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ROLI hardware is disposable garbage when the batteries die

I have two Roli Control blocks, that cost over $160 plus tax.

The batteries are dead, and Roli responded that they're garbage now:

Hi John,

Thanks for getting in touch!

I'm sorry to hear your Blocks are not charging. Since you purchased the Blocks used they have no warranty, so we wouldn't be able to replace. We don't sell individual components for Blocks so I'm afraid that you wouldn't be able to replace the battery either. I recommend getting in touch with the original seller and returning or exchanging your Control Blocks. Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns and I'd be happy to assist you.

Kind regards,

Aaron | Creator Support Agent

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Comments

  • What did you expect? Few manufacturers support the warranty on used gear.

  • Sorry to hear man but I'm not surprised at their response.

    Can you try opening up the unit to see what kind of battery they use? I've managed to replace a battery on an old zoom drum machine which was actually soldered to the circuit board.

    If they're to become expensive door stops you might as well give it a shot.

  • edited April 2019

    So even if you buy from Roli, once the warranty runs out, if the battery dies, the Blocks are bricks? Worth avoiding Roli gear, if that’s the case...

  • @robertreynolds said:
    What did you expect? Few manufacturers support the warranty on used gear.

    I certainly didn't expect the manufacturer to support the warranty on used gear!

    I expected to be able to pay for a battery replacement.

  • @supadom said:
    Sorry to hear man but I'm not surprised at their response.

    Can you try opening up the unit to see what kind of battery they use? I've managed to replace a battery on an old zoom drum machine which was actually soldered to the circuit board.

    If they're to become expensive door stops you might as well give it a shot.

    That's my next step.

  • Wow, thanks for the buyer beware.

  • Wow, well I’ll guess the scenario is the same for my seaboard block. Good thing it seems to be going strong. I saw the tear down video, no way I’d want to support repairs on that thing. Makes me wonder about my CME Xkey if that ever starts going bad. My seaboard warranty should be up soon, assuming they do 1 year limited warranty.

  • That's been part of the reason I've stayed away from getting an OP-1. Well, that, and other rea$on$...

  • As a matter of interest can you still run them off The mains via the blocks?

  • I love using my lightpads but I’ve had terrible experiences with Roli as well. Dead keywaves after one year. Same answer from them...basically “sucks for you” which is unacceptable for something so expensive. I prefer the lightpads anyway...hopefully mines don’t die anytime soon.

    Hope you find some sort of resolution. I’d make a YouTube video and try to get a lot a views to force them their hand. Seems these days Social Media is King. If there’s no footage it didn’t happen.smh

  • The problem witch replacing the battery is that might not solve everything, maybe the charging circuit is cooked too or who knows what else.

    Pretty shitty the company won’t support their own product, they know damn well it came from their factory, no one else is making these things. They won’t be getting my business.

  • @aquasloth said:
    That's been part of the reason I've stayed away from getting an OP-1. Well, that, and other rea$on$...

    It’s user replaceable. https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Teenage+Engineering+OP-1+Battery+Replacement/65563

  • @BiancaNeve said:
    As a matter of interest can you still run them off The mains via the blocks?

    Fortunately, yes so far. But it feels sketchy.

    BTW, I love ROLI. I love the Seaboard, and LightPad Block Ms that I have, as well as the Touch Block. I think the Noise sounds designed for the Roli are fantastic, as well as the desktop software. Also, they are great with other MPE synths as well.

    It's just really really disappointing, and it makes you think before you go out and buy your next $80 control block compared to half a Volca or something. In fact, a LightPad M are about the same price as a Volca.

  • Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

  • @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    Or, you could just let consumers decide.

  • Been tempted by their products but not offering a paid repair service sucks balls. Gas face for Roli Bollocks.

  • @robertreynolds said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    Or, you could just let consumers decide.

    If only. Most, I fear, have little time, effort or the intellectual faculties, to realise the implications of their decisions.

  • @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    You are right, but that means: almost all of them.

  • @robertreynolds said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    Or, you could just let consumers decide.

    That's what we are doing all the time, and it will get mankind the f##k off this planet within some decades.

  • @LeonKowalski said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    You are right, but that means: almost all of them.

