Perfect timing. I’m almost finished with cleaning the rubber coating from my buttons…Just two buttons left to clean.
1 Like
In my experience the coating degrades on its own. I’ve had devices that were almost never handled turn into a sticky mess.
7 Likes
Typically goggles. At that point I’m convinced it’s somehow worse when it’s not handled and confined to a small place (goggle box, synth under a decksaver).
When you handle it you remove some with your hands (after using Elektron synths my fingertips are covered with this substance it’s very noticeable). That’s why the best advice is to pass a clean cloth on the caps after use: you remove a bit of what’s degraded, gracefully. It helps slow the buildup.
Confinement makes it worse. Decksavers, goggle cases, synth bags, etc. trap volatile compounds. Once degradation starts, the off-gassing has nowhere to go, which accelerates the breakdown.
Barely used any synth I’ve bought the past 8 years because work has been hellish, and yet it melts. The plasticisers are migrating whether you touch it or not.
3 Likes
Yep. I have a few flashlights with a similar coating that I basically forgot in a drawer for two years or so. It’s like a thin rubber strip and I’m pretty sure I never really touched it.
Petty much at the same rate the coating on an umbrella turned into goo.
Everything I own that has a rubberized coating has turned into a sticky gooey mess over the years.
1 Like
the chemical compounds in the coating will degrade regardless how soft, clean, protected you engage those. That is because it is a chemical/physical process that can’t be stopped with anything. Silicates (silicic acid salt) dont interact with skin, fat nor proteins. It barely does interact with any other chemical, which is why it is used to keep other materials from strong interacting/connecting (building strong chemical atomar bonds, hence ‘soften’). The glue-effect is not the silicone alone, it is what is left after the building blocks thinned out again. Think of it like raisin cake and you take the raisins out, you are left with a mess of cake.
Elektron and any other company using such coating engaging in full replacement is the only proper way in the long run.
9 Likes
Absolutely - that’s it - it does not matter if you touch it or not - my AR was in the box for 6-8 months and some buttons turned into a sticky mess
I remember at a music show some months ago I heard someone at a music gear stand saying that the sticky buttons issue was due to people using hand gel sanitiser— that is complete b*****t
2 Likes
It’s a shame really that there’s no gooey-less solution for this compound. I hate the idea of these devices which I care about turn out like that…they’re expensive, and I’d like to keep them pristine as long as possible. Guess there’s no escaping then…only keeping them clean, and not overly exposed to sunlight, humidity, and big temperature changes to try and prolong the button life a bit. Well, at least Elektron heard the complaints. I do think the rubber coated buttons give it extra class, but I guess I’ll pre-emptively start buying the rubber-less sets in the near future.
1 Like
It’s not really about those factors. As others mentioned it’s connected to air tight storage. The trigger is most likely solvents/plasticizers that diffuse from other products into trapped air that can’t exchange fast enough. So never put different electronic products into the same box or air tight space for storage. Every storage should have some kind of ventilation. If the air smells bad inside the storage this is probably the stuff that degrades the surfaces. As soon as degradation starts it continues (accelerates actually - everything degrades slowly all the time). Synths want clean air around them, then you should be fine.
The equipment is in a cupboard to protect from dust and sunlight basically, but I’ll make sure to keep the door propped open a bit (it’s not exactly airtight anyway, but still…). Maybe also a good reason to sit down and use it more! Thanks for the hint 
Not to sound ungrateful but I puzzled why they’re stopping at the buttons… the encoders are coated with the same stuff
Some say they aren’t. I don’t know for sure. On my Analog 4 MKII they surely started to feel a bit sticky, but I got rid of it before they were a mess. They do seem to resemble the pots that are on a Minilogue, which definitely became sticky after a few years.
This hardware renaissance has been sticky for me. You know what software isn’t? Sticky.
2 Likes
There are all types of replacement knobs already available—the buttons have to be custom though.
Fair point, but I really like the way these machines look, down to the knobs. All of the aftermarket knobs I’ve found just don’t look right to me. Elektron clearly puts a lot of consideration into making something beautiful, and have since day 1. Given the knobs are one color & no complicated injection molding is needed, It’s unclear why they didn’t go the extra mile as part of long term support for their premium line of machines.
I realize this may sound flippant to some, but it seems to me the forums collective issues with their products being coated in shit (Ableton too) has “inspired” them to at the very least offer replacements to purchase (they should be free, tightwads). So I will continue to advocate for them to do the right thing and stop using it completely.
Bottom line is: as someone still very interested in what Elektron is making, the principle of having to procure my own uglier knobs for a $1700 groovebox (on top of paying extra for the not-shit-coated buttons) is not inspiring me to open my wallet.
4 Likes
I’m an advocate for giving Elektron both positive and negative feedback. Some people wanted to close this thread because they felt the complaints were pointless, but I’d argue the opposite: the sustained criticism around the buttons is what ultimately pushed Elektron to offer a solution.
In the same vein, feature requests—such as slicing or time-stretching for the Tonverk—shouldn’t be met with discouragement from other users. Constructive criticism and requests are a normal and healthy part of improving a platform.
9 Likes
Not the same, looks like proper overmoulded rubber:
2 Likes
I completely agree. Criticism is not about blaming a company for its mistakes, but about encouraging it to learn from them. There is a famous saying in economics that illustrates the significance of this: markets do not regulate, the market only gives the ultimate judgement, as disappointed dreams can easily bury hard-earned expertise.
2 Likes
Going off of my Monomachine MkII here, all 10 of the coated knobs it came with are sticky to the touch and sitting in a baggy in my closet. Perhaps they switched to a new material at some point after Rytm/Analog Four MKI? Looks like an E25 Syntakt in the photo. Regardless, there are plenty of people on here that complain about the knobs on various boxes that Elektron should consider.
Re: the inevitable rubber coating breakdown due to plasticizer migration, offgassing, lack of ventilation, etc. I’ve wondered about the wisdom of decksavers. I feel like a decksaver hastened the degradation of my beloved og digitakt, and am thinking about drilling ventilation holes around the sides for my tonverk decksaver. Might at least slow down the inevitable, while still keeping the device safe and clean? Wishful thinking?
2 Likes
3 Likes
its worth a try it think. but when you use it regulary it wont accumulate very much i can imagine. i had it closed a couple of months before the melt