Korg Wavestation EX: replacement backlight

[Ingonator]

Hi,

i got a second hand Korg Wavestation EX back in 2005 (i still love it...) and since a while the backlight of the display is "dead" which means i could only read the display when thea is some light coming from above.

While searching for a repacement i also checked EBay but dd not really find one there.

Anyway there seems to be a company that provides replacement EL panels:
http://www.backlight4you.com/index.php/ ... ments.html

They got a PDF with a procedure to replace teh EL panel yourself which also includes some soldering work.


This other company even seems to provide a complete new display with the connector and a LED backlight which should be suprioor to the EL panels and more simple to install (also as as no soldering is needed...):
http://backlightsonline.com/


Does anyone here have experience with those companies and are those products really working nicely?

Links for companies with comparable products (for the Wavestation of course) are welcome too.




PS:
The Wavestation for me is one of the synths (both hard- and software) that i consider as "essential". Started with a Wavestatio SR rack back in 2004 followed by a A/D rack and then in 2005 the Wavestation EX keyboard.
Also got the plugin since it was released but sound wise it still does not seem to be a full replacement for me (while the plugin has a resonant filter which is a nice feature of course...).
Since 2005 i use the Wavestation EX (with an E-MU X-MIDI 1x1 USB to MIDI interface) and a Yamaha Motif ES 7 as my major MIDI keyboards (also for playing my Waldorf Blofeld and Pulse 2 desktop synths). Also got a M-Audio Ozonic that i rarely use (as a controller for programming i mostly prefer a KORG NanoKONTROL...)..



Ingo

[KungKrille]

I'm not able to recommend any of them but got interested in the Backlightsonline.com products. The display on my Akai s700 is still in a good shape but having a brighter one would be nice. It's not on the list so I sent them an e-mail in case another kit will fit. However, a replacement kit would probably cost more than the sampler itself so we'll see. Thanks for the links

[Hermetech Mastering]

I bought a replacement backlight for my WS-EX a few years ago and it was a total nightmare to fit. These days I'd just go for the VST and use a controller keyboard.

[Ingonator]

I bought a replacement backlight for my WS-EX a few years ago and it was a total nightmare to fit.

That's why i thought about getting fro mthe company where you could get the complete display including the flat cable and wit ha LED backlight (that should work much longer and better than the EL backlight panel).

[Ingonator]

Looks like i waited a bit too long so th company with teh LED backlights seem to be gone.

Anyway i had ordered an EL-panel from backlight4you (for around 25 €) and just implemented it into my Wavestation EX.
This was a huge PITA as you have to dissassemble the complete synth for this. Anyway it seems to be working now.
I had ordered a blue ("azure") backlight as a wanted something "special". Maybe not as good in contrast as the green one but still seems to work nicely (it is a lighter blue, not a dark one).
Maybe will also order a green one if i need another backlight in the future. Who knows how long those will be avaiable. Maybe could also keep that if in the future i decide to buy a new second hand unit where the backlight has to be replaced.

[Hank the Knife]

There's a PDF concerning backlight replacements FYI. Google 'Backlight Exchange Manual for Korg Wavestation EX'.

[Ingonator]

There's a PDF concerning backlight replacements FYI. Google 'Backlight Exchange Manual for Korg Wavestation EX'.

There was also one at the website of backligh4you where i got the EL panel. At their website they also got one i german (the owner of the website is located in Germany too).

As i mentioned i already implemented the new EL panel in my Wavestation EX. Anyway no matter which manual you use this is a serious PITA. You only reach the display after removing almost everything from the inside including e.g. the main- and audio boards and below a foil another board with the switches and dial for the controls of the interface.

[EvilDragon]

http://www.tellun.com/wavestation/wavestation.html

http://jaryic.livejournal.com/11778.html

No need to mess around with EL panels and their high pitched whine. Should've gotten a proper LCD replacement that doesn't use EL for backlight.

[Ingonator]

http://www.tellun.com/wavestation/wavestation.html

http://jaryic.livejournal.com/11778.html

No need to mess around with EL panels and their high pitched whine. Should've gotten a proper LCD replacement that doesn't use EL for backlight.

I had found taht too and it is indeed intereresting but this needs further mofifications to the main board and the power supply.

The current method i used is the cheapest (EL panel around 25 €) and most simple at the moment i guess. Actually adding the new EL panel was the most simple part of the whole process. You did not even have to remove the old one (just remove the old power connectors).

Maybe in the future i will try the other method, let's see.

BTW the "whining" noise was worst when i powered it on the first time but now after a little time it seems to be much better and/or much more silent.

[Ingonator]

BTW i noticed that in those procedures for removing the "whining" a modification at one or two transformers were done but always in combination wit ha LED backlight.

So does this modification also work with an EL panel backlight? Wil try to search if i find something about that.

I also found that in one of those modifications with the transformer at the power supply the display colors were inverted.