Polyevolver reliability?

[grantlandau]

I've had a PEV (bought used) for about a year and I think it's like 2 years old. There are problems with the knobs that started to happen about 6 months ago where turning a parameter down will actually show on the readout the value increasing or hovering around the same value. DSI sent detailed instructions on how to cure/prevent the problem with a simple electronics cleaner, but it still rather time consuming to fix. Apparently this has happened to many units. No word on how long this fix works will last before you do it again. Mine goes on the road and gets lots of use in the studio.

And..I wish it was a bit 'meatier' for live use though. Anybody recommend a killer pedal for the "beef"?

However, don't get me wrong - it's a shweeet synth. does really unique stuff.

[greggybud]

Originally Posted by Jobot

I'm very close to buying a polyevolver keyboard version and I just have a few questions I'm hoping somebody can answer. How well are these things built, I've heard they arnt built very well, very often sent back for repairs and such. I've got a p5 so I know dave smith can build a board to last. Pretty much am I going to be buying a problem child or is someone just trying to sell me off of the poly. Thanks in advance

Aren't built well? Compared to what? It's all relative.

If someone was trying to sell you off the poly perhaps there wasn't much gain for the salesman? I don't think GC and the competitors mark DSI up very much to start with. GC actually closed out the Poly and will not carry them in stock anymore.

I can't comment on how many malfunction however I can say this:

1. Open up the unit..its easy and you will discover a lot of empty space and just a few circuit boards. The voice card snaps in and out in seconds. Mine didn't work perfectly so I got a replacement. The other circuit board is on the top part of the unit and is connected to all the pots. I would guess these are built just as good or better than any other boards these days. My only issue is the knobs are cheap, but as long as I get replacements I'm fine with that. Don't count on spinning the knob hard for fast adjustment as that doesn't always work correctly.

2. Try contacting Roland/Korg/Yamaha. Then call DSI. You will find a human being answers the phone, often Andrew, and actually listens to you and solves your problem in a timely manner. Personal accountability still exists there. That alone makes their instruments more valuable in my opinion. If you want to be a groupie I suppose you could even ask for Dave himself.

I hope personal accountability is going to become huge in the next few years. People are becoming fed up with voice mail mazes, unreturned calls, and talking to someone in Pakistan who can't even speak English. Whenever I buy any gear I always consider the tech support.

DSI is a small (3 or 4 person?) company who will make sure the product works the way it should.

[The_Crooked_Man]

Well, I have a poly evolver and it's had quite a few problems, however, it was a Guitar Center floor model that had probably been raped by babboons. Anyway, I'm finally sending it in for warranty work after trying a bunch of fixes that were recommended by their tech. I can honestly say, though, that the guy who handles the repairs at DSI (Andrew, who refers to himself as "the other guy" that's how small the company is) is the single most helpful person that I've ever dealt with at any company, and I've worked in music retail for quite awhile. If you want a Polyevolver, buy it. There's nothing else like it. IF problems occur, they will absolutely bend over backwards to take care of you. For example, I was (and still am) having problems with the encoder's values jumping all over the place, so I called them up and got tips to fix it from Dave. I couldn't find any of the right kind of Deoxit that he recommended (it was backordered at the time) and I sh*t you not they sent me a little bottle for free, and promptly, to boot. No one else does that kind of stuff. That fix didn't work, but when the guy who created the P5 personally gives you tips, and they send you what you need to work them out for free, you're dealing with a company that is seriously on point.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, I'm just all gushy for that company right now. Buy the damned thing, you won't regret it

[The_Crooked_Man]

That's funny, Greggybud must've posted that seconds before I did. Good to see they're like that with everyone

[iangomes]

sort of but not really ot, i have tried the poly and i really can't get the feel of the knobs... i sturggle to make the changes I want to because they don't seem to change the value consistently with how much you turn it.

[greggybud]

The encoders seem to be a common issue. You should be able to quickly turn an encoder to make it go immediately from 0 to 100, or slowly turn it to step through the number values. I will have to call Andrew to get some juice!

