Mana Modular Mixers- DIY???

[mickeytrees]

Okay so I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been frequenting (and pestering people sry folks) these boards with questions about the possibility of DIYing a 500 series mixer. Lo and behold, more than a few of us have stumbled upon the video for the Mana Modular 510 mixer, promising to be a more affordable solution for those in the studio and at home.  (If not here's the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdTuiorYilw ) Has direct outs (good for tape junkies) and is linkable with others to make a conjoined "mastering level" mixer with up to 32 or so inputs. Cool right?

Well I contacted them to ask for a price point recently, and Mana is looking to charge about $5000 + (they're still deciding) for the 510 mixer. I think  its an excellent product and all, but for those of us with budgets not in that range the price seems a little steep for what is essentially a small line mixer wherein I have to provide my own preamps/eq/comps/etc.). I was just curious as to whether anyone thought this would be a feasible thing to emulate in a DIY version? I just thought it would be neat to build something like that in a compact and cleaner sounding package instead of just running 500 series preamps through a A&H WZ3 out to tape, and was curious if anyone had any ideas as to whether this is a road worth travelling down. Can't afford a Neve line sum at this point, and I always am a fan of faders, so its a fantasy I guess but thoughts or similar designs would be appreciated.

Thanks fam

 

[ruffrecords]

I guess it depends on how much of the functionality you want to include. It has P&G faders,  M/S, talkback, programmable controls, carnhill voltage summing or conventional VE mixing, VU meter per channel and so on plus a 500 lunchbox and power supply.. It is a lot more than just a small line mixer.

Cheers

ian

 

[abbey road d enfer]

thoughts or similar designs would be appreciated.

Building a DIY analog mixer is certainly doable, but there are a number of caveats:
First, the 500 format is too costly, because the limited number of pins on teh connectors and the small size of the front panel result in a multiplicity of modules and interconnects.
A 6U Eurocard system or a proprietary design are more cost-effective.
Then, a serious knowledge of electronics is necessary, particularly of noise build-up, power distribution and grounding. A mixer is not just a collection of modules with wires between them.
An almost unavoidable prerequisite is reading Steve Dove's articles that were published in Studio Sound in the 80's, and are still valid today.
http://www.vintagewindings.com/gen%20pop/8299543VW8335/ProAudio1/Steve%20Dove%20Console%20Design.pdf
Now, if you think your custom desk will cost you less than what these people ask, you may be mistaken: there are two major  expenses that amateurs forget: prototypes and errors. A channel PCB prototype is likely to cost about $120. Since I've never seen anyone making it right first-time, you're gonna throw at least $120 in the bin, just for the channel, and same for the other modules.
There are regularly similat threads, from members who want to create their own mixer; I don't think anyone of these projects has been completed yet.

 

[dirtyhanfri]

I absolutely agree with abbey road d enfer. I even been there myself, thinking I could build a 500 capable small mixer for just a few bucks.

The idea is cool, fits nowadays requirements about space and usability, but as always, devil is in the details. Each engineer I talk about this idea would need a totally different mixer, some couldn't live without M/S, while others won't burn money in a function they rarely use. The same with talkback, different summing systems, you name it.

So my conclusion here is, for personal use, it's great, I could do a small and affordable mixer (could be as simple as some 500 module spaces, faders, passive summing and make up gain for the master with only the needed add ons)

But, It's really worth the time and money put on this? Does the mixer impact my workflow enough to put around 1000h and 2000$?

BTW, this Mana Mixer looks really nice