Neve 8058 restoration

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hotel_earth

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Messages
6
Location
Berlin
Hey all!

Long time lurker etc etc. I've gleaned tons of helpful information from these vaunted archives, and so thought I'd share this project here in hopes that my missteps and tribulations can serve as a warning to future generations...

A longtime friend & mentor was kind enough to sell me his 8058 on terms I could actually afford when he closed up shop here in LA this past year. And so the saga begins!

This console was assembled by the previous owner from a discarded frame and modules purchased ad hoc over the years. Much of the heavy lifting has been done wiring wise already, although there are a few elcos yet to pin up (my favorite.) When it came to me it had a complete compliment of monitor modules and about half of the bus modules; the previous owner is keeping the eight 31102 input modules he had and I will be retrofitting BAE 1084s in their place throughout the console, as well as a couple of heritage 2264s in the center section.

I will be auditioning Marinair transformers and NOS Motorola output transistors vs. stock components in the BAE 1084s but as yet am undecided - I have really, really liked stock BAE units in the past, and with the insane cost of vintage modules and parts - as long as it sounds right, I'm happy. I and my wallet are hoping that the difference will be so slight as to be unnoticeable, or at least a case of 'different but not better' but we shall see ; )

Probably the most significant task ahead of me (beyond a thorough cleaning and recap of every module) is to assemble 28 working bus modules out of the approximately 50 I have managed to source in various states of disrepair and modification... some have Marinair xformers, some Belclere, it's a random jumble of amp cards, many are missing assorted bits and bobs and some of them are just shells with some kind of strange IC solution for the bus amps / routing! The plan is to reconfigure them all stock with Marinair transformers and match as many amp cards as possible, then to acquire matching cards if that really ends up making a noticeable difference.

I don't even want to think about the pot & switch sourcing nightmare these modules may yet bring about... hoping that a thorough cleaning & recap will at least give me an accurate picture of what needs replacing, but that's a ways off yet.

For now here are some photos of the console stripped down after round 1 of cleaning with a waterpik, toothbrush and distilled water (there were about three decades of accumulated grime in there). Front panels are off getting their silk screening redone (and powder coat to match the BAE 1084s - not historically 'accurate' but this is a tool, not a museum piece and it seemed the most seamless way to go.) The light at the end of the tunnel is faint but visible!

Individual module cleaning and recap + fader rehabilitation is next...

Cheers

Theo
 

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Hey all!

Long time lurker etc etc. I've gleaned tons of helpful information from these vaunted archives, and so thought I'd share this project here in hopes that my missteps and tribulations can serve as a warning to future generations...

A longtime friend & mentor was kind enough to sell me his 8058 on terms I could actually afford when he closed up shop here in LA this past year. And so the saga begins!

This console was assembled by the previous owner from a discarded frame and modules purchased ad hoc over the years. Much of the heavy lifting has been done wiring wise already, although there are a few elcos yet to pin up (my favorite.) When it came to me it had a complete compliment of monitor modules and about half of the bus modules; the previous owner is keeping the eight 31102 input modules he had and I will be retrofitting BAE 1084s in their place throughout the console, as well as a couple of heritage 2264s in the center section.

I will be auditioning Marinair transformers and NOS Motorola output transistors vs. stock components in the BAE 1084s but as yet am undecided - I have really, really liked stock BAE units in the past, and with the insane cost of vintage modules and parts - as long as it sounds right, I'm happy. I and my wallet are hoping that the difference will be so slight as to be unnoticeable, or at least a case of 'different but not better' but we shall see ; )

Probably the most significant task ahead of me (beyond a thorough cleaning and recap of every module) is to assemble 28 working bus modules out of the approximately 50 I have managed to source in various states of disrepair and modification... some have Marinair xformers, some Belclere, it's a random jumble of amp cards, many are missing assorted bits and bobs and some of them are just shells with some kind of strange IC solution for the bus amps / routing! The plan is to reconfigure them all stock with Marinair transformers and match as many amp cards as possible, then to acquire matching cards if that really ends up making a noticeable difference.

I don't even want to think about the pot & switch sourcing nightmare these modules may yet bring about... hoping that a thorough cleaning & recap will at least give me an accurate picture of what needs replacing, but that's a ways off yet.

For now here are some photos of the console stripped down after round 1 of cleaning with a waterpik, toothbrush and distilled water (there were about three decades of accumulated grime in there). Front panels are off getting their silk screening redone (and powder coat to match the BAE 1084s - not historically 'accurate' but this is a tool, not a museum piece and it seemed the most seamless way to go.) The light at the end of the tunnel is faint but visible!

Individual module cleaning and recap + fader rehabilitation is next...

