Mini SSL 5000 Mixer build thread (Revisited 2015)

[DigitalMetal]

Wow thats very impressive, looks like you have 3 separate sections there including the AUX modules and faders and centre sections !

More or less yes. At the time of the picture I didn't have the aux buscards, and I was busy getting the Instant Reset and routing logic to work. It didn't work out, maybe one of the logiccards had a defect, or something else was wrong, I don't know, but it was too complex for me, so i decided to ditch that part. Hopefully I'm able to add a battery backup to the console, but that's not an issue for  now. Anyway, back to the picture : I didn't have enough routingswitches for the subgroups either, so i used 10k resistors for this purpose instead. Also, last January I sold a few of the channels, and  I have placed 8 stereochannels without line amps or EQ's instead. So, Right now I have 4 monochannels consisting of 501/542/513/507/506, 4 stereochannels consisting of 521/522/523/527/506, 8 stereochannels consisting of just a 527/513 (or523)/506, into 3 subgroups (524/523/522/506) into a 557 mastermodule. Auxes: 6 mono plus 2 stereo, and 2x IMO for monitoring, and 546+555 for communication.

And...... a few special features coming up..... But that's something I won't unveil yet, whahahaaa !  8)

when you feel like detailing it all id love to know how you have it all set up.

That'll take weeks just to tell. It took me a few years to figure things out. (also because it took me a few years to gather all the documents needed, haha)

For me i dont really intend to use mine as a mixer as such i will let Protools handle all the mixing duties along with total recall and my setup will be a glorified summing bus with EQ and inserts i also have some other compressors and EQ's i might patch in via a jackfield, so mine will remain fairly modular to allow patching.

Well, I think this is just how far you should go. If I should start over, I'd do just like you're doing it, and also just as much. 8 stereochannels into 1 stereobus. What more do you need in these days of DAWs ?!?

Wow Paul-that´s great-Hartelijk gefeliciteerd!!!

Udo

Hartelijk dank !  

Cool, thanks for the insight

using 1 IMO for monitoring and 1 for summing is a cool idea, i might do that but most likley feed it back into ProTools and monitor through that.

 

[DigitalMetal]

552's have arrived  ;D

Im suprised to see only 10db of gain available, but i guess there is a fair ammount of gain built in between the input bus and output?

The +10dB of gain is not the summingstage, it's the outputfader.

Ah yeah, silly me !  :

 

[DigitalMetal]

Ok so ive ordered this transformer to run one of the JLM powerstation kits

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?sku=9530487

I will let you know when it arrives and ive powered it up with some modules inside the chassis, now ive got to get busy wiring up some DIN41612 connectors

 

[DigitalMetal]

Transformer has arrived i havnt had time to hook it up yet but hope to in the next couple of weeks,

 

[DigitalMetal]

Hey Guys,
I hope you are doing well, maybe one of you can help me with this one,

I have been looking at some of my SL502 Mono 4 Band Eq's this evening and noticed some 10K trimmer pots on the board,
One labelled "LMFQ" and One "HMFQ"
Is it a pretty safe assumption to make that these are the Q factor pots for the High and Low mid bands of the EQ that are featured as proper Mid band Q pots on the SSL 4000 and 6000 EQ's that were missing from the 5000 series?

Take a look at the picture Ive drawn a red square around the LMF Q :

What are you thoughts on me being able to wire these up to normal external 10K pots instead of the trimmers and get fully feature mid Q EQ's like the 4K/6K desks have?

if i were to do this what would the hi Q buttons do in the front panel or should or remove them ?

I was thinking if this works i could make some new front panels adding the extra pots (and removing the high Q buttons if necessary) and get some more versatile EQ's out of it.

Any thoughts?

 

[DigitalMetal]

OK no help with the Q pot question, fair enough il re investigate that one another time,

Ive managed to get some EQ Bus card backplanes so this will make hooking up the EQ's a much faster task and make removal for repair/inspection easier,

Ive also got enough proper module guide rails to do the job, so mounting the modules in the chassis will be easier too.

ive built a power supply with a JLM Powerstation in a temporary casing to use to test as i build ,
This saves me having to hook up the bench power supplies every time

Heres a pic of 3 modules powered up through a Bus back plance card

 

[kante1603]

OK no help with the Q pot question, fair enough il re investigate that one another time,

Ive managed to get some EQ Bus card backplanes so this will make hooking up the EQ's a much faster task and make removal for repair/inspection easier,

Ive also got enough proper module guide rails to do the job, so mounting the modules in the chassis will be easier too.

ive built a power supply with a JLM Powerstation in a temporary casing to use to test as i build ,
This saves me having to hook up the bench power supplies every time

Hello,

nice to see that you´re working on it!
Sorry,but I can´t help you with the q-pot as I don´t know these modules,maybe helterbelter can chime in again?
Where did you find backplanes and guiderails-if I may ask....
Looks nice and I´m glad to hear the jlm psu does the job.
I´m really looking forward to see your little console up and running.
Do you have a solution to keep the last status of the switches when powered off (battery backup)?

Best regards and good luck (I don´t have the time doing my 5k-stuff-too much work in real life ),

Udo.

