Building a modular mixing desk

Hello,

I'm a total newbie in Diy projects, I just receive an SSL Comp Kit.
But sometimes ideas just goes faster than action and I have this weird idea in mind : A modular mixing desk.
this one will have no preamps on channels, nor EQs, but only inserts (a lot of!), aux sends, pan, main outs and faders and eventually busses. But this console would allowing you to plug on the inserts any preamp and EQs you want and of course compressors.
You can put a Neve preamp with Sontec Eq on the first channel, an API preamp and a Pultec Eq on the second channel etc etc. But on the next mixing session you would like another configuration depending on the gears you have.

A real modular mixing desk! Am I to dreamy? Woud it be relieable?

What do you think about?

an assistants nightmare with all that patching. It would drive people crazy.

It's not a new idea. Look at this material from 1961.

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Everything is patchable. And it wasn't just a figment of this manufacturer's imagination; there were real consoles built this way.

[quote author="pucho812"]an assistants nightmare with all that patching. It would drive people crazy.[/quote]

learn how to wire a patchbay. With strategic layout, you can have your favorite combos normalled and not have to patch at all if you do it right. My console, like many others, was wired exactly like this, continuity points occur through the patchbay, there is no internal linkage in the console itself for signal flow. There really is no difference between putting all the same type of EQ on every channel or having different ones minding you respect level and impedance, etc. But setting up the patchbay right yes, can be a nightmare if you just throw it together, but if you do it right, it can work jsut fine. Nobody ever complains abotu neve or api consoles that are wired EXACTLY like that...

dave

An assistants nightmare with all that patching. It would drive people crazy

Click to expand...

In my mind this console won't be more complicated than a big patchbay.
In fact it would be a big patchbay with a certain logic based on traditionnal console's configuration. A big patchbay with faders.

Everything is patchable. And it wasn't just a figment of this manufacturer's imagination; there were real consoles built this way.

Click to expand...

I quickly read your link, my knowledge in electronic is really limited, but it seems that even if it's totally patchable this Langevin console has precise component (Eqs and Mic pre).
The one I'm thinking about is totally free of EQs and Mic pre, there would be only Inputs and Outputs.

there is no internal linkage in the console itself for signal flow

Click to expand...

You mean that components are totally removable ? But they are made, calibrated and fits only for your console, don't they?

I'm not sure if I'm really clear with this Modular Console I dream about, but my English is quite limited. Maybe I should make a kind of drawing...

Here is a try :

... post deleted by user

[quote author="bandini"]

there is no internal linkage in the console itself for signal flow

Click to expand...

You mean that components are totally removable ? But they are made, calibrated and fits only for your console, don't they?[/quote]

the way most old consoles were built, MOST, is everything was wired to the patchbay, the console can not function without the patchbay. In order for the pre to get to the eq, it has a normal at the bay, in order for the eq to get to the busses, it has a normal at the bay, etc. I have seen some neves that have had the fader banks not even hard wired within the buckets, but brought to points on the patchbay.

What you are describing is in every way shape and form the STANDARD to which discrete consoles were built through the 70's. On my console, API consoles, Neve consoles, the EQ's, pre's, router buss modules, etc, were all modular and pulled right out of the console and in most cases were not connected to each other inside the console bucket, their inputs and outputs went to the patchbay and were normalled there. If you built a console with all different EQs or whatever, it woudlnt be a big deal at all wiring wise if you build it to that standard. It would be a shit load of wiring of course, but hardly a "nightmare", most every old console I can think of was built like that, no biggie to design, definitely no biggie to use.

dave

[quote author="soundguy"]... , the console can not function without the patchbay. [/quote]
yep
the patchbay and the master monitor section are probably what makes a console and console
and not just a really big toy mixer

people are very interested in this analog mixing for DAW's
they look at these top end project mixers that seem to look like lijke mini SSL's

I think they would do better with something that is structured more like a mixer from the 70's with the addition of 4 or 8 stereo sub groupd with full inserts and full monitoring

say a 16 or 24 Melbourne/BCM10 with 4 and 8 subs and the patchbay to go with it
take the Micpres out and make them external ... that almost just leaves just the EQ as the only non unity buffer unit
basically it becomes a Line Level mixing, routing, distribution and monitoring unit
with the patchbay