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My ATOM SQ is properly installed and recognized by the Universal Control app, and it apparently has the latest firmware updates. All the basic functionality and integration with Studio One 5 is working properly.

But there's one SHOWSTOPPER problem I'm experiencing, which is that the pads are too sensitive even at the "Hard" Velocity setting. (Page 1 of the Setup screen.) So they are VERY prone to triggering double and multiple note events from a single finger hit.

I'm not heavy-handed, and I don't hit pads hard by default. But the "Soft" and "Medium" velocity modes are totally unusable because they result in a HUGE number of multi-triggers from a single pad hit. And the "Hard" mode is still effectively unusable for serious use, because while it's less of a problem, the multi-hits still happen frequently enough to result in ruined takes.

The problem is especially apparent if you try to use it with a melodic instrument and play chords on the pads. At least one finger in the chord hit will quite often be causing multiple notes to trigger.

This is so bad that if Presonus can't resolve it quickly with a firmware update, I'm going to have to send this back to the vendor for a refund while I still have a refund window open. Are you having similar issues? Is this a problem with the current firmware, or do I just have a bad unit?

Note that I have a Push 2, and a Maschine Mk3, and neither of those have ever responded to my finger hits this way. The Push 2 needed a little sensitivity adjustment (through its config/setup), but not much, to suit my normal playing pressure. And the Maschine Mk3 didn't need any sensitivity adjustment at all--it was perfectly responsive right out of the box.

When did you purchase it? I would just refund or exchange for a replacement unit. Pad 11 on my ATOM occasionally double triggers when I’m playing soft (<20 velocity) but if you’re getting a huge number of double triggers all the time it sounds like it could be a bad unit.

robertgray3 wroteWhen did you purchase it? I would just refund or exchange for a replacement unit. Pad 11 on my ATOM occasionally double triggers when I’m playing soft (<20 velocity) but if you’re getting a huge number of double triggers all the time it sounds like it could be a bad unit.

Maybe? The ATOM SQ is a brand new unit and it's entirely possible it will need a firmware update or two to address issues like these. I'm hoping to hear from other SQ owners whether they're experiencing something similar, before I go to the hassle of a return.

shannongreywalker wroteI'm hoping to hear from other SQ owners whether they're experiencing something similar, before I go to the hassle of a return.

I understand. Returns aren’t easy but when I’ve been in that situation before I found its less hassle than hanging onto it for too long, service-wise. The benefit of a warranty return is that you get to find out whether or not your issue was considered normal or abnormal.

Did you get your issue w. the hits resolved? Other than this and your install issues, how do you like the SQ? If you use any mpe compliant instruments, does it do mpe well?

edmisik wrotedoes it do mpe well?

I’m pretty sure it only does polyphonic aftertouch- I never actually saw anywhere on Presonus’ page them claiming it was an MPE controller. Don’t controllers like the ROLI ones and the K-Board sends different notes on different channels etc?

There’s probably some confusion over this because they added support for MPE controllers while simultaneously releasing the Atom SQ.

robertgray3 wrote

edmisik wrotedoes it do mpe well?

I’m pretty sure it only does polyphonic aftertouch- I never actually saw anywhere on Presonus’ page them claiming it was an MPE controller. Don’t controllers like the ROLI ones and the K-Board sends different notes on different channels etc?

There’s probably some confusion over this because they added support for MPE controllers while simultaneously releasing the Atom SQ.

gotcha..i think i confused everything by stating mpe when i should have stated 'poly aftertouch'....i really dont think the sq does mpe...i would think it does poly aftertouch because my regular Atom does it for vibrato and such since it is part of s1-5 but doesnt work in s1-4...i;m using it with Roli Studio for this cause you need a mpe compliant instrument for this to work and none of the presonus instruments seem to be compliant.....but i dont think we can assume stuff. i also think it i confusing because in setup you can elect to check the box for mpe with your external device and to further confuse you can select mpe boxes in some presonus instruments when the instruments themselves arent even capable of mpe or maybe not even poly aftertouch.

i find this all very confusing, but i am getting great sounds on the regular Atom pad with Roli Studio but didnt want to assume I could with the SQ so am looking for confirmation

EDIT: I think the majour diff is that poly aftertouch cant do pitch bends for the reason you stated, so I would say that poly aftertouch is only a part of mpe, I enjoy the poly aftertouch for the vibrato which ads a lot of expression

edmisik wroteDid you get your issue w. the hits resolved? Other than this and your install issues, how do you like the SQ? If you use any mpe compliant instruments, does it do mpe well?

My reported issue is still open. No fix/response yet. It has the potential to be a *great* controller. The form factor, layout, and functionality is really really good. The build quality is solid, the endless rotary knobs don't jiggle and feel solid and smooth. The screen parameter layout and navigation is solid and useful.

