Damn. You think they would have just installed a battery compartment on the back or bottom of the unit for easy replacement. Unreal the work you had to go through just to change out a battery. Poorly thought out design, still one of the best synths out there. Good work on your instruction video though. Props.
No way could I have done it without your step by step demonstration. It was very clear thank you very very much. My ESQ 1 has a serial number ending in 44. It's one of the original metal ESQs - I guess that's why it didn't need a metal plate. I believe the new battery I have installed will last 10 years. I hope so because it was still quite a task for a beginner -again thank you, Mike
I also have an all metal ESQ-..Just days after my purchase in San Francisco I got a call from Patrick Gleason (or was it his rep?) saying they wanted to "borrow" the thing. I said no. You may remember Gleason was (is) a big time synthesist.. Only last year did I discover he was a low numbers collector...I replaced my battery in a Berkeley shop way back and soon after the keyboard got parked. It never left my big deal and is covered up..
Great design Ensoniq! There is ONE thing which will need to be replaced at some point, so make sure you need to remove every component there is to get to it!
This is ridiculous, lol. I think I'm going to clip the leads to remove the battery, then wire up to an installed battery chassis under the hinged door somewhere. Anyway, thanks for helping us all out!
Here's a video with Markus Fuller doing just that on his SQ-80 which has similar design. And instead of this expensive special battery he adds a new battery holder for CR2032 batteries which are mainstream, cheaper and available everywhere. And of course they won't last as long, but I think it is a fairly nice update. And with the new battery holder exchanging batteries is so much easier. th-cam.com/video/I3LJTsILbOo/w-d-xo.html
@@patsonmusic .. Prefect! My project didn't work out so well, and I'm still getting a low-battery error. I think I need to open her up again and resolder my contacts. Thanks for sharing! :)
@@danieklerr I don't have these models myself, but a MR rack and having the battery renewal operation coming up, so I 've been looking for a good solution to the problem using a more available standard battery. Don't know what the MR look like on the inside, but been checking out these videos in advance 😀
THANK you for this! I got my ESQ-1 in like 2012 I believe and needed to swap the battery since. But shops wouldn't take it in for repairs, couldn't find any visual guides except for dudes doing the battery holder replacement, which is NOT recommended afaik. So I may just try to follow this guide and do it myself.
greetings how come you cant do the battery holder replacement for CR123s? thats what i want to do with my sp12 turbo, dx, drumtrak and some random digital reverb
Hell yeah man, you boosted my confidence to do this so much. Looks way easy. But, I've heard you wanna be careful of what you touch on the main board, so you don't fry it. What exactly should I avoid? Also, I've heard you should ground yourself, how do I do that?
Cristian Barrera yeah pretty much. I guess if you really wanted you could cheat and clip the legs from the old battery and solder the new one onto those clipped legs but that’s kinda janky IMO.
Super helpful Mike! Thank you! Dumb question but I'm not super handy. Do you a list of tools one would need to complete this job? And do you know the battery information?
Kirk Bentley There is a link in the description for the battery that I used. For the tools you will need a Philip screwdriver (to open the case), adjustable wrench or socket (for the 1/4” jack nuts), soldering iron and solder wick. I think a good soldering iron and solder wick are the important part. I use a Weller WES51 solder station and the wick I use is just this copper braid that is literally called “solder wick - soldering remover”
Does the Ensoniq ASR-10 have a battery? I have one and I've stored it in the box as the original owner. I'm concerned that being it's so old and has been powered on for a long time.
@@SISKworks it has a floppy disk and hard disks can be used as well. All samples and presets are loaded that way. So I believe that is how everything is stored. That makes me believe that is doesn't but I don't know that definitively. Thanks.
Hello thank you so much for posting this it was of major help replacing the battery on my esq 1 (plastic). However I also need to replace screws for the bottom panel that hold the keybed and it's been difficult finding the correct screws, do you know what kind of screws they are by chance? Ik they're phillips but it's hard finding right measurements and if they're coarse or machine thread. Thanks again!
I can’t remember exactly and that synth wasn’t even mine so I can’t check for you. Check on the inside if it they are connecting to metal or plastic. I think they go through plastic bottom and into the metal of of the key assembly so I would THINK they would be machine but idk.
