Mini SSL 5000 Mixer build thread (Revisited 2015)

[helterbelter]

The inserts on the 521/501/505 modules are balanced.

 

[atticmike]

The inserts on the 521/501/505 modules are balanced.

thanks bud, most appreciated

Also a question about the stereo module: If I leave the pan in the middle, I get 10 db signal loss. Whereas when I pan it to the side I connected the input to, I'll get the same level fed to the module.

So should I always hard pan to the respective input or is that gonna cause some weird phasing?

Mike

 

[helterbelter]

weird phasing ? No. It's not a pan anyway, it's a control to get the left and right signal equal in dB's.

 

[atticmike]

weird phasing ? No. It's not a pan anyway, it's a control to get the left and right signal equal in dB's.

so it's not gonna hurt if I turn it all the way left because that'll allow me to be at the same level I came in?

 

[helterbelter]

It depends to what music you put into it !

No, you can turn it all the way left.

 

[atticmike]

It depends to what music you put into it !

No, you can turn it all the way left.

well I always put my question's dumb as possible to prevent any unforeseen mistakes. It'd also make sense because if the input is connected to the left input, I ought to crank the left side up.

But I guess it is just the way that those modules had a loss of -10db when fed?

 

[almablue]

I made this diagram a few months ago, I forgot I had it in my photobucket.... :

JUST TO BE CLEAR :
This is only for standalone racking.

There is an error in the schematic of the sl520. The invert input with the output.
The output uses pin 7+ and 7 - and uses the pin 8 + and 8  for the input.
Antonio

 

[DigitalMetal]

Hey guys,
I haven't touched this build for a looong time as I've been too busy but I've seen some SL-506 faders for sale on ebay for a good price, anyone have drawing for these?
I also need to know if these can be wired in line with my input modules or if its a total pain to integrate faders, what effect does having faders put on the output knobs of the input modules?
I never really intended to have faders but these ones are so cheap im thinking it might be worth buying them for future options.
Cheers!

 

[helterbelter]

If you don't have the panner modules, the fadermodules are useless. The fadermodules don't handle audio, they create a CV that controls the VCA's located in the pannermodule.

 

[DigitalMetal]

Ah thanks, so the pan modules are independent from the balance function of the stereo input modules?
Do you have a picture of one?
Im interested to see one now but its not going to be something worth me investing in i think.
And as ever thanks for your help !

 

[helterbelter]

The balance pot located in the 521 is there to get the balance right, it's not a panner.
The 527 is the pannermodule for stereo strips. It contains the fader VCAs, 2 mono auxes, a rotary pot for stereo to monosum to reverse stereo, a pannerpot, and a stereo widener switch.

Picture.... eeehhh.
Here :

 

[DigitalMetal]

Hi Everyone, I'm back !

Well its certainly been a while and apologies for not coming back and updating things but I had a few life changes (nothing bad) that meant the mixer had to go into storage and put on hold.
Well things have changed again for me a little bit and I'm able to pick up where I left off so thought I should continue this thread with the progress.

I hope Paul and Udo are still around ? I'd love to see some pictures of how your setups are now.
Paul sorry I didn't even see you last reply to me so apologies for not getting back to you!

So here's some pictured of the final build stages and how it ended up, it was a MDF cabinet for the Input modules and another for the EQ's that were linked by 25 way Dsub cables (the woodwork was not at all elegant and was simply a way to house the setup until I really decided what i wanted to do.

Rear view before wiring

Rear panel with 25 Way D-Subs and cooling fan mounted , holes for 5 pin power XLR's

Wiring in Progress:

Finished with an IMO module racked up as the summing mixer/master

Its alive !

 

[DigitalMetal]

Paul, If you are still around you image links are dead, I'm presuming you had a reshuffle of you photo hosting, is there anyway you can relink them?
It would be cool to have the thread complete !

Thanks!