Cheers

Theo
I know a guy who just came across a cache of early 80s 3055's but they're not Motorola. He is selling them though.
 
Got the transistors already - those are cheap! But thank you.

Wish the same could be said for Marinair transformers. I have enough for consistency throughout the bus modules, which will make for a good number of unused Belcleres once I switch those out - I guess I'll sell those off to help fund more Marinairs in the 1084s if they end up making an earth-shattering difference. As I said I've been quite pleased with BAE stock but I'm curious to hear what a side by side test will reveal.

Cheers

Theo
 
Hi. In a similar situation but with a 8038.
What marinairs are you after? Im in contact with a guy that will try to match one of my 1166. Hopefully he will get it perfect.
for 10468 OEP has one that sounds very nice.
 
I'm hoping none!

Need to run some tests with mic/line/output switched out and see what there is to be seen... this probably won't happen until the desk has made its way to Berlin where the studio build will take place.

When the subjectivity hits the fan it all ceases to matter. Just did a bunch of tracking on an all belclere 8068 and no one was complaining about the sound. Endless comparison is just an invitation to madness (and time that could be better spent making records!) but at the same time there's certainly a compulsion to get things as right as possible in the lull before the whirlwind.

I learned this lesson the hard way with the last studio I built - those last little details that were still unfinished before the day of the first tracking session (some unfinished paneling on one of the booths, a mic tie that was wired out of phase etc)... once things started rolling 'I'll get to it eventually' became... never!

We'll see how much I still care about this once the console is mostly working and I'm knee deep in framing, wiring etc...
 
Yes, can go down rabbit holes easily... I'm considering similar project. It's daunting.
 
Last edited:
Yes it’s never ending! I was hoping to get into the modules here in LA but the move to Berlin has been very chaotic and it looks like further cleanup / recap / component testing will have to wait until I can get a suitable shop space up and running in Berlin. Boxing up the modules now… the fun never stops!

and yes I think restoring an 80 series will never be a regret even if the input modules arrive piecemeal over the years… hell of a summing mixer / routing matrix in the meantime!
 
Yes it’s never ending! I was hoping to get into the modules here in LA but the move to Berlin has been very chaotic and it looks like further cleanup / recap / component testing will have to wait until I can get a suitable shop space up and running in Berlin. Boxing up the modules now… the fun never stops!

and yes I think restoring an 80 series will never be a regret even if the input modules arrive piecemeal over the years… hell of a summing mixer / routing matrix in the meantime!
As long as you are going to have your console all apart and you will be going through a thorough cleaning of everything, I would strongly suggest that you scroll through this web-page and buy some of their studio cleaning and lubricating products. They have products that will thoroughly clean your edge-connectors and then you can spray the contact with a "gold coating" to not only keep the electrical connectivity very high, but also significantly reduce any further oxidation on the contacts. Check this out:

https://caig.com/our-products/
Then.....should your console restoration project ever require any "NEW/OLD" circuit boards or any replacement sheet-metal parts or anything similar, I can assist you in that endeavor. I have previously "Reverse-Engineered" a bunch of API mixing console circuit boards for a guy down in Florida who had bought a 1974 API mixing console and he wanted "ALL NEW, BUT EXACTLY AS THE OLD" circuit boards for his restoration project. I have also "Reverse-Engineered" the original ALLISON Research "Gain-Brain" comp/limiter from 1969 and created a whole new CAD-generated schematic and PCB layout. I have it sitting right next to me right here right now.

Then, a huge aerospace defense contractor had me "Reverse-Engineer" a PCB that was originally a "manually hand-taped" design back in 1979 and they wanted me to "update" it into a modern CAD-design PCB. I have also "Reverse-Engineered" various rack-mount chassis and other types of sheet-metal work. So, if you need this type of help just let me know
, OK? I know full well how PCBs and sheet-metal can get banged-up, booger-ed and out-of-shape.....but, I can design you "NEW/OLD" stuff, should you ever need any. Just sayin'.....

/
 
Hey midnight arrakis this is amazing, thank you! I haven’t done a full component / PCB census yet but as part of my task is rebuilding 28 working bus modules out of around 50 in various states of ad hoc modification and disrepair, the odds are good. Really appreciate the offer & information and I will certainly be in touch if and when the time comes. Would you mind sending me a PM with your contact info?

I have EML for the switches and pots which I have heard from many knowledgeable folks is the only safe solution over time to clean & lubricate those parts but thank you for the tips re: contacts.

fear is the mind killer
 
I am sorting out a similar pile of modules for a project.
Which Aux and Routing modules do you have?
I have a lot of ex-factory metalwork if you are short of anything.....
 
