ishi wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 5:43 pm
Today the replacement 923 filters came in. I didn't have too much time to do testing. Unfortunately it didn't sound good. Problem with the HP-filter is about the same compared to the first one. Jump/wobble with the LP-filter is worse. There's not only this behaviour when initially closing the filter from full open, but also on some spots when further closing.
Sounds like bad pots. Which is both good -if you SDIY- and bad -For everybody else.
Because a pot is easily switched out with a soldering iron and a little skill. At these prices, modules still can make sense even after upgrading pots.
Bad because non-DIYers can't do that.
But moreso because it points to a place where the inexpensive cost is traded in potentially non-obvious ways. Chinese pots can be made to a WIDE variety of quality levels. From the same factory. This is not only true for the cheapest part producing factories, who have a wildly varying quality output across a run of parts, selling all as the same. You may get a great part, you may get a dog. Total chance depending on what part of the statistical curve output you received. The mid-level factory does it slightly differently. Same production but then end-grading for quality level and selling across different channels, prices and quality expectation.
The higher tier factories operate on a different strategy. They have better process control, and make parts with less variation. (There's
always some variation in an industrial process)
But these upper tier producers will make to the level you hold them to. You can get poor to good parts from them. It's all in your contract. Which as a receiver you had better treat as something to keep an eye upon. Do this, and you get what you contract -and pay for.
Let's hope Behringer is paying for good parts from an upper tier
or mid-level factory where pots are concerned.
I've written before to SDIYers about how the Chinese pots -all parts really- have been and are changing, and that they have to pay attention to what they're receiving. You are not safe by trusting a suppier or mfr alone. Part numbers can stay the same and the parts come different.
Specific to pots, the carbon track thickness, smoothness and composition can change as the factory works to increase profitability. Cheaper materials, with thinner dimensions replace wipers, Plating processes change to save time or chemical usage.
These are all non-obvious to an end user in a single use setting. All you will notice is what's reported in this thread. It doesn't work right.
Or -and to the point of all this typing-
it doesn't last as long as it should. Works right out of the box, but fails too soon. One can see why this could be a problem.
Fortunately Behringer have been offering a three year warranty on their new synth products. But that's only a good thing if they are responsive to those seeking to use it.
There is another way pots are made less expensive, and luckily this is one you *can* see from single use. But many won't even notice it. Traditionally pot rotation is 300 degrees. Some Chinese pots -while keeping the same part number!- have only 265 degrees rotary travel. If the maker of your synth matches the graphics to the reduced rotation, you probably won't even notice. But you will have a degraded experience.
By accident, there's another one sent to me, so I'll get the opportunity to test a third one.
Please take photos of all three?
If Behringer are playing loose with quality, hard documentation is the only way to fight it.
I don't know what Behringer is doing. I'm just an interested bystander with extensive experience procuring Chinese parts.