Harrison 4032 restoration?!

[nrgrecording]

Hi guys.

I bought an oooold Harrison 4032 Desk last week. ~1978
(the first 32Bus console I think, made by Dave Harrison who worked for MCI before making his own company I think)

The funny thing is that the console was nearly at the same street where my workplace is.  8)
First owner of the console was Harold Faltermeier. Do you know beverly hills cop? (Axel Foley) and Top Gun? 

The mover company tried to recover the console with a furniture elevator. (console was at the 1st floor). But the console weight without all electronics was over 500Kg!
The elevator gave up. So they had to carry it with 6 guys through the stairway. Now it is at its new home (probably)- in my studio.

So... any tips regarding the restauration of this console/experiences with the 32 series?


Electrolytics had been changed 10 years ago (Jamicon). It does not have the allison automation but optifile.
Meters are 12 LED meters with lightpipe. It seems to be one of the first or consoles. I'd seen serial numbers under 100 on the channels!
And the console PSU has a serial number "3". 

I don't know exactly what to do with the console and how it makes sense to use it with my setup. I want to use it with a DAW.
It has 40 channels. But I think 24 channels is more than enough. I thought about installing only 24 channels (or 24at the left and 8 at the right) so I could use the remaining place
for computer keyboard, mouse, tft, daw control surface.
As what I can see 4 of the edge connectors have broken pins. So I just bought 15 edge conectors for the quad, group,monitor, communication modules and 3 to make an extender or
something for a test setup at my workshop.
The output transformers at the quad channel seem to be defective. 10k are vaporized, opamps are missing, psu rails (bridges) had been removed and there are microphone cables soldered
to the source switches with "urei and genelec" stickers. The opamps HA4605, HA4741, 3504, 3500, HA4905 seem to be hard to find. Everything else is possible to source.
Any ideas about cleaning the patchbay? The wires are really short - so maybe I can unscrew them and put them under the desk into a big ultrasonic bath?
The pre owner said that he switches the console off only 3 times in his life. He showed me the "74C157" IC (multiplexer) and it seems to run with 6V maximum which cames from the -24V and -18V rails.  :-\ So there may be an overvoltage perhaps. Any fix about this one? I know TVS voltage protection diodes but they're hard to get within the voltage range I nedd (5,8 or 6V maximum voltage)
I heard people talking about changing the summing amps to JohnHardy 990!? I would like to remove the hole VCA automation (channel fader) and replace them with motor alps pots with lin and log tracks. (log for audio, lin for postion information for automation) But only if this console is working. With new faderpanels ontop of the others because of the different pin spacing of the faders and different fader lengh...)

Can anyone tell something about the history or experiences about this console? Keith? Bo Hansen? ...

Thanks,
Frank.

 

[Rob Flinn]

Frank

You should go to here http://forum.analogconsole.com/viewforum.php?f=8

There are some very knowledgable people there.

 

[Martin B. Kantola]

So... any tips regarding the restauration of this console/experiences with the 32 series?

Yes, I've restored two for myself and looking after a third that belongs to Bruce Swedien.

The opamps HA4605, HA4741, 3504, 3500, HA4905 seem to be hard to find.

Have been developing a little upgrade/replacement specifically for the quad op-amps. You have round cans in the master section?

The pre owner said that he switches the console off only 3 times in his life. He showed me the "74C157" IC (multiplexer) and it seems to run with 6V maximum which cames from the -24V and -18V rails.  :-\ So there may be an overvoltage perhaps. Any fix about this one?

There's indeed a good fix, these are known to pop easily and it kills the whole signal... Need to check my notes on this.

I heard people talking about changing the summing amps to JohnHardy 990!?

Yep. You will want to build a new summing amp.

I would like to remove the hole VCA automation (channel fader) and replace them with motor alps pots with lin and log tracks.

We're trying a VCA upgrade at the moment, because VCA's don't have to sound terrible and what you are talking about is a major operation (you'll loose groups, solo and mute etc.)

