OASYS 88 - Keys sound as if they are breaking after 2 months

[Kevin Nolan]

Kevin,

The posts to this thread imply that this is not the expected behavior for the keyboard action, and as markuk notes, apparently can be easily addressed if it occurs. As always, if you have concerns or questions about Korg gear, especially related to service, you should contact the support department of your national Korg distributor (see the contact info in my signature). While various Korg employees participate in this forum from time to time, as their schedules permit, it is not an official path for product support.

- Dan

Dan - this is a problem that was flagged on this forum by you, not me.

That aside, while I understand that the distributor network is how things are generally dealt with ( individual problems on an individual OASYS) - this scenario is different.

There is arguably sufficient evidence to indicate a systemic problem with O88 keyboards in general. Hence - irrespective of the proposed solution, or how it is ultimately implemented (or indeed where it was flagged) - I respectfully but strongly urge Korg to fully characterise the problem and identify a generic solution.

Furthermore, I feel that individuals having to deal with distributors and go though a potentially arduous process regarding whether they are eligible for a repair should be circumvented in this instance - if the problem is real and systemic – whereby, for example, Korg could offer a general decree that anyone needing this repair will get it.

Dan - I kid you not - you complete swept the rug from under my feet with your original post yesterday. I am now wondering if I have an instrument with a fundamentally flawed keyboard for the long run. You have completely unnerved me – hence theses responses. I thought it was an irrelevant issue, but now fear not. So I suggest, respectfully, that it is in Korg's best interest to at least characterise the problem and restore confidence.

Kevin.

[danatkorg]

Dan - this is a problem that was flagged on this forum by you, not me.

I don't understand what you mean by that. I genuinely think that you may have misunderstood me in this discussion.

There is arguably sufficient evidence to indicate a systemic problem with O88 keyboards in general.

Based on this thread, that does not seem to be the case.

Furthermore, I feel that individuals having to deal with distributors and go though a potentially arduous process regarding whether they are eligible for a repair should be circumvented in this instance - if the problem is real and systemic – whereby, for example, Korg could offer a general decree that anyone needing this repair will get it.

I'm not sure where this is coming from, honestly. I'm not aware of any major issue here, and regardless, service is *always* done through the Korg distributor. Korg's distributors take their reputations seriously, and while I'm sure that there are occasional difficulties (as with any process, any company, etc.), I'm also confident that the vast majority of interactions with Korg distributors' service departments are pleasant and easy, rather than arduous.

Dan - I kid you not - you complete swept the rug from under my feet with your original post yesterday.

I'm surprised to hear that, since it's the same thing that I always write when someone has a hardware-related issue: talk to your Korg distributor's product support department.

Best regards,

Dan

[Kevin Nolan]

Hi Dan -

I seem to be doing a lot of this these days here (because I'm shooting my mouth off a lot!) - my sincere apologies for coming off at you. While I was not intending to target you, I did, and I really do apologise. I, like most if not all of us here, appreciate your vision in getting OASYS to us and your comradeship here on this forum. Perhaps my apologies are wearing a little thin here also, but at this stage I can only apologies for mouthing off at you and for creating bad vibes - that's certainly not my intention.


Kevin.

[The Keyboard Wizard]

No matter the brand, should an issue arise with your board, such as is the case with a few number of O's, the procedure would typically be to take your instrument to your distributor's support.

I just don't know why this would be any different with Korg.

Visit the Fantom G's, Motif XS's, Sonikmatter/PC3 forums and you'll see that any similar issues usually are resolved this way! And there are lot's of them to read about.

I admit though I laughed my butt off when you advised to accept the key clicking as a 'feature'. Perhaps a little fanboy exhuberance on your part.

Again, nice job handling this Dan!



