Desk slaughter / part harvesting

Hello!
I was recently given 5 consoles/mixers for free. I haven't tested any of them, but I was told that they should be working (except for 1). However I don't really think they are usable for anything in my world so I was thinking of harvesting parts for various DIY-projects and repairs. My question is: do you think they ARE usable, or should I just unscrew all connectors/pots/switches/VUs and put the remains in the dumpster? Okay, here's the list of stuff.

Roland PA120 mixer/amp (2 pieces). One of these was said to be broken so I have already slaughtered one of these. There was nothing of real interest inside though, lots of pots and jack-connectors (mono). A small VU, but it seems really cheap and will probably need some kind of a circuit to work (tried it in my LA4A and it was waaaay off in GR mode and didn't even bother to work in +4/+8 mode). So I guess I should do the same with the other mixer as well?

AHB SRM 248. This is a 8 bus monitor console. It has lots and lots of XLR- and jack-connectors (and lots of pots). LED-signal indicators/"VU".

DDA M-series, 24 channels, 4 bus (24-4-2). 4 band EQ. This is the only mixer that are modular. Seems like a nice piece of equipment, but looking at the channel-stripes it makes me think that this is "too simple". I don't know. Are the channels worth anything? I think it's the very same channels as in the S-series. Maybe try to sell the channels cheaply, or should I harvest the pots for future projects? There's 4 chips on the channel: tl072cp, tl074cn (x2) and ne5534n. It's got Alps faders which feels pretty good.

Studiomaster 12 into 2. Don't know much about this one other than it looks pretty "well used". Lots of pots, some connectors and switches. 2 gigantic VUs I think you maybe will have to use a 3U rack-box to fit these!

So what do you recon? Do I have a pile of junk here or is it possible to recycle som of this?

I'll post pics in a separate reply... just have to find everything

Here's some images (sorry for the lousy mobile quality).

Why gut the big mixer? The components ain't worth anything. Keep it intact, and enjoy it

Clean 'em up and sell/use them, the DDA looks half decent

MM.

I was always told the DDA boards are pretty decent.

Hi,


  DDA stuff is fine. I wouldn't break it up.



    ANdyP

I'm sitting in front of an DDA AMR 24 and say don't break it

Michael

Hi, if you descide to part with some of them, I'm interested

PM me if this it's up for discussion, not many DIY's here in/from Norway..

Brgds
Ole Peder

MartyMart said:

Clean 'em up and sell/use them, the DDA looks half decent

MM.

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Rob Flinn said:

I was always told the DDA boards are pretty decent.

Click to expand...

half is the new pretty....

radiance said:

half is the new pretty....

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I have a very "half" girlfriend  !!!

;D ;D

The RBC Center here in Raleigh used to have that same model (or very similar) DDA board when I used to work there.

I own a 16ch DDA M series, it's a very, very good desk. The channels are great, but the summing could be a bit better. It's not hard to do an upgrade on this, because of the moduler design it's easy to bypass the summing stage of the console, and build something better.

I have racked a few of the channels (recapped, and replaced the TLO72 with a BB 2604). These channels are the ones that I use for tracking di-ed guitar. For this application they're better than my other pre's which are decent pre's : siemens V72, U274, SSL501, 9k clones, Focusrite tonefactory.

Anyhow, the pre's are good, the eq's are good, so I'd suggest NOT to break it up.  If you need the manual and schematics, drop me an email. oh,  M series is the same as the S-series.

I own an SSL as well, that's why I racked a few channels. I'm not sure what to do with the remaining material yet. I'll probably build a small mixer with 10 channels, for tracking.

Like a lot of poeple up there, clean the DDA, make some mods if you feel it's needed, and use it !
I own a DDA serie D at the studio and I love it... Used for live shows many S series and they are really cool desks. DDA desks are really descent desks, reliable and easy to repair.
Schemo of the S serie can be founded there and from what I see they're close to be the same (if they're aren't  ;D):
http://www.ddaconsoles.com/

Have fun !

