Is anyone an AMS reverb user?

[Steve Jones]

I have just spent an epic few days getting a very broken AMS rmx-16 reverb working. It was completely scrambled, lots of faults, but it is now running. A couple of the patches/algorithms don't work though, specifically the plate and chorus sets. I have a service manual that I used to repair it, but it only has schematics, so I don't remenber the ins and outs of using the keypad, resets, storing etc.

If anyone has an owners manual can I shoot you a few questions?

 

[Steve Jones]

Thanks Jaakko, it was a big job, those machines are diabolical, and I didn't have extender cards which made it quite challenging. The soldering is poor on the boards, nasty flux, and the clock oscillator had eaten away at the solder on parts of the CPU board. Dry joints, bad IC's, bad headers, antsy tantalums, you name it. Built like a Jaguar, or a Triumph - never use 1 part when you can use 3. Reminds me of working on ADR stuff - difficult to reach everything. Those zany English... I just noticed that the echo preset doesn't work properly either, but the Ambient, reverse, nonlin, hall and room seem OK. I wonder why some algorithms work and others not?

Still, I shouldn't complain, a friend of mine is fixing 4 Publison Infernal Machines at the moment, he has no schematics, and Publison scrubbed the markings off all the chips to protect their circuit ideas. He has them pretty much going though.

Anyone know how the algorithms are stored in the rmx-16? Not exactly DIY, but I know there are some great minds in the Lab... I don't do too much DIY, I spend my days repairing synthesisers but I do have 2 Gyraf SSL boards completed, I am just waiting to get around to putting them in cases. (Many thanks to Swedish Chef and Kev) :guinness:

 

[Kev]

Hi Steve,

sorry about the AMS but great that you have it alive again ...

... three parts when one would do ... :green:

I'm not sure that too many of us have ever been inside an AMS,
at least this will bump it back to the front page for a while.

Hey Keith ... every been inside one of these ??

 

[Steve Jones]

Hey Kev, you will have a good chuckle when you do get inside one. Sounds great though, dense and dark, not really good space simulations, but very pleasing to the ear. You probably know my friend in Melbourne with the Publisons...

As if I haven't had enough reverb punishment for one week, I just got a Sony DRE2000 mainframe style reverb in today, same vintage as the AMS and 224XL units, but it is so superbly built it is military. I often joke that AMS and Lexicon had a competition to see who could do the worst mechanical construction of an expensive piece of outboard gear, and I think Lexicon won, but AMS is up there on the podium spraying Champagne around with them.

For anyone who hasn't had the oportunity to use really old really high end digital reverbs like the DRE 2000 or the rmx-16, when you do get the chance you will see why thay are still worth big money - the current generation machines, even the cheap ones do really good realistic room simulations, but the old machines just rock... they are lush and so familiar sounding to anyone who lived through the Welcome to the Pleasuredome / Slave to the Rhythm / "insert big 80's band here" era when the SSL desk first made it's appearance and every big album was awash with AMS and Infernal Machines, along with Synclaviers, PPG's and Fairlights.

Well that's my history lesson for the day, showing my age, aren't I?

 

[Kev]

[quote author="Steve Jones"]Well that's my history lesson for the day, showing my age, aren't I?[/quote]

:wink:
yep

 

[Guest]

Hmm...I don't really use the keypad that much on the RMX, but the only thing that seems necessary to remember is that the # key is their version of enter, I don't think the A-B-C-D keys were used for anything (unlike the DMX). If you want to store a setup, hit 'Save' so the led flashes and then a location number(1-9) followed by the # key. To recall it is the same process except using the 'Recall' button instead of 'Store'. As far ar resets, the manual doesn't really say anything but it could be the same as the DMX (D key and 0 simultaneously). If you have any specific questions feel free to send 'em, I have the manual right here.

Also, for parts or extenders try Howard Jones at Kaya Music Systems in Burnley ([email protected]). He seems to have picked up where AMS left off.

Good Luck!
Zach