There are other issues to address before you start tweaking, even the original configuration with original OP-amps can sound pretty good. Listen to "Thriller"!

I'd be excited to talk more about this subject, good to hear that someone else is interested in Harrison 32 series.

Martin

 

[nrgrecording]

Thanks Rob for the link.  8)

Martin... you have two?  respect!
I think Bruce's harrison even had the original harrison producer desk? mmh. Producer desks could be useful for pc keyboards these days.  ;D
I'd seen Bruce's plate reverb on ebay some time ago.  I heard that Michael Jackson, Sade, Queen and Abba Songs had been mixed on the harrison 32 series?

Yes I have round cans on the master. Seems to be the second or third built harrison desk or so (from the serial numbers on the channels) At least one of the first because the micpreamp is on the mainpcb not on a seperate pcb (plugin).

Would be really cool if you could give some infos about your opamp replacements (did you made a 4xNE5534 on a small pcb to replace the quad op?), the summing amp mods and more important.. a fix regarding the IC on the FETswitch pcb.  8) 8) 8)

I ordered the edge connectors yesterday so I can replace the broken ones and make an extender and something for my test setup. If you want... I can make three of these edge pcbs to plug them into the console so you can use some ribbon cable to make an extender - but I think you already did this before?

I talked to a nice guy in germany who did a restoration of a 32 series before. He replaced the 100µF caps (psu caps on the channel) and the electrolytics in the signal path only. It was a nice chat. 

Regarding the automation/vca I wasn't talking about the blackcan 202 vca in the channel... but of the "external" fader vca automation. (originally made by allison?) My automation is an optifile. Thought about making new faceplates for new motorfaders because the penny&giles have other distance between the screws and other scale. I can let some make for you too - if you like. Shouldn't be expensive, I can cnc them myselfs and give them to a local silkscreen company. I will engrave some plastic plates with the channel numbering tomorrow, can make some for you for free if you need something like this. Do you know the midi stuff from ucapps.de ? Its PIC based, free and cheap and there is a "MF Module" which can control 8 motofaders with touch sensors. I can get motor alps faders with a log and lin track. The lin track will send the position to the DAW and the log track does the audio part. So you can control your DAW with the faders and have a flying fader automation. (without any additional vcas) But there is a control voltage module available 0-10V if you want to use VCAs. I bought parts for 8 channels... let's see if this works good. But I have to get the console running first... before doing some mods. There are some free pins on the edge connectors... thats very nice! 

Do you have the ugly 12 LED meterbridge, too?  : ;D

Frank.

 

[Martin B. Kantola]

I think Bruce's harrison even had the original harrison producer desk?

Correct.

I heard that Michael Jackson, Sade, Queen and Abba Songs had been mixed on the harrison 32 series?

"Thriller" for sure, and one of my consoles was the smaller one ABBA owned and used.

Yes I have round cans on the master. Seems to be the second or third built harrison desk or so (from the serial numbers on the channels) At least one of the first because the micpreamp is on the mainpcb not on a seperate pcb (plugin).

That does sound old. If you have the serial you can contact Harrison and get more info, they've been very helpful.

Would be really cool if you could give some infos about your opamp replacements (did you made a 4xNE5534 on a small pcb to replace the quad op?)

Yes, 5532 + current sources, here they are in a test module on the bench:

I can make three of these edge pcbs to plug them into the console so you can use some ribbon cable to make an extender - but I think you already did this before?

Thanks, but got some original extenders, as well as a dedicated test rig complete with portable power supply to run a module on the test bench (or anywhere.)

I talked to a nice guy in germany who did a restoration of a 32 series before. He replaced the 100µF caps (psu caps on the channel) and the electrolytics in the signal path only.

Have completely recapped my consoles (electrolytics only). The biggest issue are the Molex connectors on the module.

