Console schematics to study/learn from?

[bobschwenkler]

I'm really interested in learning about the seemingly more mundane aspects of console design: how signals are split for solo, echo and cue sends, mix busses, fader buffering, etc... There's plenty available for input modules and eqs and such, but I'm really interested to get my hands on some schematics from high quality consoles for these other sorts of circuits. Anyone have anything good like this or have any pointers? I'm really interested in API designs, any old Q8 or Electrodyne? Trident, MCI, Neve?

Thanks!

 

[[silent:arts]]

loads of complete service manuals for studer desks:
ftp://ftp.studer.ch/Public/Products/Mixing_Analog/

 

[bobschwenkler]

Thanks! That will take a while to go through. Just the sort of stuff I was looking for.

 

[mac]

Hey Bobschwenkler,
the DDA website has some useful schematics, found at http://www.ddaconsoles.com/

http://www.ddaconsoles.com/ 

cheers, Mac.

 

[ruairioflaherty]

Hey bob,

I second mac's suggestion of DDA schemos. My brother recently picked up an old DDA board and I downloaded some service docs to see what made it tick.  I am far from an expert but I was able to read them easily and follow the basics very clearly, simple opamp circuits with nice clear layouts. I struggle to understand some of the older discrete stuff but I will get there in time.

Cheers,
Ruairi

 

[Dan Kennedy]

The best of all resources for this is Steve Dove's articles for REP back in the late '70's.

They are available in an edited but still very valuable form in the "Handbook for Sound
Engineers, the New Audio Cyclopedia" edited by Glen Ballou, in the chapter on
consoles and systems.

Clear descriptions of circuits that are in use in virtually all consoles.

 

[Biasrocks]

The best of all resources for this is Steve Dove's articles for REP back in the late '70's.

I have the original articles in PDF format if anyone is interested.

Mark

 

[Rob Flinn]

The best of all resources for this is Steve Dove's articles for REP back in the late '70's.

I have the original articles in PDF format if anyone is interested.

Mark

Yes please !!!

 

[warpie]

me too pleaseeee...  ;D

 

[plumsolly]

I'd love a copy too - Thanks!
Best, Ben

 

[Biasrocks]

Okay guys

I've uploaded a copy to my site.

You can access it here.

http://SharktankPro.com/GDIY/Steve-Dove-Console-Design.pdf (39.3mb)

Enjoy!

Mark

 

[plumsolly]

Okay guys

I've uploaded a copy to my site.

You can access it here.

http://SharktankPro.com/GDIY/Steve-Dove-Console-Design.pdf (39.3mb)

Enjoy!

Mark

Thanks!

 

[warpie]

thanks!!

 

[1954U1]

Thats great!
[great quality of the scans too]

Thanks a lot 

 

[bobschwenkler]

I have the audio cyclopedia and had scanned some of the console chapter stuff. I forgot about that there for a sec. I've got the Dove articles now courtesy of Ruari. Thanks so much all! I can't wait to build my own console (acutally, I can, but the idea has been captivating me for the past year or two.)

The best of all resources for this is Steve Dove's articles for REP back in the late '70's.

They are available in an edited but still very valuable form in the "Handbook for Sound
Engineers, the New Audio Cyclopedia" edited by Glen Ballou, in the chapter on
consoles and systems.

Clear descriptions of circuits that are in use in virtually all consoles.

 

[bobschwenkler]

Also, I'm not familiar with the DDA line. Any suggestions on if any particular model might be more valuable to study?

 

[anna loog]

thanks  :

 

[JohnRoberts]

The best of all resources for this is Steve Dove's articles for REP back in the late '70's.

They are available in an edited but still very valuable form in the "Handbook for Sound
Engineers, the New Audio Cyclopedia" edited by Glen Ballou, in the chapter on
consoles and systems.

Clear descriptions of circuits that are in use in virtually all consoles.

A minor correction. The classic Steve Dove console series was published in Studio Sound magazine over several issues.  I wrote a much shorter article on console design that published in RE/P back in 1980, but I don't recall Steve ever writing for RE/P. 

Steve's Studio Sound articles were quite good and went into more detail than I did. I don't know if the later Cyclopedia version were more or less complete than the original Studio Sound series..

JR

PS: Here's a link to my almost 30 YO article... http://www.circularscience.com/des_art.pdf This link has been posted here some 2 years ago  so I suspect a search of this forum will reveal a lot more console discussion.

 

[bobschwenkler]

I gotta say that this Steve Dove article is excellent. It has a lot of information that goes much beyond specifically designing a console. And this article is hilarious! He throws in the funniest coloquialisms in the midst of an otherwise dry and technical article. I find myself lauging out loud numerous times over a sitting. Can't say that's ever happened to me before while reading a technical article.

 

[Gareth Connor]

This links to Douglas Self's site where he has an interesting collection of audio pages, including this one on consoles:

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/ampins/mixer/mixerdes.htm

Gareth.