500 format - switches & front panel

[thomasdf]

Hello

I am new to 500 format and I am working on some preamps. I am looking for quality DPDT / 2PDT and why not SPDT angled pins switches.
What are you guys using ?
My idea is to use a pair of these for polarity and phantom, as well as the grayhill gain rotary to hold the front panel and PCB together, and maybe avoid the L shaped plate. A bit on the cheap side, I know.
So I'd prefer if they had a threaded bushing to be locked to the frontpanel

Big plus if these switches have a Kicad library, but I can draw it myself with a proper datasheet

Also curious where to know where you get your 500 frontpanel made, in Europe. I would like to supply a vector file, rather than use a proprietary software.

Thanks in advance !

Thomas

 

[nielsk]

It has been done, just using a flat metal plate (important for module to module shielding) for the side with holes in it to attach the PCB...
C&K is a good choice for PCB mount threaded bushing right angle switches, don't cheap out on these as they will fail!
Add an output level control, if your pre has any headroom it is always better to turn down the output than pad the input. With switched gain you need a "fine tune" control, it works for that, too.

 

[richiyobs]

This Is my summer project... Panel made at frontpanel.de... for angled toggle switches you can look at reichelt or mouser... The First One Is cheaper.... For footprint you can check componentsearchengine... I do this on mouser i check parts and look for footprint and 3d models... Another source Is snap eda... Sometimes 3d models are not there.. so i go to 3Dcontents...

 

[richiyobs]

this is a preamp i'm going to build
attached the switches footprint used, or better what i found in my download folder..... for phantom, pad and polarity
if footprints are not fine i can export what i'm currently using....
hope it helps

best

 

[mihi_fuchs]

Hello

I am new to 500 format and I am working on some preamps. I am looking for quality DPDT / 2PDT and why not SPDT angled pins switches.
What are you guys using ?
My idea is to use a pair of these for polarity and phantom, as well as the grayhill gain rotary to hold the front panel and PCB together, and maybe avoid the L shaped plate. A bit on the cheap side, I know.
So I'd prefer if they had a threaded bushing to be locked to the frontpanel

Big plus if these switches have a Kicad library, but I can draw it myself with a proper datasheet

Also curious where to know where you get your 500 frontpanel made, in Europe. I would like to supply a vector file, rather than use a proprietary software.

Thanks in advance !

Thomas

Dear thomas,

Just look at the lvl lok update i did 2024:
Post in thread '500 series Level-Loc project'
https://groupdiy.com/threads/500-series-level-loc-project.54964/post-1146641

I used the richco-sei connectors for the frontpanel. The system is very easy to use and implement. And it takes away strain from the components.

Maybe worth considering. I think the richco sei-3 is still awailable. If not and you would like to try i still have a few laying around. Two i can live without them very easily and shipping from austria should be quite reasonable;-) …

 

[nielsk]

Mouser has links to the C&K footprints and data.
You may want to consider making the sled from PCB like mihi_fuchs did on his EQ3d, just make sure to copper clad it & have the pin 1 contact, very important. (clad it on the outside as it will need very short stand-offs!)
The exact distance from the center of the edge connector PCB and the outside line of the front panel / sled is defined in the API VPR spec.
Remember that all the stress on the components does not exist once it is installed in a 500 rack, it only really needs to survive insertion & removal.
A thing Igor used to do that actually worked pretty well was to make the front panel from PCB as well, you can make it solder to a PCB sled.
Although I absolutely detest black PCB (or ANY opaque PCB) it does look good for a front panel, using ref deg print for the legends.
What would look really sharp would be to clad the whole front panel & gold plate, and have the legends in relief showing the PCB color ;-)

 

[thomasdf]

For some reason I had missed all the answers here, sorry ! Thanks a whole lot, that gives me a lot to explore and experiment with.
Lots of great ideas, and outside the box thinking

 

[gar381]

You don't need to "cheap out" on sleds. CAPI has great blanks ones.

https://capi-gear.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=87_88&products_id=181

Great for both mechanical integrity and shielding. Been using these for years.

GARY

 

[thomasdf]

Interesting for sure ! Need to find de correct spacers for the PCB and BOOM.
I'll probably try CNC engraving these front panels, too. And then it opens up and whole lot of options for the pots, switches and rotary switches, great !!

thanks