Allen Heath Saber modifications OPA2604 OPA2134

Hello wanted to add let you all know what I have done with my Saber console. in the master section I have opted for  OPA2134 to replace TL072's and OPA2604 for NE5532 with an OPA2132 in IC3 in the monitor section of the board with amazing results Bushwick I fully understand why you got so excited. I have also replaced all the caps with Panasonic FC including 2 2200uf with 0.1nf shunt in the left right mix section originals were 330uf 10v. I have been going threw some of the other mods people have listed and trying to work out which ones to do any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know about that particular board but what I'd want to do is mod a few channels and then you can just live with the mods for a while and get a much better idea of whether you've made an improvement than you might in any other circumstance. I think AB'ing, whether blind or wide eyed, has a whole series of perceptive problems that aren't present when you live with the difference. I didn't find schematics after a quick search so I can't recommend anything specific, but check for IC's that have the same pinouts, try replacing caps, but just do it on a few channels and then report back in a month!

Thank you for your reply I should have added a bit more I have AB'd the master section the difference is astounding with new chips in the whole audio spectrum has opened up. I have also done what i call 4 super channels that also have had all the chips replaced again opa2134 for 072's and opa2604's for all the ne5532'2 when you AB blind folded it easy my 11 year old daughter was astounded by the difference she said the high bits bass bits and some thing in the middle has changed . I have just replaced the worn out wire from master fader back to board I opted for some neutric microphone cable cores which is silver and copper conductors

Hey There.
I too have a saber 24.16.2 which I've just been using for the odd pre-amp,  when I run out of channels on my rack.

My master section is pretty hissy, especially up past the halfway mark on the volume knob and there is added hiss for every buss that I activate.

Did you find replacing he master section stuff helped with this at all?

I don't really need to recap the pre's as I don't really use the pre-amps on it that often, other than for a rack tom or something trivial here or there. I might do the first 8 channels or something. Main problem is the hiss.

Someone suggested replacing the power supply, which I should probably do anyway.

I mainly want to use the desk for summing, as a talkback, and to return from 2" Otari.
I'm using Pro Tools mainly and usually mix within the box.
I really like the desk, its just a noisy bugger!! Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Hi Yes I found a significant reduction in the hiss in the master section, if you are running via the MAIN or ALT outputs it would be worth changing IC6 on the M350 monitor section for an IC socket then you can try either OPA2134 or AD823 I would also recommend looking on this forum as there are a few posts about changing the rest of the op amps in the master section I still cant get over how much better the board sounds with the work I have done.

One thing I forgot I have added grounding tot he L R pcb's there is a small hole in the track for ground connection right near the pcb to mixer master ribbon via card edge like isa bus I then routed the wires to were the main mixer grnd attaches to the RCA connectors for the meter-bridge signal on the inside of the desk. eventually I will install a copper bus bar the length of the desk and grnd each card to it via wire and split plugs to enable easy removal of channel/group card.

synthdr said:

Hello wanted to add let you all know what I have done with my Saber console. in the master section I have opted for  OPA2134 to replace TL072's and OPA2604 for NE5532 with an OPA2132 in IC3 in the monitor section of the board with amazing results Bushwick I fully understand why you got so excited. I have also replaced all the caps with Panasonic FC including 2 2200uf with 0.1nf shunt in the left right mix section originals were 330uf 10v. I have been going threw some of the other mods people have listed and trying to work out which ones to do any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Just curious if you pick and chose which IC's to replace, or did you do all of them?

Yes definitely replace the power supply or have it serviced.  Increase the size of the filter caps and replace the other large caps with new ones. That should have been the first thing I did. When I did the low end really appeared and wasn't soft and woolly anymore. The console really started to punch. Noise also went down. I like the Saber. It's deep and smooth. What version of the power supply do you guys have? My Saber is a work in progress. I just wish it wasn't so ugly.

synthdr said:

Hello wanted to add let you all know what I have done with my Saber console. in the master section I have opted for  OPA2134 to replace TL072's and OPA2604 for NE5532 with an OPA2132 in IC3 in the monitor section of the board with amazing results Bushwick I fully understand why you got so excited. I have also replaced all the caps with Panasonic FC including 2 2200uf with 0.1nf shunt in the left right mix section originals were 330uf 10v. I have been going threw some of the other mods people have listed and trying to work out which ones to do any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Hi sorry to dig up an old thread but I am planning to do this same mod to my Saber as well.

Did you replace every single chip or just a select few?

Did you need to mod the PSU at all?

Did you end up doing the copper busbar mod in the end?

Many thanks for any help you can give me!