EP-133 K.O.II Broken Fader (Fadergate) 

100% true

This is unfortunately standard with TE's products and we'll probably see more issues with the fader, knobs, buttons, and screen over the next few weeks. I'm sure TE run some reliability and quality testing but because they ship in batches it seems they're OK with selling hardware that hasn't fully been validated with the idea that they'll fix it in later batches with post-ramp design changes. That said, I'm excited to get mine in the next week or two still, but if I do run into an issue I'll return it 100%.

I have to wonder why they didn't send out review units before launching it, though. I'm not buying anything that makes sound, until I see a walktrough from loopop.

thanks, hope they make the option to see the sample name in the display available but till then I'll just be using these as a guide.

Each folder has only around 20 samples inside. Shouldn't there be 100 files in each folder?

@@ramskiramski how are these organized?

Thanks for this. I plan to load them on my 404 and pretend I have the Ep-133.

@@ramskiramski I guess they're leaving room in each category for your own samples.

Could have ordered this before it sold out but I saw someone say "wait for the real reviews" - good advice...

👍

DO IT

Thanks glad to hear

Their reputation isn't what you claim. My understanding is they have very poor customer support.

You are correct i pressed my luck one too many times. I bought a TX-6 from them about 3 weeks ago. It arrived with a malfunctioning screen. It too 5 days to even get the first contact. then a week to get another response. then 4 more days to get a RMA number. I shipped it back its been two weeks and now NOTHING. Absolute worse case scenario customer service. Will never buy another TE product ever again. @@DetroitMicroSound

I'm sorry I did not make the video sooner, I was doing everything I could software wise to fix it. I love the device but a slider that doesn't work is a big issue.

I will 100% be making a video every step of the way. If they can't do anything I will open it up and fix it myself and film the whole process.

do not put the slider knob on when you get it

haha me too! I'm normally a 'wait and see' guy but for some reason I went for this one immediately. Lets hope my fader works lol

lol same!! Impatiently waiting 😂 I’ll definitely not add the knob yet

@@DECIMA1 sorry but how is putting a the slider knob on the mount an issue?

⁠@@firstandlast4415apparently it takes quite a bit of force to get it on, if you watch a few unboxing videos you’ll see a lot of them comment on that. The two prevailing theories are that putting the knob on or shipping damage are causing the issue.

What you are staying is that it is highly likely I cannot fix this on my own?

@@DECIMA1 It's difficult to say without getting into the unit. It's probably a simple mechanical issue that could be fixed and possibly improved to prevent it from happening again, but it could also be the start of bigger issues. Hopefully we will see some teardown videos soon so we don't have to risk our own units to discover the cause of the problems.

I might be that person doing the tear down video BTW depending on how the return of the unit goes and warranty etc. Thanks for your input it is helping@@notsofastener

@@DECIMA1 Worst case: we can bypass it, wire a standard metal fader on top and make a hole for it trough the case. It won't be pretty and stick out, but that fader might be a reliability issue with all of the boards at some point. Or replace it with a standard pot - probably requires less case mangling. TE engineers might be shitting bricks around now, but I had issues with my filter pot on my electribe2, all of my audio interfaces and mixers have had a buzzing audio pot or fader at some point. They pulled off an amazing form factor for this machine with newly engineered switches, there was bound to be an Achille's heel somewhere.

I guess it's a slider-encoder. So maybe there is some electronic issue in it. Maybe even a broken solder joint... Are you sure that it can't be a low profile slider?

PO’s aren’t single sided…where on earth are you getting that idea? There’s not an ice cubes chance in hell it’s single sided. I’d wager money it’s minimum but likely 4 layers. Signal-Power-Ground-Signal if not 6 layers. Unless you mean a single sided board that meets up with a higher layer count LGA with the micro/dsp on it. That’s possible but I’d be surprised because even if you didn’t route having pads both sides and plate thru holes makes the thing immensely stronger and doesn’t add a lot of cost. You’re talking maybe $0.05 per square inch for 2 layer.

@@JamesReedy 4 layer gold pcb according to TE website

Expense also based on development costs, just sayin 🤙

Not entirely accurate as in the chip shortage caused problems

Yeah I was wrong about half those things! And the fader is even on a metal track. My EP-133 is fine, but … it’s still frustrating how incredibly cheap and bendy the thing is. I have a lot of pro audio gear and not-so-pro audio gear, and the TE stuff is BY FAR the cheapest build quality. I like the workflow of the EP-133 a lot. It’s just a shame that for $300 they can’t make something that’s safe to throw in a backpack.

💛

SO tempting

I'm in Toronto bud thanks for the info! I am tempted to do a teardown video as well. If I'm ever in MTL we can meet up!!

@@DECIMA1 awesome!

Maybe moog audio put something heavy on a stack of ep-133’s 😂

Can you use an external fader and get the same functionality? I ordered before they sold out. If you return it they will just send an identical unit. Probably it will break if used a lot.

Just don't put the slider knob on it and hope it works!!

