[SOLVED] Keylab 49 Essential encoder knob jumping values fix [SOLVED]

[pc131]

Hi,

I bought cheap used Keylab 49 Essential, but after few days I noticed that first encoder (Cutoff/Pan 1) had random jumps instead of linear values (sometimes second knob also did random jumps, but much less). I started searching for the solution, I downloaded newest firmware, it didn't help.

I removed the knob plastic head and I sprayed with WD40 onto potentiometer shaft and I was turning left and right, so WD40 goes down into potentiometer. It helped, but hasn't removed all the jumps.

So I used another fluid to get the job done.

But I decided this time to do it more "properly".

I unscrewed bottom cover: (3 screws pointed with pink arrow are longer than rest)


And I lifted the cover and moved it as red arrows show (lifting cover and moving towards you is blocked by keys/keyboard).

Then as you lift the bottom cover upwards (the part that is closer to you) you will see that there are 2 ribbons holding bottom and upper parts of keyboard.
Gently pull them out.




Put aside the part with keys and these two black ribbons.

Then tak the upper part and remove plastic heads of encoders and faders (pull the with fingers):



Flip this upper part upside down and unscrew the board, which keeps the encoders and faders.
While lifting this board, be careful because the ribbon (marked in blue) holding this board to the board on the right is glued. This ribbon cannot be unplugged.



There we have our potentiometers and the first form the left is encoder Cutoff / Pan 1 which had jumping values when turning.


I used small amounts of IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) onto the shafts, so it soaked down the potentiometer. And I was turning the shafts afterward.

And now THERE IS NO JUMPING over values of the encoder ------> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFSIW788zSU

The knob turns now with less resistance than others, but works as intented. Probably this could have been done without unscrewing the whole thing, but I wanted to do it this way.

Hopefully this can help someone to fix their Keylab 49 Essential (and others with similar problem)

[MajorFubar]

Great useful post, glad you fixed the issues.

[echenao]

Thanks for sharing!
I'm facing the same issue, I think the MIDI controller has an factory issue in some batch.

[BoringAngel]

Hi. I tried your solution a while back without results. Just a moment ago tried it again, and then applied a little car grease on the knob and started twisting it, so it gets where it needs to. And Voilla! Zero stuttering. I did it without opening the keyboard. If just alcohol doesn't fix it, I highly recommend a bit of lubrication. I'ts not as smooth anymore, but it worked for me.

[Lutein79]

Hello,

I need to know the type of potentiomenters here used. I want to replace them myself.
Do you think I can use hem from Minilab?

Thank you

Hi,

I bought cheap used Keylab 49 Essential, but after few days I noticed that first encoder (Cutoff/Pan 1) had random jumps instead of linear values (sometimes second knob also did random jumps, but much less). I started searching for the solution, I downloaded newest firmware, it didn't help.

I removed the knob plastic head and I sprayed with WD40 onto potentiometer shaft and I was turning left and right, so WD40 goes down into potentiometer. It helped, but hasn't removed all the jumps.

So I used another fluid to get the job done.

But I decided this time to do it more "properly".

I unscrewed bottom cover: (3 screws pointed with pink arrow are longer than rest)


And I lifted the cover and moved it as red arrows show (lifting cover and moving towards you is blocked by keys/keyboard).

Then as you lift the bottom cover upwards (the part that is closer to you) you will see that there are 2 ribbons holding bottom and upper parts of keyboard.
Gently pull them out.




Put aside the part with keys and these two black ribbons.

Then tak the upper part and remove plastic heads of encoders and faders (pull the with fingers):



Flip this upper part upside down and unscrew the board, which keeps the encoders and faders.
While lifting this board, be careful because the ribbon (marked in blue) holding this board to the board on the right is glued. This ribbon cannot be unplugged.



There we have our potentiometers and the first form the left is encoder Cutoff / Pan 1 which had jumping values when turning.


I used small amounts of IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) onto the shafts, so it soaked down the potentiometer. And I was turning the shafts afterward.

And now THERE IS NO JUMPING over values of the encoder ------> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFSIW788zSU

The knob turns now with less resistance than others, but works as intented. Probably this could have been done without unscrewing the whole thing, but I wanted to do it this way.

Hopefully this can help someone to fix their Keylab 49 Essential (and others with similar problem)

[Pas Content du tout]

  >:(I bought it brand new, after a year (warranty is finished) nearly all knobs and sliders went "nuts", jumping, stuttering , two keys of the keyboard aren't working any more, the worst gear ever...They know about every issues,but their are french aren't they ? they won't care about little customers as us
ps : I still have a 15 years old beringher keyboard controller that still work fine

[Fishoow]

My daddy always said don't force it, BUT in this case, after gingerly pulling my years old KLE apart and spending time with each slider and pot with a q-tip and alcohol, I found that literally squeezing alcohol into the pots and cranking on them endlessly was the only way to flush out the goo.
I sure hope I don't regret that in a few months.

[pc131]

Hi. I tried your solution a while back without results. Just a moment ago tried it again, and then applied a little car grease on the knob and started twisting it, so it gets where it needs to. And Voilla! Zero stuttering. I did it without opening the keyboard. If just alcohol doesn't fix it, I highly recommend a bit of lubrication. I'ts not as smooth anymore, but it worked for me.

I'm glad it worked for you. Hiw did you apply grease inside the knob without opening the keyboard? Was the grease kid of fluidy?

[Neumethod]

HUGE CAVEAT: This is my experience, your mileage may vary. Follow all warranties...Oh and I'm from the internet. What do I know? Also sorry for the long post but if you have found this, you are desperate and I think you won't mind reading a bit and you should also calm down and think about this carefully. I know how angry you are right now. I'd say play some synths but then you'd use a scratchy encoder and get angrier.

So I had combed many forums (especially this one) and dark corners of the web looking for a definitive solution for this (oh, the puns). My precious Keylab 88 MK II had a VERY jumpy to almost unusable cutoff encoder and the resonance one started to follow it. My guess is and some other posts hint at it being a result of dried lubricant from the keys gumming up the encoders and disrupting conductivity. There are lots of differing views on how best to clean and make better contact. Some swear by deoxit and other contact cleaners but I've learned you don't want to do this because you're really decreasing the life of the carbon contact in the encoder. So I tried a 99.9% IPA to spray into the two encoders to clean them. Didn't have to take the board apart but just carefully pulled the knob covers off and then sprayed down and around the encoder shafts. Then turned them around a good few rotations each way. MAKE SURE TO LET DRY and then all good! Not so fast.

This worked but only lasts for a while. Within a day back to jumpy encoders. I repeated this process about 4 times before back to research. And I believe I have found a fix (for me) but wanted to wait for a few weeks to test if it is lasting. And a month in, all good.

Here's what I found. The same people that make DeOxit make a "FaderLube Lubricant" for this. I purchased DeoxitFaderF5. The claim is it helps make better contact without damaging your encoders. And it seems to do the job. I'm very happy by doing this delicately without needing to open up the keyboard. I think the combination of flushing it out a bit with IPA spray (99.99% not something weaker so it doesn't leave crud) and then lubricating and improving the conductivity is a way to make this problem go away for much longer than I've seen otherwise.

I hope this helps someone. If you are as frustrated as I've been, that's why I'm writing this. And if Arturia disagrees with anything I've said please show us The Way. And also you make some nice stuff that we just want to keep playing