FL
www.franklucas.net

[Kevin Nolan]

Keyboard Wizard -

I apologised to Dan - I did NOT concede my basic point, which I believe to be 100% valid. If this is a systemic flaw - which it most certainly appears to be; it should not be a case of one-on-one interaction between individuals and their local distributer. It should be addressed on a corporate level. That is the case in every other industrial sector I can think of - as in the automobile and pharmaceutical sectors, as examples. I apologised for my brash interaction with Dan; but I do not subscribe to your reasoning. I do not believe that Dan has 'handled' this issue as you suggest, which persists and remains an uncertainty for all O88 users into the coming months and years.

Kevin.

[robkeith]

I'm with you Kevin, I thought it was something we just had to live with also. Maybee Korg should tell us why this would be so, and why they cant just do the right thing and have a recall to fix this problem, a general amesty, it seems that when you call service deparments they go, mmm no, havent heard about that problem before! maybe its because, if they dont get a general amnesty or a recall, they think its not an important fix. And a number of people on this forum have asked about the problem which suggests this is real, and needs to be dealt with

And while we are on this point of upgrades etc, I bought the big O because of its "open" architechture, I though that meant it would be the best "upgradable" option, I must say that with the M3 upgrades recently handed out, and the M50 being released 1st Novemebr, with features and functions, that we, the providers of cash for R&D by purchasing the big O, have been screaming for since it was released.

Although I love the big O, and would be sad to see it leave my studio, I am very concerned that I am seeing posts that sugest that its the end of the project. We all know if thats true, the value of this board will be de based dramatically, and I dont want to have to quote the sales pitch word for word, quote for quote, but you should know where I am going here.

No doubt no other synth currently beats the big O, but Korgs own words of "Open" and "upgradable", whether by Hardware or Software, and the lack of confirmation, one way or the other on its future, is getting too out there for my liking.

I know that you dont confirm upgrades for some reason only Korg are convinced is right, but I plead with you, please end the speculation, and tell it like it should be, is it over?, or are we to continue??? You may say if its over now, you are just enviting a lot of flameing against the Sales pitch, but believe me, it wont be any less at a later date, because I can assure you it wont, and may even be worse for future sales, certanily your reputation may take a hit. The fact that Software daws are becoming very competative and a lot cheaper to initiate, should compel you "Korg" to redefine why Keyboard hardware is an important purchase. To keep the value in the M3 and the M50, its also important to redefine the big O. If you let us drift too long, you risk the downfall of future expensive purchases at any time in the future.

So come on, it may hurt a little but honesty now is required. And if you are to discontinue, then maybe the Big O should be as open as it should be, by releasing the codes so that other developers can continue to make it so.

Thank you

[danatkorg]

I'm with you Kevin, I thought it was something we just had to live with also. Maybee Korg should tell us why this would be so, and why they cant just do the right thing and have a recall to fix this problem, a general amesty, it seems that when you call service deparments they go, mmm no, havent heard about that problem before! maybe its because, if they dont get a general amnesty or a recall, they think its not an important fix. And a number of people on this forum have asked about the problem which suggests this is real, and needs to be dealt with

So far, I've counted a small handful of people who report hearing unusual sounds from the keybed. The only person who mentioned talking to his Korg Distributor's service department was markuk, and it sounds like they handled it to his satisfaction.

I see no reason to expect that anyone else's experience would be different. If you have concerns about this issue, give your Distributor a call.

- Dan

[Hedegaard]

Does anybody else have issues where keys sound as if there are springs twanging when being played?

It started with one key, but now it appears to be happening to more and more keys. Not sure this should be happening on a £5000+ keyboard.

My O has been sitting in the same place for 2 months. No movement or gigging at all.

Anyone from Korg able to shed any light?

I don't have this problem...thankfully....

[The Keyboard Wizard]

This type of problem happens all the time no matter the brand!
Read this new link.

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread ... ost2005325


FL
www.franklucas.net

[kenackr]

It's interesting to note that some key beds don't do it (like mine) or don't do it loud enough or in the right frequency range to be detected by the owner.

Musicians generally become acute and active listeners, so it makes sense that they would hear something different when it happens, assuming that their hearing is still OK.