Mine too was a baboon raped GC floor model. It actually took me weeks to discover just one oscillator wasn't working correctly. I called Andrew, we did some over the phone tests, and he sent out a new voice card.

But I had other concerns that the unit wasn't working 100% based on a factory patch that has very nasty distortion and you would think to yourself 'this can't possibly be right". I sent a MP3 clip to Andrew, he listened, called back and explained that the patch is correct and explained what caused the intended distortion.

It is rare you get this kind of personalized service these days.

[cosmos]

one morning Voice 2 dident worked in my Poly, voice 1 was playing then jumped to 3 & 4. (you could see by the lights as well..)

i opened the Poly, took off voice 2 board and pressed it back firmly, that solved my problem, other then that my Poly is in top shape, no problems at all. (tfu tfu tfu ...)

I think they are very reliable boards and a blast to play. im not 100% with Dave Smith sound, i much preffer Roland/Waldorf sound but the Poly gets his place more and more every day.

[Jobot]

Thanks for all your replies. The poly is ordered, all your answers were what I was thinking. Yea I'm dealing with gc which I hate to do but I'm getting a poly for 1000 that had the power input jack repaired, guy said the only polys left at any gc are broke or out for repair. I know dsi is great on service, had a friend at a real music store who had spoken to dave when he had to call for what ever reason, said they are one of the best for service. I can live with the encoder problem, I've been wanting one of these since they came out. I love my p5 but some times it just doesn't do it for me, might sell it off once the poly gets here, I've got a split 8 that can very easily take it's place. That is again for all your replies, im off to play with me other new toy the WMD gieger counter, I've got a room full of analogs and I've been on a digital death sound kick lately.

[Anna LogG]

mine died after 3 months ,it just didnt wake up one day , no screen , just a couple of red leds on..
...2 months after i still wait for the store i bought it to sort it out , the said they expect a new motherboard from Dave Smith and will replace it in the Store ... i live in Europe but 2 months is a bit long though...
bought a mopho to temporarily replace the loss...
Anna

[cosmos]

Originally Posted by Anna LogG

mine died after 3 months ,it just didnt wake up one day , no screen , just a couple of red leds on..
...2 months after i still wait for the store i bought it to sort it out , the said they expect a new motherboard from Dave Smith and will replace it in the Store ... i live in Europe but 2 months is a bit long though...
bought a mopho to temporarily replace the loss...
Anna

have you contact Dave Smith ?

[perx]

Originally Posted by grantlandau

I've had a PEV (bought used) for about a year and I think it's like 2 years old. There are problems with the knobs that started to happen about 6 months ago where turning a parameter down will actually show on the readout the value increasing or hovering around the same value. DSI sent detailed instructions on how to cure/prevent the problem with a simple electronics cleaner, but it still rather time consuming to fix. Apparently this has happened to many units. No word on how long this fix works will last before you do it again. Mine goes on the road and gets lots of use in the studio.

And..I wish it was a bit 'meatier' for live use though. Anybody recommend a killer pedal for the "beef"?

However, don't get me wrong - it's a shweeet synth. does really unique stuff.

oh shit.. EXACTLY the same thing that happened to me.. I can barely use half of my knobs nowadays because of knobs going all wild on me..

Still waiting on the cleaner.. not sure I want to open the thing up on my own and mess around. Might just take it back to the store and have them do it. But thats a ****ing hassle.. I love the poly evolver, but the knob issue just disspointed me ALOT.

[Anna LogG]

Originally Posted by cosmos

have you contact Dave Smith ?

just did 2day by email , waiting 4 an answer ... ..

[plaid_emu]

Do people have the same encoder issues with the mono desktop Evolver? Mine seems to be 100% OK since I bought it in 05' but I mostly use the software editor.

[x2mirko]

Originally Posted by plaid_emu

Do people have the same encoder issues with the mono desktop Evolver? Mine seems to be 100% OK since I bought it in 05' but I mostly use the software editor.

