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Waldorf Blofeld


TheBro

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My Blofeld seems to have developed the somewhat mysterious "encoder issue" that some units seem to suffer from. The reason for those annoying quotation marks is that mine doesn't have any serious issue with the encoders skipping values or going haywire but the leds flicker when turning any encoder or the volume knob. Occasionally the midi light stays dimly lit. Navigating through the parameter matrix is very unreliable. I've rebooted it about 5 times now and each time the midi light comes on. avoided updating the firmware as there were rumours that these, or similar, issues were somehow related to one of the firmware updates waldorf released. Now I'm reading on their forum that some units stopped acting weird after installing the latest firmware but I'm terrified of trying in case I won't be able to operate the button that's needed to confirm and finalize the update and could/might result in a bricked blofeld. 

lol

 

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What kind of encoders?  Can you open them up and clean them?  I've done that with a few pieces of gear and it's fussy but not too tough and has pretty consistently solved jittery encoders/values jumping/etc.

 

Here's a quick video demonstrating cleaning the encoder in an Akai S5000, but some variant will work on any encoder that you can open up. Just be really careful if you actually touch the inside of it, because it's easy to catch a cotton swab or something on the little reeds that ake contact with the encoder wheel, and if you mess one of those up then it's going to probably mean replacing the encoder. 

 

 

I use Deoxit D5 contact cleaner (not lubricated), CAREFULLY wipe the rotating disc inside clean with a cotton swab, and then add a very small amount of Deoxit Fader Lube to replace the old lubrication that the D5 probably washed out.  Works well.

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@rhmilo cheers, I bought the m4l editor a couple years ago, kind of hit and miss experience for me. There’s also a free editor out which seems alright as well. 
 

@TubularCorporation

Thanks! I literally just closed the Blofeld back up after having a gander inside. I have some experience cleaning pots via openings on the back but not actually opening up the pot. It seems like operation is back to normal after closing it back up... I think the pots/buttons were either dirty (hadn’t been using the Blofeld for a couple of months) or there was some unlikely short somewhere that resolved itself by opening and closing the thing. 
 

Fully expect the issues to return, I’ll probably try cleaning the pots then. 

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i'd have bought a Blofeld long ago if not for the quality issues almost everyone seems to experience (encoders and others). worried my Pulse 2 will eventually suffer from encoder problems, but i've had it for years now and it's been solid thus far. ?

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If they're just pots rather than encoders then cleaning them should be much easier (unless they're sealed).  Glad they seem to be better! As far as actual encoders, the only jittery encoded I've opened and clean that hasn't come back completely is the Alesis Wedge.  It was fine for about a month and then got a bit jittery again, but it's still usable.

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