It would be interesting to find out why some keys do it and others don't, but I'm guessing that keybed manufacturers don't care to spend the money to find out.

If the rumor that Korg is going to produce their own keybeds is true, it might be in their best interest to determine what the cause is so it could be dealt with by quality control.

Concerning the link in the post above that tells of a new Nord electro having squeaky keys, does any one know if they get their keybeds from Fatar?

Perhaps this could be an intermittant problem limited to similar production techniques or design regardless of keybed manufacturer?

Since Dan's reaction is that it's not common, and he's been around the block a few times, it could well be that this "problem" is as yet unknown or unidentified to the keybed manufacturers like Fatar who have supplied keybeds to many companies.

That's my 2 c.

Ken

[jerrythek]

Folks:

My experience here in the US is that this has not come up as an issue - when there are unknown issues the product Support Department, Sales Department, or others come to me to find out what's going on, what should be done etc.

This key issue has never been brought to my attention. So I rather doubt that it is endemic to every OASYS. Since the OASYS uses the RH2 keybed, this line of logic would likely apply to every Korg product that has used the RH2 keyboard action, which is certainly not the case.

So working with your local Distributor on a case by case basis to get something fixed still makes the most sense.

Regards,

Jerry

[Davidb]

And while we are on this point of upgrades etc, I bought the big O because of its "open" architechture, I though that meant it would be the best "upgradable" option, I must say that with the M3 upgrades recently handed out, and the M50 being released 1st Novemebr, with features and functions, that we, the providers of cash for R&D by purchasing the big O, have been screaming for since it was released.

Although I love the big O, and would be sad to see it leave my studio, I am very concerned that I am seeing posts that sugest that its the end of the project. We all know if thats true, the value of this board will be de based dramatically, and I dont want to have to quote the sales pitch word for word, quote for quote, but you should know where I am going here.

No doubt no other synth currently beats the big O, but Korgs own words of "Open" and "upgradable", whether by Hardware or Software, and the lack of confirmation, one way or the other on its future, is getting too out there for my liking.

I know that you dont confirm upgrades for some reason only Korg are convinced is right, but I plead with you, please end the speculation, and tell it like it should be, is it over?, or are we to continue??? You may say if its over now, you are just enviting a lot of flameing against the Sales pitch, but believe me, it wont be any less at a later date, because I can assure you it wont, and may even be worse for future sales, certanily your reputation may take a hit.

To keep the value in the M3 and the M50, its also important to redefine the big O. If you let us drift too long, you risk the downfall of future expensive purchases at any time in the future.

True everyword.

Futhermore, possibly we´ll never know how all these rumours that were not answered by Korg, of "OASYS is discontinued here and also there" and "The upgrades goes now to the M3 instead", etc , has affected the OASYS current and future sales, thats a fact.

But we can be sure that they do had affected the public perception of the OASYS as a project in the long run, left the public to think that the OASYS is in a "comma" or a "bypass" period, to kindly say the least...

We´ll see how all this turns out in the future, but a 7000$ investment on this instrument today, (not to mention those of us who did it already) , will be percived for the prospective music market with another perspective, and a grain of salt.

Only time will tell, as usual.

[lcmorley]

Just a quick follow up.

I have given it a couple of weeks, and the keybed appears to have gotten much worse , so will definately be sending it into Korg for them to look at.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[markuk]

If your Oasys in under warranty then they will fix it. I had to take mine to the shop i bought it from and they send it back to korg for you. Then when its fixed it gets sent back to the shop. They told me because of insurance korg will only post it to them and not to me. This was a bit of a pain but at least they fixed it. Now its back on my roland v stand with no noisy keys.

[lcmorley]

Unfortunately, mine will have to go through two lots of postage. I live in South Wales, and I bought it in Manchester. So it will have to be posted to Manchester, then onto Korg, and back again.

I am not too happy with this, but if it gets fixed, I don't mind too much.

Cheers.