A few finished projects (pictures inside)

[chefducuisine]

It's been some time since I posted some pictures of completed units... here we go:

1.) Neve 2254 built around a few  BA cards, Marinair Iron on the input, Altran C-4000 on the output and Carnhills new M-Series as Interstage

2.) 8x Mitsos 312 combined with a Focusrite Octropre AD Board.
All channels have Haufe 1:2 iron on the output.
Input iron and OP-Amps differ:
Channel 1-4 have Sennheiser 1:5 Iron on the input and a Neumann OA-10 DOA
Channel 5 & 6 have Jensen JE115 K-E on the input and a Melcor 1731 DOA
Channels 7 & 8 are fitted with Beyerdynamic 1:10 on the input and a Melcor 1731 DOA

3.) TG12413 Clone (Igor's Rack Version) with switchable iron for in- & output (LL1540 & RÜP219/1 below the relais-board  :wink: )

4.) Hardy 990c stereopre based around Mitsos boards and some broadcast iron from Germany  ;D...

5.) Night EQ3D Clone. I bought the PCBs and the case two weeks ago in the black market

6.) The already posted DAOC... this one is built with Frank's new modular case (really good).

7.) Enhanced Pultec with a Neve BA283 Make-Up Stage containing inductors I bought from Igor in 2010  :-[

 

[ruffrecords]

I see a lot of people just use a twisted pair to/from XLR sockets.Does nobody use twin screened for these any more?

Very, very nice builds by the way!

Cheers

ian

 

[chefducuisine]

Thanks Ian!

For mic pres I do use screened twisted pair cables with the screen connected only on one side (as per API / Hardy Clone above).
For line level I normally just use twisted or braided wires.

Regards,

Christian

 

[chefducuisine]

Added an Enhanced Pultec with Neve make-up stage... hope you like it... (Yes, I currently like those silver knobs  ;D)

 

[Michael Tibes]

Awesome looking stuff, congratulations! 
How did you make the cases and the faceplates?

Michael

 

[chefducuisine]

Hi Michael,

All my custom cases and faceplates are made by Frank (frontpanels.de / nrgrecording on this forum). Highly recommended!
I use the Schaeffer Frontpanel Designer and send the FPD files to Frank for production.
The DAOC above is built with Franks new modular case series - Highly recommended as this has some well thought features like earthing connections on the side rails, etc. Frank is a very helpful guy and checks every file I sent him before it is getting manufactured. If there are any flaws he will warn you.

The cases for the 2254 and the Neve/Pultec where ready made / not my design.

Edit: The Hardy MicPre and the TG-Limiter are  fitted in Modu-Shop Cases. Again, Frank did the engraving on the faceplate.
For the Hardy I used the original brushed Modu-Shop front panel, the TG front panel is a plain black one from Frank.

 

[pucho812]

very Nice.  8)

 

[weiss]

awesome, I like the Neve build!

 

[rock soderstrom]

Really great stuff!

What is your experience about the input transformers in your 8x Mitsos 312 build? Is there a big audible difference between them? (Sennheiser, Beyer and Jensen?)

Grüße 

 

[cyrano]

Wow! Fantastic builds. Wish mine looked like that  :

 

[chefducuisine]

Thanks guys!!! 

What is your experience about the input transformers in your 8x Mitsos 312 build? Is there a big audible difference between them? (Sennheiser, Beyer and Jensen?)

Difficult to discribe... the differences are not that huge.
I think it is more a combination of DOA and Tranny that makes the difference.
I would say the most aggressive / fastest ist the Jensen + Melcor combo (the most API-ish of the bunch  ).
The Beyer + Melcor Combo is a bit slower in comparison, but still have that API edge to them.
The Sennheiser + Neumann OA10 Combo ist the most balanced of the group. This combination moves the API Theme more into V476 territory if that makes sense (and my personal favourite of the variants, too ;D).

 

[rock soderstrom]

Thanks a lot!

 

[electrog]

Great stuff! It's very inspiring to see finished builds, especially when they're so well done.

 

[hugo]

Hi,
Just to know..would you keep this layout if you manage to make a new unit, or some choices would be different ?
Thank you for those crazy pics,
Hugo

 

[chefducuisine]

Hi Hugo,
which one do you mean?
If it is the API MicPre that is a pretty tight fit.
But I did this for a reason: I use this unit for on location recordings where I do not need more than 8 channels...

 

[hugo]

Hi Hugo,
which one do you mean?
If it is the API MicPre that is a pretty tight fit.
But I did this for a reason: I use this unit for on location recordings where I do not need more than 8 channels...

SOrry yes i forgot to precise i was talking about the 2254s. ;-) thank you for your answer

 

[Bo Deadly]

Wow. I can't believe I didn't see this before. Very impressive stuff.

 

[chefducuisine]

Thanks for the kind words.


@Hugo:
Building the 2254 in 2U that way is tricky.
I made a frame out of aluminium parts. This carries the card connectors, the input/interstage transformers and the vero-board that carries all trimmers for adjustment. This whole frame has then be wired completely before it was mounted to the chassis.
Look closely to the second picture to get the idea... the main parts are made from Ikea 'Kvartal' curtain holders 

 

[wmarden]

Hugo, B-E-A-utiful builds! I'm especially impressed and interested in the 2254 and the gyraf pultec with the Neve make up. Nice choice in knobs too... Makes a huge aesthetic difference!

 

[chefducuisine]

The Pultec is based around Frank's enhanced Pultec PCB and the output stage of a BA283.
Because I am old and lazy  ;D  I just ordered the filter PCBs from here:
https://www.don-audio.com/Pultec-DIY

The 2254 is based around copied BA xxx PCBs from Wonderland Audio (now Heritage Audio) that were sold here a few years ago.
What do you want to know?


Regards,
Christian