Korg Forums

I dropped 2000 dollars on a mixer that for me is a paperweight.

The sound quality is horrible and I really am running thin on patience and very intolerat of anyone saying its up to "spec"

its not, its crap!

end of story!

too much hiss!

useless for an audio professional!

if you just want a midi controller for 2 grand, fine otherwise stay far far away

the mod may solve the problem, but im skeptical due to all the propaganda and excuses floating around.

+++++++++You have totally right!!!!!

if i can't upgrade my zero4 with the new firmware in a next few days, i doubth it I will ever buy anything from korg.

I am so close to loosing to my mind.


Reggmail where are you brother????

If using a Mac.
The ZERO4 system update requires a Firewire cable and computer with the
update downloaded. Your system must be Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher.
At present, the updater is not compatible with OS X 10.4.10. It has been successfully tested for use in OS x 10.4.9 and OS X 10.5

PC running Windows XP for using the PC to install or download the Mac specific OS versions ( OS X 10.3.9 or higher except OS X 10.4.10 but you could use OS X 10.4.9 and OS 10.5 if you will use a Mac to install it into your Zero 4. info is at the Korg sight about using XP with SP2 download.

Windows SP2 firewire issues.
http://www.korguksupport.co.uk/page.cfm?pageid=620


When you get a chance go by your PC or Mac make sure that the original drivers are installed on the computer and connecting fine.
Could you use Ableton Live or a DAW, that means that your firewire connections and basic drivers are communicating with your computer.

After all that's been confirmed try upgreading it again and if it still doesn't work
call Korg 9:00 AM and before 5:00 PM EST
Max is a cool guy, ask if he or someone could walk you through this upgrade process. Phone # (631) 390-8737.
Please let us know what the problem was so that the next time we encounter something like this, we will know what to look for and have an idea on what to suggest.

Although this is frustrating, machines are picky at times, relax...we are smarter and you will get this situation solved one way or another.
PM me if needed.
Peace & blessings.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, for frustration buildup take some time to get away from your equipment for awhile, calm down for a few hours, if you need to go to work (Job) it's all good, it relieves the frustration and keep you from throwing the mixer against the wall. Lol
If you have a wife or girl let her know that you left your equipment alone for awhile to be with and spend some time with her, that's the best way to deposit goodies in your account...if you know what I mean. Lol

Remember, equipment is not as smart as you, it only do what man program it to do.
Just ask your equipment, who's your daddy...you make it happen, you are the boss.
Junk in junk out, good in you will get better out. OK ,enough pep talk.

I believe that anyone who has been in this business for any length of time have been where you are now at one time or another.
I have had some equipment the I read the manual over and over, called the company and some would take day's to return your call then when they finally do it's on a Friday and you wasn't there to answered the call, so now your stuck another weekend working on the same problem....in other word I feel your pain. I've been there done that many many times.
To top it all off sometimes I found that it was something so little that I was overlooking, so now you feel embarrassed and say to yourself, I must be an idiot not to do that simple thing, but don't kick youeself.
Than on the other hand, some company's put out equipment that just don't deliver ( company's at fault) and that's not the case with this mixer.

After you get this thing resolved, your friends will be taking back the mixer they got and triad it in for the Zero 4 / 8.Lol
One good thing in all of this is that if they have an upgrade problem, you will be the expert at it. Lol
So again when you get home take a deep breath and let's get busy.

Okay even before you get to step one 1. - 3. uninstall every Korg software first, on PC it's add remove programs, get it all out of there in case something may have gotten corrupted in the process.
start off with a whole new set of drivers from scratch.

After every removal of each program and also when you do an install of each program as well, two very important things to remember
1. make sure that no other program is running like virus protections.
2.'' turn the computer off and back on'' (reinitialize / reboot it) that makes sure that drivers are placed, properly installed and ready for use.

OK, now lets look at step 4. - 7. after you make sure that your drivers are working properly by checking using Ableton or a DAW, ( that will confirm that your drivers are working properly and firewire is sending audio like it should to your computer and software.)

This next step is where I was making my error and getting the timed out message at first.
make sure that in your [setting midi] dialog box, setting midi
(out port) Zero midi out 2 ( in port) Zero midi out 2
This is important, (Detect device automatically) and (Use only Korg midi drivers) and (skip version check)
has a place where you could leave a check, before you press (OK) make sure that nothing is checked.
again, leave all boxes blank [NOTHING SHOULD BE CHECKED BEFORE YOU PRESS [OK] I left a check in a box and thats what caused my time out error.