Regarding the automation/vca I wasn't talking about the blackcan 202 vca in the channel... but of the "external" fader vca automation. (originally made by allison?) My automation is an optifile.

OK, I see. Have two Optifile systems myself I need to install, but Bruce is running a very cool, PC DOS based one called Virtual Faders. Might need some help with my Optifiles from you.

I will engrave some plastic plates with the channel numbering tomorrow, can make some for you for free if you need something like this.

You are very kind, we should definitely see if we can do something together!

Do you know the midi stuff from ucapps.de ? Its PIC based, free and cheap and there is a "MF Module" which can control 8 motofaders with touch sensors. I can get motor alps faders with a log and lin track.

That's interesting. As I said, don't think I mind the VCA's (experimenting with parallell 2181A's at the moment), but getting the automation integrated in the DAW would be cool. How about resolution, more than 7 bits?

Do you have the ugly 12 LED meterbridge, too?  : ;D

;-) On my older console yes, my 4832C has high resolution 36 segment ones. But I've kind of grown attached to them, they flicker almost like pretty candles without the plastic panels (wanted to make either new panels or build completely new meters, another project we could maybe do together...)

As for the 74C157, you can replace with CD40257BE, handles up to 20V.

Martin

 

[justanalogue]

Amazing console!
If anybody needs some stuff from Optifile I have some units from them including  a kind of keyboard.
Have to look into my storage which units I have but do remember 2 1U units, one of them had a floppy drive.

Good luck with restoring this beauty!

Best,

Willem.

 

[nrgrecording]

Whao - one of the abba consoles...?  ;D

Nice picture from your channel! These opamp pcb look sweet!  Iam sure you compared the sound with the harris 3504? I talked to a nice guy who did some tech-work on a 4032 and he recommended the HA4741. (if you can' get the 3504) They're still available at farnell.
Mmmh... an original test rig...  I'll try to make on with ribbon cables... and test pins... and something to fix the "ruler" to. http://www.nrgrecording.de/Harrison_Extender.pdf

Just made a 50 pin edge connector ruler... maybe it helps me to find the pins faster.

Normally i use my laboursupply for testing purposes... but I would need two of them now.  Regarding your small psu... does it have current limiting? Or do you think it isn't necessary? I could put anything together with LM317/LM337 then? What do ya think?

By the way... i have the same orange capacitors in my channels. It seems like the one on your picture is the "original cap version"? Do you have any favourite electrolytic capacitor? Or should I just put some panasonic FCs into the channels?

Regarding the motorfaders... they're up to 10bit.

Thanks so much for the info on the multiplexer IC! That info made my day. 

Made a new armrest... (modern-black) maybe I'll make a brown leather armrest in the future. By the way... if you think about using the ucapps automation... it is possible to use LCDs. My idea (far from realisation) is to make some small, black anodized panels and put the LCDs into the armrest!?  : Then the channel naming is visible on the LCDs.  :-* I even thought about using only 24 input channels on the left side and 8 on the right side... with a new panel between them with an integrated computerkeyboard and solo, rec, mute buttons as daw control. If you're crazy enough... we could think about if this makes sense or not.  (I would do the metalwork for free and can test it with my 4032) But that seems a project.. far away from today.  But... If I get that desk working soon... mmmh...  ;D

I removed the vca automation today. 5 pcbs came out the desk. I made a connection diagram... if you or someone else ever need spares in the future. (but iam keen on the vca chips) 

I did a test for the channel numbering.. the old one were stickers. I made red ones... dunno if I like it... maybe black is cool, too.

I removed the hole buspcb at the armrest. It was easy... only 30 minutes of work. I desoldered one edge connector to see if this will work because I ordered new ones for the group/monitor/com/quad modules. Worked fine. No lifted pcb traces until now. 

