Recessed pads on the E2/ES2, normal or production fault?

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 5:29 am

My pads are sunken away. But it seems that isn't normal;

Has anyone contacted Korg about this, and got an answer?

blackholesun · Post by **blackholesun** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 5:41 am

It seems it's that way on every unit. Dunno what it is, but I read that it could be because the bottom pads are optimized for drums (with the groupings and all) to "hit" the pads better. I don't even think I noticed until it was pointed out to me, but it does make me wonder why they laid it out that way.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 5:55 am

The picture shows one with all pads as the same height. My top row buttons are nearly below the metal. That can't be right. And why are the pads on the picture all raised? Including the top row... So many questions!

Here's another photo, where both rows are raised. The more I look at them the more faulty mine looks.

blackholesun · Post by **blackholesun** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:15 am

Just gave mine a look. The pads are even to each other, but the top row is lower into the metal because the front faceplate is slanted down slightly. So perhaps it's something with the faceplate and not the pads?

Actually this photo from Korg's website shows exactly what's going on.

Edit: hmm can't seem to embed the image.

http://cdn.korg.com/my/products/upload/ ... AA7HGZGU6Q

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:25 am

Ah yeah I see, mine are really flush to the top. When pressing them they go below the metal line. I tried taking a good picture, trickier than expected!

Have a look at mine, some pads are already below the frame

It is indeed most likely that this an assembly issue. The print with the pads might not be mounted properly or the frame not snug enough.

(Now I worry that if I swap mine out I get one back with noise/hiss when running on batteries. Mine doesn't do that at the moment. The audio signal remains hiss free even at max volume

)

blackholesun · Post by **blackholesun** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:42 am

Oh whoa, yours are definitely lower than that pic and mine and some of the other pics I've seen. Sorry

Well now I'm completely stumped with this.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:47 am

I've seen other examples like mine on the Facebook page. It might be just a matter of popping it open and aligning the print properly, or tighten some screws. But I ain't breaking the warranty over this. Another return/swap is needed I guess

wasstof · Post by **wasstof** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:05 am

Definitely a Fault!
All my pads sit above the surface even when pressed!
Just wondering if it's certain batch numbers?
Can't remember mine off the top of my head, but it's an early one, 10??, I'll check when I get home!

Frenzies · Post by **Frenzies** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:15 am

Mine are very low, just above the surface normally, flush or a bit below when pressed.

aquifer_music · Post by **aquifer_music** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:16 am

All are nice and raised on my es2

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:37 am

Frenzies I have the same and it worries me. You can almost peek inside, thats how long some pads go. On the raised pads they're still sticking out a bit even when pushed down. Doesn't it worry or bother you?

After time and a lot of finger drumming they could disappear completely and will be absorbed by the DSP. I am going to swap mine for one where all pads are neatly raised.

I'm not sure about the batch number but the serial was somewhere in the 9500's. Can't check anymore as it's boxed up and ready to go. Hopefully I can get a new "raised pads" unit tomorrow. It looks much better when the pads are all the same height, and will also play better due to better travel.

It does seem very common when Google image searching, but I see just as many with all pads raised nicely. I would assume Korg meant to raise the pads above the frame so somewhere during assembly something got skewed. Should be an easy fix, if it wouldn't void the warranty it would be disassembled right now.

Also I read on the Gearslutz forums that some people had to "bend" their E2 cuz it was wobbly. I wouldn't try that though.

Frenzies · Post by **Frenzies** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:46 am

I'm not that worried to be honest. They are all pretty much at the same height along the top row, 5 is a little skew, offset to the left and top of it' shore but they seem pretty solid and they work fine. I bought a cheapish piece of mass produced hardware, I don't expect perfection.
That said, mine are not as low as your photo shows.

phillwilson · Post by **phillwilson** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 11:31 am

Seems Dutchcow has beat me to it and posted my picture already...however the one he has put in is actually the EMX2 which in my opinion is fine, with raised buttons...the one with the issue is the ESX2 which is clearly recessed into the case at the back row

I have contacted my supplier to update him on how wide this situation is and ask if it can be put right by korg.

I will post his reply as and when I get one.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:43 pm

Just to be clear, the first two photos I posted have raised pads, and are how it should be. The 3rd one is my own E2. If one of the first photos are yours then I am sorry for grabbing it, I was merely Google image searching for some examples and to see how wide spread the sunken pads are.

Yours are as bad as mine, dipping below the frame already. Even though it may not impact usage and wear/tear it still feels weird to have some raised and some not. A different tactile feel too. Pressed or not, the pads aren't supposed to ge below the frame imho.

Also I don't think having a black or grey one matters on how pads are placed. As they're most likely made in the same factory, same hardware, just a different coat of paint and a different firmware. Pads should be raised nicely above the frame. Anything else is badly assembled if you ask me. Then again I seem to have ridiculously high standards

Ted3000 · Post by **Ted3000** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:17 pm

I just did a complete teardown and re-assembly. Don't try it if you don't have to, there are a lot of screws, internal and external, and a lot of little fiddly things to align - like the display and fragile XY pad.

As we have noticed: The face of the unit tapers down from the back to front slightly. Just look at your tribe from the side.

But the pads are not directly touching the inside of the case. They are offset by a lip - part of the zinc case itself. This lip is parallel to the 90 degree straight bottom. So the top row of pads are slightly "deeper" relative to the slanting face.

My top row pads are not flush with the face, they are above it - just less than the bottom row. When pressed, they're still slightly above the face.

If your unit has pads that seem to be below the case, you might want to embark on a disassembly, re-align the pads, and re-assemble. Because your pads might be a little mis-aligned.

Just be warned: it's fiddly work that could take an hour if you are clumsy like me. And it might not help, and you might be voiding your warranty, breaking your tribe, etc.

It's possible on the straighter units, Korg as tweaked the inner pad lip to be flush with the face, and not flush with the flat bottom. And maybe some units have a lip variation that's making the pads look deeper.

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Recessed pads on the E2/ES2, normal or production fault?

Normal or production fault?

Recessed pads on the E2/ES2, normal or production fault?