Eckmiller Full Range EQ

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MatthewleBlom

Active member
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
30
Hello,


I've plans to build a (nearly) full range EQ out of Eckmiller modules.
I have the following modules (double):

TS10 (high-pass)
W86a (high & low shelves)
PF 5/8H (presence filter)
HS10 (low-pass)

I'll use Telefunken V374 amps as make-up gain units.
I planned to make two different 19" units: one with the passive Eckmiller EQ's (2 x 4 pieces for stereo usage).
And one 19" unit with make-up gain stages.
I'd like to have them separate for independent mic pre usage.

My question:
How should I configure the EQ modules?
I though putting the W86a & PF 5/8H in parallel, and put the TS10 in front and HS10 afterwards.
The TS10 will save energy and the HS10 will reduce hiss.

 
Here's a picture of the frontpanel design I made:


The EQ's:
Eckmiller-front.gif
 
Hi,


  as I understand it, and I used to own a pair of Eckmiller W86b, each unit requires a gain make-up stage(34dB?). I would suggest that each has a make-up amp in tow.


 
 
Do you have the documentation on these? I'd have to do some searching but might be able to help out. As far as I was able to comprehend things so far and remember it correctly, the TS/HS10 need to be connected to each other, they're a pair. The level drop is 2dB here. The W86 does the usual 34 dB drop that corresponds with the V72 gain as makeup and so does the PF 5/8H on it's own. But there are some undocumented connections and I've been wondering if the PF 5/8H can be connected with pin 3&4 on the W86A in order to make a '3 band EQ' like we'd call it nowadays.

Unfortunately it seems like I didn't yet scan my PF 5/8H and TS/HS10, so I have to dig through my papers to check things. But I'd like to to put mine into service as well, so I'd be happy if we could work out how to get those babies going  ;D

Michael
 
Michael Tibes said:
I'd be happy if we could work out how to get those babies going  ;D

Michael

That would be great.
I can find my Eckmiller schematics quite easily buy I'm not sure if I have a schematic of the PF 5/8H.
(the W86a schematic is on Kubarth)

I'll stay tuned..:)

P.S. what are you planning to do with the connectors?
There quite rare and mostly very expensive. I'll try to use separate clips per wire.
 
I've recently seen some bunch of tuchels on german ebay for reasonably money (but didn't buy it), those are not really very sought after. I hope I have enough for my modules, but haven't checked yet. Just don't buy it from a 'vintage dealer', they go totally crazy. They might even be available as new, would be worth a search. It is a tuchel connector.

Where are you anyway? I might have a local source in Berlin as well, have to check.

Gotto check the schemos, hopefully tonight. You have HS/TS10 available?

Michael
 
Michael Tibes said:
Where are you anyway? I might have a local source in Berlin as well, have to check.


I am from the Tilburg, Netherlands (south of NL). About 5 hours drive from Berlin.

Michael Tibes said:
Gotto check the schemos, hopefully tonight. You have HS/TS10 available?

I have them on paper. I'll make two pictures of them and post them here.

helterbelter said:
Looking at the name.......

Matthijs Blom, nietwaar ?

even graven in mijn hoofd.... Tilburg NL ?

Yes that's correct ;)
We've discussed some german modules on synthforum.nl before.
 
Yes, I remember.  That was a long time back !

Welcome here !  :D

It's wicked what you're going to build. The wet dream of vintage-loving G.A.S. sufferers.  ;D

I'm very curious how this is going to sound.

 
I just rechecked my available documents, TS10 an HS10 do belong together. I'd like to know what happens when the PF5 gets connected to the W86a by linking pin 3 to 3 and 4 to 4 between the modules. Maybe we get away with only 1 makeup amp, which would be great :).

I've mailed my available docs to the groupdiy mail account, if you have anything different from that I' be very interested.

Did you ever hook yours up at all? I only tried the W86 / W86a so far, but only very briefly.

Michael
 
I just took a closer look at your front layout and realized that your gain only goes up to 16 dB, that might be 20 dB short... I dunno how far the V374 can be pimped. Obviously V72s (preferably a) would be 'the' makeup amp, which makes the whole project a little expensive unfortunately. I was toying with the idea of using a THAT mikepre chip as cheap makeup and make this relay switchable, so that any other available flavour could be used. Should fit on a little pcb, but I have no idea when I might get to do it.

Michael
 
Michael Tibes said:
I just rechecked my available documents, TS10 an HS10 do belong together. I'd like to know what happens when the PF5 gets connected to the W86a by linking pin 3 to 3 and 4 to 4 between the modules. Maybe we get away with only 1 makeup amp, which would be great :).

I was in the same line of thinking. Hopefully we'll get away with that :D

Michael Tibes said:
I've mailed my available docs to the groupdiy mail account, if you have anything different from that I' be very interested.

A few years ago I emailed some documents to that account too. But somehow I lost my username and password for that account :(

Michael Tibes said:
Did you ever hook yours up at all? I only tried the W86 / W86a so far, but only very briefly.

Yes I did but the same way you did. Just a fast checkup and nothing further.
 
Michael Tibes said:
I just took a closer look at your front layout and realized that your gain only goes up to 16 dB, that might be 20 dB short... I dunno how far the V374 can be pimped.

Michael

You're right.
Last few days I experiemented with the V374a and I discovered gain can be crancked up to approximately 40 - 50 dB if one puts a +/- 20k pot in the feedback loop. This feedbackloop can be accessed directly on the rear of the V374a.
This makes my idea of 15 step switches worthless.
I have to think of a nice alternative..
I like small steps (1dB), but 50 step switches are way too expensive. (maybe I should use 24 step switches and let them go from 31 to 50 dB orso..dunno yet.
 
Great thank you!
I didn't have the PF 5/8H schematic.
I think I'm just gonna experiment with your suggestion (connecting pin 3 & 4 of the PF 5/8H and W86a) and see what happens....
 
Let me know how it works out  :)
I'm currently caught up in recapping some W95c, the worst unit ever built to work on  :mad: :eek: :(
I'm definitely short of a lot of connectors, either I get hold of some for reasonably money or I'll maybe exchange the Tuchels with 25 pin min Ds... No fun to do that, but I'd hate paying hundreds to some vintage sharks. Also I've seen people simply solder onto the connector, but that's not quite my style.

Michael
 
I tried some different combinations .
But I still don't know how to connect the PF 5/8H best.

Maybe my two PF 5/8Hs have issues:
When I turn the dB knob to the max I hear some extra presence, but I wouldn't say it's a 6dB boost.
Far less if you ask me.
I also tried the PF 5/8H alone (without the W86a).
For testing I used my console preamp as make-up gain (which works fine with the W86a).
Despite a combination with my V72s would be the most common I haven't tried this yet.

I'll try thi combination today or tomorrow I think...
 
I had the impression it might be a good idea to measure the freq response, because the sound might be smoother and less agressive than what I'm used to from solidstate / feedback designs - so it seems less than it is. Maybe it did reach 6dB but just sounded good? I had a similiar experience with the W95c, at first I thought the mids were broken, but they weren't...

Michael
 
Michael Tibes said:
I had the impression it might be a good idea to measure the freq response, because the sound might be smoother and less agressive than what I'm used to from solidstate / feedback designs - so it seems less than it is. Maybe it did reach 6dB but just sounded good? I had a similiar experience with the W95c, at first I thought the mids were broken, but they weren't...

Michael


Yes that could be true. I've had the same experience before with my W395a and Collins 116 EQs.
How would you measure the freq response? (maybe a freeware analyser apllication? I don't have a hardware analyser. Or maybe with a tonegenerator and oscilloscope?)
 
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