After that I clicked update, you will see now updating old software version numbers to new software version on the gray installer box, after about five minutes loading the new update.

When it's done the [ Now updating...writing] stop flashing and it will say [Update Completed!]

Next power off your Zero mixer, unplug the firewire cable, turn the mixer back on to (confirm) see that new software version is in.
Turn the mixer back off, plug your firewire cable back in then fire up as useal
and your good to go

If you can't get it after that call Korg and have them walk you through this process, they are helpful with this type of problem. # (631)390-8737 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.

You could also PM me I will get back with you, sorry if I am delayed at times I'm very busy but I do answer and check periodically for messages.
We will resolve this problem.
Peace & blessings.

i bought a factory resealed zero8 about a month ago

i had read all the complaints out there but decided on making the purchase anyway because of the good deal (1300) and the promise of a fix in the near future

when i first plugged in everything and turned it on i did hear a hiss (i later found out that the fx loops are so hot they cause noise through the kp3)

so i came back on here to read up on testing for the hiss

some one on one of the many zero8 = crap threads talked about turning down all the inputs and maxing the master volume to prove that its the mixer

i did that, nothing

i turned my monitors to max volume, nothing

i unplugged all the inputs and maxed all the gains, nothing

now im not sure whether it has anything to do with the fact that i always plug everything into a noise reducer/power strip and the hiss everyone is apparently vomitting over is created by dirty power

or if my factory resealed box was due to them testing a mod on it

i dont know, all i do know is that i am not getting the hiss that according to splurt is so distracting that he cant type or think in the same room if its on

and that because of this it makes me wonder if the hiss is based on user error and not korgs

all i have to do is turn on my zero 8 for hiss

again, there are tons of unhappy users on here with the same problem. kor g has acknowledged it somewhat, and its nothing to do with what we are doing.

There are load of us professional users who know how to hook up and operate equipment and then some, with degrees in engineering etc.

However, i did here a test model at aes with no hiss.. so i dont know if some of us have it and some of us dont,

all i know is i have a bad hiss. thats not acceptable in pro equipment, is i want to record off of the main outs, i will have bad sound quality not useable by professional standards and especially not for a mixer in this price range

again read all of the posts.. youll see many of us who have done everything over and over again, and have the hiss

as a consumer, im dissapointed and am venting cause this cost me 2000 dollars, i dont think its ok! soon my warranty is up and i just want to use this "Peter watts" mixer with great "fidelty" as advertised by korg

i do not have that mixer, i have a mixer with way too much noise

many of us admit, we would not use this mixer live.

i really dont know about people who claim they do not have any hiss.. that may be true?

i would love one of those mixers..

Ive had a zero 8 since dec and i love it, i havent had any issues with hiss, im using mac 10 4 11, Ive had some issues with firewire/midi and how they interact with my other firewire devices but nothing that would cause me to get upset about, the good overweights the bad bigtime. I would love to see something alomg the lines of automap or hui support and maybe a way to load diff templates etc, WHEN IS THE NEXT UPDATE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET THOSE MINOR IMPERFECTIONS FIXED.

zalo your posts and your defense of the zero 8 makes your seem non-credible for accurate information

again i am warning everyone against this mixer..

there is propaganda about it being up to spec or no hiss, however majority of users have a hiss



zalo?

how would you feel if you had a mixer with hiss?
and no soultions were coming fast enough and the street value of the mixer has dropped 700 dollars since its debut

i would set it aside and wait

i dont understand this "fast enough" statement

you have already said that you have other mixers (even other firewire mixers)

you bought the zero8 because you saw something in it that was better than what you had already

but then it has a hiss that you consider to be unacceptable (no one has ever said you were lying)

use your old mixers and just wait, eventually korg will come out with a fix

and you will have this dream board that you where so excited to buy when it first came out

but you have posted over 50 times on this forum about the same thing

an UNOFFICIAL forum, some korg employees might swing by time to time but its not like these complaints are going straight to the ear of someone who can change it

maybe japan has gotten the word that splurt is pissed off about the mixer but im sure the engineers arent huddled in a room desperately trying to come up with a solution just to please you

and when it comes to the fact that the price has dropped

there are 2 things that come to mind

1. electronics can never hold prices

2. unfortunately a lot of people watch your youtube videos and listen to what you say, a price drop can come from lack of sales, which is something you have encouraged

i have no reason to come in here and deceive everyone into believing that the mixer is gods gift to earth, the final chapter in everything that is audio design

i dont work for korg, i dont even work for a company that sells korg, there is no benefit for me to say anything positive about anything that korg sells

but i came here and told the facts of what i have experienced

anyone who has a different experience and speaks up must instantly be a foolish child, right?

