emusonacid!

I everyone, I just found this forum and this is my first post (glad I found you )

The data wheel on my e-synth (dance) doesn't work properly anymore (after more than 10 years good service).
Turning the wheel anti-clock wise is fine and decreasing values works well. However turning clockwise (i.e. increasing values) doesn't work anymore. Values go straight into negative numbers (when panning etc...) or stay at 0 (truncating or sound selection etc).

I've tried Re-calibration and installing firmware (4.10), with no success.

The EMU site hasn't offered any help and their last update (which I used) was in 2003...

Any ideas??
thanx

Hi CURFEW,

the issue you descibre is already known.

This issue occures on most of the E4 Ultra-series but not on the older E4-series. I cannot remember that I ever heard of this issue in relation with the older E4-series.
It seems that EMU used cheap material that was not designed for such a heavy duty use.

It is wear of the rotary encoder or let's say the wiper and/or the contacts inside the rotary encoder is/are worn out.
After a while usage, a lot of impulse-peaks occure while turning the rotary encoder that irritate the electronic circuits, resulting in a (mostly) jumping back of the values.

You can try the solution of Dr. med Jörg Sigle (http://www.jsigle.com/musicol/emufix.htm) where you can try to compensate or filter these peaks by soldering two electrolytic capacitors(1 microfarad, 5V or more) in the wire between the contacts of the rotary encoder and the front panel PCB.
This will work for a while but the issue will return the more the contacts within the rotary encoder are worn out again.

The only real solution: replacement of the rotary encoder
The spare part is offered by E-MUs Service Center EPR Electronics for US $15.00 + shipping:
http://www.eprelectronics.com/store/html/Products/E-mu-Rack-Mount-Modules/E-mu-E4XT-Ultra-Sampler/index.html

You need to be a little technical skilled to do this work by yourself or ask someone who can do the work for you.

Good luck.
mosrob

mosrob

thanx for the info - much appreciated.