    And this is why I'm a total luddite using mostly old equipment.

    On the DL a lot of people that work in consumer electronics stores tell people to bring items they've purchased in just before the warranty runs out and swap it for something else. The failure rate is so high for modern devices (eg. a bluetooth speaker) that they are never even checked for faults before they are disposed of.

  • @LeonKowalski said:

    @robertreynolds said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    Or, you could just let consumers decide.

    That's what we are doing all the time, and it will get mankind the f##k off this planet within some decades.

    This is the unfortunate conclusion, based on current behaviour, with future predictions ranging from dire to apocalyptic.

  • edited April 2019

    I think Roli’s response is unacceptable.

    They should have an out of warranty battery replacement service for their products no matter where you bought them. Or at the very least they should sell the batteries. Or offer a trade in service (which has the bonus of allowing them to sell the refurbished units and make profit on the same device three times).

    Something.

    Anything.

    Just not nothing.

    If you are going to copy Apple product design by making batteries non user replaceable you should have the infrastructure to cope with the service requirements — or be big enough to have a huge 3rd party marketplace for knock off batteries

    Whatever the reasons, all small companies need to foster customer good will. A customer that buys a second hand product is still a customer and is a likely future customer of new products.

    Bad move Roli.

  • This is one reason for which I bought Nanokey Studio with replaceable batteries. I just bought a Behringer MPA40BT PA speaker and it has a replaceable battery too.

    Hope you will be able to open it and change the battery.

  • @johnfromberkeley thanks for the head’s up.

  • That makes me look at roli products in a different light for sure. I changed the battery on more than on iPhone and iPod myself, even though they are "not user replaceable," if roli says they won't replace an out of warranty battery, then at least make them available to purchase. That's echoing what others have said here for sure, but just to add support to the original post.

    For what it's worth, I don't look forward to the day my 2012 MacBook Pro isn't viable anymore, because with much ease, I upgraded the ram, changed the battery, replaced the dvd drive with an ssd for my recording files and upgraded the main drive with another ssd. That kind of thing should be available to any device, I don't like this landfill technology ethos.

  • @klownshed said:
    I think Roli’s response is unacceptable.

    They should have an out of warranty battery replacement service for their products no matter where you bought them. Or at the very least they should sell the batteries. Or offer a trade in service (which has the bonus of allowing them to sell the refurbished units and make profit on the same device three times).

    Something.

    Anything.

    Just not nothing.

    If you are going to copy Apple product design by making batteries non user replaceable you should have the infrastructure to cope with the service requirements — or be big enough to have a huge 3rd party marketplace for knock off batteries

    Whatever the reasons, all small companies need to foster customer good will. A customer that buys a second hand product is still a customer and is a likely future customer of new products.

    Bad move Roli.

    Roli has been partnered with Apple for a while now and are anything but a small company.

    You wouldn't expect to be able to change the battery in a bluetooth speaker, now apply that to all these wireless music gadgets.

  • @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    I been a director and manager of 2 companies and my customer service was A1. Generally I find the bigger the company the less they care. Small companies know if word gets out that they have not been 100% cool then they are left in the dark. Treat people nice, and the way you would like to be treat, and guess what they could back again.

  • edited April 2019

    @johnfromberkeley said:

    @robertreynolds said:
    What did you expect? Few manufacturers support the warranty on used gear.

    I certainly didn't expect the manufacturer to support the warranty on used gear!

    I expected to be able to pay for a battery replacement.

    Aren't you still able to use the blocks by connecting them to power? Per Roli, Control Blocks connected to power will work even when the battery dies.

  • @knewspeak said:

    @robertreynolds said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    Or, you could just let consumers decide.

    If only. Most, I fear, have little time, effort or the intellectual faculties, to realise the implications of their decisions.

    Or,...they actually have all those things but just don't care about what you care about.

  • @LeonKowalski said:

    @robertreynolds said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Businesses that operate in such ways should get the f##k off this planet!

    Or, you could just let consumers decide.

    That's what we are doing all the time, and it will get mankind the f##k off this planet within some decades.

    If you're right (but you're not), we're so screwed it probably doesn't matter much whether Roli allows their batteries to be replaced.

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