I recently purchased an octatrack, I decided to get it instead of a Roland JDXA I had been G.A.S'ing badly for, so deep in the gear lust was I that I absolutely ignored the sonic reality of the JDXA: it doesn't sound all that great.
Luckily the gear gods showed mercy on me and cut me a break, how can it be anything but providence it's self when you show up to buy a JDXA ad find a MOPHO x 4 that you just happen to own one of, set up next to it in the store.
I tried to resist the urge to A-B this new synth I was to own, with the other synth that I already do. Some part of me knew what I would find, and I didn't have to look far.
The MOPHO X4 smoked the JDXA in every category you can think of and made me admit to myself that the JDXA is the worst price to quality ratio item I have ever seen in the world of Audio.
The JDXA idea has been shelved, unless I can find one for $750 or less I just can't justify the MASSIVE price tag.
But wait!!!
You didn't think I was going home empty handed did you?
Hell no!
I immediately switched my focus to the OTHER overpriced underperforming (Depending on who you ask) thing I absolutely did not need, something that was guaranteed to waste months of my time ad send a wrecking ball through my bank account, something that I had always known I would get, but the timing (and price) was just never right.
It was time for the goddamn OCTATRACK!
No sooner did I have the idea when a rouge wave of reason tried to break the levies of my G.A.S.S'ed up insanity, I had to act quickly before reason wrestled control away from my impulsive immature but oh so fun to hang out with "Let's blow the rent on golden bathrobes' animal instincts.
Like some toy-store running back I grabbed the octa off of a counter where another customer had requested it be taken out so he could examine it.
I watched his face turn from that of a smug "Tire-kicker" to a man who had taken the very thing he lived for torn from his well earned grasp, as I sprinted by him and grabbed it, while simultaneously motioning for the clerk to meet me at the counter,
"Sold!" I yelled for all to hear, it wouldn't matter what the other guy complained about now, my intentions thus declared the clerks would let ME keep it, just so long as I was buying!
And buy I did......oh god did I buy....I bought the F%$k out of that goddamn Octatrack,
My journey with (Kidnapped by?) Octatrack will be documented in other blogs, the purpose of this one is too ofer a proven solution to a common problem:
After owning it for two days, a key on my Octa was sticking badly! I didn't not recall having spilled anything close to it so that was confusing enough, but when I goggled the problem and discovered that MANY Octatrack users have similar issues I was now adding afraid to my self description.
I read through page after page of forums where people detailed subterranean spelunking expeditions into the guts of their Octa voiding their warrantee and usually breaking the device in the process, others were sending their Octa's to Elektron in Sweden and getting it back 3 months later with the button (It was usually just one) fixed.
No way Svendele! Not me! when the buttons get sticking the tough start dicking! (around)
And so I did I stumble upon an easy fix for this all to common defect.
For those of you who skipped all the BS YOU SHOULD START READING HERE!
HOW I FIXED THE STICKY KEYS ON MY OCTATRACK
1. Get Isopropyl alcohol (Rubbing alcohol) and Q-tips
2. Notice their is usually quite a bit of space between the buttons and the edge of the chassi
3. After disconnecting the Octatrack from everything (Especially POWER Dummy!) Dip a Q-tip in alcohol, soak liberally,
4. Run the Q-tip around the circumference of the button in question, apply enough pressure that the Alcohol is squeezed from the Q-tip and runs down into the chassi to the bottom of the button.
5. Vigorously and repeatedly press the button, until you can feel it come loose from whatever was sticking it,
you may have to repeat steps 3-5 a few times (I did) in order for the button to unlock, but unlock it did and I have not had a problem with this button since.
Do this at your own risk! I assume no responsibility for broken or damaged Octatracks, all I know is that this WORKED for me and was a hell of a lot quicker than shipping it to Sweaden.
Happy life-wasting Octa-buddies!
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