Pro 3 SE - Loud cracking popping noise - TWO units in a row...

[gus]

Sorry to hear about all of the Pro 3’s with noise issues here. We are aware of this issue and we have a fix it. For anyone hearing crackling/popping noises on their Pro 3 after it warms up, please contact support directly and we will make sure you get a fully functioning synth! support@sequential.com

[Scorpion1971]

Sorry to hear about all of the Pro 3’s with noise issues here. We are aware of this issue and we have a fix it. For anyone hearing crackling/popping noises on their Pro 3 after it warms up, please contact support directly and we will make sure you get a fully functioning synth! support@sequential.com

Thanks very much for your response but some of us had sent in tickets months ago with no resolution. May I please ask more specifically what is the fix? Is it firmware related, a board, or does the whole unit need to be replaced with a specific serial build number? Many of us have exchanged for other units only to have continued problems. I went through 3 units and finally just gave up on a fix and kept the third unit even though it still had crackling/noise issues. All in the 1600 range on serial numbers.

I think I speak for all of us that are a bit frustrated and disappointed. This is an amazing synth but it definitely has its issues. I feel those that did originally submit tickets should be contacted directly with the fix not the other way around. I had sent the support team audio files with examples of the problems I’ve had and have also posted them here on the forum. Resolution from support was that was a normal behavior.

Also, I personally experimented and identified, through trial and error, that using the current firmware OS with the previous panel OS fixed the jumpy encoder issue many have reported. Why haven’t we seen an updated OS and Panel OS since this has been confirmed? I submitted those findings  to support as well. Resolution was they would make a note of that and look into it.  Their are several forum threads specific to this issue as well.

Please understand I love Sequential and own three of your top tier synths but I would like a little more explanation in these matters. Thanks in advance for your time and listening to your consumers.

Regards,

[LoboLives]

Sorry to hear about all of the Pro 3’s with noise issues here. We are aware of this issue and we have a fix it. For anyone hearing crackling/popping noises on their Pro 3 after it warms up, please contact support directly and we will make sure you get a fully functioning synth! support@sequential.com

Thanks very much for your response but some of us had sent in tickets months ago with no resolution. May I please ask more specifically what is the fix? Is it firmware related, a board, or does the whole unit need to be replaced with a specific serial build number? Many of us have exchanged for other units only to have continued problems. I went through 3 units and finally just gave up on a fix and kept the third unit even though it still had crackling/noise issues. All in the 1600 range on serial numbers.

I think I speak for all of us that are a bit frustrated and disappointed. This is an amazing synth but it definitely has its issues. I feel those that did originally submit tickets should be contacted directly with the fix not the other way around. I had sent the support team audio files with examples of the problems I’ve had and have also posted them here on the forum. Resolution from support was that was a normal behavior.

Also, I personally experimented and identified, through trial and error, that using the current firmware OS with the previous panel OS fixed the jumpy encoder issue many have reported. Why haven’t we seen an updated OS and Panel OS since this has been confirmed? I submitted those findings  to support as well. Resolution was they would make a note of that and look into it.  Their are several forum threads specific to this issue as well.

Please understand I love Sequential and own three of your top tier synths but I would like a little more explanation in these matters. Thanks in advance for your time and listening to your consumers.

Regards,

I understand your frustration but please remember the company has gone through being acquired by a larger company and have also lost their iconic leader. Things are probably just a bit chaotic right now but having experience with Sequential support I can tell you that I have never experienced better service. This will get resolved, I promise.

[Scorpion1971]

Hey LoboLives,

Good points to take into consideration. I appreciate your thoughts on this. 👍

[Soundquest]

Been tossing the idea around of getting one of these.  There's been some general observances on the newer batches being in the clear , but it's be nice to have a definitive SN# to get past before buying.

[Dgibbons]

Hi all,

We've determined that some Pro 3 units have a hardware issue which causes crackling on the outputs which we believe explains most of the issues being discussed on this thread.

Please see this Help Center post for further details:

https://support.sequential.com/hc/en-gb/articles/12215986445714-Pro-3-Service-Program-Crackling-Outputs

We are very sorry for the frustration this issue has been causing, but we have a good handle on the issue now and can quickly repair any defective units. Thank you for bearing with us.

We have also reached out to all our dealers worldwide to update any units they have in stock - we want everyone to feel confident about purchasing a Pro 3.

[Quatschmacher]

Hi all,

We've determined that some Pro 3 units have a hardware issue which causes crackling on the outputs which we believe explains most of the issues being discussed on this thread.

Please see this Help Center post for further details:

https://support.sequential.com/hc/en-gb/articles/12215986445714-Pro-3-Service-Program-Crackling-Outputs

We are very sorry for the frustration this issue has been causing, but we have a good handle on the issue now and can quickly repair any defective units. Thank you for bearing with us.

We have also reached out to all our dealers worldwide to update any units they have in stock - we want everyone to feel confident about purchasing a Pro 3.

Thank you. It’s really good to see transparency and an admission of the problem in a public forum as well as a clear route to getting it fixed for customers. I applaud you. (Moog could learn a thing or two here.)

[PhilA]

Hi all,

We've determined that some Pro 3 units have a hardware issue which causes crackling on the outputs which we believe explains most of the issues being discussed on this thread.

