please tell me my fan is faulty

DavyP · Post by **DavyP** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:22 pm

Its not just a case of comparing the fan noise to the mechanical noise made by the keybed or joystick. The K61 key noise was actually very quite IMO but its also the times when the Kronos is switched on and is not being physically played when it can be annoying especially if you want to record a vocal or accoustic guitar without leaving the room.

For example you may want to control the Kronos via MIDI sequence (With headphones) whilst recording a voice or guitar in the same room (Home Studio)??

I suppose its very similar problem to a computer fan but not quite as bad.

It does seem produce a low buzz/hum which is in a key? Strange?

It may be that it is pure chance and that each Kronos is individual and can create differing levels of fan noise??

Hope my new K88 will not make as much noise as the K61??

Fred S · Post by **Fred S** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:09 pm

My 88 is loud for a moment when it first boots up then quotes down. I don't notice it much at all...really have to listen for it. The other ambients in my home are more distracting.

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:10 pm

SanderXpander wrote:If it's quiet enough, sometimes I can hear my own heartbeat.

my stomach grumbles, drowning out my Kronos fan.

Should I complain to my parents ?

DavyP · Post by **DavyP** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:14 pm

FRED...

That sounds promising.. Yeh I hope the 88 is quieter.

However I noticed that the fan on the K61 used to start up REALLY loud on boot up but then settled down into a low buzz/hum.

PinkFloydDudi · Post by **PinkFloydDudi** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:25 pm

DavyP wrote:FRED...

That sounds promising.. Yeh I hope the 88 is quieter.

However I noticed that the fan on the K61 used to start up REALLY loud on boot up but then settled down into a low buzz/hum.

Something to note - the more powerful and computer-like that keyboards become, the more they are suspect to problems faced by computers. Fan size, speed, and certainly volume is one that we might have to adjust to!

I'm surprised at the variability in stories from folks here though.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:55 pm

To me it seems that the fan noise, even where more or less tolerable, is one of the few real weak points, which I don't see being handled and cured like obvous guarantee issues.

I will definitely exchange my fan, for a much more silent high quality one, not resonating with the keyboard body like the present, no matter what. Maybe I will not even wait to the end of guarantee time. The noise is bearable, but it spoils the home studio atmosphere and is remarkably louder than my notebook fan most of the time.

aron · Post by **aron** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:02 pm

>It may be that it is pure chance and that each Kronos is individual and can create differing levels of fan noise??

It could be. Also if it resonates at a note - try putting the Kronos on a different surface... Worth a try.

NavidSyed · Post by **NavidSyed** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:29 am

The fan noise I am hearing in my K61 is unbearable it is definitely fan noise because after switching on the K61 is almost silent for a moment than this horrible hum/buzz comes on which stays until I turn off my K61, my first K61 was DOA and had to send back, now don't want to go through the same hassle again and I don't even know if the fan issue is covered by warranty I believe my fan noise could be around 50 dBA or more? I can hear the sound from 5 feet away, it is very very distracting and almost making it impossible for me to use the KRONOS has anyone found a quite fan I can get? Please help...

aron · Post by **aron** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:39 am

Wow! Mine is NOT that loud. No way. Call your distributor or dealer.

maphill · Post by **maphill** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:15 pm

NavidSyed wrote: I believe my fan noise could be around 50 dBA or more? I can hear the sound from 5 feet away, it is very very distracting and almost making it impossible for me to use the KRONOS has anyone found a quite fan I can get? Please help...

I can hear my fan from 10 feet away in a quiet room (the low end hum), but it is only 39 dBA when the meter is placed directly on top of the master slider.

I've had two KRONOS units and both were about that level, which strongly implies that is the typical level and that it would not be subject to warranty replacement.

Do you have a SPL meter you could borrow to see if yours is truly louder?

Mark

NavidSyed · Post by **NavidSyed** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:37 pm

ok a little bit of research, the fan in KRONOS is XFan RDM6025S Sleeve type RPM 3,000 noise level is 22 dBA as per manufacturer specification, now the fan noise level is very acceptable considering it is a 3000 RPM fan, and should be very quiet, I think problem is how it is attached in KRONOS, it is attached to a metal body in KRONOS which is housing SSD, and that metal body is in direct contact with the back cover so the noise me and other are noticing (40 dBA or more) is the hum secondary to how fan is attached, there were no rubber barrier used in between the fan and the metal body to dampen the sound, and NOW my personal thoughts I think that fan was not part of the original design and it seems like an after thought to reduce the heat of the power supply as the fan is not even close to CPU/ processor, I think during the testing phases of KRONOS the power supply was generating enough heat to choke the processor and maybe hiccups were noted in performance and Fan was attached to disperse the heat away from the processor, however there are no true vents so the air is being pulled away from the power supply but still is remaining with in the housing, I will keep looking into this matter..

