So the MKI I bought makes pops and clicks pretty predictably - and not the good kind - check out this recording: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RHiEcdFpgJMLOcIMEazDD8FKrzQ0BeE7&usp=drive_fs
Anyone know what could be the cause? Bad DAC maybe? Repairable?
Wild but harmless guess: try resetting cables. If audio is passed between the boards then light corrosion could be the cause. Reseating is usually sufficient to clean the pins.
Tried that and no luck. The clicks seem to be internal, they change volume with the volume knob. They come out the headphone jack too.
the left side is spectrum analysis of the section with no clicks, as you can see the volume peaks around -10db at about a 250hz peak frequency, the right side has the most clicks and the volume is much louder at -4/-5db and a much narrower peak frequency closer to 280/300hz. So the frequency above X hz and above X volume is playing a part in this, my guess would be something related to the audio output stage like the opamp or whatever makes up the amplification stage. I assume you have a daw and can follow this same train of thought/analysis to a more refined level as you own the MD and can test/adjust/analyze to try and pinpoint if there is a volume level below which it does not crackle at or above 280 hz.
As far as repair? can’t say. I’m guessing it needs a something replaced but I don’t have enough experience to tell you what or how much to expect. I doubt it’s the DAC though.
could just need some solder reflowed but again, don’t know. you’ll have to dig deeper into analysis and probably open it up to make some ocular observations. not hard to do either I wouldn’t think. at least end up paying someone less for diagnostic work if you come to them with more specific data in hand.
I tried fiddling with the filter and EQ and lo and behold the clicks are affected; i.e. they can be somewhat filtered out. This leads me to conclude that the clicks are generated at the oscillator level; i.e. the SYNTH page. Their frequency loosely depends on the pitch; higher pitch can mean more clicks but as you sweep pitch clicks come and go. The clicks are very regular. For a given pitch, they happen at roughly the same times, and, the pattern of the clicks scales with the decay setting.
(So, Elektron, tell me if I’m right. The DSP cores in the Machinedrum are set up like an assembly line with each one responsible for processing a single page’s parameters and sending the result down the line.)
I might try reflashing. It’s a long shot but worth a try. Maybe a bit got flipped somewhere.
Does it happen with brand new snapshot, starting from default settings?
Yeah did an empty reset.
Nm
Been waiting to hear from one of if not the sole engineer still at Elektron familiar with the MD hardware. Of course, they’re busy with other things which is to be expected, and the chance of them saying “oh yeah it’s probably a loose wire” is slim to none. I’m probably going to end up having to return this thing, but I’m just hanging on to that chance 
(and Reverb told me I have as much time as I need to resolve the case)
@shigginpit thank you so much for that spectral analysis. I hope it gives them a hint!
you can thank the nice people at audacity and their lovely free software. good luck, hopefully you at least get back something conclusive from support.
Well Elektron could not get to this 2+ weeks after I originally asked so I returned it.
Beware of units missing entire jacks “but everything else works fine”
Besides the audio issue an entire stand was missing causing the top left corner to bend when CLASSIC switch was pressed
The seller was frustrating to deal with. After showing him video evidence of everything his response was always “oh it’s not as bad as you made it seem”
He received the unit and said he didn’t hear anything wrong but still refunded me. I gave him instructions on how to reproduce it, but before he tried them out he said “Isn’t DEC some kind of decimator/bit-crusher?”
Then he reproduced the issue after following my instructions
