New Voyager OS problem

Tips and techniques for Minimoog Analog Synthesizers
Post Reply
Benno69
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:21 am

New Voyager OS problem

Post by Benno69 » Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:37 am

Hi,

I received my lovely new Voyager OS Whitewash this morning and what a lovely piece of equipment it is. Unfortunately, i seem to have a problem with one of the keys, low C to be exact.

All other keys seem to trigger a note just before the key hits its maximum travel which is obviously the way they are supposed to work. Unfortunately for the low C, the note doesnt sound until the key hits the maximum travel. What this essentially means is that i can, if im gentle, press the key without the note sounding. If i then exert a little force then the note will sound.

Most of the time, this is not a major issue as i when i play i usually press the keys to full travel but on occasion when i may glance the key it doesnt sound.

Unfortunately for me im from the UK and imported the synth from the US so simply sending the unit back may prove to be quite difficult although i have contacted Novamusik to see what they say. I have paid import tax and so im guessing i would have to pay this again if they sent me another unit. As you can see, a bit of a dilemma.

Has anyone encountered this before? Im guessing its a simple fix but i begrudge sending the unit for repair to the distributor here in the UK and paying to have it fixed as it is obviously brand new. If its a simple fix i might attempt it myself but then i will of course lose my warrantly - BUT if i bought it from the US and the warranty is only valid in the US then i may have nothing to lose.

Damned if i do and damned if i dont! Anyway, hello to all. I love the unit just a shame my first experience with a moog is not as perfect as id hoped! Oh well!

Best wishes

Rich

Benno69
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:21 am

Post by Benno69 » Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:49 am

Seems it has happened before?

http://www.moogmusic.com/forum/viewtopi ... light=keys

Any ideas on getting this problem solved?


Cheers

mattgalletly
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:33 pm

Post by mattgalletly » Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:49 pm

I too just got my ash Voyager OS yesterday, and mine does the exact same thing on the exact same key. I'm going to hate having shipping mine back from the SF bay area just to get this fixed.

acorkos
Posts: 219
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:14 pm
Location: Redondo Beach, CA

Post by acorkos » Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:12 pm

it's possible the keybed needs to be centered...your problem might be one of simple physical interference from the metal trim of the mod wheel assembly. check to see how close the low C key is to the metal trim. is there a slight gap between that lowest key and the metal trim, and is there a similar gap on the other end (highest note) key?

i've had my OS apart when the keyscan board went out (which i replaced myself). the keybed is held in place by eight screws (look underneath your OS to see them). if you loosen all the screws a turn or so, the whole keybed moves and can be repositioned in a more centralized location...L/R, front/back. try it and see if your problem persists after loosening the screws.

Hammy
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:13 am
Location: Huntington Beach, CA

Post by Hammy » Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:20 pm

My Voyager did the same thing. With Amos' guidance I removed the key from the key bed and found flashing/burr on the bottom of the key that was easily removed with a flat file.

Benno69
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:21 am

Post by Benno69 » Sat Feb 06, 2010 4:59 am

Thanks for all the replies so far, they are very much appreciated (also glad im not alone on this one!). Hammy, could you elaborate a little on the process you went through?

Many thanks

Hammy
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:13 am
Location: Huntington Beach, CA

Post by Hammy » Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:44 pm

Uhhh....it's been awhile, hopefully Amos will correct any mistakes.

Remove the wheel housing two screws, unplug the connector and set the wheels aside. Remove the keybed screws from underneath and remove keybed. Don't remember if there is a connector or not, but seems like there should be. If so, unplug it.

There's a way to remove the key from the keybed and I think it's done by pushing on the clip which is on the back of the key while at the same time lifting it out. Anyway, the object is to remove the key.

Where the key hits the ribbon there was flashing along the bottom edge left by the injection mold which needs to be removed by sanding or filing flat.

EricK
Posts: 6009
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 2:09 pm

Post by EricK » Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:53 pm

Here are some of the steps necessary for removing the keyboard.


Lay several very thick towels on a table so that the surface is very soft.

1. Open up the LHC compartment (with the pitch/mod wheels) via two screws and disconnect the keyboard cables. There are two them. One has a blue connector and one has a red one. You can see that they are coming over from the keyboard.
2. Next CAREFULLY flip the unit over (face down) onto a soft surface. Remove the ten keyboard screws slowly and carefully.
3. Pull the keyboard out very carefully. Make sure no cables are still attached!!

(info pertinent to your problem probably goes here, these were the directions for replacing the keyboard scanner)

6. Flip the Voyager back over so it's right-side up and re-attach the two cables to the LHC. Turn on and play the synth and make sure it works before screwing everything back together.
7. After confirming that everything is working, turn the Voyager off and screw down the LHC again with the keyboard cables connected.
8. You can add the first two screws to the keyboard while it's right-side up. I usually hang the corner of the unit off the table and thread in that screw first or tilt the unit up carefully with one hand and screw underneath. After you've got a couple screws in, make sure it's lined up properly (so the left and right-most keys aren't rubbing against anything. There's enough play there to adjust it before you add the other eight screws).
9. Flip the unit back over carefully and add the other screws.
Support the Bob Moog Foundation:
https://moogfoundation.org/do-something-2/donate/

I think I hear the mothership coming.

Benno69
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:21 am

Post by Benno69 » Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:29 pm

Just to say thanks for the replies. Taking the key off and filing it down did the trick! Thank you! :D
If anyone with the same problem wants some step by step instructions then drop me a line.

Hammy
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:13 am
Location: Huntington Beach, CA

Post by Hammy » Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:30 pm

Cool!

The thought of shipping my new Moog across the country and back was an option I was dreading, too.

Wyrm
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:55 pm

Post by Wyrm » Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:51 pm

Hi guys.
Well, I've got the exact same problem here with my OS. Apart from the low C key which behaves as described, the low F key needs some heavier hitting as well to trigger.

So, sending my OS back to the USA would be quite complicated. I've tried to disassemble the keyboard - no problem with that, but removing the key proved to be a problem. I simply don't know how to do it. Don't want to break anything.

I'd be really grateful for any help with that. The OS is simply pure and awesome, but with this minor, yet disturbing flaw I cannot enjoy it at 100%.

Thanks

User avatar
Ladderman
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:11 am

Re: New Voyager OS problem

Post by Ladderman » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:52 am

Dear forum members

I would be very glad if someone could tell me what the trick is to remove a key from the keybed.

I am another sufferer with a chinese keybed.. It's the same problem on my Voyager: Some white keys which are not triggering at low velocities (low C and some others). I'd like to check if I can find the burr/flashing below these keys which mas mentioned here.
Hammy said in a previous post to
"..push on the clip which is on the back of the key while at the same time lifting it out."
Is that all that is needed to be done to get the key out? (after taking the keybed out of the synth )

thanks in advance for any hints!

best regards

User avatar
Ladderman
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:11 am

Re: New Voyager OS problem

Post by Ladderman » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:35 pm

Found out how the keys are removed from the keybed. It's the same procedure on Fatar keybeds and the chinese ones: See this video starting at 09:10..
http://youtu.be/91GIhz5TbZQ

Post Reply