Hello Mike! Thanks for your video. I soldered new battery on my Ensoniq KT-88 as a way to delete the problem with display (nothing shows when I turn on keyboard, Grand Piano plays only). It didn't helped. Can you give some thoughts how and what more I can make for the display's working. Thank you!
An Vedi Sorry this was the only Ensoniq I've ever worked on and I am far from an expert on this. But no display would not be a battery issue. I believe the battery only effect the memory. First I would inspect all cables and connectors to make sure they are fully seated. Then inspect the power supply to see if any capacitors are expanding or leaking. Power supplies are the most common failure in most electronics. Also just scan all boards to see if anything looks burnt or fried.
@@sadoche go for it. The general idea should be pretty similar. Open it up, locate the battery, figure out what you need to do to access the bottom, desolder and remove, solder new one in place and reassemble. Obviously don’t do any of this while plugged in. Just know that you will also have to figure out how to reload the firmware or presets or whatever for your keyboard.
Breno Cowie No I haven’t. But I would think the general idea would be the same. Just got to open it up, locate the battery, figure out to get to the bottom of the board, remove solder, install new battery, put back together.
Forgot about this post. I did locate a source for empty data card clones. I backed up the data and took my SQ1 to a local guy who does work on old synths. He opened her up and he installed a battery clip thingy so that future battery swaps will be easy. She’s up and running!
Hey Mike, Just pulled my ESQ-1 out of storage and am getting the battery warning. Does this require soldering on a new battery no matter what? Or did you have to do that because the previous owner had soldered the wrong battery on? I don’t suppose its normally a pull the old batter out and put a new one in. Also, when you say back everything up, is that just for sequencer data? Or does that also include the internal (default) sound patches? Thanks!
darwinmcd music Yes this will definitely require you to solder even if it had the correct battery to start. The backup is to save the internal sounds it has. If you pull that battery out without doing a backup first all sounds will be lost. Also if the battery you currently has completely dies you will also lose all the sounds.
Mike Sisk Thanks for the quick reply. I don’t have a way back up the internal sounds. Sequencer data is already gone but was hoping the internal default patches would not be reliant on the battery. Bummer. 😞
darwinmcd music so this ESQ-1 is my brother in-law’s so I didn’t do the backup part but I pretty sure he backed it up to tape like this video shows but I think you might also be able to back to midi sysex but I don’t know the exact process. th-cam.com/video/ptUGU9zVhIc/w-d-xo.html
Mike Sisk Awesome! Thanks for the link. I did a little research and found that you may be able to back up to PC with sysex support midi-to-usb cable (just ordered one a few days ago). Hopefully that’ll solve my problems. Thanks again for your help!
The battery is only used so the synth can remember and load presets. It will not work with just the battery. Also the battery is 3 volts not 9 ;-) Thanks for watching.
The ESQ-1 operates on 110 volt AC power. The 3 volt battery is only for storage of presets in memory. I just use my synth as an input device (via MIDI connection) for Apple Logic Pro digital instrument tracks. I can do this even with a dead battery in the ESQ-1.
Watch this video. The exact steps won’t be the same but the general idea is similar. Open the unit, locate the battery, figure out what you need to disassemble to get to bottom of board that battery is attached to, desolder old battery, solder in new battery, reload memory then enjoy 😉 Also, if you anywhere near Southern California I do offer repair services as well. If interested contact me through my website www.siskworks.com
@@SISKworks thank you! I will try. This is my first synth. I bought it at a thrift. I know nothing about synths, lol! I didn’t know I would have to get so crafty. And I didn’t know I have to reload the memory. Hmmmm. That manual is like a whole book tho!
Hi is it safe enough to keep the original battery in there ? i own the first metal case esq 1 model with the battery vertically positioned on the bottom left of the mainboard and it reads 0.33v so its definitely dead but there is no corrossion or any other sign of damage, is it safe to keep it there or at any time this thing can explode causing damage to mb ?
Old batteries will eventually rupture and cause electrolytes to leak all over the motherboard PCB (and cause further damage). It may take a year, or it may take several years. Highly suggest you consider replacing it as some point.
