Elektron Musical Instruments

We are using the highest specified encoders available. They should
last generally at least 100.000 turns, and that is a quite a high
number for encoders. Believe me, we know more than what is common when
it comes to encoders, we have tried close to all available. We need
the push-function for the interface with locks&speed-shift, so that
rules out some.

Over the years we have worked together with the factory and with
decoding techniques to improve the feeling and working life further.
The Monomachine and the Machinedrum use the same type of encoders, but
the Machinedrum have been available for longer, and therefore have
been equiped with encoders from more different production batches.
Someone who bought their Machinedrum and Monomachine years apart might
have units with different feelings, and possibly total encoder-life-span.

The interface of the Machinedrum invites intense editing, and thats
why people notice them wearing out, whereas they might not for other
instruments. Although encoders are notoriously known for breaking down
on many synths even though used a fraction of the Machinedrum (Yamaha
A3-4-5000 samplers, Waldorf Q I think).

The encoders we use are not an off-the-shelf that can be bought
wherever. But if you want your local tech to exchange them (out of
warranty supposedly) rather than us we can supply them. We offer
repair facilities at self cost more or less, so it's not like we
aspire for the units to break down so we can get them back and repair
them. If I would choose I'd like them all to have an eternal life!

Daniel, Elektron


--- In elektron-users@yahoogroups.com, "Tom" <user29a@...> wrote:
>
> "Don't use the wheel" 
> 
> That's not really what I want to hear. I got this drum because I
> really like it's UI, and that includes the big wheel and the encoders.
> Knowing what I know now, I will do my cutoff tweaking with my doepfer
> kob box, but i wish that wasn't the case.
> 
> If you cannot carefully remove the nine knobs before lifting the
> faceplate, you should most definitely have someone do that for you. I
> don't think that it really is thst big a deal, but even then I'd have
> my friend the electronics tech do it maybe. Or the local synth repair
> guy, who is totally worth his $80CDN an hour.
> 
> I recently had some encoders replaced by elektron, and while it was
> not too expensive, if I could have just bought the part i'd have had
> it done in under a week probably. Plus, if I do mess it up repairing
> it, it seems to me that's just cash in the bank for the repair/support
> department.
> 
> What I'd like to see is better knobs. Kick the price up a hundred
> bucks and give me some five-year encoders. I'd trade fancy (push in,
> continuous rotary, whatever) for "lasts ten years".
>