sub 37 wobbly pots

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:19 am

Hi All,

Have had my Sub 37 for a little over a year now. Have looked after it almost obsessively! Just noticed about 2 weeks ago that some of the pots have suddenly lost the premium feel they used to have. The friction on them has dropped, they wobble and make a squelchy sound as you move them side to side. Has anyone else noticed this?

I reached out to andy at moog, but I guess I've got lost in the Thanksgiving holiday rush. Hopefully I'm in a queue for a reply...

Would love to know if I'm alone in this.

Cheers,

Si

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBRZUP-4EzU

mmarsh100 · Post by **mmarsh100** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:06 pm

Mine is still solid, I've had it for about a year as well.

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 5:33 am

Thanks marsh, glad yours is ok. Beginning to worry about the longevity of mine. Hope I get a response from support soon...

LuLoop · Post by **LuLoop** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 10:37 am

Hi

I have seen this problem,, using the Sub 32 after one week or so,. Was talking with a good friend about it and we came to the conclusion, that this is normal.
I have seen your video and it looks like my machine. Just the same wobbly Pots....not so strong but wobbly... And my Sub 32 is just around 2 month old.

Wish you all the best.
Regards Luloop

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 6:07 am

Hi Lu,

Glad to hear I'm not the only one, but it seems strange that some of the pots still retain their "premium feel" while others are degrading. Guess I'm lucky mine lasted a year. Would be good to hear from Andy at moog though. I'm now waiting for a reply over three weeks...

Cheers,

Si

DrJustice · Post by **DrJustice** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:34 am

I haven't inspected the pots for type/value/dimensions, but in all likeliness there are metal housing/bushing and shaft versions that are direct replacements. If anybody pull off the panel PCBs, e.g. to replace the board with the filter pot, please make a note of the type and value used. I' may replace them on my own Sub 37, but I'll hold it off until it's out of warranty. There is an opportunity for Moog to do a DSI and offer a new set of panel boards with upgraded parts - if they did, I'd buy a set straight away. I want the Sub 37 to be for life!

Edit: Like these, or these.

robbd · Post by **robbd** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:49 am

Hi Sihaz,

Sihaz wrote:
...it seems strange that some of the pots still retain their "premium feel" while others are degrading. Guess I'm lucky mine lasted a year. Would be good to hear from Andy at moog though. I'm now waiting for a reply over three weeks...

Follow your instincts on this. For a pot (or ANY mechanical device) to change properties that radically is NOT normal behaviour. The Sub 37 may be a fun, great-sounding and inspirational synthesizer, but the build quality and part sourcing leave much to be desired. IMHO, of course.

Some pots have a layer of oil or grease in them,which is probably the source of of that ugly, squishy sound in your video, (go to the 3:00 minute mark here to see an example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUkrpqEmXb8.
If you add that to the fact that SOME, but not ALL of your pots now have extra wiggle to them, means that SOME of those pots are disintegrating, if not actually broken. Yet. Do the squishy pots have any up and down play?

Sihaz wrote:...Beginning to worry about the longevity of mine. Hope I get a response from support soon...

I know the feeling, worry about mine all the time!! Moog support is really slow, I waited at least 3 weeks for a reply when I bought mine.

You may want to re-word the problem, or even the title of this thread to something like "Holy Crap, Batman, every time I wiggle on my Sub 37 it sounds like the pots are going to spit oil in my eyes, and here's a YouTube video to prove it!!!" might get some attention, 'cuz, no matter what the Sweetwater or Sonic Lab reviews say, every freakin' pot on this thing wobbles. A little wobbling never hurt anybody, but what you have there just ain't right.

Since this is my first post, Hi Everybody

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:03 pm

hi rob,

thanks for the advice. i'll give andy another shout next week and see if I can get a response...

cheers,

si

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:19 am

still no reply to my emails to moog support - feeling ignored now

Control_Voltage · Post by **Control_Voltage** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 1:17 pm

Sihaz,

Andy from Moog Tech Support here...there was some issue with your domain being rejected by my mail server.

I found your emails, and sent you a reply and reference to an Authorized Service Center near you!

My apologies for the communication breakdown.

Thanks,
Andy Hughes
Service Department Manager
Moog Music, Inc.

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:03 pm

Hi Andy,

I've tried replying to you from 2 different email address, (one a Gmail.com address), for a little clarification. I guess you're still not getting them. Please can you check your spam folder again?

Thanks,

Si

Frenzies · Post by **Frenzies** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 10:45 am

I noticed today, on my Sub37 that is less than 1 month old, that the EG AMT pot was wobbly, with the lovely squelchy noise on it. A quick tour around the rest shows most of the others are also wobbly, though not as bad. They are pretty much all as bad or worse than my MS20 mini, which apparently has famously poor build quality.

Ollimac73 · Post by **Ollimac73** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 9:05 am

Less than one month Sub37, what I noticed:

- Some knobs have much more friction than others
- The knob with less friction is the EG knob...and basically all the ones which have the set "resting point" in the middle.
- the Filter Frequency knob has a "huge" friction (which I like, and sure it will get loose with usage)...particularly compared to the same knob in the SubPhatty.
- the friction on all the knobs in the SubPhatty are more even, not much difference....although, I never paid so much attention to it.

Sihaz · Post by **Sihaz** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 9:46 pm

Glad I'm not the only one. Just wish I could get an email through to Andy. Happy new year btw!

Blackout · Post by **Blackout** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:36 am

Ollimac73 wrote:Less than one month Sub37, what I noticed:

-
- the Filter Frequency knob has a "huge" friction (which I like, and sure it will get loose with usage)...particularly compared to the same knob in the SubPhatty.
-

sounds like you have one of the new revised V2 Sub 37's with the revised internal control board that has the metal stem pot for the Filter Freq, rather than a plastic stem pot for the Filter Freq like the rest of the pots on the Sub 37.

metal pots tend to have different friction.

the easy way to see if your Sub37 is V2 is to lift the filter freq knob and see if the stem below is silver metal, rather than black plastic. If its metal, you are lucky!@

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