 

[DigitalMetal]

Thanks Udo !
No problem on the Q pot its not super important just an idea really,
I got my backplanes and guide rails form Raindirk Audio here in the UK but he doesnt have any left now i took everything he had  ;D which is just enough for my stuff im afraid, there was one guy on here who was going to be breaking a desk down for parts his username is magnet,
maybe message him and see if he has some left?
I dont have a backup battery solution worked out i may make one in the end but its not super important for me right now.
its a real shame you dont have time to do yours !

 

[kante1603]

Thank you for the hint!
Will check it out a bit later and maybe will even visit helterbelter in the netherlands in august or so.
And about te shame:I don´t feel ashamed because my modules don´t run away and I have mixed on these consoles for a lot of years-so I definetely know how they sound and that it´s worth it!
As said-we had the very first console(s) here in germany;I was the first here using them live and-ooooops-I own all the modules of one-that´s more than a hundret (including master section,oscillator,all the logic stuff,faders,auxes etc......aaaaaahhhhh ;D

Cheers,have a good time,

Udo.

 

[DigitalMetal]

ok so maybe one day you will get it all up and running,
i hope you get time before you are too old to enjoy it  ;D

 

[helterbelter]

Hi guys,

I'll look into the Q-question this weekend. I don't expect this will do what you're hoping for, but maybe with a bit of modding it can be done. I won't mod mine though, the switch is adequate enough IMHO.

Udo, Tod (magnet) contacted me a week ago and said he'll be parting out the frame this week. I can forward his emailaddress to you in case you want to buy busscards and guiderails.

 

[DigitalMetal]

Thanks helterbelter, the Q thing is not big deal for me like you said the Q button good and i also have some SSL 4000 EQ cards that im racking up that have variable Q on the 2 mid bands so i can use those EQ's if i want to get surgical on something.

I messaged Magnet asking for a list of what he has available and what prices he had on them but he never replied to me, i would certainly be interested in a couple of dynamics modules if he had any if you wouldnt mind finding out for me at the same time Udo ?

 

[helterbelter]

He has got 16 x 510 modules, of which 2 are MINE ! (grin).

He also has got 1x 520 IIRC.

 

[DigitalMetal]

Thanks i PM'd Him

 

[kante1603]

I messaged Magnet asking for a list of what he has available and what prices he had on them but he never replied to me, i would certainly be interested in a couple of dynamics modules if he had any if you wouldnt mind finding out for me at the same time Udo ?

Hi,

have sent Tod a mail asking for backplanes and guiderails.

Cheers,

Udo.

 

[DigitalMetal]

Anyone got any SL524 subgroup module schematics/pinouts i have got some and considering making some sup groups on my mixer depending on how easy it will be, i have some IMO Modules too one of which will be my master mixbuss but i can used some as my subgroup mixbusses too.

Thanks

Neil

 

[helterbelter]

Hi guys,

I have taken a look at the Q-thingy. It won't behave like you want. You could modify the circuit and add a dual pot for the Q, but it's not worth all the work and money. By the way, the Q-set trimpot is also fitted in the 82E02 eq, the brown knob EQ.

524.... yes, I have it in paperform, but do you really want to add this to your 8 channel mixer ?

 

[DigitalMetal]

Thanks,
Yes i noticed the same trim pots on my E2E02 EQ card actually, but thanks for your efforts!
My Mixer is going to be 16 channel but poentially expandable with more inout modules as and when i get hold of them,
Right now i have 8x stereo input modules and and EQ for each one plus some spare EQ's and some mono EQ's
I would quite like a few mono channels as and when i can get hold of more input modules.
So adding the sub groups would be a quite nice addition as i can group drums and guitars etc etc, im only thinking of 3 sub groups,
Why would it not be a good idea?
Its it a lot of hard work to hook them up ?
Thanks!

 

[helterbelter]

Oh boy......... I'm having a flashback right now...... I started the same way, and got totally lost in the 5K vertigo....

Here's my advice :
DON'T ! Finish the 8 stereo channel into a stereo sum. This is all you need when you're doing DAW based recording/mixing. Adding subgroups sounds like "wouldn't it be fun to....", but you could also see the 8 stereo channels as analog subgroups from your daw. When this is ready, then you're able to use it. Doesn't that sound juicy !?!?! So you're able to do some music !

In case you want to add more , you'll keep adding more and more. Adding mono channels sound nice, but what about panning ?
And then : You mention 3 subgroups. This means 4x 4p2t switches per channel (and 16 0.1% resistors). You already have 8, so, that's 32x 4p2T switches, and 140 0.1% resistors (128+12). You'd have to solder all that stuff. This ain't fun. I've been there/done that/ won't do it again- Ever !

This doesn't mean that, in case you will proceed building this, that I won't help, but as I said earlier: If I'd start all over, I'd stick with just the 8x521-8x522-1x 552 format, plus a 520 buscompressor of course.

 

[DigitalMetal]

ha ha  ;D

Ok i see your point, what would the 524 modules be worth to anyone i were to sell them or shall i scrap them for parts (pots and knobs),
They are literally brand new never used,
I have 4 IMO modules so i guess i couls make 3 spare Summing modules and sell them off.
I would certainly still be interested to take a look at the 524 documentation if you dont mind sharing?
Thanks for you words of advice and experience i really appreciate it!