http://si7-lab.blogspot.com/2011/06/part-5.html

http://www.x-fan.com/pdf/19-DC6025.pdf

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:42 pm

NavidSyed wrote:ok a little bit of research, the fan in KRONOS is XFan RDM6025S Sleeve type RPM 3,000 noise level is 22 dBA as per manufacturer specification, now the fan noise level is very acceptable considering it is a 3000 RPM fan, and should be very quiet, I think problem is how it is attached in KRONOS, it is attached to a metal body in KRONOS which is housing SSD, and that metal body is in direct contact with the back cover so the noise me and other are noticing (40 dBA or more) is the hum secondary to how fan is attached, there were no rubber barrier used in between the fan and the metal body to dampen the sound, and NOW my personal thoughts I think that fan was not part of the original design and it seems like an after thought to reduce the heat of the power supply as the fan is not even close to CPU/ processor, I think during the testing phases of KRONOS the power supply was generating enough heat to choke the processor and maybe hiccups were noted in performance and Fan was attached to disperse the heat away from the processor, however there are no true vents so the air is being pulled away from the power supply but still is remaining with in the housing, I will keep looking into this matter..

http://si7-lab.blogspot.com/2011/06/part-5.html

http://www.x-fan.com/pdf/19-DC6025.pdf

there seems to be a small % of folks that are unhappy with the fan. I say this because, I estimate that 1500-2000 Kronus have sold.

Since you are unhappy, it would seem more useful to get your Korg service center involved. Thats what I would do.

NavidSyed · Post by **NavidSyed** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:57 pm

GregC wrote: there seems to be a small % of folks that are unhappy with the fan. I say this because, I estimate that 1500-2000 Kronus have sold.
Since you are unhappy, it would seem more useful to get your Korg service center involved. Thats what I would do.

It could be that most folks are playing it in a live situation where it is impossible to hear any fan noise ( I never noticed it in Guitar Center), I was and hoping to use it in my home studio and fan noise IS bothersome to me... maybe I am so unlucky to get 2 fu...d up KRONOS as first one was DOA and now second with noisy fan and as per my dealer when he discussed with Korg distributor this is standard and not falls under any warranty coverage???

maphill · Post by **maphill** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 2:03 pm

NavidSyed wrote:ok a little bit of research, the fan in KRONOS is XFan RDM6025S Sleeve type RPM 3,000 noise level is 22 dBA as per manufacturer specification, now the fan noise level is very acceptable considering it is a 3000 RPM fan, and should be very quiet, I think problem is how it is attached in KRONOS, it is attached to a metal body in KRONOS which is housing SSD, and that metal body is in direct contact with the back cover so the noise me and other are noticing (40 dBA or more) is the hum secondary to how fan is attached, there were no rubber barrier used in between the fan and the metal body to dampen the sound, and NOW my personal thoughts I think that fan was not part of the original design and it seems like an after thought to reduce the heat of the power supply as the fan is not even close to CPU/ processor, I think during the testing phases of KRONOS the power supply was generating enough heat to choke the processor and maybe hiccups were noted in performance and Fan was attached to disperse the heat away from the processor, however there are no true vents so the air is being pulled away from the power supply but still is remaining with in the housing, I will keep looking into this matter..

Additional information: The fan is held into the metal bracket by 3, not 4 bolts. The fourth bolt hole does not align for some reason.

Also, the bolts are just long enough for mounting the current fan. With a rubber gasket, the bolts are unable to have enough grip to properly mount.

As far as the location of the fan is concerned, I believe the design is intended to distribute the heat around the entire interior of the device and prevent hot spots. This also allows some heat exchange through the control openings, and via the metal body's conduction.

I have a replacement fan with rubber mounts that I might try at some point.

Mark

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 2:03 pm

NavidSyed wrote:
GregC wrote: there seems to be a small % of folks that are unhappy with the fan. I say this because, I estimate that 1500-2000 Kronus have sold.
Since you are unhappy, it would seem more useful to get your Korg service center involved. Thats what I would do.
It could be that most folks are playing it in a live situation where it is impossible to hear any fan noise ( I never noticed it in Guitar Center), I was and hoping to use it in my home studio and fan noise IS bothersome to me... maybe I am so unlucky to get 2 fu...d up KRONOS as first one was DOA and now second with noisy fan and as per my dealer when he discussed with Korg distributor this is standard and not falls under any warranty coverage???

I have an 88 in my 'studio ', a 10" x 12" room with wood floors, very much a 'live room' for any sound. Like several 88 owners, the fan noise is audible but not a distraction or an issue.

you should audition 1 more Kronos in someone's studio, to determine if that fan noise is similar to yours. If so, thats simply the way it is.

Your choice is to get over it or sell your Kronos. I would not mess around
and try to replace the fan since it might crash your warranty.

Its your call.

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