@@EnochLight Thanks Mike i bought it a few months ago and since this synth is a keeper i will replace it asap, i am familiar with basic soldering but since i bought it second hand and the battery was never replaced i thought that its so many years in there that the battery is tottaly dried out, it reads as far as i remember 0.30 V so needs at least to remove it somehow and why not replacing it with tha CR2032 equivalent if it holds 3V. i have replaced a battery succesfully with a VFX but sold it cause it had the well known keyboard issue, the ESQ 1 doesnt have this problem cause keys arou mount in there with a spring system which makes this a great advantage compared to later models.
The 2032 is exactly what I used on a SQ1. They’re inexpensive and fairly reliable. I had some old motherboards laying around so I desoldered the OEM coin holder off an Asus and put it into the SQ1. Soldering in batteries is crazy imho, especially if you’re taking the time to do the work and don’t want to risk anything doing it repeatedly. I’ve seen videos of skilled keyboard repair guys snipping leads and soldering in holders. Their consensus, why screw around with something if it’s unnecessary outside of some neatness which is never seen?
Keith Chua Yes. You will lose all presets when that battery is removed. You will need to back everything up before attempting this and then need to restore/reload those saved preset after.
Tommy A. Wood I have no idea. I’ve only ever touched this one Ensoniq ever. Have you opened it up to look? I’m sure it will be obvious if you take a peek.
I just got an Ensonic SQ2 from a buddy of mine for free. I've never used a digital keyboard/ synth before, but I have plenty of experience with electronics/ robotics. I just wanted to throw this out here and see if someone could help me figure this out. So, when I jack into the headphones port, I don't get any sound. The display works, but the LEDs above each button don't light up when you press whichever button you want. I tried giving the kayboard a factory reset, but the display didn't show anythinf other than "Button #_" when I did what was necessary to reset the keyboard. I honestly have no clue what to do about it. I assume the LEDs are possibly blown or aren't drawing any power. Bad battery? I dunno.
John Sormani yes you CAN do it from the top by cheating and clipping the wires like you suggested but that is NOT recommended. You really should just take the time and do it the proper way to ensure you don’t mess up.
And use an original battery and not one of the AA mods you will find on the internet!!! You won't be alive anymore when this stock battery will fail again
@@SISKworks I agree. My 1st synth was an ESQ1. Upgraded to an SQ80 which (iirc) had issues.. (i don't remember) but was 'unrepairable' (Ensoniq had closed shop). I miss them terribly. I'd love to re-buy one, but am nervous.. How repairable are they in 2021?
Damn. You think they would have just installed a battery compartment on the back or bottom of the unit for easy replacement. Unreal the work you had to go through just to change out a battery. Poorly thought out design, still one of the best synths out there. Good work on your instruction video though. Props.
This is one of the best reasons TH-cam exists, there is no where else to get this info. Thank you man!
gentillyguy1 thank you for watching and commenting!
No way could I have done it without your step by step demonstration. It was very clear thank you very very much. My ESQ 1 has a serial number ending in 44. It's one of the original metal ESQs - I guess that's why it didn't need a metal plate. I believe the new battery I have installed will last 10 years. I hope so because it was still quite a task for a beginner -again thank you, Mike
Awesome. I love hearing that.
I also have an all metal ESQ-..Just days after my purchase in San Francisco I got a call from Patrick Gleason (or was it his rep?) saying they wanted to "borrow" the thing. I said no. You may remember Gleason was (is) a big time synthesist.. Only last year did I discover he was a low numbers collector...I replaced my battery in a Berkeley shop way back and soon after the keyboard got parked. It never left my big deal and is covered up..
Thanks! Just got esQ-1 for 45 bucks. I appreciate the clear, concise tutorial!
Who repairs VFX Ensonic Keyboards
Most excellent. I will now have no fear in replacing the battery in my own ESQ-1.
Even though I know nothing about electronic repair or anything, I still managed to pull this off. Thank you very much!
Awesome! Love to hear that.
Good video. General tip - when removing components, snip the legs of the component to avoid stressing the board - especially when removing ICs.
Great design Ensoniq! There is ONE thing which will need to be replaced at some point, so make sure you need to remove every component there is to get to it!
This is ridiculous, lol. I think I'm going to clip the leads to remove the battery, then wire up to an installed battery chassis under the hinged door somewhere. Anyway, thanks for helping us all out!
