I received my LP on Monday and, although I’ve not had a huge amount of time to play with it in the meantime, I’m really loving it . I do have one issue with it though: I’ve searched the forum and there are a few threads about tuning issues but nothing that really seemed to hit the nail on the head, so here goes.
The manual suggests that oscillator 2 can be tuned exactly a fifth up or down, relative to oscillator 1. However, even after three Osc2 Freq calibrations, my osc2 is consistently (i.e. at various octaves and every note I’ve tried) about 20 to 25 cents flat of a perfect fifth, which sounds somewhat less than pleasing against osc1 . I’ve noticed that many of the factory patches are detuned beyond the point of sounding pleasantly fat and I wonder whether there’s something wrong with oscillator 2.
What is wrong with my second oscillator and what can I do about it? Do I need to do a full note calibration followed by another Osc2 Freq calibration?
unfortunately.. this seems to be the problem with all phatty’s
and because OSC 1 can’t be tuned manually, this means no perfect fifth
This is really my main annoyance, a synth like this (high build quality, lot of money and expecting top performance) shouldn’t have this issue. The phatty is a top notch synth, but this is a serious flaw, which should be fixed with a software update.
ps. You’re right about the presets, all intervals are flat in the factory presets. Even the octaves! (when pitch is assigned to the wheel the presets won’t go all the way.. which is the reason I fixed most)
Thanks for your reply. Disheartening as it was, in a way I was glad that there was nothing wrong that required it to be sent back.
It occurred to me only this morning that if it was consistently flat, that meant that at least I could get a perfect fifth lower with oscillator 2, it just wouldn’t be at the full extent. Lo and behold, turning it CW a gnat’s and was fine – it was as if the whole range of osc2 was a smidgen offset (on the flat side) from where it should be.
I figured I had nothing to lose, so after being warmed up for about an hour I did a full note calibration. It took about an hour and a quarter, but I guess it only takes up to two hours if the instrument is really badly out, which this wasn’t, being brand new. I followed that with an osc2 calibration and I’m now pleased to say that it’s working perfectly . Well, I say perfectly, it might not be absolutely bang on a fifth either way, but if not, it’s pretty close – in ever-so-slightly-detuned territory at most, which is fine by me .
I know they’re calibrated at the factory, but it’s travelled a fair way and I guess the climate here could be a bit different to across the pond .
. I do have one issue with it though: I’ve searched the forum and there are a few threads about tuning issues but nothing that really seemed to hit the nail on the head, so here goes.
. I’ve noticed that many of the factory patches are detuned beyond the point of sounding pleasantly fat and I wonder whether there’s something wrong with oscillator 2.
that if it was consistently flat, that meant that at least I could get a perfect fifth lower with oscillator 2, it just wouldn’t be at the full extent. Lo and behold, turning it CW a gnat’s and was fine – it was as if the whole range of osc2 was a smidgen offset (on the flat side) from where it should be.