any maintenance engineers here ever worked on Focusrite RED stuff?

okay... here's the problem and it initially seems like a really simple problem. it isn't. we've got a bunch of Focusrite Red mic pres that we want to sell. the problem is one of the meters needs screwing back up properly (its been pushed in slightly) and the phantom power button on another one needs replacing because it's stopped latching. these problems aren't what we need help with!!!  what we need help with is figuring out how the hell you reassemble the case after it's been taken apart!!!!

we had to fix one of the Red EQs about a year ago and spent probably about two days trying to get the two steel top and bottom sheets of metal to align on all sides before screwing the milled aluminium case plates back together. there are ridges on the steel top and bottom plates that make this almost impossible to do. in the end we had a fit of rage and got a lump hammer out and smacked it until everything fitted back together but we'd really like to not do that this time if we're trying to sell the gear!!!

Anybody who's ever tried to repair any of the focusrite RED equipment will know exactly what i'm talking about!!

does anybody know how to do this without going red in the face and having a tantrum?

MJL

Hi,


    have you tried talking to Focusrite? they used to be very helpful back in the day.


  kindest regards,

  ANdyP

Got this from the net....here is the CORRECT way to disassemble a Focusrite RED series unit:

1) Remove the (2) 6mm hex head bolts from the front left side of the unit.

2) Remove the (2) 6mm hex head bolts from the rear left side of the unit.

3) Remove left side panel and unplug ground wire from terminal post at the left rear corner of the PCB.

4) Loosen the (2) 6mm hex head bolts (1 turn should be enough) from the front right side of the unit.

5) Loosen the (2) 6mm hex head bolts (1 turn should be enough) from the rear right side of the unit.

6) Slide and/or flex the top cover off the unit and unplug ground wire from terminal post at the left rear corner of the PCB.

7) Slide and/or flex the bottom cover off the unit and unplug ground wire from terminal post at the left rear corner of the PCB.

If that's as far as you need to go tighten the right side screws back up to retain the structure of the unit while you work on it.

If you need to access the bottom pcb on units like a RED 2, 3, or 4 continue on:

8) Remove all the TOP channel knobs from the front panel.

9) To remove the back panel you must insert a small screwdriver into the "extra hole" in the XLR connectors and turn the latch a 1/8 of a turn to the left to release the XLR insert from the metal housing.

10) After all the XLR connectors are released, remove the (2) 6mm hex head bolts from the rear right side of the unit, pull the panel off and unplug the ground wire from the terminal near the power supply.

11) Remove the (4) 1.5mm screws fastening the power supply shield to the top PCB.

12) Unplug any ribbon connectors from the front panel to the top PCB.

13) At the back by the XLR connectors, unplug the ribbon connectors (either from the top pcb or bottom pcb, not both) to seperate the boards.

14) You can now slide the top pcb out towards the rear of the unit.

There you have it, the CORRECT way to dissasemble a Focusrite RED series unit.

So just do the OPPOSITE of what radiance said!  I have disassembled the "7" channel strip I think it is and it was tough.
All those garbage sfer pots inside. . .
Mike

haha... thanks!!

i had searched and only come across dismantling instructions too.
No wonder they're so expensive... it probably takes them a week to put the case together per unit!!
if doing the dismantling instructions backwards works i'll post here again. otherwise it's the lump hammer!!!

mjl

I am currently servicing a Focusrite ISA 340 mk I. Worst case-design to open up I've ever seen. A nightmare!