Balancing Neve 82 series direct outputs

[cariocaman85]

Many consoles route the direct out to it's channel's # MTR bus out when the DIR button is pressed.
It's been a long time since I used a 8232 but it would be worthwhile to confirm if that is the way it works. The patch point you refer to may simply be a way to access the signal before the routing matrix, if you have a few days to spend pouring over the (terrible) manual or 60 seconds to try it on the console you can confirm.
If you have output cards that are set up for transformers I have a single VT24499 that needs a good home... you are welcome to it. Maybe between all of us you can fill it out!
If you want to add separate D/O it may be much simpler to use another power supply to feed them (especially if you use class A outs as the draw is greater). Power One modules are cheap on Evilbay these days.
I just did this exact thing on an incredibly expensive console that has almost no routing features (current trend, unfortunately), by tapping the post fader buffers and sending them to class A drivers (2nd half 283) then the transformers.
Any way you do it you need a driver to feed an output transformer.

Thanks for your reply, I sent you a PM as well

I have read the 3 books of the manual already l, but I will go through it again. It's strange that there is no schematic of the direct output... But yes I tested and they come after the multitrack send and before the matrix.

Thanks a lot to everyone for all this help!

 

[ruffrecords]

Thanks for your reply, I sent you a PM as well

I have read the 3 books of the manual already l, but I will go through it again. It's strange that there is no schematic of the direct output... But yes I tested and they come after the multitrack send and before the matrix.

Thanks a lot to everyone for all this help!

Do you have the console block diagram? It would have an EBxxxxx number. That should at least tell you where the direct are supposed to come from.

Cheers

Ian

 

[cariocaman85]

Do you have the console block diagram? It would have an EBxxxxx number. That should at least tell you where the direct are supposed to come from.

Cheers

Ian

Thanks,
Unfortunately on the console diagram, they are never mentionned... They are however in the patch description.

 

[ruffrecords]

Thanks,
Unfortunately on the console diagram, they are never mentionned... They are however in the patch description.

Nothing there that looks like a good old fashioned block diagram to me. The EE dwgs are the closest. It may be that consoles got so complex by then that the old EB dwg became obsolete. I will ask my old Neve colleaues if one exists and let you know.

Cheers

Ian

 

[nielsk]

I know from experience that when the routing matrix processor card goes on these it is next to impossible to repair (as I recall there is an eeprom, if anyone can fix these cards I can send work your way!)
Your plan to use the "direct out patch" if this goes down is a good one, it may be worth considering building 8 or so transformer outputs with transistor drive to put on the patch, then you can choose to use them when & where you want. Or, bring the audio feeding the output cards to patch, then you can send the direct outs straight to the existing output drivers, bypassing the matrix.
Chances are good you don't need all 32 direct outs at any one time!

 

[cariocaman85]

I know from experience that when the routing matrix processor card goes on these it is next to impossible to repair (as I recall there is an eeprom, if anyone can fix these cards I can send work your way!)
Your plan to use the "direct out patch" if this goes down is a good one, it may be worth considering building 8 or so transformer outputs with transistor drive to put on the patch, then you can choose to use them when & where you want. Or, bring the audio feeding the output cards to patch, then you can send the direct outs straight to the existing output drivers, bypassing the matrix.
Chances are good you don't need all 32 direct outs at any one time!

Yes this is the plan, to be able to bypass the matrix in case something goes wrong with the processor.
Thanks for the tip about the patch, it's a good idea !

 

[cariocaman85]

Nothing there that looks like a good old fashioned block diagram to me. The EE dwgs are the closest. It may be that consoles got so complex by then that the old EB dwg became obsolete. I will ask my old Neve colleaues if one exists and let you know.

Cheers

Ian

That would be fantastic !
Thanks !

I have all 3 books of manual, but nothing more in this first section, this one is the output part of the EB11533

 

[ruffrecords]

EB definitely means block diagram. That's what I used to draw when I was there. Do you have any more sheets of EB11533?

From what I can see they were very sparing of transformers, so much so the most of the inserts on the page you posted are unbalanced. very un-Neve!

Cheers

Ian

 

[cariocaman85]

EB definitely means block diagram. That's what I used to draw when I was there. Do you have any more sheets of EB11533?

From what I can see they were very sparing of transformers, so much so the most of the inserts on the page you posted are unbalanced. very un-Neve!

Cheers

Ian

Hi,
Here is the EB11533 total.
Hope it helps.

I see direct outputs before the track assignment matrix.

Thanks !

 

[nielsk]

And a normalled patch before the MTR output drivers... so try patching the D/O to the MTR out driver, looks like Bob may well be yer mother's fancy man!

 

[cariocaman85]

And a normalled patch before the MTR output drivers... so try patching the D/O to the MTR out driver, looks like Bob may well be yer mother's fancy man!

Thanks !
Yes I will try that!
I believe it is labeled tape in insertion on the patch.

Sorry for the late reply, recaping takes a lot of my time...

 

[cariocaman85]

Thanks !
Yes I will try that!
I believe it is labeled tape in insertion on the patch.

Sorry for the late reply, recaping takes a lot of my time...

Plus there are several channel issues that need to be addressed... especially in the group control pcb. One channel is missing 12db on the multitrack send, another doesn't pass audio through mixdown...
Hopefully I will fix it next week

 

[cariocaman85]

Plus there are several channel issues that need to be addressed... especially in the group control pcb. One channel is missing 12db on the multitrack send, another doesn't pass audio through mixdown...
Hopefully I will fix it next week

Channel with the broken mixdown fixed!
It was a problem from a previous owner recap I guess. One trace lifted and a pad removed that was breaking audio path before the mixdown pan. Small jumper and fixed !

Now I need to look at this strange weak signal from the small fader on another channel. Could a dirty fader do this? A cold joint? Nothing looks visually broken, but I will investigate.