Here's a video with Markus Fuller doing just that on his SQ-80 which has similar design. And instead of this expensive special battery he adds a new battery holder for CR2032 batteries which are mainstream, cheaper and available everywhere. And of course they won't last as long, but I think it is a fairly nice update. And with the new battery holder exchanging batteries is so much easier. th-cam.com/video/I3LJTsILbOo/w-d-xo.html
@@patsonmusic .. Prefect! My project didn't work out so well, and I'm still getting a low-battery error. I think I need to open her up again and resolder my contacts. Thanks for sharing! :)
@@danieklerr I don't have these models myself, but a MR rack and having the battery renewal operation coming up, so I 've been looking for a good solution to the problem using a more available standard battery. Don't know what the MR look like on the inside, but been checking out these videos in advance 😀
THANK you for this! I got my ESQ-1 in like 2012 I believe and needed to swap the battery since. But shops wouldn't take it in for repairs, couldn't find any visual guides except for dudes doing the battery holder replacement, which is NOT recommended afaik. So I may just try to follow this guide and do it myself.
Awesome! Glad I was help to you.
greetings how come you cant do the battery holder replacement for CR123s? thats what i want to do with my sp12 turbo, dx, drumtrak and some random digital reverb
Is that a plastic-cased ESQ? I just replaced the battery in my metal ESQ today with a battery holder and it was a lot easier than this.
Great demonstration. Thanks
hello please duracel battery. before it works well?
Fantastic video. Will give it a try on my ESQ1. Why on earth did they design it this way?
@@holygeneration7 Maybe so. I modified mine by connecting two cables to a battery holder. Next time will be a piece of cake.
Hell yeah man, you boosted my confidence to do this so much. Looks way easy. But, I've heard you wanna be careful of what you touch on the main board, so you don't fry it. What exactly should I avoid? Also, I've heard you should ground yourself, how do I do that?
thank you so much!
Holy cow man...so I need to take apart the entire synth just to replace the battery.
Cristian Barrera yeah pretty much. I guess if you really wanted you could cheat and clip the legs from the old battery and solder the new one onto those clipped legs but that’s kinda janky IMO.
That’s the way I did it and it lasted 8 years
Do you happen to remember what size the screws are that hold the top plate down? Any help gladly appreciated: really handy video, this.
No I don’t. This wasn’t my synth so I can’t check for you either. Sorry. 🙁
HI Mike great review , I owned the ensoniq model KS 32 is it the same battery ? . i did not see any review for the KS 32
Super helpful Mike! Thank you! Dumb question but I'm not super handy. Do you a list of tools one would need to complete this job? And do you know the battery information?
Kirk Bentley There is a link in the description for the battery that I used. For the tools you will need a Philip screwdriver (to open the case), adjustable wrench or socket (for the 1/4” jack nuts), soldering iron and solder wick. I think a good soldering iron and solder wick are the important part. I use a Weller WES51 solder station and the wick I use is just this copper braid that is literally called “solder wick - soldering remover”
Excellent video! Well done.
Thank you
Does the Ensoniq ASR-10 have a battery? I have one and I've stored it in the box as the original owner. I'm concerned that being it's so old and has been powered on for a long time.
If it has any type of presets or memory then yes it would have a battery.
@@SISKworks it has a floppy disk and hard disks can be used as well. All samples and presets are loaded that way. So I believe that is how everything is stored. That makes me believe that is doesn't but I don't know that definitively. Thanks.
Hello thank you so much for posting this it was of major help replacing the battery on my esq 1 (plastic). However I also need to replace screws for the bottom panel that hold the keybed and it's been difficult finding the correct screws, do you know what kind of screws they are by chance? Ik they're phillips but it's hard finding right measurements and if they're coarse or machine thread. Thanks again!
I can’t remember exactly and that synth wasn’t even mine so I can’t check for you. Check on the inside if it they are connecting to metal or plastic. I think they go through plastic bottom and into the metal of of the key assembly so I would THINK they would be machine but idk.
Can one bypass the battery low screen ?? eg. if not needing to access presets or save presets. I would just create patches and sample them....
Not that I know of.
Hello Mike! Thanks for your video. I soldered new battery on my Ensoniq KT-88 as a way to delete the problem with display (nothing shows when I turn on keyboard, Grand Piano plays only). It didn't helped. Can you give some thoughts how and what more I can make for the display's working. Thank you!
