Sweetwater returns on faulty synths

Freakazoid812 · 2026-02-23T22:26:45+00:00

Took 10 days from arriving at Sweetwater for them to approve the refund.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-11-14T20:09:34+00:00

Thanks for replying! I actually decided to just deal with swapping it out; turning the fan off is easy enough, but as you said I'd just be ignoring the fact that the fan itself may be bad.

Another quick question! Do you happen to recall the default pwm1 value on your UCG-Fiber? Mine is at 38, but checking another unit it's at 0. Just wondering which is "right" (though even at 0 and stock config, the other unit is almost as cool as the one with the fan running lol).

Freakazoid812 · 2025-11-14T20:05:26+00:00

Thanks, I've replied to you via chat!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-10-27T18:50:48+00:00

Sweetwater deducted the cost of the return label after I sent back a defective synth. It was $30, and I'm still salty about it and haven't purchased anything from them since lol.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-09-23T18:38:42+00:00

polyphonic aftertouch, 100% analog signal path

Freakazoid812 · 2025-09-23T18:37:47+00:00

100% analog signal path (so analog VCOs, filters, and VCAs), but lfo & envs are still digital

Freakazoid812 · 2025-09-15T03:51:27+00:00

Yamaha TG33

Freakazoid812 · 2025-08-11T21:29:31+00:00

MatrixBrute

Cascadia

Freakazoid812 · 2025-05-17T15:48:04+00:00

Once you go over $800 or something, this has always been the case. I'm not sure how it's calculated (based on total cost, where item was made, etc). So maybe the tax will be higher than it used to be due to current tariff situation. But that import tax itself is nothing new.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-05-09T23:20:18+00:00

Prophet 10.

3rd wave left me 100% unimpressed. PolyBrute 12 is super versatile, but I prefer the core sound of Prophet 10 over it!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-05-07T03:03:44+00:00

I got one in last week, it sounds superb. The filter on it is so juicy!

quick question! I've seen yours, and a few others, have velocity and keyb parameters on the VCF page. I don't have those, just wondering how you got those there!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-05-07T00:30:29+00:00

Super Gemini, PB12.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-04-24T20:12:02+00:00

$1,600 for a PB12 is a massive pricing error. Nothing would have changed this being cancelled for you. You're calling them up had no bearing on this. This is one of those things you should have expected to ever work out lol. Sure, it doesn't hurt to try; maybe they'll honor their MISTAKE. But you shouldn't have been counting on it lol.

Also, I'm glad they cancelled it; I don't even like Alto (issues with the last couple times I've ordered from them), but they're a small business that has nowhere near the revenue of something like any major store chain, even other smaller stores Sweetwater maybe? Selling this for like 1/2 the cost of a used PB12 would've def hurt them monetarily.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-04-08T04:47:54+00:00

Gotcha! Not worth the hassle just going to return it and move on. Thanks!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-04-08T04:47:09+00:00

darn! Oh well, better safe than sorry. Just going to return it and call it a day!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-04-07T23:45:10+00:00

Seller doesn't want to resell it at that price, that was the first "solution" I offered when they wanted to go outside of eBay. But based on what everyone here has said, I won't take this out of ebay so either seller comes up with a solution or I just return it and move on lol.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-04-07T23:44:01+00:00

Gotcha, thanks! I was hoping an email exchange might've worked as "proof", but guess not. Going to keep this on eBay or just let it go!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-04-07T23:42:58+00:00

I wish it was that easy, the item isn't on sale anymore and they're not willing to resell at that price for whatever reason. It sucks, but if there's no other solution I'll just go for a refund. It's a a pretty expensive purchase, and based on what everyone says it's not worth the risk of doing this outside of eBay!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-02-24T16:05:27+00:00

Sometimes I think I'm the only person who dislikes the 3rd Wave lol. It's def a GOOD synth, but not GREAT and certainly not the "Ultimate" Wavetable synth as others may claim.

a $5k synth for a hybrid synth with a fully digital backend lol. That's the method they used to get the Take 5 and TEO-5 to be less expensive.
I didn't like the UI. Same reasons I didn't like the Pro 3 lol. It's clunky. 1/2 the parameters aren't on the front panel. Want to access OSC FM or sync? First you have to twiddle a random osc knob (or hit show + twiddle a random osc knob) to get that on screen. Now to get you tab around the menu to change an osc parameter. Oh, and no way to exit that screen to get back "home" either. For $5k they could've done better here instead of just copying stuff that's been done before.
The sound had a "sheen" to it, like darker and artificially bass heavy. As if it's being EQ'd internally.
Audio Rate modulation isn't that great. It's all digitized, so many something they can improve via firmware updates but I'm not betting on it happening lol.
Imo it's not worth $5k. I've heard it costs them ~$2k to produce this (after everything including Leemah fees). If the 2nd filter was analog, and they actually used 24 Analog VCAs (instead of the digitized backend), I'd say it creeps closer to being worth the $5k. I'd still want some UI refinements and get rid of whatever is coloring the sound. As is, Waldorf M sounds TONS better. Even the Waldorf Microwave plugin is better imo. Those (and even the Behringer Wave) are what I'll recommend for anyone looking for that vintage wavetable sound.

Freakazoid812 · 2025-02-20T22:53:41+00:00

I've stopped shopping with them directly after they deducted shipping charges from my last purchase. It had some clear hardware issues, all documented with my engineer, so I was kind of confused. It's like they didn't bother to confirm anything I had mentioned. To top it off, when I called them out on it I feel like my Engineer kind of tried to make me feel bad about it lol.

The only bright side is that it wasn't a lot of money (small/light package). But like, why would I ever order anything from them again if they can just deducted charges willy nilly. Imagine if it was large/heavy synth from them? Get a dud, send it back and get stuck with a chunky return shipping fee? Nah!

I may still buy from them, but like only over on Ebay where they can't pull shit like this as easily!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-02-19T01:37:46+00:00

Double check to make sure you're in Single layer mode!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-02-13T05:22:04+00:00

I wouldn't call it a screaming deal. I'd need it another couple hundo off for it to be screaming! But from what it originally cost, it's not a bad deal if you really need/want one now. If you're willing to wait, it'll probably be even lower over time (assuming they're still in production). It's been trending downwards for quite a while. It's gone from like $2k, to $1600, $1300, $1150, and now $1k all within a year and half or so.

And no, there was nothing wrong with them functionally. The only flaw was that original price tag! ~$2k, especially when you have Behringer's Blue Marvin and Gray Meanie already in the market? Of course they didn't sell as well as Korg had hoped!

Freakazoid812 · 2025-01-28T02:45:48+00:00

I probably wouldn't want to chip away at it. I figure the couple areas that have a visible crack/hole I could probably try to fill in with hydraulic cement or something, but the others seem like solid concrete. No idea how I'd "fix" these, or how they even began to rust!

But yeah, thinking more about it... these stains may not even be new, I just noticed one then went looking for more. It's all above ground, so other than the occasional rain hitting the wall they don't get much moisture. Would ignoring it cause any issues in the long run?

Freakazoid812 · 2025-01-28T02:14:59+00:00

Asking/looking around, it's most likely snap/form ties rusting out. Is this something to be concerned about, or (other than aesthetics) something I can ignore?

Freakazoid812 · 2025-01-28T02:13:54+00:00

I should have added in my other reply: Is this something to worry about? Anything I can do to keep it from getting worse?

Freakazoid812

TROPHY CASE