Did you cleaned the edge connectors somehow? I may have access to a big ultrasonic bath and the bus pcbs will fit into it... but I don't know if this would be good for the contacts or not. I tested it with the unsoldered connector and much dirt came out of the connector - that looked good. But how about the oxidation and contact with water when using the ultrasonic bath? I don't know.  :-\

Did some more pictures:
(seems like somone bypassed some parts in the modules)

http://www.nrgrecording.de/html/harrison.html

Good to hear that the precison meters aren't thaaat good.  I thought about cloning these. Somone on the analogconsoles forum is selling meterbridge pcbs from the MR3 I think - maybe they're better.
I once made a small meterbridge with 12 LEDs (made with sanyo LB1412). I really like how they work and they already have peak hold (over 0dB)!!! Everything is on one IC. But it seems that the LB1412 is more or less obselete.

Marc Bareille did a plasma meter... built one myselfs.. very cheap - because you can get these russion plasmas for 5€/each.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XnI8TIQt_k
http://m.bareille.free.fr/vu-in13/vumeter_in13.htm

The only problem is... they are too large and don't fit into the 4032 meterbridge. Would be cool, eh?

Ok, another Idea is to show the meters from the daw. Its possible to send data out of the daw... thats what I heard. (I think someone at the ucapps forum did it like that) But its not high resolution but it shows the digital level.

Another idea... is to use the wormhole plugin. That sends the meterlevels over ethernet to another computer if you like. So one old mac with some grafic cards could be used as a metering-computer.  ;D 
This should work: http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/spectre/ Looks beatiful and you can make your own "meterbridge". So it would maybe possibe to put some old and small TFTs infront of the meterbrdige.......

Or the "harrison way". I think they used this: http://www.ardour.org/
But I only found this for metering: http://plugin.org.uk/meterbridge/ I don't have any clue about linux (hey I know shutdown -h now) but not more.  I have to ask a friend who helps companies to get their product running... maybe he can help.

Igors Plasmameter could work, too. At least the plasma bargraph fits into the harrison meterbridge - but the pcb looks to big - but it could work maybe.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/diy33609/P1010037.jpg

Frank.

by the way... it seems that someone installed my automation who is located just 10 minutes from here... he did this when he worked for a company - i think he is still working there. He might be the right person for questions about the optifile automation.

 

[SSLtech]

Frank, tried to send a PM, but your box was full.

I've been trying to get together with Martin to work up at Bruce's place, but sadly my schedule has simply been too busy lately.  Martin and I are both strong proponents of the 4032; Martin is in the enviable position of being able to spend more time at Bruce's place than I can, though.

Looks like you have the Jensen transformer version, that would be revision A or B.

Is yours fully-loaded or do you still have empty slots?

And yes, I remember Harald Faltermeier (spelling?) in the 1980's. -Euro-Disco at it's finest!

There were some mods to the meterbridge which the POLAR studio consoles had, as well as a mod to make the monitor send pot a post-fade aux send which fed the  routing matrix, to use as more post-fade FX sends! In fact the house tech at POLAR was none other than Leif Mases (Maselec) and so they did indeed come in for some significant investigation!

The channel numbers would originally have been engraved and filled on the mute switches. The place where the stickers were placed (and where you've put the engraved labels) was for the 'scribble-strip'. -If you can get some replacement switch caps and engrave THEM, you'd be back in business with a more authentic version, and be able to use the original scribble-strip location.

You okay for documentation? -I don't have very much at home.

Keith

 

[nrgrecording]

Hi Keith!

Thankfully my 4032 is fully loaded. Even though a spare channel would be cool for testing purposes. But I don't think that I'll ever need all 40 channels.. so iam fine i think.
Maybe I make a kind of channelstrip... iam sure there are people out there with harrison channels but withotu a frame... so they could easily put the transformer, ICs and pots to a new pcb.
Did this with a soundcraft 2400 channel, too. With the soundcraft channelstrip... i can compare the 2400 with the harrison - if the soundraft sounds better I did something wrong with buying the harrison.  ;D

Monitor as aux sends sounds nice. I think the problem is to have only a few pre aux. But I think I can use 8 channels as a subgroup (1=Drumsub,2=Bass, 3=Guitar,4=Vocals,5= Keys,6=metronome...) for a headphone mix? (I just built something like that with our band-practice room... made out of 5 old w(m)ackie microsieres 1202)) Its a kind of poorman Mytek Private-Q Headphone system. (but with inserts, reverb...)

