• Registered: 2012-02-13
  • Posts: 19

Topic: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

I've just got a new RME Babyface Snow Edition. One of the first things that made an impression on me was the looseness of the knob. It seems like I can move it freely between any two positions. In other words, it doesn't move directly from one position to the next, but wiggles in between any two positions. Also, it seems like the knob has an up-down looseness too. All of this doesn't seem to affect its operation though.

I've read some previous threads about loose knobs with Babyface Silver, but I was recently assured the problem was fixed a long time ago. Given that the Snow Edition is quite recent, I thought such a problem would not occur to me. Is this normal for the Babyface and is this how it is supposed to work?

Thanks.

  • Registered: 2012-02-13
  • Posts: 19

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

I would really appreciate comments from Babyface owners on the state of their rotary wheels. I need to know whether this is the way the Babyface works normally or if my unit is faulty.

Thank you.

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

Mine is wobbly and crooked too.

  • Registered: 2012-02-13
  • Posts: 19

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

arctic wrote:

Mine is wobbly and crooked too.

Thanks for your reply. Which edition of the Babyface do you have and did yours come this way? Do you find it affects the Babyface's functioning?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,782

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

The slight movement between knob positions seems normal to me, but not the "up-down looseness". If it bothers you, please just contact the retailer.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

6 Reply by arctic (edited by arctic 2012-03-09 08:55:33)

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

I got so frustrated I took the wheel from an Contour design shuffle pro2 instead:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19 … wheel.jpg/

  • Knut
  • Knut
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

I have the Design shuffle here too, but it does not fit on the Babyface.

As Daniel wrote, the horizontal movement is perfectly normal. It's not the knob, but the used component on the circuit board. We've looked for alternatives, but all click/rotate components on the market seem to have a slight shift of the pin. If you open the Babyface and reassemble the knob on the pin (don't do this!) it's easy to see, that only the encoder pin moves. The same movement happens on other products on the market with such an encoder. It's just the big diameter of the Babyface knob to observe it. With a small knob on the pin (Fireface UCX, UC) it's nearly imperceptible.

The loose knob problem of a few early Babyfaces was a different problem. These knobs were not fixed perfectly on the pin - because of a transport damage and/or it was not assembled straight and tight enough.

As Daniel wrote, if your knob wobbles more than slightly (you have a video?), please contact your retailer.

best regards
Knut

8 Reply by rotaudio (edited by rotaudio 2012-03-09 18:08:28)

  • Registered: 2012-02-13
  • Posts: 19

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

RME Support wrote:

The slight movement between knob positions seems normal to me, but not the "up-down looseness". If it bothers you, please just contact the retailer.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Admin Knut wrote:

I have the Design shuffle here too, but it does not fit on the Babyface.

As Daniel wrote, the horizontal movement is perfectly normal. It's not the knob, but the used component on the circuit board. We've looked for alternatives, but all click/rotate components on the market seem to have a slight shift of the pin. If you open the Babyface and reassemble the knob on the pin (don't do this!) it's easy to see, that only the encoder pin moves. The same movement happens on other products on the market with such an encoder. It's just the big diameter of the Babyface knob to observe it. With a small knob on the pin (Fireface UCX, UC) it's nearly imperceptible.

The loose knob problem of a few early Babyfaces was a different problem. These knobs were not fixed perfectly on the pin - because of a transport damage and/or it was not assembled straight and tight enough.

As Daniel wrote, if your knob wobbles more than slightly (you have a video?), please contact your retailer.

best regards
Knut

Thank you for replying. Uploading a video was a great idea. Here is the knob in action (the video is set to private for only those who have the link):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgJI5OEW1jg

This is exactly how the knob performed right out of the box. I have not forced the wheel at all while recording the video. This shows just its general looseness when gently pushed horizontally and vertically.

Is this behavior of the knob to be expected and is this standard for all Babyface devices? Please advise if I should return the interface as I have only limited time to do so if this is a manufacturing fault.

Thanks a lot.

  • Knut
  • Knut
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

Thanks for the video. This is the normal behaviour of the knob. Any movement comes from the encoder beneath. It's just a very tiny movement, but through the big knob radius it feels like more.
The movement between the clicks (turn) is also how the encoder works. I have some Babyfaces here, including a Snow Edition, and they all behave exactly like the one in your video.

best regards
Knut

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

Oh so the wobbly knobby is a design flaw?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,782

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

arctic wrote:

Oh so the wobbly knobby is a design flaw?

You did read our above statements? HeadScratch


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

"Product developer guy: Hey boss, the knob/wheel thing seems a bit wobbly and sometimes makes a scratchy noise, you think we should fix it? Boss: no, leave it, no one will notice. I think"

  • Registered: 2012-02-13
  • Posts: 19

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

Admin Knut wrote:

Thanks for the video. This is the normal behaviour of the knob. Any movement comes from the encoder beneath. It's just a very tiny movement, but through the big knob radius it feels like more.
The movement between the clicks (turn) is also how the encoder works. I have some Babyfaces here, including a Snow Edition, and they all behave exactly like the one in your video.

best regards
Knut

Thank you for taking the time to investigate this issue. Finally, I can sigh in relief, knowing it's not just me at the very least. From what you wrote, I conclude that replacing the unit, even with the standard Blue Edition, will not make a difference to how the knob behaves. Am I correct?

  • Knut
  • Knut
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

I conclude that replacing the unit, even with the standard Blue Edition, will not make a difference to how the knob behaves. Am I correct?

Yes. This is perfectly normal for all Babyfaces.

best regards
Knut

15 Reply by rotaudio (edited by rotaudio 2012-03-10 08:22:47)

  • Registered: 2012-02-13
  • Posts: 19

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

Admin Knut wrote:

I conclude that replacing the unit, even with the standard Blue Edition, will not make a difference to how the knob behaves. Am I correct?

Yes. This is perfectly normal for all Babyfaces.

best regards
Knut

Glad to hear that. Thanks!

16 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,599

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

arctic wrote:

"Product developer guy: Hey boss, the knob/wheel thing seems a bit wobbly and sometimes makes a scratchy noise, you think we should fix it? Boss: no, leave it, no one will notice. I think"

Smartass: "Did you not read the info in the forum? There is no scratching, and if then you get a free knob and cover update."
Boss: I know. That's why I'm the boss. Why didn't you already call them?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-02-08
  • Posts: 261

Re: Babyface slighly loose knob. Is this normal?

I never use that wheel with the finger indent after TotalMixFX on my computer. No need to, so why disturb it. Sure it works that way to engage the setting of it on the device, but after awhile, things are automatic in the software of TotalMixFX so it is not really needed to be used.

That's the way I see it anyway.
Never disturb it, never have to use it.