DJ gear is built for a club night, which means it spends its life being turned, pushed and spilled on. The faders, knobs, jog wheels and USB ports take the wear, and these are exactly the parts that can be replaced. Synthesizers and stage keyboards share the same weak points.
Blue Apple repairs DJ equipment and synthesizers in Amsterdam. The DJ equipment page lists the brands we work with, what typical repairs cost and how to send us a request.
What usually goes wrong with DJ equipment and synthesizers
- Worn or crackling fader. A crossfader or channel fader that crackles, cuts out or feels rough is worn. Contact cleaner helps for a while, but a worn fader usually needs replacing.
- Crackling knob or encoder. Knobs that crackle, jump or stop responding are worn potentiometers or encoders.
- Jog wheel or display fault. A jog wheel that stops spinning or reading, or a screen that is dark or has lines.
- Damaged USB port. The USB ports take the most abuse, with cables yanked and laptops dropped. A loose port means dropouts or no connection.
- Power circuit or control board fault. A unit that will not power on, or a board that has failed after liquid or a spike.
Brands and models we look at
These are the brands we list for DJ and musical electronics, and some of the models with their own pages, each with an estimate of what a typical repair costs.
Brands: Pioneer DJ, Denon DJ, Rane, Allen & Heath, Native Instruments, Roland, Korg, Yamaha, Nord, Elektron, Sequential, Moog, Arturia, Akai Professional.
Popular models: Pioneer DJ XDJ-RX3, Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000, Pioneer DJ DJM-A9, Denon DJ Prime 4+, Denon DJ SC Live 4, Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3, Allen & Heath Xone:96, Rane Seventy-Two MKII.
Repair or replace?
A fader, a knob, a jog wheel or a USB port is cheap compared with new club gear and worth repairing. A control board in an older unit may be harder to source, and we say so after the diagnosis. If you play tonight, tell us: it changes what we can offer.
Looking after your DJ gear
- Cover the gear when it is not in use. Dust and drinks are what ruin faders.
- Clean the faders regularly. A regular blast of compressed air keeps grit out.
- Use cable strain relief. A yanked USB cable takes the port with it.
How a repair works at Blue Apple
The prices for these devices are estimates until we have seen them. Send a request with the model and what is wrong, and we tell you what a repair is likely to cost and how to get the device to us. The final price is confirmed in writing after the diagnosis, before any work starts. You can use the custom repair form, or call 020 239 11 93.
Common questions
Can you replace a crossfader on a mixer?
Often, yes. Faders on Pioneer DJ, Allen & Heath, Rane and other mixers are replaceable parts.
Do you repair synthesizers and keyboards?
Yes, from the brands on the DJ equipment page, depending on the fault.
In short
Faders, knobs, jog wheels, USB ports and power circuits are the usual faults on DJ gear and synths, and the diagnosis tells you what pays. See the DJ equipment page for the models and repairs, or send us a request. You will find us at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, and you can call 020 239 11 93 with a question first.