Ok, so the thing is to maybe stick with the DDA and upgrade it a bit or maybe sell it... The reason I really don't need this/these consoles are that I have a Mackie 8-bus 32 tracks with the 24 tracks expander/sidecar. Somehow this setup fits my needs very well - even though it might not be the best sounding console out there. But having said that, the studio I usually work in when not working at my place has produced and mixed lots of top selling albums on the 8-bus Mackie (even though they've switched to a nice Trident lately ). So in my opinion it's not THAT bad as some over at GS are saying. The 8-bus has as you might have guessed - 8 busses where my DDA only has 4. SInce I like to parallellcompress a lot and generally work in the analog domain it also let me split every bus into 3 separate signals (24 mono in total, I guess this was intended for the old 24 track recorders) which gives a lot of processing possibilities. I use the main mixer as returns from Pro Tools and the 24 track sidecar as a return from effects and other external equipment, plus some of the mic-pres when I'm short on mic-pres... Hmmm... maybe I could clean up the DDA and toss out the Mackie-sidecar... I guess the DDA mic-pres are better when I need extras plus I really don't need that many busses on the fx-returns. Seems like I might have a job to do And I guess I could "hack" the connector cable to/from the Mackie so that the DDA sends into the right busses... do you think that would be okay or will I get impedance/level and/or noise issues?

helterbelter said:

I own a 16ch DDA M series, it's a very, very good desk. The channels are great, but the summing could be a bit better. It's not hard to do an upgrade on this, because of the moduler design it's easy to bypass the summing stage of the console, and build something better.

I have racked a few of the channels (recapped, and replaced the TLO72 with a BB 2604). These channels are the ones that I use for tracking di-ed guitar. For this application they're better than my other pre's which are decent pre's : siemens V72, U274, SSL501, 9k clones, Focusrite tonefactory.

Anyhow, the pre's are good, the eq's are good, so I'd suggest NOT to break it up.  If you need the manual and schematics, drop me an email. oh,  M series is the same as the S-series.

I own an SSL as well, that's why I racked a few channels. I'm not sure what to do with the remaining material yet. I'll probably build a small mixer with 10 channels, for tracking.

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So is that BB 2604 replacement a "drop in" replacement, or does the swap call out for additional changes? Do you have any good places to score those chips? Although I haven't really tried the console yet I hear (or read at GS) that a lot of these consoles needs recapping... Should I go with the Panasonic caps or is there anything else that you would recommend? (or doesn't it really matter that much?)

Oh, I almost forgot. I also need to add a direct out to a few channels so that I can utilize these mic-pres when tracking drums (in which I'm a few channels short on good outboard pres). So - can I tap the signal between the "channel on"-switch and the pan pot? And since this signal is unbalanced, maybe I should experiment with some iron in there as well? I mean, to balance and maybe add some colour (as I hear that this console is maybe a little colourless)? Any good advice?

I would just use the insert send. You don't need the fader do you?

Not really, but it's always good to be able to turn down the output if you for instance want to keep the input really hot and get some nasty overdrive from the pre... or if you want to put the signal through a compressor before AD it's great to be able to adjust the output. BUT I could probably live without as well.

goldenGeek said:

So is that BB 2604 replacement a "drop in" replacement, or does the swap call out for additional changes? Do you have any good places to score those chips? Although I haven't really tried the console yet I hear (or read at GS) that a lot of these consoles needs recapping... Should I go with the Panasonic caps or is there anything else that you would recommend? (or doesn't it really matter that much?)

Click to expand...

Yeah, the 2604's are a drop in placement. I got mine from Ebay, but I believe Svart has got a bunch for sale in the BM section as well. I have tried BB OPA404's and 4131's/4134's in the EQ as well, and it made the eq's sound a bit cleaner/tighter, but I'm not so sure if this is better (for mixing). I put the original TLO74's back in. The NE5534 (or is it a 5532 ?) is a good opamp, not worth to replace it.

I used the insertsends for tracking, from the patchpanel. When I needed an additional compressor or whatever, then I used the insertreturn for tracking (splitted at the Patchpanel too). If you really need postfader signals, then you can take the soldering iron out, and tap the signal off pre-panner, yes, although I'd place it before the on/off button. Adding iron to the whole ? Nice, but costly, and I don't expect a major improvement to be honest. Maybe for a few channels it'll be nice though. The same goes for balancing the inserts.

Recap. Yes, that's a good idea. I recapped my channels as well, even though it wasn't necessary yet. But if you're going to overhaul it anyway, better do the recap. It won't cost you much anyway. The brands of caps that I used ? Just what I could find that was 105 degree approved.

Mackie 8 buss.... It's not as bad as GS says, but that's what GS is all about, right ? Many people really like the Mackie.
It's not my choice of weaponry though, haha.

goldenGeek said:

So is that BB 2604 replacement a "drop in" replacement, or does the swap call out for additional changes? Do you have any good places to score those chips? Although I haven't really tried the console yet I hear (or read at GS) that a lot of these consoles needs recapping... Should I go with the Panasonic caps or is there anything else that you would recommend? (or doesn't it really matter that much?)

Click to expand...

Just one warning about the BB2604... It's current consumption is about 3X the TL072's... Be sure the power supply can handle that before exchanging may of them !