Calibration failure after 2.0 update

[mattling]

I followed the directions here and on the Support page to a T and unfortunately my OB-X8 keyboard is not correctly calibrating -- getting stuck at Voice 7, Osc 2, Freq 6 everytime I try.

I downgraded to 1.0.0.7 and tried calibrating and it spit out "VCA voice fails: 15".

Upgraded back to 2.0.0.0, and there is audio at the output, but keyboard is completely unusable as the voices totally uncalibrated.

Even prior to the 2.0.0.0 update, I was starting to experience some issues (programmer key #1 not working or requiring multiple presses, keyboard would stop outputting audio and would require a calibration). Wondering if there is something going on here other than an issue with the 2.0 calibration.

I reached out to Oberheim support but haven't heard anything back yet. Anyone else experience any such issues?

[gus]

Sorry to hear! We have a handful of reports similar to this and we are collecting information and actively working on a solution. If anyone else runs into this, please contact support@oberheim.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

It sounds like you've done these steps already, but you'll need to do them again if you try to go back down to an older OS. Posting them here just for visibility.

RESETTING THE GLOBAL PARAMETERS

You must reset the Global parameters of the OB-X8 after you update the OS.

- Press the Global button.
- Use the Scroll Knob to select Reset Globals, then press the Write button.

CLEAR CALIBRATION

- Hold Transpose Up + Down and press the Global button.
- Select the first option to Clear Calibration and press Write.
- From here, run full calibration following the steps below.

RUN FULL CALIBRATION

Please run the full calibration Global option after you update the OS.

- Press the Global button.
- Use the Scroll knob to select Full Calibration, then press the Write button.
- The synthesizer performs its auto-calibration procedure. Do not turn off the power while it is doing this.
- When finished, the front panel controls return to normal, and you can play the OB-X8 again.
- If calibration fails, clear again and run full calibration after the unit has warmed up (~10-15 minutes)

[mattling]

Is the 1.1.1.0 firmware available? I was not able to get either 1.0.0.7 or 2.0.0.0 working -- both are having calibration failures.

[gus]

Hi Mattling,

Sorry to hear that! Definitely relay this to support if you haven't already, they will be able to find a solution for you. I'll attach the last public release, 1.1.1.0 below.

[mattling]

Thanks Gus! I sent some emails and I've tried calling but I haven't heard back yet.

[mattling]

Just as an update, it appears 1.1.1.0 works on my OB-X8, while the calibration process for 1.0.0.7 and 2.0.0.0 did not work after many attempts.

[gus]

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear it works on 1.1.1.0 as a temporary solution.

We're actively working on this one and we hope to have a solution very soon. Apologies to anyone not able to use 2.0 in the meantime.

[lark830]

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear it works on 1.1.1.0 as a temporary solution.

We're actively working on this one and we hope to have a solution very soon. Apologies to anyone not able to use 2.0 in the meantime.

I’m also having calibration issues, when doing a full calibration with 2.0. The synth hangs up on the page that lists the failures. However, I found that if I power cycle the synth and hit the tune button in the upper left, on the front panel, it does
tune the oscillators enough to make it playable. I don’t know how extensive the quick tune is,  but it works.

[agavephoto]

I'm already in contact with support about this and they have been responsive. For me, the update process appears to go OK until I try full calibration: that just hangs at the first voice. Power cycling will boot OK, but the TUNE button at the top left of the panel fails in the same way. I can downgrade to where I was previously (1.1.0.0) without any issues, and I can move up to 1.1.1.0 without any issues. One of my attempts at 2.0.0.0 would only boot up to the OB-X8 LCD dispaly and no further, but sending 1.1.0.0 back via recovery mode worked without a problem.

I did try playing it without any calibration at all and I imagine this is as if the vintage knob were about an order of magnitude more extreme .

[steigesi]

I got in touch with support for the same reason, waiting for a reply: calibration freezes at the first voice after OS update.

[Nikola]

For me, the update process appears to go OK until I try full calibration: that just hangs at the first voice.

Same here.

[scottr]

Same issue here, mine hangs during calibration at voice 5, filter ob-x / sem and freq 4.  I have been in contact with support over this issue.  Went back to V1.1.1.0 and it went fine.  For the heck of it I tried to go back up to V2.0.0 and got stuck at the same place again.

[mattling]

Sounds like we all have the same issue. Last I heard from Sequential, they are working on a software solution, so we're just waiting at this point. Seems like my synth is working fine with the 1.1.1.0 firmware.

[Beaubourg]

I upgraded mine the same day 2.0 was released, but I had the calibration problem as well. After a few back and forth with support and trying to calibrate countless times, I downgraded back to 1.1.1.0, calibration worked fine there.

Today I decided to try upgrading to 2.0 again. This time I turned the synth on and let it sit for an hour before starting the upgrade. After the upgrade I power cycled, cleared calibration, reset globals and started a full calibration from the global menu. To my surprise it worked!  

Maybe the difference was that I had recently calibrated using 1.1.1.0 before the upgrade, or that I let the synt sit and warm up before even upgrading to 2.0. Or it could be just luck, I don't know.

[chrisgvitar]

Same issue, just got the module yesterday, updated the OS to 2.0.0 and upon completing the last step to run the full calibration, it got hung up on the second calibration point for over 10 minutes. After 15 minutes I powered the unit down to hear the entire thing way out of tune, still getting stuck on tune and full calibration functions. Repeated the install of the same OS but same issue. I'm hesitant to install the previous OS, contacted Support.

Is there a full factory reset that can be done? I'm not sure if that would revert to the factor OS though...

[AlainHubert]

Just to add my two cents, as soon as it became available I upgraded my keyboard OB-X8 to V2.0 from V1.1.1.0 and cleared globals, but NOT the calibration tables because, in the firmware update documentation, they said to do so ONLY if upgrading from an earlier version than V1.1.1.0.

And I've never had any issues with V2.0.

[Bookfaster]

Firmware update calibration failure. Now at the mercy of Sequential providing an update to V2.0.

I don’t understand why they don’t know the tolerances of the fitted components to develop a firmware that works on all synths.

[The Real MC]

v2.0.0.0 upgrade successful, no problems

[LPF83]

Firmware update calibration failure. Now at the mercy of Sequential providing an update to V2.0.

I don’t understand why they don’t know the tolerances of the fitted components to develop a firmware that works on all synths.

While I know software development in general very well, I have zero experience developing firmware to control analog components, but in most of these cases it comes down to cost of testing versus cost of replacement.  To have enough units / time / money / manpower etc to create firmware that can accomodate all possibilities takes resources that might impact cost to the point that nobody in a small company can afford to eat anymore... so if the cost of just sending the edge-case customers a new unit is dramatically cheaper it can sometimes be a better option.

[Bookfaster]

Firmware update calibration failure. Now at the mercy of Sequential providing an update to V2.0.

I don’t understand why they don’t know the tolerances of the fitted components to develop a firmware that works on all synths.

While I know software development in general very well, I have zero experience developing firmware to control analog components, but in most of these cases it comes down to cost of testing versus cost of replacement.  To have enough units / time / money / manpower etc to create firmware that can accomodate all possibilities takes resources that might impact cost to the point that nobody in a small company can afford to eat anymore... so if the cost of just sending the edge-case customers a new unit is dramatically cheaper it can sometimes be a better option.

I would be very interested to hear from any users that had their OB-X8 replaced due to firmware incompatibility. However, I do appreciate the feedback. Thank-you.