I think the desktop evolver doesn't have this problem - afaik there are different encoders in the desktop version. They are stepped, which the encoders of the mek and pek are not. Might have something to do with that.

[Popbott]

Any similar problems with the Prophet 8? Was really looking forward to getting one. Can't believe the Poly Evolver has this many complaints on the knob issue. I am glad Dave Smith acutally answers the phone, but isn't it more important to have a unit that works properly? Isn't it more important to know that 10 years from now my Poly Evolver is still going to actually be working?!? Funny, I've never seen or heard of any problems with questionable quality or problems with the latest Moog Music products.

[Absent1]

No problems with my 2 year old PEK, and it gets played almost everyday.

[The_Crooked_Man]

Originally Posted by perx

oh shit.. EXACTLY the same thing that happened to me.. I can barely use half of my knobs nowadays because of knobs going all wild on me..

Still waiting on the cleaner.. not sure I want to open the thing up on my own and mess around. Might just take it back to the store and have them do it. But thats a ****ing hassle.. I love the poly evolver, but the knob issue just disspointed me ALOT.

I tried their recommended fix and it helped, but plenty still jump all over the place. One of the encoders (parameter 2, by the display) had jumped about randomly, but after using the cleaner it jumps in increments of 5, making it sound as zippered as a prophet 600. I'd still say give it a shot.

Don't worry about performing the fix yourself. it's simple as can be. All you need is a screwdriver and a clean table top. It's worth a shot.

[TMB]

Originally Posted by Popbott

Any similar problems with the Prophet 8? Was really looking forward to getting one. Can't believe the Poly Evolver has this many complaints on the knob issue. I am glad Dave Smith acutally answers the phone, but isn't it more important to have a unit that works properly? Isn't it more important to know that 10 years from now my Poly Evolver is still going to actually be working?!? Funny, I've never seen or heard of any problems with questionable quality or problems with the latest Moog Music products.

I have heard of some problems with the knobs on the Prophet 8 as well but not to this extent. But it is one of the reason I didn't buy it. They go for almost a 1000 less than the Poly and look similar in build so it kinda scared. Shame really...

I also agree with you. I think making sure the products work properly out the gate is the most important, you have to have reliability in my opinion. It's great that they have good tech but you got to have something that works otherwise it's just a headache and you become the tech which seems to be what is happening with most replying to this topic.

[GYang]

The main problem is target budget.
DSI wished to make synth affordable and additional price is that user will pay by coping with problems.
I like PEK and REK (as pair for 8 voices), but PEK is not synth I would take on the road.

[zebastian21]

I was always put off by the DSI encoders.. it just didnt feel right . would better pots really add much more to its value in the market?
I was excited to get a P08 when it came out...when I got a hold of one it took me just 1 min to be disappointed at how cheap and terrible those knobs felt.

[solitud]

I have Issues with the Feedback 2 Parameter. If I twist the knob, no matter if its Delay Line 1, 2 or three it has no effect to the sound. The encoder works, the parameter changes.
Has anybody similar experiences? Could it be a software problem or do I have a faulty board?

[cosmos]

Originally Posted by solitud

I have Issues with the Feedback 2 Parameter. If I twist the knob, no matter if its Delay Line 1, 2 or three it has no effect to the sound. The encoder works, the parameter changes.
Has anybody similar experiences? Could it be a software problem or do I have a faulty board?

Feedback 2 is not delay related, when opened - it it will take the VCA output signal and feed it back to the input. do not confuse it with feedback 1 (which is the Delay Feedback)... have some experiment with that knob carefuly, it can make wonders.. and go back to the manual, you will know your PEK soooo much better. thumbsup

[DocT]

I have PEK serial nr 7, used extensively during beta testing and sound programming, and it's my masterkeyboard since. Have taken it to several live events. Everything is working like a charm. Except for one LED that must have been broken during shipping from Ca to Germany.