Do you reckon that's what knackered it ? @@DECIMA1

I'm having the same thought process, but if it does end up being a hugely widespread problem necessitating a mass recall, they'll have the foresight to use a UK distributor to handle returns. I'm also a bit confused as to why they didn't charge for VAT for us UK buyers... I have this odd feeling the postman won't hand it over if I don't cough up 20% on the doorstep or something.

Oh Im thinking the same no VAT …. But actually they sold it like that.. Now I am worry about the fader 😪 mine is coming on Thursday too

@@ColonelForkEyes I got email from UPS today they want £75 in fees on delivery

God forbid you put this portable sampler in a backpack, no way it would survive

@@selfharmonicwill literally defeat the whole point of buying it. The po-33 was crazy portable especially in a case. This being THIS fragile is concerning.

I’d rather beat on a cheap controller I can replace easier and keep hardware with cases and dust covers.

Do you have a vid on the usb c sampling work flow? How does lt combine with Ableton of any DAW?

So that's why it's $299. Shitballs, I just assumed it would be a quality unit but the more I see the cheaper I looks. Their pocket operators are also flakey, I just hoped the ko2 would have evolved out of those problems. For us Canadians it's over $400 so not chump money. Maybe I should cancel my backorder until the jury is in. Early adoption is always risky.

yikes ... that doesn't inspire confidence at all. Hope you manage to get it refunded/replaced.

Watch my newest video

Oh no sorry to hear :/

Watch my newest video it will be up in a few mins

Good call!!

@@DECIMA1Alright sooooo open it up right?

And use the ad revenue to buy another

@@john_schex I'm thinking about it let me wait a few days

I tried contacting my local shop who I got it from with no luck so far. I fixed it myself check out my other videos

It was working for a bit

You forgot to LOL on that

This sounds like a legit explanation tbh. I won't be installing my slider cap that's for sure. EDIT: Cancelled my order. Going to wait to see if TE update the devices. Such a shame they've got this problem because it seems great otherwise but I can't be doing with dodgy controls. 😑

yeah not worth it LOL@@Some_Cat_

I was going to make the same comment about installing the slider cap. I noticed a video with someone having trouble installing the cap and pressing very firmly and commenting that it didn’t feel right. I thought “that’s probably not good.” Sorry for your trouble . I hope TE resolves the issue.

I don't know but I want to know

It not all units but what will happen after weeks of use?

For $300 dollars, I would tell people to manage their expectations better and not to expect the world. I get mine Tues, and I'm not expecting a metal case with carbon fiber accents, or other high quality parts. No, I'm expecting plastic.

@@all.day.day-dreamer I definitely wasn’t expecting a metal body or soft buttons, I saw a few vids before and it still caught me by surprise when I opened. I’d actually rather pay $100-200 more to have something more robust. Apparently the fader knob is already becoming a common issue with these units, so I wouldn’t say I’m totally off here. Think I’ll be covered by the retailer but hope you don’t experience any of the above issues!

I WANT TO BE THE HERO

Bill Burr’s advice resonates!😂

Its simple do not install the knob on the fader

Oh sorry to go on. I thought some people had broken slider in the box ( before knob putting on-ing)

get off your knees

@@BrickBrxin LOLz. Right we should NEVER give creators any credit for providing us with informative FREE and valuable info. on products we may own or would like to buy... Giving accolades to a YT creator who goes above and beyond time and time again - is equal to a BJ? Really... Hey, I see you're actually a NOOB, having an account on YT for ONE week... I think you have a bit of growing up to do, concerning how to respond with some level of civility and kindness, which you obviously lack. Well, a very Happy Holidays to you too @BrickBrxin, and may I leave you with this - Duck a Sick! Duck a Sick, NOOB. 😂🙃😉😉🙃🤣

I'm going to open it up as a last resort

@@DECIMA1 probably best to try the contact cleaner first though as it could just be packing dust or something in the runners and it shouldn’t affect your warranty

Ok will do and I will report back in a future video @@hollownation

Thinking about it 😉

Sorry to hear

I misspoke i ment hundreds to thousands not hundreds of thousands

@@DECIMA1 gotcha - I was doing the math in my head like uhhh lol. Hope you get it repaired!

Np, thanks bud!@@MrStetsonator

Yea it worked for a bit yes.

It's made in Spain (though mine has this issue 😂)

​@@andrewyeung7317 oh it is? well my bad .. thought since the TX-6 was that this would be too. anyway it was the weakest argument anyway because stuff can and is manufactured just fine anywhere these days. However the cheap and lightweight part still stands... hope you sort yours out soon!

No but it was busted on the orginal firmware too

@@DECIMA1 Dang... let us know, I'm waiting for mine to arrive. Cheers

decima1musician @ gmail.com send it here

Done

Did you have to use much force to get cap onto slider?

The comment from 256k_ just now, as well as the video he posted, seems to confirm that this issue is a result of shipping damage, not a design flaw. Both users reporting this issue are located in Canada. It will be interesting to see if users from any other region experience this same issue, or if it was limited to a single cargo shipment.

@@byronyoung6335 I think that's highly unlikely. Shipping damage that causes faders to break this quick? Design/Manufacturing Error is far more likely.