Interesting story that Leif did the service at Polar. I think I would be happy if I can fix the A-series bugs to the  C-series bugs.  The documentation came with the console! But it seems to be "mixed" between the revisions or the prototype... there are some differences compared to the console... but iam happy to have the docs... and they're really good! Thanks for the info on the engraved buttons.

I just built a small psu (+15,-15,+18,-18,-24). 'cause I was jelous because of Martins original harrisn test-rig. 

Do you have any suggestions about how to clean the edge connectors in the desk? DeOxit maybe?

Frank.

 

[gar381]

Hi Frank

Nice desk!!  You will have lots of fun with this restoration.
I bet you will not want to go back to your 2400 once its done.
Love the moving pictures !

As for cleaning your edge connectors.  Brian Roth turned me
on to product that I use on my Angela called:

"QD Contact Cleaner" made by CRC

I can buy it in the states at Home Depot and Lowes.
Hope you can get it in Germany.  Works very well,
is Cheap and won't eat plastic edge connectors for lunch ;D

In my Angela I pulled a bunch of channels out of the center
an made a U shaped Drop in desk out of oak for my monitor and key board.
This Idea works great for me and and still leaves enough channels.

Please leave us with lots of pictures as your restoration progresses !!
Best of luck with this project Frank.

GARY

 

[porkyc]

As I recall, if the mic pre is a plug-on it's a C. If the monitor module is one, as opposed to a control room and a studio it's a C
The B consoles had quad chips but used the double monitor of the A series, the C had the dual monitor module. The C also had rounded silk screening on the black top plate, but that is no arbiter, since nearly all of the consoles had their metalwork replaced because Harrison did not prime the metal and sprayed directly onto the metal only for it to wear through rather quickly!
Personally, I think they are a better console than the equivalent MCI 500, but the forum.analogconsoles.com has a minimal forum on these or any Harrisons.
They are actually easier to restore and get going than the MCI, because there are less custom parts, and the use of ±18v rails does mean the chip choice is better.
The picture you show is that of the transformerless mic pre.
Have fun
PC

 

[SSLtech]

Here's a pic of the channel number type. -There's also a missing bezel around the switch in the picture which you showed... Not sure if they're ALL like that or not on your console, but I think they look more 'finished' with the Bezels.

The local store may have some of those button caps... I can take a look of you like.

Keith

 

[SSLtech]

Picture of your modules without switch-cap bezels... for reference:

Keith

 

[barclaycon]

I remember the 4032 with a good deal of affection. We had one at Morgan Studios and it really did sound great. Though I have to say, the Allison automation was awful.
I also worked at Marcus Music where they had Harrison desks and Leif Mases did a lot of modifications to them. He replaced the DBX VCA's with a small PCB designed around the Valley Audio module and added extra sends etc.
I was told that Gaucho by Steely Dan was done on this model console as well as most of the classic Michael Jackson stuff.
I tried to get hold of the EQ schematic a while ago - perhaps you might like to scan the circuit for us!
Good luck restoring this beauty.

 

[barclaycon]

Just one thing that came to mind.
In order to improve the headroom the console level on the Harrison was 10dB down which meant that at insert points on the patch the level was quite low.
This meant that things like Kepexes were quite noisy to use with this desk, even Urei's had to have the input level quite high to drive them.
On the plus side, the 3 band EQ was excellent and I agree that overall the sound was better than the MCI 500.
It's true that the paint job on the first batch of consoles was very poor.
Bauch had to replace all of the front panels on the desk at Morgan.
Isopropyl alcohol just rubbed off all of the silk-screening. The previous distributor had argued that we shouldn't have been using isopropyl, but we argued that every studio in London (and probably the world!) used it as standard.

