COLOURMIXER - Summing mixer with colour modules

[Sidebstudio]

Hi,
this is my first post here.

I usually build custom gear and last year a customer asked me to build a summing mixer with different flavours on channels so I though about a modular solution to let me adapt on each channel different “analogic colours” without having to elaborate many different pcb layouts.
Instead of building something super custom I tried to design something around COLOUR MODULES (the open source format around DIY world).

And the result was the first COLOURMIXER (V1.0).
This custom built unit has a Control room/MONITOR section and one of our bus compressors inside.

At the beginning of develop of the first colourmixer I designed a pcb with DIP components.
Each channels has THAT corp balanced line receivers/drivers (1240/1646) and a dual opamp to deal with colour module.
The balanced line drivers are used to take a direct output from each channel.
All the channels going to an opamp summing circuit.

Later I arrived at first “final” version with the option to mount THAT corp receivers/drivers or standard opamps in all the circuit.

Last month I built a unit with an elaboration of the previous concept: I put an each channel a colour module to deal with saturation/colour on each channel, a direct output for each module and a summing circuit in which I can use DOAs or opamps for summing and a colour module.
8 channels goes to “drive” channels and then into sum and 8 channels goes directly in summing stage in which I could deal with colour&drive/saturation.

The idea is to offer something to work with in
- tracking (preamp → input → direct out)
- in mixing (8 channels with colour and 8 without)
- mixing with 4 stereo stems but with the possibility to record tracks back into DAW with direct outs in order to make revisions
export in analog using 8 inputs with “drive” off + 8 clean inputs and maybe giving a touch of colour with the “Drive” in summing section

I have some PCBs of first prototype with DIP parts (THAT corp balanced line receivers/drivers (1240/1646) and a dual opamp to deal with colour module).
If someone is interested in them or into the complete project we could consider to make a PCB kit, due to the “open source” idea behind COLOUR modules.

Here you can hear it in action (first unit):

https://youtu.be/stuzLYlyMcI

Cheers,
Alessandro/Side-b Studio

 

[matriachamplification]

Hello Side B Studio. This is very interesting and in line with some personal ideas envisioned regarding the DIYre Colour Pallet System.

Am interested in hearing more about the build kits Side B Studios are considering.

PM Sent.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Hi Alessandro, nice build!
Where did you get the 19" chassis and the IDC transition connectors?

 

[Sidebstudio]

Hello Side B Studio. This is very interesting and in line with some personal ideas envisioned regarding the DIYre Colour Pallet System.

Am interested in hearing more about the build kits Side B Studios are considering.

PM Sent.

Hi.
Thanks for interest.
I tried to reply but I have a failure message from the server.
I have a few PCBs of first prototype (dip) and a complete set of smd one.
The smd contain a little error (you have to use a 1mm short jumper to fix it)

 

[Sidebstudio]

Hi Alessandro, nice build!
Where did you get the 19" chassis and the IDC transition connectors?

Chassis are from modushop

Idc transition you mean the one on db25 PCB/backpanel?
I think I bought them from mouser.
I usually buy from farnell/mouser and a few of other European suppliers for knobs (don audio etc)

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Chassis are from modushop

Idc transition you mean the one on db25 PCB/backpanel?
I think I bought them from mouser.
I usually buy from farnell/mouser and a few of other European suppliers for knobs (don audio etc)

Thanks, I'll check them.

 

[boji]

Nice idea! Have you any colour module variants in the works?

 

[Sidebstudio]

Nice idea! Have you any colour module variants in the works?

Hi. Yes the colours modules I used in this first units are mine.
One is a transistor based colour/saturation the other one is a reproduction (in colour format) of a super simple opamp based circuit that simulates a multiple stage (overdriven) that you could find in a solid state console.
I prefer the subtle sound of the second to the obviously saturation of the varieties of colours modules in commerce

 

[boji]

808 sounds evil, nice work.  I've tried a few and haven't found any secret weapons, but the Mojo Maestro one is fun. Let us know if you plan on putting any module kits out there? Thx. 

 

[leadbreath]

Hey just saw this thread!

Very cool idea, I like it!!! I've been looking for something of this type for a while.

Let us know if any of these become available?
Mick

 

[Sidebstudio]

Hey just saw this thread!

Very cool idea, I like it!!! I've been looking for something of this type for a while.

Let us know if any of these become available?
Mick

Here you have a quick demo I made on this:

https://youtu.be/YkUpmlS3PLM

https://youtu.be/-4vlRF58B2o

Units are available on sale as finished processors.
For DIY I'm considering to do a kit or something like that if there's someone interested in.
It isn't an easy job due to the SMD parts in the pcbs.

But I have some pcbs with DIP op-amps and through hole components left of the first units/prototypes we did.

You can see them in first post.
Let me know if you are interested in them.
They have that corp receivers/drivers for input/direct out.

Alessandro

 

[efinque]

Those are all DIYRE modules right?