I've had Launchpads, I still use an Ableton Push 2 and a Maschine MK3. The ATOM SQ has the potential to be my clear favorite if they can update the firmware to deal with the sensitivity and pressure issues.

As for your question about polyphonic aftertouch.... Unfortunately the problem with the Velocity forces me to turn all pressure response OFF. To get past the double/multi-triggering issues, you have to hit the pads fairly hard (even on the "Soft" Velocity setting), or you get too many triggering issues. Problem is, then you're bumping past the "High" Threshold setting for Pressure sensitivity, so now you're triggering aftertouch pressure even when you don't want to.

Crossing my fingers that they can fix the issues in firmware.

shannongreywalker wroteCrossing my fingers that they can fix the issues in firmware.

Maybe, I guess you'll see what Support says. In my experience I have found it safer to deal with the warranty process if I ever accidentally end up at the "wrong side" of the quality control spectrum so to speak

Edited.... see below

Follow-up. It seems that Presonus is keen to understand what I'm experiencing and to help improve the experience for all users. As part of this, they offered a replacement unit so that they could get this unit back and use it for some testing/troubleshooting.

So, good on Presonus. Happy to help them out.

That’s great. Sorry you had a bad unit but Presonus does step up!
Thanks to you for letting us know!

Please report back about how the replacement unit works out!

Will do. Still waiting on it to arrive.

Replacement unit behaves exactly like the original unit. Still double- and multi-triggers VERY frequently unless I hit it like a gorilla.

I'm seriously considering returning even the original and walking away from this. Great form-factor and functionality, but if they can't figure out how to get the velocity sensitivity working in a way that's on par with other controllers I have (Push 2, Maschine MK3, Launchpad--hell, even a Midifighter), then this thing is essentially useless to me, and I'm better off going back to my Push 2 + Shove for working with Impact XT, and to some mini keyboard controller for melody and chord work.

shannongreywalker wroteReplacement unit behaves exactly like the original unit. Still double- and multi-triggers VERY frequently unless I hit it like a gorilla.

I'm seriously considering returning even the original and walking away from this. Great form-factor and functionality, but if they can't figure out how to get the velocity sensitivity working in a way that's on par with other controllers I have (Push 2, Maschine MK3, Launchpad--hell, even a Midifighter), then this thing is essentially useless to me, and I'm better off going back to my Push 2 + Shove for working with Impact XT, and to some mini keyboard controller for melody and chord work.

Unfortunate. If you are committed to Studio One, the regular Atom pads work well and the pads do poly aftertouch and its small and integrates great w. Impact XT. I;m moving onward and upward to Mixcraft which is great for playing live and improvs as I;m having big issues w. S1 version 5.....I dont like the notion of remapping the Atom however. Have you tried using the SQ in another DAW? or earlier verson of S1? defeats the purpose I know, but maybe you are having a DAW issue and not a hardware issue?? I think S1 5 has issues.

ATOM SQ is a Studio One version 5 thing only and beyond.

shannongreywalker wroteReplacement unit behaves exactly like the original unit. Still double- and multi-triggers VERY frequently unless I hit it like a gorilla.

I'm seriously considering returning even the original and walking away from this. Great form-factor and functionality, but if they can't figure out how to get the velocity sensitivity working in a way that's on par with other controllers I have (Push 2, Maschine MK3, Launchpad--hell, even a Midifighter), then this thing is essentially useless to me, and I'm better off going back to my Push 2 + Shove for working with Impact XT, and to some mini keyboard controller for melody and chord work.

This is a big ask but are you able to make a video?
It's strange nobody else (or not many) are complaining about so it would be nice to get to the bottom.

I absolutely understand what you are experiencing is real, and there is an issue, not trying to water it down.

Still waiting for my atom this week.

Yes. I just made two videos specifically for my ongoing support ticket with this issue. To try and help the Presonus devs figure the problem out.

In the course of making these videos, I finally stumbled upon what I think is the true heart of the problem. I think the velocity values being registered and transmitted by each pad is probably fine. (Although I see evidence that you have to "break in" the pads by hitting them a lot until they finally settle into their best-performing velocity detection range.)

But here's the second video I sent to Presonus, demonstrating pretty clearly that it's something about the downstream velocity modifiers that are causing the multi-triggering.

There is one velocity modifier in the SQ itself, in the Instrument pages, where you'll find the "Full Vel." button. This modifier is supposed to make every pad hit send a velocity of 127 onward to the DAW.

There is also a convenient velocity modifier in the inspector panel for an instrument track, which is the "Velocity" parameter.

Whenever *either* of these velocity modifiers are active, I get the multi-trigger behavior VERY often. When the inspector's Velocity modifier is at 0 (neutral), AND if the SQ's "Full Vel." button is OFF, then the multi-trigger behavior is extremely rare. Check out the video! Maybe this is the Rosetta stone to the problem I've been encountering.

https://youtu.be/Jw8bY-wpAlA