BEHRINGER UB1204 FX PRO MODS-2

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Analogheart

Active member
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
26
Hi All,
I've recently acquired a used Behringer UB1204 FX Pro mixer & considering modding it by replacing all the JRC4580 ICs with NE5532. My confusion is that bI am not sure if opamps used in the mixer are SOP or SOICtype! So can anyone who has already done this mod kindly tell me as to which type IC package I should buy.

My other confusion is that NE5532 has only 10MHz GBP,compared to 4580 which has 15MHz GBP! However,I've extensively used Texas NE5532 in most of my projects & find them very musical. I've also considered using LM4562's, but these don't seem to have the "musical grit" as the NE5532,especially on guitar preamps,but find these very open & spacy! Yet,it may be a better choice in a mixer such as this.

So,I would be grateful for any/all help & suggestions from you experts out there,specially those who have already done these mods on this mixer & your experience in regard to this.

Thanks & greetings.
   
   
   
 
data sheets only tell you most of the story, the rest you get by listening to it in the application( i.e. in use) and make a judgement call.

Why do you want to swap chips anyway, far to often people want to do that. Just because you can does not mean you should. But hey to each their own.

As for sop vs soic just open up the unit and take a look. If it's like any other Behringer, your going to have to remove all the knobs and undo all the pots as the boards are mounted in that way. Now if you don't know based on a visual of what type of package your ic's are, maybe it be better you don't swap the chips altogether.
 
Thank you pucho812,

You're absolutely right in your assertion.This has been my own experience too, modding & experimenting with different equipment over the years.

As for your 2nd question, as you're most probably aware of, most equipment manufactures do often inadvertently sacrifice quality by cutting cost, by utilizing cheap or less than ideal components,especially in their low cost or so called budget products. This often results in otherwise many technically very good designs often do not function or perform as well as they could or should IMHO. The UB1204 mixer may have been just another victim of this.The numerous mods done on this by many is an indication of this. Another good example is the Golden Age Project Pre-73/mk2.This unit,although is an excellent piece of gear in it's own right in this price/performance range,is taken to another level by a few mods done on them.To use a (rather stupid) analagy,"Why tune the engine if the car runs ok?"

So you see, I don't think people just want to "claw" at something just beacause they have "itchy" fingers,(perhaps many of us do?) but often feel & know that the potential & performance of a particular piece of gear can be vastly improved sometimes,even beyond the intention(s) of the manufacturer!

Finally, removing 46 knobs,10 faders,24 sockets etc is not as easy task! hence,I thought some one who has already done this mod would be willing to provide me this simple information,before I open the unit & let it stand (collecting dust) until the parts arrived!

Thanks & cheers
 
PS:

I managed to get hold of the Schematic diagram for this UB1204 FX Pro in PDF format....so if anyone needs one, then please let me know.
 
Analogheart said:
PS:

I managed to get hold of the Schematic diagram for this UB1204 FX Pro in PDF format....so if anyone needs one, then please let me know.

I own the RX1202FX. I would like to have the diagrams in order to understand how to modify it.
Indeed, Behringer tells: do not connect LINE IN and MIC IN at the same time.

Right. I did to see what happens. I just put inside a jack into Line In and a XLR connected to a mic on MIC IN.
The Jacks is NOT connected.
I did because I conencted all the IN tua Patch Bay and the Outs as well

ISSUE:
Everything is working but the sensitivity knob is working bad. It doesn't regulate anymore linearly but suddenly I got the top of sensitivy. There is a step and not more a linear increasing.

I want to understand why and what I can do to modify that mixer (if it's possible).
Without diagrams I cannot touch it.

CONCLUSION:
If you can have the diagrams of my mixer as well, please don't hesitate to send it to me.
 
Analogheart said:
As for your 2nd question, as you're most probably aware of, most equipment manufactures do often sacrifice quality by utilizing cheap or less than ideal components,especially in their low cost or so called budjet products,which is often dictated by production costs.This results in, otherwise many technically very good designs often do not function or perform as well as they could or should IMHO. The UB1204 mixer may be just another victim of this,by the numerous mods done on this by many.

The price of a product is determined by production cost, but not in the way you think.

Marketing determines how much a product should cost. Since it's Behringer, they know their market won't bear the cost of a product that uses anything other than ten-cent op-amps. Replacing them with more-expensive parts will make the resulting product cost a lot more than what anyone would willingly pay for a Behringer product.

Put another way: would YOU pay more than $200 for this product?

