Nord lead 3 rotary encoder near display is skippy

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kotatsu
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Nord lead 3 rotary encoder near display is skippy

Post by kotatsu »

Hi everyone! I have had my NL3 for a year and it's been a wonderful experience. The only small problem is that the large encoder with detents near the display sometimes skips one or two click. Applying a small pressure on the encoder usually makes the problem less present. Maybe it's oxidation, but I am absolutely not well-versed in electronics :wtf:

It has been perfectly usable up to now but I am worried it may fail in the future. Did anyone else have similar problems? I think the replacement part should be pretty easy to source but I don't think it warrants a substitution in the state it's currently in. :keyboard:
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maxpiano
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Re: Nord lead 3 rotary encoder near display is skippy

Post by maxpiano »

Encoders skipping steps are not related to oxydation but to wear, when the frequency (amount) of steps skipped will become too high to be acceptable for a normal usage you will have to replace it.
Last edited by maxpiano on 07 Sep 2025, 07:23, edited 1 time in total.
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kotatsu
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kotatsu
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Re: Nord lead 3 rotary encoder near display is skippy

Post by kotatsu »

maxpiano wrote: 06 Sep 2025, 19:32 Encoders skipping steps are not related to oxydation but to wear, when the frequency pf steps skipped will become too high to be acceptable for a normal usage you will have to replace it.
Thanks max, helpful as always. I'll stick with it as long as possible :thumbup:
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Re: Nord lead 3 rotary encoder near display is skippy

Post by derrellpiper »

Is that particular encode still manufactured?

I absolutely adore my Lead 3 and I have a Nord Rack 3 too. The overall UI, and in particular the specific LED rotary encoders Nord used, are incredibly intuitive compared to every other synth I own, even if they're not quite as precise. It does have a number of problems including the A/C not being properly grounded for US power, and its MIDI implementation, like all Nords I guess, is um, strange, but I love it just the same. I only wish there had been a 73 or 88 key version made.
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kotatsu
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Re: Nord lead 3 rotary encoder near display is skippy

Post by kotatsu »

I found something online on Syntaur and synthesiszer parts, but they don't look like genuine replacements. I hope that they will work when the time will come, I absolutely love my nl3!
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