If you watch 256k_’s unboxing video, you can see right at about 2:50 there are two black marks from where the slider and top left pot were compressed against the inside of the box. When he opens the lid, you can see that those two black impressions line up exactly. I'm not an expert, and am also concerned if this is the only reason they're not working (makes me wonder about the design/construction just like you), but in at lease this case, that slider post was definitely crunched before the box was even opened.@@patrickbateman7444

YES

It was from a Reddit thread on the slider issue. I can't seem to share the imagur pics here but he said it was easy

No way

Can you send me a link please?!

I think this is the fundimental issue also its a slider, you are not supposd to push down on a slider. But for example the sliders on my Dreadbox synth Nymphes are very soild and will not get busted.

Yup, I mention that in the video

Why would you need to get an extended warranty if you just purchased it?

If something like this happens after you've had it for a while?

@@DECIMA1 - right and that's usually after a year or two...especially for something that's not wear-n-tear related!

Even the original OP-1 has its problems. Faulty batteries, sluggish/sticky buttons, broken power button, oversensitive power button often result from a broken/faulty connector board which could turn off your device just by slightly moving the OP-1 or nudging the power button, random factory resets. These were just a few problems that some people had to go through with the OP-1, me being one of them, and Teenage Engineering's support were super slow, barely helped out, we're even located in the same country so shipments took like 1 day, but actually getting to the point where anything was shipped took about 14 days, and this went on for about 2-3 months. I had bought an OP-1, had a few problems, had to deal with their support, send it in, got it back, same problem again, and this went on for about 5 times. Luckily my OP-1 worked after that, but it is insane how dogshit their quality assurance is

Yet, I ordered this sampler impulsively...

@@cjak4682 I look at things like this as follows: I have a Kawai K3. It's the second one I've had. These are very much creatures of the mid-1980s, so we'll say it's around 40 years old. It works perfectly. So did the first one, which I (stupidly) sold then realized how useful it was for live work. They're built like a brick s**thouse, the sound engine (think PPG minus the wavetable scanning) is bulletproof... basically, it works now like it did out of the box brand new. And this was actually more indicative of synths of that time. But NOW...yeeeesh...QC seems to just be a couple of letters in the alphabet. Worse still is that peoples' chances to have that "nailed it out of the box" excitement seemingly lessens each NAMM cycle. And that's sad, really. Yeah, you can still have that rush...latest go-round for me with that was when my Sonicware Texture Lab showed up a couple of months ago...but it feels more difficult to get that magic experience. But as for customer service? Given what some of TE's devices go for, it's sort of alarming that support is that spotty. And that's an even bigger red flag, since devices like the OP1 don't have anywhere near the degree of serviceability that my tech (who fixed my Brüel and Kjær filterbank without the schematic!) would want to deal with. It's ultimately kind of sad. The OP1's interface is such a design success, but everything since then has either been style over substance (the modulars, the widget choir, etc) or sort of arcane (OP-Z comes to mind) to a point where it just doesn't make sense anymore. Are these musical instruments or postmodern tchochkies? I like the portability of the OP1, also...but it's possible to have that in other instruments, too. I got an Argon8 a few years back. It's heavy, mainly due to the steel case, but at the overall size of a Roland SH101 plus a little extra, it slaps. It slaps HARD. There's a lot of power in that thing, but where size is concerned, it works nicely for live gigging PLUS it's got raw power in spades. Sucks about what's been going on with Modal this past year, as I feel as if they were trying to push the envelope in "portable" synths to new territories. Seriously, tho...the Texture Lab is one of the best "raw power" synths in a hot minute. Check into it; for $250 with tax, nothing even comes close. Plus its granular engine is off the chain...samples, messes with samples, messes with inputted audio LIVE, freezes inputted audio, and on and on. Even after a couple months, I still feel as if I'm scratching the surface on it!

decima1musician@gmail.com please

If this was Elektron grade durability, and same workflow, I’d pay triple really

You don't need to "pay double" for kit with the same/better specs. Get a Sonicware Smpltrek or a Roland SP404mkII or a Novation Circuit Rhythm or even a Sonicware Liven Lofi-12.

@@dinogoldie9716 I’ve tried two of those and they never clicked… I also prefer TE and Elektron workflows

It's more than it seems. A bigger issue is that there seems to be a universal mechanical issue.

I like this limitation as it forces you to be creative with every sound coming in finish your track or idea. Some of the greatest songs were born on machines with only seconds of sample memory.

@@angelfmusic That's true, and restrictions do trigger creative solutions, but an sd card slot to save things wouldn't have hurt.

Same here

English is my second lang fam 😆

@@DECIMA1 It’s not an English word fam.

What?! It is latin or some shit

😂@@deepseadiver8191

Horrible design...I had the warp issue as well as the on/off switch cracking issue. At least TE was nice about replacing parts...I suppose they have to deal with this a lot.

The screw driver is getting closer and closer

II was thinking if the pads will bug out over time.

@@thegroove2000 if they do they should be easy enough to replace since they're mechanical keyboard switches lol

Kool.@@FayezButts

​@@FayezButtsthey have pressure and velocity sensors underneath though. Not standard mechanical switches either