FM3 Repair

Eric Rowland

Eric Rowland

Inspired
I have had to have my 2 1/2 yr old unit repaired due to the USB chip failing.
The service dept said they do not do chip replacement in house so they had to replace the PCB.
Has anyone had this experience?
Any thoughts on this matter?
Thank you.
 
Last edited:
Typically, these kinds of components are tiny. They are surface-mounted on the PC board using precision automated machinery to connect and solder them, and all components are mounted at the same time. Attempting to remove and replace a component by hand can result in damage to the component and to the board. And a completed board cannot be run through the machine a second time. The only reliable repair is to replace the board.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I've had that experience. Last April, the USB port failed on my AxeFX III MKII. I sent it in for repair and Fractal sent it out to a third party for repair. It added a few extra weeks to the repair, but it came back and worked perfectly for a year. Within the past month, the USB port has failed again and I'm shipping it back to Fractal for repair tomorrow. I'm expecting another lengthy wait. With all that said -- I've been a devoted Fractal fan for over a decade.
 
Last edited:
I got A Roland Um-One Mk2 instead of sending my FM3 for a USB repair. Not as good as having a working USB, but I don't play hooked up to my computer.
 
Eric Rowland said:
The service dept said they do not do chip replacement in house so they had to replace the PCB.
Has anyone had this experience?
Click to expand...
Surface mount components and automation help reduce the manufacturing cost to us. There are shops, and technicians, who will repair those types of boards, but they're expensive because they rarely have a schematic to work with and have to figure out what's gone wrong using their experience. That sort of repair is not for the normal user, it's for someone using a rare piece of equipment that is crucial to their job and is willing to pay to get it working again.

Eric Rowland said:
Any thoughts on this matter?
Click to expand...
Um… which one of these is different? :)

Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 2.58.07 PM.png
 
Greg Ferguson said:
Surface mount components and automation help reduce the manufacturing cost to us. There are shops, and technicians, who will repair those types of boards, but they're expensive because they rarely have a schematic to work with and have to figure out what's gone wrong using their experience. That sort of repair is not for the normal user, it's for someone using a rare piece of equipment that is crucial to their job and is willing to pay to get it working again.


Um… which one of these is different? :)

View attachment 121321
Click to expand...
Sorry! ... that was a rookie mistake. :rolleyes:
Maybe a moderator can move the thread ... (reported)

Thanks for the replies.
 
Greg Ferguson said:
Surface mount components and automation help reduce the manufacturing cost to us. There are shops, and technicians, who will repair those types of boards, but they're expensive because they rarely have a schematic to work with and have to figure out what's gone wrong using their experience. That sort of repair is not for the normal user, it's for someone using a rare piece of equipment that is crucial to their job and is willing to pay to get it working again.
Click to expand...

I was going to say this...surface mount soldering by hand isn't the easiest thing. Access to chips isn't the easiest thing. Access to schematics isn't the easiest thing.

There are shops that do it, but it's more common for really common devices. Which Fractal stuff isn't, at least not to the degree where it would be worth jumping through the hoops to be able to do it for the (thankfully) small percentage of people who have problems and are willing to pay for those kinds of repairs.

We can moan and complain about how that makes a lot of hardware disposable and how it's weird for fractal, since they don't refresh their lineup every 6-12 months and it makes even more sense for them to be more repairable than, say, all-in-one computers or whatever. But...that still won't change the fact that getting the parts and schematics is likely too much of a PITA for an independent shop to consider it a worthwhile investment....and FAS themselves may not even have the chips if they typically get assembled boards from their suppliers.

If I could snap my fingers and make things different, I probably would. But...most people still probably wouldn't care.
 
Of all the hardware issues that come up… usb seems top of the list. I’m curious if it’s common with the other modellers too… helix, neural.. etc.

After the first instance of failure for me, I got a usb extender to reduce wear and tear. Honestly not sure what I would do if it happens again.

Sean Meredith-Jones
 
One thing that needs to be made clear when people talk about USB failures are whether they’re referring to the physical connector port or the USB controller chip/component. The mechanical connector failure is more understandable although no less frustrating. It’s the controller failures that are more concerning.

I was dealing with other life stuff when my chance to extend my warranty ran out and forgot to do it. My fault. I’ll be bummed if a costly repair is needed for a silly USB controller.
 
for infomational porpoises, it cost me $592 to have the pcb replaced ...
get a 3 yr warranty or keep the cookie jar full .....

giphy.gif
 
This happened to my brothers FM3 earlier this year on an artist owned second hand FM3.
From this experience, I will only buy new with warranty from now on when it comes to specialty gear such as Fractal. Fractal support got the repair done fast, but after shipping, insurance, and repair bench fee, it was $500+. Was very impressed at the turn around though.

I do wish I had been given the option to have the chip replaced by a third party at a reduced cost and would have happily waited the extra time to repair to save money, but understand the implications this adds to the Fractal support / repair team.

I also purchased a USB extender to hopefully help.

I do freak out every time the FM3 or Axe FX III loses connection with my PC which happens every now and then...
 
Last edited:
Rex said:
That would literally mean that most devices experience this issue, which isn’t remotely true. ;)
Click to expand...
The nature of the usb jack on the fractal does seem a little flimsy in general. Hence, more susceptible to failure given the amount of transport of the unit from venue to venue.
GitGuy513 said:
One thing that needs to be made clear when people talk about USB failures are whether they’re referring to the physical connector port or the USB controller chip/component. The mechanical connector failure is more understandable although no less frustrating. It’s the controller failures that are more concerning.

I was dealing with other life stuff when my chance to extend my warranty ran out and forgot to do it. My fault. I’ll be bummed if a costly repair is needed for a silly USB controller.
Click to expand...
At least in my case, the usb connection to a computer was intermittent. The diagnosis was that the usb chip board needed to be replaced. I was quoted $350 us or so for the part from a third party…. Then labor on top of that.

Sean Meredith-Jones
 
smj said:
The nature of the usb jack on the fractal does seem a little flimsy in general
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, the design wasn't up to Fractal, the USB Implementers Forum, Inc. designed it. I wish that the design was more robust but it seems like they were mostly designed to be easy to use, and making them able to take a licking usually interferes with "easy to use".

Maybe in the future they'll specify a connector that uses magnets, like some of Apple's laptops have for their power, so if the cable end gets hit it'll just detach, and if we're lucky it'll reattach itself, otherwise it's no big deal to wave it near the connector and it'll grab on. That'd require another change in the computing and electronics industry, which takes forever to move in a different direction, so I'm not holding my breath.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom