Hi all. We have two staff members on support and I check daily that they are handling enquiries. Most enquires get handled very quickly, if they are not you can contact me with your case number and I can follow up george@udo-audio.com.
Please a reminder that we do not offer support via this forum so if you need to get in touch please use support@udo-audio.com.
This regrettable patch disturb issue that affects some 110V customers in the US is a design weakness rather than a quality control issue. As a result all Gemini will be the same, although most will not show the issue.
We have identified and resolved it, but a simple fix will have to be applied to the small number of affected units in the US through our competent network.
Please be patient with our staff and dealer network who are doing everything they can to roll this out as fast as possible.
Needless to say all Gemini now have the modification applied.
I got the communication that this will be simple fix with UDO to work with their partners to supply an easy retrofit. I am capable of building IKEA furniture so I can follow instructions for a simple retrofit. My original fear was in have to work with SMTs, resistors, capacitors and dangling bag of loose parts! That fear has been well addressed so I will await for the solution. I have to share that I really love the sound of this instrument - well done to the whole UDO team!
I sent my unit back to Alto Music two weeks ago for a replacemt and they have no word as to when I will get a new keyboard. I agree that this is a frustrating experience. I too purchased it last summer and have been waiting months. I think those who have experienced this issue should have priority in getting replacemts over new customers.
I can report that I have now completed the retrofit for this patch-remain issue, and it was the easiest thing ever…nothing technical or electronic about it. Works like a charm…immediately…it’s almost unbelievable how simple it is, and that THIS minor fix was causing this extreme issue.
Once done, the synth is a wholly new experience in every single way. The power issue that the PSU was causing, was doing more than just making every patch jump into edit mode, and change certain parameters…which is what I assumed all these weeks whenever I turned my malfunctioning unit on. I NOW can hear that the entire sound of the unit is better…including the smoothness and gain staging of the audio output. It sounds glorious now! SO much better than what I was hearing during my down time. The entire audio is more cohesive, louder, and smoother.
Trust me, if you can use a screwdriver to open the case (it does require 2 different sized TORX bits, so it requires that you have those tools…which if by chance you don’t is a $5 purchase on Amazon), opening the case is super easy, it flips open like a brief-case, and is even hinged, and has straps to keep the top from flipping over. Great design. Once inside, its a matter of clipping down some wires with two sided tape and a plastic clip onto the floor of the case, and clipping two small plastic housings (Ferrites) over a small wire. THAT IS IT. Zero chance you will even touch any of the electronic components inside of the unit, or otherwise damage it. Just be sure to unplug the unit before starting, of course! No other tools needed to do any of this retrofit. Just peel, stick, and clip. Done! Then just lower the top of the unit, and put the screws back in. Total time: MAYBE 5 - 8 minutes. Satisfaction: immediate. Result: surprise as what a huge difference it made for the better…not just the patch remain, but the overall audio output. The layers just “gel” together now, and the overall output levels are much better (stronger, and cohesive).
If you are given the chance to do it…I would not hesitate…if you are affected by this issue.
Thank you, Ron F for letting us all know. It is my hope as I returned mine for another one that the GSF agency and B&H Photo in the US. somehow get this part quickly and send me either my unit back with it fixed or send me a new unit, as at this point I’m paying credit card payments on something I don’t have. I would really like to have this as soon as possible as I’m scoring to soundtracks, one for a film and one for a documentary so George PLEASE if you’re reading this, can you please make sure I get mine as quick as possible . If I knew it was such an easy fix, I would’ve done it myself, but it was my hope that they would have another one and send it to me quickly. CHEERS
Still waiting for mine, good to know the fix was easy. How exactly does a couple of ferrite beads fix this issue though? I’d be interested in a technical explanation.
It sounded like my US reseller had to return their units to UDO for this fix, given they have a repair shop I’m surprised they didn’t just get instructions on how to do this. Will the returned units receive the ferrite bead fix, or will they get a new power supply? I’m going to assume it’s a power supply issue since it only seems to affect 110V users.
So after almost a month I finally got my super Gemini back. I have to say it truly sounds phenomenal. I haven’t had time to go through it yet. I just turned it on to make sure it worked and it did marvelously. I want to give my thanks to George, the UDO team, Geoff at the GSF Agency, B&H Photo and all the forum and FB page users that help me get this problem figured out.
I just wanted to say I really appreciate the passion and support for your product and the care you showed me
I’m really excited to put this into my new scores.
Question ? So I just got the Super Gemini , started playing the performance presets A6 in dual mode and noticed while playing the slow lovely pads with a slow attack, say after playing a chord progression for about 2 bars or so , the pad suddenly loses its slow attack and the note becomes abrupt like the attack changes, almost like it’s running out of voices … anyone experience this? Thank you
@Saint A6 is one of my presets, I meant to edit it for shorted releases. There are only 5 voices in Dual layer binaural mode. As the envelope release levels build up, when you run out of voices you won’t get the slow attack on the next note and it will appear to jump in pitch. This sounds unnatural but this is normal. You can workaround by turning off binaural to double the voices available on either or both layers. You could also use Single mode to double the voices available and then double track it. You can also shorten the release of the envelopes or adjust playing style so the notes fade further before repress. Shorter releases can also be mitigated a little in pads by using delay to extend the notes, this trick can temper limited polyphony and can be used to make a monophonic synth sound like it has polyphonic note releases even.
But isn’t this counter to typical dynamic voice allocation? I would think the oldest note (voice) would be “stolen”, perhaps interrupting the release stage of its ADSR. Not that a new note would have its attack stage “stolen” because an older note won’t let it go? As I understand Poly 1 and Poly 2 modes, it is the release stages, not the attack stages, that are affected.
Or, if what you are saying is so, wouldn’t another solution be to set the synth to Poly 2 mode, which expressly steals the release?
Or might this be related to a firmware bug I have already reported to Support which has the SG randomly and intermittently and rapidly closing the sustain stages of all playing voices?
I just complete the install of the UDO RETROFIT KIT to solve this problem today and it was super easy! I own a CS80 and that is a lot harder. The Super Gemini with the retrofit installed works wonderfully and I am a super happy owner. Thanks to Geoff (US Distributor), Kraft and most especially UDO for the really fast turnaround on all this. What an amazing sounding instrument!!!
Hey Ron, that’s what I thought too that usually the first note is cut off not the new note. I was kind of wondering if it was a bug too because it doesn’t make sense and it makes it very hard to play moving pads without loading the release and then pausing in between playing so that it catches up. don’t get me wrong it sounds absolutely fantastic and I appreciate where it’s sad. I just wanted to know if it’s the way it happens or it can be something that’s needs to be reported and fixed so I can move accordingly on how I approach the presentation of the pads, does yours do this?
Thank you Udo for the reply. I appreciate it. in my experience, usually the beginning note voice allocates so that the new note does not suffer the attack cut off so that you don’t notice it with this situation is very hard to play moving pads more than two bars. I will try lowing the release and turning off the binaural, even though that’s one of the first things I tried was lowering the release turning up the attack. It does sound amazing and I appreciate that. I just needed to know if it’s a bug or it’s something that I can work around. Thank you.
My unit does do this, and support has confirmed to me it is a software issue that the firmware team is looking at. Specifically, my unit suddenly and rapidly closes the sustain (ADSR) stage of all playing voices, while playing pads/chords. You hold down a new note(s), and the whole synth suddenly goes silent (rapid release of all playing notes), while the player is still holding down the keys! It’s intermittent. Not consistent. But makes the SG currently very risky to play in a live performance.