or is it because i think youre annoying and spoke up about that, which is it?

the point?

here it is

you are doing absolutely nothing to help yourself out

you are like a person whose steak is prepared wrong and as the restaurant is remaking it, continues to complain about how awful the steak was

its not going to get to you any faster

so just shut up and wait

i dont really care, im gonna keep complaining and keep posting about it until its fixed

and yes korg is on here all the time

and for me its more important to let people know accurate information then to paint a pretty picture

theres tons of people who arent happy with the situation, its like what 6 months now?

how long is my warrranty?

zalo, if you dont like my posts , dont log on to this forum, your logic about me complaining about the mixer is the same thing your doing about my posts


at least what im trying to do here is constructive, your just hating...

and as far as you claiming to have a mixer without hiss, somehow i doubt it, and like you said about all of us having the hiss must be something were doing wrong??

i think its something your doing wrong with your innacurate monitors that somehow you dont hear it...

some of us are audio professionals...

if its something im doing how come korg has admitted to the problem

(but only after my persistant calls and complaints, and i personally know over 25 users with this issue)

so zalo, dont like the posts??

go to another forum;.

the biggest issue about the zero 8 is the sound quality right now


again, in my opinion, anyone would be an idiot to buy this outside of midi control use

and when i here things around liek its up to "spec"

to me, thats corporate cover up



this mixer is not good.

i am using my TC electronic card

but meanwhile my warranty is half out on the zero 8

Ok Guy's
This is how I was getting the problem

I tried changing computer's and installed the drivers again.


1. I checked my firmware and downloaded the new one from the internet.
2. I tried using the updater, I followed everything and changed it to
midi in 2 and midi out 2
3. I choose the 1.6.vsb file
4. when I was doing update, halfway through, the screen on KORG would
go dark and I would receive the following error
5. receiving error(timeout)


There was another step that I had missed

THIS WAS THE MAIN PROBLEM.

1. Before powering your Zero, Press and hold "Keep" and "ch 2" below
the display (SYS.U will start blinking). Once this start's blinking than
you would go to the first step on the top.

****You can't update your firmware if SYS.U is not blinking on your screen..



And now Enjoy your Zero4

i highly doubt korg isnt going to mod your zero8 if it is out of warranty

and they will probably tack on a new warranty after the mod

korg has been around long enough to gain me some peace of mind when it comes to issues like this

they didnt make the zero mixers to scam people out of money and then dip on them when it come to repairs

you yourself have said youve seen and used one with out hiss

i bought a factory reseal that from the website was possibly used at korg demo show

i could be using the one that you saw

i never meant to imply that everyone was using it improperly and that is why the hiss is such a big deal

i dont doubt that yours has a problem

but once one person starts to complain everyone else goes out and looks for a way to make the mixer they thought was working just fine begin to make a noise

like i said before i have no connection to korg in anyway

im not here to paint a pretty picture either... i am just giving my personal experience

YOU ARE NOT BEING CONSTRUCTIVE!!!!!!

constructive would be giving advice to work around the issue

and you are right i am doing what you are doing

ISNT IT ANNOYING?

you dont have to respond to any of this

im not going to come back inside the mixing forum until a mod is available since nothing in here is actually beneficial

djgorkhali wrote:Ok Guy's
This is how I was getting the problem

I tried changing computer's and installed the drivers again.


1. I checked my firmware and downloaded the new one from the internet.
2. I tried using the updater, I followed everything and changed it to
midi in 2 and midi out 2
3. I choose the 1.6.vsb file
4. when I was doing update, halfway through, the screen on KORG would
go dark and I would receive the following error
5. receiving error(timeout)


There was another step that I had missed

THIS WAS THE MAIN PROBLEM.

1. Before powering your Zero, Press and hold "Keep" and "ch 2" below
the display (SYS.U will start blinking). Once this start's blinking than
you would go to the first step on the top.

****You can't update your firmware if SYS.U is not blinking on your screen..



And now Enjoy your Zero4

When the previous firmware update became available, I was having problems installing it. The problem was that I needed to keep moving the mouse pointer during the install, or else it would go to screen saver and kill the install.

Try installing and just keep moving the mouse during the install.