Fairchild 670 came into the shop today...

A client brought in a 670 today for a re-tube and setup (they already accumulated a stash of 6386s). I've fixed a lot of old vari-mu type limiters (Gates, Collins, RCA, Altec, etc..), but have only been inside a 670 once before. Anything I should watch out for? Also, since it's not every day you get to play with one of these, is there anything anybody wants me to measure, document, or otherwise check out?:grin:

Thanks-
Tom

Any pics would be cool in my book. I'd love to see the layout - the power rail and the bottom of the sockets.

My weak point lately it turns out. :guinness:

Oh boy, could you get the number off the small choke that sits in the bias supply?

Front panel dimensions would be cool, the inner black one that is.

Whats the transformer lineup?

A33 shield over A-26-Triad HS-50/52 UTC Y6431 Chicago PC output?

Those gold caps, the lytics with the cardboard covers, what brand?

Was it custom racked, or what was their standard package back then?

Thanks!

Please take some pictures

Pictures please, particularly detailed ones of the inside please

Lots 'n lots of pics please :thumb:

Could you run some uncompressed sound files through the thing and post the before and afters? Take some pics for me too. Inside especially...

I vote for the photos.... are they going to do the chris lord algie(sp) mod and have the knobs removed so once it's set, you cannot make changes to the settings? :sad:

I'll check those things out. Give me a little time to get it all together and figure out how to post pics. We have another 670 (a rental) in one of the studios that I'll do some comparative recon on as well after the session ends tomorrow.

Cheers
Tom

Knobs will remain attached! Why would he want to do that? So no one could see his "secret" settings? :roll:

I know another mix engineer who removes the knobs then puts them back on so that they all point straight up. You'd be suprised at how many interns around my place now use all of their gear with knobs at 12:00. They swear it sounds better! I don't have the heart to tell them...

[quote author="tomelectro"]Knobs will remain attached! Why would he want to do that? So no one could see his "secret" settings? :roll:[/quote]

No because he does what I call car wash mixing or cookie cutter mixing. Take 1 of several fairchilds he owns. It's set up for bass. That is the bass setting that will always be the bass setting regardless of the bass or how it was recorded,etc,etc,etc. It's like running it through a car wash. Now because that is the bass setting for any and all basses on mixes he does, the knobs have been removed and the pots have been pushed in if you will. Once it was set, thats all it will ever be set to cause after all that is the bass setting for any and all record bass. Running your audio through the Blowhard car hwash worked for me.

Well, I've finally got around to uploading some pictures of the 670. I had to give up on this project - Their stash of 6386s turned to be only six tubes, of which maybe half were useable. I'm not having any luck finding them, so the unit's getting sent off to another tech who has a stash. I did manage to fix a couple of things though.

CJ: As far as the transformers are concerned, yes the input was a UTC A26 with A33 shield, the output had no markings on either unit I looked at, and the transformer feeding the side chain input is a UTC Y6431. The markings on the -17 volt supply choke say C-2327, 1.5Hys, 200mA DC. The markings on the sidechain output transformer is PC0 150, not sure what brand. The big FP-type caps are Cornell Dubilier.

The front panel dimensions are 8.375" by 16".













I have lots more pictures, but these seemed like a pretty good representation without hogging too much bandwidth. Let me know if there's something different someone would like to see.

Cheers :thumb: :musique:

:shock:

That's the first one of those I've seen...

Dude.
Thats one sick unit.

:thumb:

There was no "boner" emoticon so I went with the thumb.

Well kiss my ass on Sunday!
You are the Man!

I long gave up on this, so the thrill factor is double.

I believe the small outputs are Triad, did they have a turquoise base?

Chicago is big black stuff responsible for 90 percent of the weight.

I have unlimited bandwidth.
I want evrey pice of out of focus recycled twicew on monday fully ungrained gery scled jped, bit m,apped, pdf'ed to hell and reguertitaterd- I want iWhat kind of gold cardboardf cap?

Make a friggin parts list and I will give you beak for a week.

And I don't even roll like that.



Thanks so much!!!


:sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :guinness: :sam: :sam: :sam: :sam:


Man, it was so nice around here that the Nuns were outside smokin.

[quote author="CJ"]What kind of gold cardboardf cap?
[/quote]

Look like a SUPER PUP...

when are we going diving?

...into my Pultec that is

my place or yours?

i would short it out with drolling.

better snag a particle mask from the illegal gargners.

I think i just shit my pants :shock: