Brand New Super Gemini strange malfunction.....did I get a Dud?

UDO Audio Gear Super Gemini
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I just took delivery of a brand new Super Gemini.

When I select a preset-patch on the unit, the “patch number button” lights solid, and the preset-patch plays normally. But within a second or two or three, the LED light on the patch number button (1 - 8) begins to flash (NOT as the result of me touching any controls), and the sound changes to what appears to be something other than the saved patch…as if some elements of the sound are changing to the manual position of various parameter controls…such as you would expect to happen when you put the synth into manual mode.

For example….a saved patch has Osc 2 on a saw waveform….and at first (while the patch LED light is solid) it plays a saw wave….but then the light starts blinking on its own…the audio changes to the noise waveform, which it just so happens the OSC 2 waveform knob is currently set-to. Of course, I have not changed the waveform to cause this to happen. It just does this on its own. Its as if the patch (while the LED is solid) recognizes the saved parameters of the patch, but then after a few seconds begins blinking, and switches itself to manual mode.

Similarly, once the LED light starts blinking (seemingly indicating that the saved patch has been edited…even though I never touched anything) the filter cut off changes to the last physical position of the cutoff slider……rather than the saved cutoff position in the patch.

I have tried reinstalling the latest OS, and reinstalled all of the factory patches and performances, and performed a global reset…all successfully…but it does not change this strange behavior. I also “jiggled” and repositioned each of the knobs, sliders, and buttons on the synth, to be sure there is not some physical control that is “sticking”….this did not change this behavior either.

Any suggestions? Or do I have a defective unit?

Do I have it right that when you select a patch, the patch button LED stays lit solid, UNITL you manually edit a parameter? Any reason you can think of that the patch light would start blinking on its own, with no manual user input? It does this on ALL patch locations, regardless of the patch memory.

It seems to happen on both layer A and B indiscriminately. I would say that more than 90% of the time, the patch LED light begins blinking on its own within a few seconds (with commensurate changes to various parameters, that seems to change to those parameters manual control positions).

I have reached out the UDO support…but was hoping for any feedback or guidance, as they are closed for New Years.

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Do you have any pedals plugged in? And yes, the preset light should stay solid until you move a knob, slider or footswitch/pedal. It could possibly be shorting out somewhere or something loose inside the unit.

When this is fixed could you update the thread with the answer for others that may have a similar issue.

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@udo-audio i also get no sound in manual mode, there’s a slight repetitive ticking but all controls do not alter the sound at all, I have some time off now to investigate thoroughly.

User error, tweaking vca and vcf faders got me sound going in manual mode.

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I have the same issue. I took delivery of the Super Gemini yesterday. Every time I press a performance button it lights solidly, and then within a matter of seconds to a minute begins flashing, and the sound of the performance gets distorted and chaotic, regardless of whatever performance I select. This happens constantly, without me touching any controls, just keys. As often as not, I don’t even touch the keys and it starts to blink on its own and change sound. The keyboard is virtually unusable now, as it will not hold a performance or patch without the sound going belly up on its own. This is very frustrating.

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I have tried unplugging the sustain and expression pedals, and also reinstalling the original sound bank and OS, but the problems persist.

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I have also done the global re-set – no difference. And, I just sent a not to UDO. I think this is a bad unit unless I am doing something wrong, but it appears I am not alone in this.
Happy new year everyone!

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Don’t want to say that I am glad for your shared bad experience, but honestly I sort of am. This seems to indicate that it’s perhaps a software problem, or other common issue. Read: fixable. I am eagerly awaiting to hear from UDO support after the holiday weekend ….hopefully tomorrow. The synth can sound brilliant for brief moments ….but then loses all sonic integrity as it distorts to a jumbled mess once that patch light starts blinking on its own, and random parameters change and glitch to different values. I’m not sure I could say that all parameters of the saved patch change, or that they always change to the parameters physical controller positions. But I definitely notice that the waveform of the oscillators change, the filter cutoff changes usually to the physical cutoff-sliders position, and frequent pitch glitches and variations that make no sense. It all makes saving any patch in the unit impossible. And makes the unit sound like garbage after a few seconds of glory, before the damn led starts blinking and it goes bonkers. Please help UDO!

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No pedals or midi or usb connected to the unit. Only power, and stereo audio leads into the mix output jacks. I’ll continue to report back. TY.

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I reported a similar issue 3 weeks ago now, here: UDO Super Gemini - #89 by AMJ

@udo-audio please can you respond.

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Hi there, exactly the same thing I am experiencing.

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Any response from UDO support yet?

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Yes, its looking like I’ll need to ship it to a service center for repair. Waiting for details. But not an at-home fix. In the alternative I’ll need to return it to Andertons directly, but they have been very slow to respond.

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Just picked up mine today it is defective same problem!!

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Nooooooo, what is going on with quality control! Where are you located and where did you purchase it from?

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I am located in Chicago and purchased it here from a local dealer. The unit was double boxed and obviously unopened. This does raise questions about quality control. So disappointed !!

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Considering the cost of these units…its all very surprising.

The fact that you have the same issue with a unit purchased in Chicago USA, aligned with more than one unit experiencing this identical issue purchased at Andertons in UK…its more widespread than we know. Very unfortunately for both UDO and for those consumers who stumble on this when they open the box. I’m told by support that it may be related to a “bad connection on the front panel”. Which makes me wonder if its something that any unit might possibly develop over time (a connection loosening). I certainly hope not…and do want to say that UDO support folks are very professional and polite and apologetic. But I am a week into this now (since I took delivery and discovered the issue and filed a support ticket), and I have a beautiful white $4500 paper weight at this point…and still no clear direction on what is gong to happen or when.

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It is surprising they have no urgency, wow a week is a long time for no resolution!. I am looking to either get a replacement or refund. I have not been contacted by tech support yet. My dealer suggested that they could repair it if a repair is necessary? For a synth that cost $4500 the company should offer a replacement on the spot.

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I bought mine from Andertons here in the UK, whilst I initially thought it was faulty, it was me being a noob lol. I really wish you guys a speedy fix and turn around. I’m also really curious as to what is causing the issue and if there is a range of affected serial numbers, like Sequential had with the Pro 3.

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Here is my DOA Gemini