 

[Harpo]

Picture of your modules without switch-cap bezels... for reference:

img http://www.nrgrecording.de/assets/images/Harrison9.jpg /img

Keith

from C&K components http://www.ck-components.com/13355/pushbuttonguide_29may.pdf/
seems to be C&K snap-in front mount actuator No. J80
the snap-in actuator with frame would be No. J81
Maybe frame part.No. 615602263 can be used for pushbutton type J80

 

[nrgrecording]

Thanks keith for the info. I haven't unwrap all channels until now... but I think the bezel is only missing on one channel... and one has a totally different "spare switch".
The good thing is... it seems that they just replaced broken things with what they had around. And the console doesn't look heavily modified. I like that... so not so much lifted pcb traces and such.
And what has been changed is quiet obvious... because that has not been made properly. 

And.. yes the the silkcreen sucks. Its like the drawmer silkscreen. Iam using water only to clean it... all other stuff seems to remove the silk screen. Hmm... my cnc is too small for making long panels... but I know someone who has a very big cnc and he could do 40 panels at once... The panels aren't made of steel and there is no fold back of the metal.. so its quiet easy to do. But iam not thinking about that this time.

I received 15 connectors for 150€ today...

Hole spacing of contacts and drill holes are fine. The old ones are just a bit taller than the new ones from sullins. But there is not too much distance because the old connectors don't "start" at the top of the connector. Hard to explain. I just made 15 special washer and it seems to be fine.

The nice guy who installed the optifle back in 1992 (he spend 2 weeks with that) just emailed me. Fine! He also offers a newer System 4 automation for free!  I don't know who or what the system 4 is.. but we'll see.  ???
At the moment, with the not installed bus-bar at the armrest, its easy to solder some wires to the bus... hmm... iam still thinking about trying to make the flying fader thing... and a 19" mounting next to the 24 input channels... cause iam a home constructor... this will give some space for modifications... (pc keyboard, select, solo, rotary encoder in a subrack, tft for analyzer... whatever) Main thing is that everything can be set to the original condition if I like it.

By the way... what about the overbridge? I'd seen 4bus meters and a Left Right meter on top of some 32 series harrisons. I found the small "meter driver circuit" in the documentation but it doesn't look like this was ever installed on my console.

Frank.

 

[SSLtech]

Yes indeed, the inserts.

There are also TWO insert points per channel; one before and one after the EQ.

Three-band EQ? Are you certain you're not thinking about the 24-series instead of the 32-series?

The 24 series was it's stripped-down brother... It had a 3-band EQ and only one filter (I think it was swept hi-pass)

Oh, and how ABOUT those filters? On the 32-series, they can overlap and ELIMINATE the signal completely!!!

Keith

 

[barclaycon]

Yes Keith, you are right. I am thinking of the 24 series. That was the console that we did a bunch of Cure albums on as well as Gary Moore, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy and many more.
When the studio changed to Power Plant they got later model Harrisons.
I am still lookiing for the circuit of that 3 band EQ.

 

[SSLtech]

Gurvitz!

(there you are... Nightmares for a week!)

;D

Yes, I think that the 24 only had one insert as well, instead of the two on the 32 series.

Good sounding console, similar but with things removed, like one EQ band, one filter instead of two,one insert instead of two, possibly one line input instead of two (the 32 had two line inputs and a mic input) but I'm reaching the end of my memory here.

Now one day at Skycraft about six years ago, I was stopped in the parking lot by a British guy who saw my license plate and decided to ask if I was British also. It turned out that his name was Brian Carling, and that he was in charge of the production line at Harrison in the late 1970s. He remembered the 24 and the 32 series with affection, IIRC.

He's now in broadcast I think, still based in the Orlando area... -Perhaps I'll look him up and invite him round for a cup of tea.

Keef