M -Audio Oxygen 25 (3rd Gen) Display suddenly dead?

[james090]

I have the M -Audio Oxygen 25 (3rd Gen) and it works perfectly on my M1 Max Macbook Pro as a controller for Ableton (I know its older model)

However after giving it a clean, and it looks like new, the display showed only 'L L'  ??

The keys, slider and all the knobs work over MIDI with Ableton fine, and it plays the 25 keys fine for MIDI VST's etc.

Now the display which is usually 2 digit LED is now blank, even though the keyboard all works and responds fine?
However when I turn a knob, I just get weird LED graphics, like broken numbers on the screen?

Is there a fix for the LED Display so it returns?
I've tried to reset, and changed the USB cable too with no luck

[Wonks]

It could be something like a loose ribbon cable inside, or it could be a failed screen driver chip.

Are you up to taking it apart and looking for loose connections or discoloured electronic components?

[james090]

It could be something like a loose ribbon cable inside, or it could be a failed screen driver chip.

Are you up to taking it apart and looking for loose connections or discoloured electronic components?

Yes I could be (with some guidance ) as I'm not sure what to look for.
However when I did take it apart there didn't seem to be much to it.

I did take it apart and give it a good clean, (probably my fault) but honestly it looks like new, and everything works fine.

Its just the garbled LED which is annoying, even after changing the USB Cable.

[Wonks]

It won’t be the USB lead. I’ve got no idea exactly what’s inside, but there’s normally a main board with a number of daughter boards connected via ribbon cables, and the ribbon connectors can come loose over time. Pull each one off and push it back on in turn.

It may not be the solution but it won’t harm it.

I know you can get replacement boards in the US, not sure about the UK. e.g. https://syntaur.com/keyboard.php?keyboa ... xygen%2025

[james090]

It won’t be the USB lead. I’ve got no idea exactly what’s inside, but there’s normally a main board with a number of daughter boards connected via ribbon cables, and the ribbon connectors can come loose over time. Pull each one off and push it back on in turn.

It may not be the solution but it won’t harm it.

I know you can get replacement boards in the US, not sure about the UK. e.g. https://syntaur.com/keyboard.php?keyboa ... xygen%2025

Thank you Wonks! You were right. A loose ribbon cable from the side had 'half-seated'! one press in and all good again.

Sometimes when turning a MIDI knob, the display shows the correct setting, but after letting go, the display jumps up and down a few increments on its own, hence why I wanted to completely clean it out. But its still doing it.

Anything to worry about or indeed rectify easily?

[Wonks]

I assume those knobs can turn continuously and have no end stops? If so, they are rotary encoders.

I've had a couple of rack units with them where there was a carbon wiper involved running over a large number of individual metal contacts (there may well be different construction methods but that's what these had). Over time, carbon had been scraped off the wiper and built up between the contacts, leading to intermittent operation.

I was able to take the encoder apart, clean out the carbon residue, and put it back together again to get it working as it should. But these weren't PCB mounting encoders, so I'm not sure how easily PCB mounting ones would come apart. They may be fully sealed (which would probably mean replacing them) or they may have a top held in place by bent metal ears, in which case you can normally unfold them for access and then re-bend them after cleaning.

Just squirting switch cleaner inside is unlikely to do much in the long term as that carbon residue is still floating round inside.

If they are normal pots, then some switch cleaner may well help. Servisol/Kontact Super 10 is easiest for pots as it has a lubricant built in. 'Caig DeoxIT' or 'WD40 Contact Cleaner' (not ordinary WD40) will work for cleaning the insides but for pots, you'd then need to spray a separate track lubricant in to improve long-term reliability.

[james090]

Thanks, I will take a look inside and maybe use some of the cleaner you mention.

The Knobs actually do limit from 7'o'clock round to say, 5'o'clock so they are limited, which I quite like, so you know where you are.

[Wonks]

Ok, sounds like normal pots, so you should be able to spray some cleaner in them. Even if sealed, you can often get some cleaned down the shaft.