Please see this Help Center post for further details:

https://support.sequential.com/hc/en-gb/articles/12215986445714-Pro-3-Service-Program-Crackling-Outputs

We are very sorry for the frustration this issue has been causing, but we have a good handle on the issue now and can quickly repair any defective units. Thank you for bearing with us.

We have also reached out to all our dealers worldwide to update any units they have in stock - we want everyone to feel confident about purchasing a Pro 3.

Hi I've just registered to say I've just taken delivery of a Pro3 Keyboard (not SE) and am experiencing this very issue. After  it's been powered on for a little while it starts crackling and getting progressively worse. My serial is before the ones listed in the support article, in the 1900's in fact. So maybe i'm unlucky or some other units have slipped through.

[gus]

Hi PhilA,

Sorry to hear about the problems with your new Pro 3! If you haven't already done so, reach out to support@sequential.com and we will sort you out with a fully functional synth. It's unlikely that this is the same issue in the aforementioned serial range, but it does sound like a related hardware problem.

[PhilA]

Hi Gus,
Thanks I’m in the UK and am talking with my dealer about this. I’ve sent them a video of the issue. So far they’ve been fine very responsive.

[dnectar]

Same issue here. I have the normal one. Serial number 02044.
When it's in use for more than an hour it starts cracking/distorting.
Tried calibrating, it says 45 degrees celsius. My room temp was 25 at that moment.
 

[Soundquest]

Ordered an SE unit thru GC about a month ago, since I had a Gearcard with them.  It came in two- three days.    Not home now , but I think its SN# 1740, or maybe 1768.  Works great, no issues.

It had latest OS already installed, but I had to go and upload alternate tunings.  None were there, except standard tuning scale. The list of 43 scales (I think  there's about that many) is a really nice way, other than modulation, to make  one sequence really sound like 43 different ones.  Sometimes the results surprise you and sound more interesting than your intended initial scale.

[Hanoveur]

I just received my SE yesterday.  Having the exact same issue.  When the temperature goes above 25 in the global menu (definitely not 25 in this air conditioned room!) it degrades into nothing but very loud crackles/pops/distortion.  My serial number is 017xx. This is outside the range listed in the troubleshooting guide. 

I have six other synths (three analog) and this is the first one I’ve had a problem with.

[LoboLives]

Yeah I think I might not get a Pro 3 after reading this thread.

[Hanoveur]

Yeah I think I might not get a Pro 3 after reading this thread.

I'm regretting it.  Especially as heavy as the SE is.  I'm dreading having to re-pack it to ship it back.

[babygiant]

I had one in the 169x serial number range. Almost tore my eardrums out when the crackling started. The unit was replaced and the new one works fine.

However, using the Pro 3 with my Teenage Engineering TX-6 mixer, I have ground-loop noise through USB. It's the only external unit that creates this issue. Haven't been able to solve it yet.

[Scorpion1971]

I sent my Pro3 SE board off for repair today under the recall. Just wondered if anyone has sent theirs in for repair and if it has fixed the issue of static/distortion on the outputs?

[Mariano]

Hi
You are not the only one with this problem, I have also received my second unit yesterday, and it has the same problem but also it is crashing. I am very sad, this is my first analog synth. I am not giving up though, will send the unit for third replacement.  What i know is that there is a faulty batch of pro3's that has this issue and unfortunately both units fall within the range of faulty serial numbers. They have an official statement on this on sequential page. I already fell in love with the sound of Pro 3, so hope the 3rd unit will solve all problems

Hi all,

My first pro 3 se I received a week ago had loud cracking noise when turned on (maybe 8 out of 10 times), which results in it being unusable. When it does work properly, everything is fine, but then when I reboot it, it most likely happens again. Contacted support and Sweet Water sent a replacement super quickly (big up to Sweet Water's customer service).
But today I received my placement unit, and guess what? Yes, almost exactly the same thing happened. The first boot up was fine, no noise no cracks. As I was playing and testing things, the cracking popping noise started to slowly creep up, it was bearable at first and I thought it was just go away, but it didn't, it got worse to the point I had to turn it off.
I rebooted it and same behavior as my first unit, I press any note , and a loud cracking hiss noise would start to come out. Btw, this was all just tested through plugging the power cables in the wall outlet, and using studio headphones directly into the Pro 3, I haven't even had a chance to hook it up to my audio interface + speakers.

I am devastated because I've been looking forward to using this synth and its the perfect machine I was looking for to add into my workflow and music production.
I've also tried to find solutions regarding this issue online, I know some people have similar issues and stuff, but what is the solution to this?
Am I really just unlucky for receiving 2 defected units in a row? The OS on my replacement unit is the latest btw.
Is there something wrong with this particular batch that produced or something?
I don't want to give up on the pro 3 yet, I haven't even had a chance to really start.

Would love to hear any feedback or suggestions.

[Scorpion1971]

I sent my Pro3 SE board off for repair today under the recall. Just wondered if anyone has sent theirs in for repair and if it has fixed the issue of static/distortion on the outputs?

Update:
I received my fixed board back from Sequential and have reinstalled. Everything is working perfectly. Thanks to Brian at Sequential for all his support throughout this repair process.