Mixing Console Repair - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: lespaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 27, 2022, 08:46:56 pm
content: Hey guys!Been a long time EEV viewer and tinkerer. First time on the forums!I've taken on a *kind of* big project. The complete refurbishment (Both electronically and looks wise) of an old D&R Series 2000 studio console. I've got a couple of questions though.The major one is that all channels on the console are connected with hard-wired bussbars. These bussbars run from channel to channel, and also connect all the 10 channel chunks to the master section. Whilst this is a good solution to prevent issues with audio quality or crosstalk etc, it makes maintenance a pain.If, for example, you want to remove channel 5 from the mixer, you need to de-solder channel 1, 2, 3 and 5 before you can remove the 5th channel. As shown in the pictures attatched, that can be quite a challange.Would it be possible to replace all of these `hard-links` with some sort of connector that enabled the removal of 1 channel indepentently without compromising on audio quality?The second issue that i'm running into is that i cant FOR THE LIFE OF ME find a quality 47uF 26V axial electrolytic cap. I'm assuming that i can just use a radial form factor, but i'd like the boards themselves to be as original as possible (except for quality of life improvements of course)Thanks in advance!Lespaul

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2022, 09:18:01 pm
content: Yeah, axial electrolytics are no longer popular. In general, Mouser lists over 31,000 radial-lead units but only 2,500 axial units.Mouser does have what you want, however, for example:https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/CDE-Illinois-Capacitor/476TTA063M?qs=3tP%252BN51vMXciCspcvVb2AA%3D%3DInteresting that on several units on the same search-result page, they have reasonable stock but long factory lead times (32 weeks!) for more.

author: lespaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 27, 2022, 09:30:36 pm
content: To be honest, for that price i'd rather stick in one of the hundreds of radial caps with the same spec that are already on my list. They are about 0.28c a piece

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2022, 10:59:00 pm
content: There looks to be enough space to work on it without removing the bus wires. It's more a case of if can you get braid and iron in the right spots. Even though it's time consuming, I'd rather install new bus wire than mess with something else.If I was going to make an interconnecting system though I'd probably cut them carefully in the middle and make a desolderable link. Probably use an appropriately sized ferrule off a wire crimp connector or a wire splice or something, then you could just slide them into place and solder.You can buy tin plated copper wire online, tubedepot carries it for example.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2022, 02:15:16 am
content: Holy crap is that a horrible design!!! Even going back to the much sought after NEVE units and so forth the channels were always 'pluggable'. Of course much of the newer cheap shit has everything on one PCB and to service it you have to remove every knob and every nut and washer from every rotary control to then have a hope of getting the PCB out, and they always put the parts on the side you can't see!!! I'd be clipping those busbars at the midpoint on each side of a failed module and then bridge them together upon returning the module. I have worked on some horrible consoles and yours would rank right up there with the worst I have seen.