An Vedi Sorry this was the only Ensoniq I've ever worked on and I am far from an expert on this. But no display would not be a battery issue. I believe the battery only effect the memory. First I would inspect all cables and connectors to make sure they are fully seated. Then inspect the power supply to see if any capacitors are expanding or leaking. Power supplies are the most common failure in most electronics. Also just scan all boards to see if anything looks burnt or fried.
Is it hard to replace the display screen on ensonic q1 plus 1
Sorry but I have no idea
Do you have a video on the Ensoniq KS-32? Thanks.
No, that was the only Ensoniq I’ve ever worked on and It wasn’t even mine.
@@SISKworks Thanks anyway. I might attempt it at some point once the battery is really dead.
@@sadoche go for it. The general idea should be pretty similar. Open it up, locate the battery, figure out what you need to do to access the bottom, desolder and remove, solder new one in place and reassemble. Obviously don’t do any of this while plugged in. Just know that you will also have to figure out how to reload the firmware or presets or whatever for your keyboard.
Awesome bro! Hey any chance you have changed a battery for a ensoniq Kt- 76 ? Just got one.. but can’t find any info
Breno Cowie No I haven’t. But I would think the general idea would be the same. Just got to open it up, locate the battery, figure out to get to the bottom of the board, remove solder, install new battery, put back together.
Mike Sisk thanks mate appreciate it 😃👍🏼
Is this basically the same procedure for replacing the battery in the SQ-1? Are the internals about the same? Thanks.
He doesn't know, it would appear. :(
Forgot about this post.
I did locate a source for empty data card clones.
I backed up the data and took my SQ1 to a local guy who does work on old synths. He opened her up and he installed a battery clip thingy so that future battery swaps will be easy.
She’s up and running!
Hey Mike,
Just pulled my ESQ-1 out of storage and am getting the battery warning. Does this require soldering on a new battery no matter what? Or did you have to do that because the previous owner had soldered the wrong battery on? I don’t suppose its normally a pull the old batter out and put a new one in. Also, when you say back everything up, is that just for sequencer data? Or does that also include the internal (default) sound patches? Thanks!
darwinmcd music Yes this will definitely require you to solder even if it had the correct battery to start. The backup is to save the internal sounds it has. If you pull that battery out without doing a backup first all sounds will be lost. Also if the battery you currently has completely dies you will also lose all the sounds.
Mike Sisk Thanks for the quick reply. I don’t have a way back up the internal sounds. Sequencer data is already gone but was hoping the internal default patches would not be reliant on the battery. Bummer. 😞
darwinmcd music so this ESQ-1 is my brother in-law’s so I didn’t do the backup part but I pretty sure he backed it up to tape like this video shows but I think you might also be able to back to midi sysex but I don’t know the exact process.
th-cam.com/video/ptUGU9zVhIc/w-d-xo.html
Mike Sisk Awesome! Thanks for the link. I did a little research and found that you may be able to back up to PC with sysex support midi-to-usb cable (just ordered one a few days ago). Hopefully that’ll solve my problems. Thanks again for your help!
Great video - but what a nightmare. No wonder I just saw one with a bad battery for sale for $200 USD
At 3:46, what kind of solder wick are you using?
gentillyguy1 the brand is “Easy Braid” size C
So wait, this brilliant synth only works with battery? No 9 volt plug?
The battery is only used so the synth can remember and load presets. It will not work with just the battery. Also the battery is 3 volts not 9 ;-) Thanks for watching.
The ESQ-1 operates on 110 volt AC power. The 3 volt battery is only for storage of presets in memory. I just use my synth as an input device (via MIDI connection) for Apple Logic Pro digital instrument tracks. I can do this even with a dead battery in the ESQ-1.
Omg! I bought a Ensoniq sd1 and I need to replace the battery! I need help!
Watch this video. The exact steps won’t be the same but the general idea is similar. Open the unit, locate the battery, figure out what you need to disassemble to get to bottom of board that battery is attached to, desolder old battery, solder in new battery, reload memory then enjoy 😉 Also, if you anywhere near Southern California I do offer repair services as well. If interested contact me through my website www.siskworks.com
@@SISKworks thank you! I will try. This is my first synth. I bought it at a thrift. I know nothing about synths, lol! I didn’t know I would have to get so crafty. And I didn’t know I have to reload the memory. Hmmmm. That manual is like a whole book tho!