Hey Blakeyboy!

Your name keeps coming up - nice to make contact : )

Sorry about the slow reply, I'm in the midst of some truly insane immigration tangles as we attempt to sort out a family reunification visa for my wife.

I have to have a look at the modules once they arrive in Berlin, everything is back in storage now (and of course I had to pack things back up long before accomplishing much of anything this time around) but it is a very mixed bag.

The EQ/mic amp bucket for channels 25-28 were either never fitted up or were removed so I am missing ISEP rails and Amphenol connectors for those slots (planning to fit with 28 input channels, though it looks likely that it was only ever loaded with 24).

I'm sure there will be more as the restoration continues - now I'm buried in the madness of finding a space amid a land war on the continent on top of all of the already daunting economic insanity of recent times... never a dull moment! But in the meantime, thanks for the reply. Are you on here often? What's the best way to reach you when the time comes?
 
Having been through this before, besides all the stuff you are already doing the most important thing you can do to make this a reliable, use-able desk is to replace the frame mounted edge connectors for the routing modules (and the connectors on the routing modules) and get rid of the relay cards. Most of that switching does not pertain to modern production techniques, and any switching facilities you want to retain can be replaced with a much better solution.
Probably because it is a single connector, the input module connectors are usually not as big of a problem, and if you are using newer input modules they are probably not beat to death.
The "backwards" connector scheme they employed does not stand the test of time, and the result is signals constantly cutting in & out.
The module connectors are easy to come by, the frame connectors you will have to make (not so bad, basically the same thing as some of the 51X test jig connectors out there) and the job is doable.
If you have an original power supply, use that to keep your house from blowing away in a storm and get something easy to repair (and not likely to need it every 6 months!)
You can find slightly used, big Power One modules cheap these days, and the console power distribution is easy to separate into sections or you can get a big schottky diode bridge and combine as many as you need, use a relay to power them up all at the same time. Just tie each supplies B- to the console main ground (and ONLY connect them at this point!)
 
Hey all!

Long time lurker etc etc. I've gleaned tons of helpful information from these vaunted archives, and so thought I'd share this project here in hopes that my missteps and tribulations can serve as a warning to future generations...

A longtime friend & mentor was kind enough to sell me his 8058 on terms I could actually afford when he closed up shop here in LA this past year. And so the saga begins!

This console was assembled by the previous owner from a discarded frame and modules purchased ad hoc over the years. Much of the heavy lifting has been done wiring wise already, although there are a few elcos yet to pin up (my favorite.) When it came to me it had a complete compliment of monitor modules and about half of the bus modules; the previous owner is keeping the eight 31102 input modules he had and I will be retrofitting BAE 1084s in their place throughout the console, as well as a couple of heritage 2264s in the center section.

I will be auditioning Marinair transformers and NOS Motorola output transistors vs. stock components in the BAE 1084s but as yet am undecided - I have really, really liked stock BAE units in the past, and with the insane cost of vintage modules and parts - as long as it sounds right, I'm happy. I and my wallet are hoping that the difference will be so slight as to be unnoticeable, or at least a case of 'different but not better' but we shall see ; )

Probably the most significant task ahead of me (beyond a thorough cleaning and recap of every module) is to assemble 28 working bus modules out of the approximately 50 I have managed to source in various states of disrepair and modification... some have Marinair xformers, some Belclere, it's a random jumble of amp cards, many are missing assorted bits and bobs and some of them are just shells with some kind of strange IC solution for the bus amps / routing! The plan is to reconfigure them all stock with Marinair transformers and match as many amp cards as possible, then to acquire matching cards if that really ends up making a noticeable difference.

I don't even want to think about the pot & switch sourcing nightmare these modules may yet bring about... hoping that a thorough cleaning & recap will at least give me an accurate picture of what needs replacing, but that's a ways off yet.

For now here are some photos of the console stripped down after round 1 of cleaning with a waterpik, toothbrush and distilled water (there were about three decades of accumulated grime in there). Front panels are off getting their silk screening redone (and powder coat to match the BAE 1084s - not historically 'accurate' but this is a tool, not a museum piece and it seemed the most seamless way to go.) The light at the end of the tunnel is faint but visible!

Individual module cleaning and recap + fader rehabilitation is next...

Cheers

Theo
I wanted to reach out and let you know that I can assist you with spare Isostat switches for your audio equipment. I specialize in providing high-quality switches, including popular models like the Isostat switches.

Whether you need replacements for worn-out switches, upgrades for improved performance, or spare switches for future maintenance, I have a range of options available. These switches are designed to meet the specifications and compatibility requirements of various audio gear, including Neve consoles.
 

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