on the pads. You don’t actually have to slam the pads super hard it’s more about speed, try to keep your finger loose and bounce it off the pad very quickly and you will find you can reach higher velocity without fear of damaging the cycles… that said I do agree that the sensitivity of the pads is not ideal and it’s not exactly easy to play with loose fingers on a small pad but it is kind of a similar theory as hitting an actual drum head like a bongo, loose arms, hands and fingers and bounce your hands off the drum, dont drive them through it.
After making some tests, resulted impossible to reach MIDI velocities higher than 68.
So, my unit had an issue.
We are proceeding with a replacement under warranty.
Your M:C that you’re sending back is much more responsive than mine
Hi Bibenu, sorry I missed that.
However, after reaching Elektron support for this issue, they said that a pad sensitivity setting is planned for next firmware release
edit:
Before going in excess of enthusiasm,
the exact phrase I have been told is:
“We plan to implement a pad sensitivity setting for a future update to improve the pad feel.”
…we need to keep calm, for what I saw, Elektron never disappointed in matter of support…honestly is one of the best. This is a “cheap” device respect to the other Elektron devices, is reasonable a more dilated firmware release rate
Ooo, good news, thanks for the info.