Neil

 

[DigitalMetal]

Ive just dug my spares out of storage which ive been buying and packing away this who time the main mixer was in storage and ive amassed quite a collection of extra modules and enough to make this quite a sizeable setup (32 inputs might be the plan).
All of this stuff is additional to the main mixer pictured above.

 

[helterbelter]

Hi Everyone, I'm back !

Well its certainly been a while and apologies for not coming back and updating things but I had a few life changes (nothing bad) that meant the mixer had to go into storage and put on hold.
Well things have changed again for me a little bit and I'm able to pick up where I left off so thought I should continue this thread with the progress.

I hope Paul and Udo are still around ? I'd love to see some pictures of how your setups are now.
Paul sorry I didn't even see you last reply to me so apologies for not getting back to you!

So here's some pictured of the final build stages and how it ended up, it was a MDF cabinet for the Input modules and another for the EQ's that were linked by 25 way Dsub cables (the woodwork was not at all elegant and was simply a way to house the setup until I really decided what i wanted to do.

< bunch of pics>

My gosh....

Impressive.

What an amount of work. I'm soooo glad that I  had  the opportunity to collect the buscards through the years I've been working on mine.

I'm still lurking here every now and then, but I don't post that often anymore.

The past few weeks 've been working again on an SSL 5k minimixer, this time not my own, but I'm helping out a guy in Italy with a small project. I've modified an Amek PSU for his 5k, and made most of the internal wiring.
Simple and elegant :
-4 monochannels with line in (505), eq (for now only 1x 542),  panner (507), fader (506)
-2 stereochannels (521), eq (have to be purchased), Paner (527), fader (506)
-4x stereo line in via 2 595 cassettes and a single fader
-mainbus (557) + fader 506)
SSL LCD meter, and a patchable 510 compressor. 6 free slots to fill with more modules, I think I've located a 550 monitor/speaker switcher/controller for sale in Bulgaria. 2x aux will be added soon.

Anyway, You asked for the diagrams and pictures. From time to time I tidy up my photobucket so that's why the pic of the 527 got lost. Regarding the diagrams, there was one with a mistake so I removed it.
I'm currently rewriting all my manuals for custom racking of 5k parts. Some will be offered for sale on Ebay for just a small fee, but I'll definately share EQ and pre amp stuff in the schematics section of the greatest forum on earth. (yes, groupdiy.com).

If you need some specific info, pm me.



Oh, one thing : Make sure the top and bottom of your MDF enclosures are open. Overheating is one of the main problems of the 5k in normal setup. If you put it in a box like in your pics, you're really asking for problems....

 

[DigitalMetal]

Hey !
Great to hear from you,
Sounds like you are still having fun, i often wonder if i should have got some pan and fader modules for my setup but i doubt thatere much chance of finding enough of them these days.

Thanks for the offer of the diagrams/pictures I'll get in touch if I need something,
With regards to my enclosure yes you are right it does get hot (I know that scenario well from my day Job looking after 9000J's) I've not used it for any length of time to be a problem but I was thinking to make some nice metal rackmount enclosures with ventilation one day when I get to using it properly..

 

[r2d2]

You're missing a bit info on the 521. No audio schematics, and the connector cross reference is incomplete.

I just sent you an email about with the 522 docs.


Thanks so much for the 522 Docs !

Do you have the bits im missing from the 521 by any chance? 

Hi ,
so very crazy cool project !!! 

about the psu it is the JLM psu kit ?

any chance for active links with SSL 5000 series modules tech docs ?

thanks and cheers

 

[DigitalMetal]

Hi ,
so very crazy cool project !!!

about the psu it is the JLM psu kit ?

any chance for active links with SSL 5000 series modules tech docs ?

thanks and cheers

Sorry for my slow reply I don't come here much anymore and I'm just getting round to thinking about selling everything as I've long since closed my studio and no longer using any of it.
If I'm going to be selling it all I'll probably have to supply some documentation too, right now I have no idea where I put it but if I come across it I'll repost it here.