-a
 
Analogheart said:
PS:

I managed to get hold of the Schematic diagram for this UB1204 FX Pro in PDF format....so if anyone needs one, then please let me know.
Add to the tech doc section then !
 
Yes,yes,That was my point too....the cost determines the price of the product,hence the sacrifices at component level! Yes, I would gladly pay the extra if that gear justifies it's price! Say, V.1: standard unbalanced $150,00. V.2 : Balanced $200,00, improved S/N etc. I'd choose the latter.

s2udio;
Will I be infringing any copy right?
 
Is this yet another Behringer clone? I think this one unfortunately died at birth!
 

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  • wharfedale R FX1204.jpg
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But you wanted in the Tech.Doc section!? Do you mean here? No problem...here it is!
 

Attachments

  • UB1204FX PRO.sch[2].pdf
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Can someone please tell me which IC packaging is used on UB1204 mixer? Are these JRC 4580 SOIC or SOP devices?
 
Most of those mixers have SIP8 op amps (similiar to ones used in guitar pedals) NJM and JRC branded, but some have SOP SOIC too. 

Generally there are 98% surface mount components in the Behringer mixers, and difficult to remove and replace components because the solder used  is different than the older 60/40 thru hole solder. Try removing components from those boards and you'll soon find it a unfriendly and difficult process. Most of the time you need to use hot air desoldering
techniques to remove those components, but getting them back on is the tricky part.

Maybe somebody can add some comments on how to deal with these newer surface mount components.

In my opnion, surface mount stuff is designed to be disposed of once its malfunctioning. Parts scavenging is possible.
 
> please tell me which IC packaging ... SOIC or SOP devices?

If you are really going to do this, you will have to open-it-up anyway. Go ahead, loosen it up enough to peek inside.
 
electrochronic said:
Generally there are 98% surface mount components in the Behringer mixers, and difficult to remove and replace components because the solder used  is different than the older 60/40 thru hole solder. Try removing components from those boards and you'll soon find it a unfriendly and difficult process. Most of the time you need to use hot air desoldering
techniques to remove those components, but getting them back on is the tricky part.

Maybe somebody can add some comments on how to deal with these newer surface mount components.

For the millionth time: SMD (and lead-free soldering) is not difficult. You just need to have the proper tools.

Yes, you want a hot-air tool to remove the existing parts. The $150 Chinese jobs available from the usual suspects work well enough. Get the right temperature and right airflow and the parts float off of the board without damaging anything. Get some flux and solder wick and clean the pads with your soldering iron.

Yes, you want a proper temperature-controlled soldering tool. You don't want something that gets instantly cold when you touch the tip to a pad that's connected to a plane. Yes, you have to spend about $300 to get something worth a damn, but you will be glad you did.

Yes, you need to use flux and thin solder and the proper tip temperature (Pro Tip: lead-free solder DOES NOT require the hottest tip you can buy) and tip width/shape. And yes, you need to clean the board thoroughly after soldering.

And yes, unless you're a teenager you need to get a decent lighted magnifying lens or a stereoscope because otherwise you can't see what you're working on.

Yes, none of this stuff was designed for hand soldering. It was all meant to be done with machines. But with a little practice and the proper tools, anyone can solder SOICs, TQFPs and 0805 passives.

There, I said it.

-a
 
Thankyou for the helpful hints, the one that gets me is seeing the little components I'm working on
while soldering, I forgot to mention that. A usually use one of those circular flourescent lamps with the
big magnification lens in the middle , but sometimes thats not enough.

any Idea of the typical heat range for solder tip when reworking ? I using a 15w iron but its a hit or miss
for suppliing needed heat to the board pad. I also have a iron with adjustable heat range which goes up
to about 900 F.
 
electrochronic said:
Thankyou for the helpful hints, the one that gets me is seeing the little components I'm working on
while soldering, I forgot to mention that. A usually use one of those circular flourescent lamps with the
big magnification lens in the middle , but sometimes thats not enough.

A stereoscope is your friend.

any Idea of the typical heat range for solder tip when reworking ? I using a 15w iron but its a hit or miss for suppliing needed heat to the board pad. I also have a iron with adjustable heat range which goes up to about 900 F.

Since you mention that your iron is rated in Watts, I'll say it's time for a new tool. Watts don't matter. Constant temperature does. That cannot be stressed enough.

For most PCB stuff I use a 600-degree Metcal tip. When doing cables, I'll use a 700-degree tip. Lead-free only, too.

-a
 
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