I like the idea of having overdrive/saturation, it made it's way into high end DJ mixers very recently (during last 5 years or so) with the advent of live performances and remixing on the fly made possible by recent developements in technology I think.

Must've cost a fortune though as those modules are very expensive.. without the 500-series chassis' probably cheaper but they allow plug&play modularity. Sort of an API Lunchbox or Neve-esque build imo.

Looks very nice though, I like the black/red color scheme.

 

[Sidebstudio]

Those are all DIYRE modules right?

I like the idea of having overdrive/saturation, it made it's way into high end DJ mixers very recently (during last 5 years or so) with the advent of live performances and remixing on the fly made possible by recent developements in technology I think.

Must've cost a fortune though as those modules are very expensive.. without the 500-series chassis' probably cheaper but they allow plug&play modularity. Sort of an API Lunchbox or Neve-esque build imo.

Looks very nice though, I like the black/red color scheme.

The format of MODULES is by DIYRE but colour modules we use are designed and made by us.
Colour is a very clever way to implement a "sound" into another concept.
A lot of designers and brands start their own designs using this open source format.

Using them in a summing mixers let customers to play with colours and sounds and when they want to change something they can change colour modules instead the whole system.
This is an interesting tool to play with.

 

[hoyahelper]

Totally into this idea! Has been on my mind for awhile, super glad it’s been done!

Would be very interested in pcbs

 

[Barrylime]

I'd be very interested in a few PCBs as well!!!!!!

It would be cool to mount these inside console channels with a switch, so you can switch on extra colour, like a transformer.

Basically what the custom series 75 Neve at my uni has when you engage the 'retro' button and it adds a transformer into the channel output path.

 

[Richard James]

WOW! This looks incredible! If you decide to do kits or PCBs I’ll be on this project immediately. A 10(or even 12) channel version with only passive output in a 2U that would be ideal for me.

You should contact DIYRE to get your Colour designs in their store.

 

[Meathands]

Beautiful work, Alessandro. The mixer looks incredible and I'm really touched that you chose to use our format.

 

[Tekwerk]

I would love a kit version of this. Please keep us posted if you make one available.

 

[Sidebstudio]

Hi
Sorry but little time to stay on the net.

I received a lot of email and interest in this project.
As long as we continue to offer this as one of our product we can think about a DIY friendly version with THT components.

Something like first prototype (I still have some of those boards) but with the backpanel connection in order to simplify wiring.

Depending on interest of DIY builders.
Keep in mind that a 8 channel version are a total of 8 channels pcb+1 backpanel+sum pcb+PSU pcb+db25 connectors pcb= 13 pcbs in total so around 150 euro of each kit excl. colour boards.
I can consider selling colour pcbs, too. But I see around a lot of companies that make fantastic projects.

I see here a white and a black market. I'm open to understand how it works to sell the boards here.

Regards
Alessandro
Side-b Studio

 

[ip_dalie]

Hi,
this is my first post here.

I usually build custom gear and last year a customer asked me to build a summing mixer with different flavours on channels so I though about a modular solution to let me adapt on each channel different “analogic colours” without having to elaborate many different pcb layouts.
Instead of building something super custom I tried to design something around COLOUR MODULES (the open source format around DIY world).

And the result was the first COLOURMIXER (V1.0).
This custom built unit has a Control room/MONITOR section and one of our bus compressors inside.

At the beginning of develop of the first colourmixer I designed a pcb with DIP components.
Each channels has THAT corp balanced line receivers/drivers (1240/1646) and a dual opamp to deal with colour module.
The balanced line drivers are used to take a direct output from each channel.
All the channels going to an opamp summing circuit.

Later I arrived at first “final” version with the option to mount THAT corp receivers/drivers or standard opamps in all the circuit.

Last month I built a unit with an elaboration of the previous concept: I put an each channel a colour module to deal with saturation/colour on each channel, a direct output for each module and a summing circuit in which I can use DOAs or opamps for summing and a colour module.
8 channels goes to “drive” channels and then into sum and 8 channels goes directly in summing stage in which I could deal with colour&drive/saturation.

The idea is to offer something to work with in
- tracking (preamp → input → direct out)
- in mixing (8 channels with colour and 8 without)
- mixing with 4 stereo stems but with the possibility to record tracks back into DAW with direct outs in order to make revisions
export in analog using 8 inputs with “drive” off + 8 clean inputs and maybe giving a touch of colour with the “Drive” in summing section

I have some PCBs of first prototype with DIP parts (THAT corp balanced line receivers/drivers (1240/1646) and a dual opamp to deal with colour module).
If someone is interested in them or into the complete project we could consider to make a PCB kit, due to the “open source” idea behind COLOUR modules.

Here you can hear it in action (first unit):



Cheers,
Alessandro/Side-b Studio

Hi Alessandro.

Really nice project! Interesting!

What is your master buss receiver and driver? Is it same with the channels?

Thanks
-Ipin