@@SISKworks oh and I’m on the east coast.
Hi is it safe enough to keep the original battery in there ? i own the first metal case esq 1 model with the battery vertically positioned on the bottom left of the mainboard and it reads 0.33v so its definitely dead but there is no corrossion or any other sign of damage, is it safe to keep it there or at any time this thing can explode causing damage to mb ?
Old batteries will eventually rupture and cause electrolytes to leak all over the motherboard PCB (and cause further damage). It may take a year, or it may take several years. Highly suggest you consider replacing it as some point.
@@EnochLight Thanks Mike i bought it a few months ago and since this synth is a keeper i will replace it asap, i am familiar with basic soldering but since i bought it second hand and the battery was never replaced i thought that its so many years in there that the battery is tottaly dried out, it reads as far as i remember 0.30 V so needs at least to remove it somehow and why not replacing it with tha CR2032 equivalent if it holds 3V. i have replaced a battery succesfully with a VFX but sold it cause it had the well known keyboard issue, the ESQ 1 doesnt have this problem cause keys arou mount in there with a spring system which makes this a great advantage compared to later models.
The 2032 is exactly what I used on a SQ1. They’re inexpensive and fairly reliable. I had some old motherboards laying around so I desoldered the OEM coin holder off an Asus and put it into the SQ1. Soldering in batteries is crazy imho, especially if you’re taking the time to do the work and don’t want to risk anything doing it repeatedly. I’ve seen videos of skilled keyboard repair guys snipping leads and soldering in holders. Their consensus, why screw around with something if it’s unnecessary outside of some neatness which is never seen?
Will you lose the presets patches after changing the battery?
Keith Chua Yes. You will lose all presets when that battery is removed. You will need to back everything up before attempting this and then need to restore/reload those saved preset after.
I have an Ensoniq MR-76 ,Where is the battery in it ?
Tommy A. Wood I have no idea. I’ve only ever touched this one Ensoniq ever. Have you opened it up to look? I’m sure it will be obvious if you take a peek.
I just got an Ensonic SQ2 from a buddy of mine for free. I've never used a digital keyboard/ synth before, but I have plenty of experience with electronics/ robotics. I just wanted to throw this out here and see if someone could help me figure this out.
So, when I jack into the headphones port, I don't get any sound. The display works, but the LEDs above each button don't light up when you press whichever button you want. I tried giving the kayboard a factory reset, but the display didn't show anythinf other than "Button #_" when I did what was necessary to reset the keyboard. I honestly have no clue what to do about it. I assume the LEDs are possibly blown or aren't drawing any power. Bad battery? I dunno.
Nope. If it had anything to do with the battery, the Sq2 will display Low Battery on display startup.
Uma jóia
Baller!
you don't have to take out the main board to change the battery. Just clip the wires and desolder them from the top with a solder sucker
John Sormani yes you CAN do it from the top by cheating and clipping the wires like you suggested but that is NOT recommended. You really should just take the time and do it the proper way to ensure you don’t mess up.
Dude yes! 5 bucks years ago, btw...
I just checked. Still $5
WHAT A PAIN IN.THE BUTT.
I'm so screwed
Why is that? What happened?
@@SISKworks I thought changing a battery would be easy. I'm going to get help.
@@mimikova390 if you are in Southern California area I can help. www.siskworks.com
@@SISKworks from Highland Park, but I am living in Indiana. Will be home this summer. I may look you up if not fixed by then.
we all will be after having to take all those screws out and back in :D
Its cracked
And use an original battery and not one of the AA mods you will find on the internet!!! You won't be alive anymore when this stock battery will fail again
FACT or FICTION?: Your synth will last longer (forever?) if you leave it on ALL THE TIME.
I turn mine off when not in use. But I’ve heard people say leaving them on might be better. But I don’t but it. I say turn them off.
@@SISKworks I agree. My 1st synth was an ESQ1. Upgraded to an SQ80 which (iirc) had issues.. (i don't remember) but was 'unrepairable' (Ensoniq had closed shop). I miss them terribly. I'd love to re-buy one, but am nervous.. How repairable are they in 2021?