My 20-year-old Korg X2 has finally developed a problem after working flawlessly through countless gigs. One of the keys seems to have a broken velocity sensor, possibly as a result of physical impact or crushing of the key during one of countless gigs and hauling the keyboard around packed in a car with amps and stands etc.
How do you fix a single key with a bad velocity sensor? I'm pretty handy with electronics and I've recapped logic boards, fixed broken drum machines and PlayStations, Macintosh motherboards, Noritsu MiniLabs, etc. But I always go from a schematic or service manual or YouTube video, I never wing it.
I can't find any service manuals for the X2, nor parts lists, etc. Anybody know where to look or got any advice? I hate to get rid of this just because one key is bad.
Korg X2 velocity sensor repair question
Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever
Re: Korg X2 velocity sensor repair question
There are two contacts per key. As a key is depressed, one contact closes first, and then the other. The time between contact closures is sensed and converted to velocity. Typically a key contact becomes contaminated, and the lack of closure defeats velocity sensing. While other problems can cause velocity sensing to fail, with only one key affected that's unlikely.
Rather than describing the key contact strips, see:
https://syntaur.com/korg_x.html
You could try cleaning the contacts before replacing a strip. If you do so, be gentle - a cotton swab dampened with water is often sufficient, although sometimes isopropyl alcohol helps. If you're too aggressive and remove the carbon, or the carbon has been worn off from usage, the strip should be replaced.
Take your time disassembling things. Pay particular attention to key removal so that reassembly goes smoothly. The X5 is similar, so this might be helpful:
http://elektrotanya.com/korg_x5_sm.pdf/download.html
Rather than describing the key contact strips, see:
https://syntaur.com/korg_x.html
You could try cleaning the contacts before replacing a strip. If you do so, be gentle - a cotton swab dampened with water is often sufficient, although sometimes isopropyl alcohol helps. If you're too aggressive and remove the carbon, or the carbon has been worn off from usage, the strip should be replaced.
Take your time disassembling things. Pay particular attention to key removal so that reassembly goes smoothly. The X5 is similar, so this might be helpful:
http://elektrotanya.com/korg_x5_sm.pdf/download.html
If the X2 has a Fatar keybed, the key removal information in the X5 service manual and https://syntaur.com/HYdocs/HY0001.html might be useful. Best of luck with the repair.
As to sound, the M1 and my T3 have the AI (Advanced Integrated) Synthesis engine, while the X2 and my 05R/W have AI2. There are definite differences - I like some AI sounds, as well as some of the AI2 ones.
See http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=60576
As to sound, the M1 and my T3 have the AI (Advanced Integrated) Synthesis engine, while the X2 and my 05R/W have AI2. There are definite differences - I like some AI sounds, as well as some of the AI2 ones.
See http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=60576
Thanks... I fixed it! There were some huge dust bunnies in there. I think the culprit was actually a dead, dried up old beetle. Or it could've just been a software thing because I ran the external test on the velocity sensors and that key still failed after the cleaning registering a velocity of 115. But after the cleaning and external tests, the problem is fixed, so I'm happy!
The only problem was that doing the tests initted all my patches, so I lost some custom ones. Nothing I can't redo though.
The only problem was that doing the tests initted all my patches, so I lost some custom ones. Nothing I can't redo though.