NEVE BA283 boards

[MidnightArrakis]

@Whoops Looks like you are confusing me (@noizetoys) with @MidnightArrakis. I can understand the confusion, we are both devilishly handsome…

@MidnightArrakis wants to reverse engineer, I’ve already got that t-shirt.

When I was about 1/3rd of the age that I am now, I was considered "devilishly handsome" by some girls. But, today??? Not so much!!!

Does the T-shirt come in either an "XL" or "2X" size?

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[MidnightArrakis]

I'm really sorry MidnightArrakis and noizetoys, it was late and I made some confusion.
Sorry mates

MidnightArrakis

Are you sure you want to reverse engineer the pcb? it's because it was already done many times in the past, you can buy exact clones already made, why do to all that work again?

You can buy pcb's for cheap here:

https://analogclassics.com/product/neve-ba283-board-clone/
and here

https://diystudiotoys.com/products/neve-2254-pcb-kit
AVDaudio - AVDaudio :: online store of DIY audio components also sold them not long ago.


All the schematics are readilly available, plus also all component choice and info.
If you need any docs just let me know

Unlike lots of other members of this forum, I am not intricately knowledgeable of everything that is either readily available to purchase or has already been done by someone else. I'm just sitting here in my converted "computer room" collecting dust as I continue to grow older with each and every passing day and I am simply looking for something to do, therefore, my offer to "Reverse-Engineer" the BA-283 PCB.

As I have already noted elsewhere on this forum, I have performed "Reverse-Engineering" projects on PCBs for U.S. fighter jets, API mixing consoles, "covert" military electronics and some others. So, because I am unaware of the existing history of the BA-283 PCB, I was simply offering to help anyone out who may have also wanted to use this circuit board on some project of theirs. That's all.

In somewhat related news.....I have recently read that the latest version of the KiCAD PCB design software has a new plug-in feature that can take a completely routed PCB within it that has straight and 45-degree mitered routes and convert the layout to an "old-school" hand-taped "curved-routing" layout. Should anyone within this thread be reading this and is also interested in this new feature, you can look it up on both the KiCAD website and watch videos of how it is done on YouTube. It's really kind of neat!!!

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[Whoops]

As I have already noted elsewhere on this forum, I have performed "Reverse-Engineering" projects on PCBs for U.S. fighter jets, API mixing consoles, "covert" military electronics and some others. So, because I am unaware of the existing history of the BA-283 PCB, I was simply offering to help anyone out who may have also wanted to use this circuit board on some project of theirs. That's all.

If you want to have lots of fun and do something completely new you could reverse engineer the API 2500 compressor, that was never done before

 

[MidnightArrakis]

If you want to have lots of fun and do something completely new you could reverse engineer the API 2500 compressor, that was never done before

I can do!!! >> BUT!!! << ....I need to actually have one in my hands first in order to extract all of the necessary and required information to do so!!! Got one???

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[noizetoys]

@MidnightArrakis 2XL? They go all the way up to 6 XL! Man needs breathing room!

I mainly did the boards to learn and have copies for my own projects. You’ll find that because the Neve name is so revered that it’s been studied to death. Same for API, Pultec, UREI, Fairchild, Gates, Neumann, Shoeps, Telefunken, AKG, SSL. The list goes on and on.

is reversing audio gear something that you would consider doing for others or something you just do for yourself these days? I have a few items I would love to have schematics for.

Stay handsome!

 

[Whoops]

I can do!!! >> BUT!!! << ....I need to actually have one in my hands first in order to extract all of the necessary and required information to do so!!! Got one???

Sure, I have one.
Where are you located?

 

[nielsk]

I have used many of these boards that Masteringpole has posted for sale here and they work great, much more convenient and less expensive for some builds to not have the edge connector, and to be able to use standard PCB mounting hardware. The circuit is the same.
If you are looking to replace a 283 in a vintage Neve module this is not for you, if you are building something custom they can work out great.
Possibly a slight rewording of the post title would have reduced the controversy?

 

[MidnightArrakis]

@MidnightArrakis 2XL? They go all the way up to 6 XL! Man needs breathing room!

I mainly did the boards to learn and have copies for my own projects. You’ll find that because the Neve name is so revered that it’s been studied to death. Same for API, Pultec, UREI, Fairchild, Gates, Neumann, Shoeps, Telefunken, AKG, SSL. The list goes on and on.

is reversing audio gear something that you would consider doing for others or something you just do for yourself these days? I have a few items I would love to have schematics for.

Stay handsome!

[is reversing audio gear something that you would consider doing for others] -- As I have already mentioned, I have previously "Reverse-Engineered" PCBs for a vintage 1974 API mixing console, a 1969 ALLISON Research "Gain-Brain" comp/limiter and I am currently gathering information together to do a complete "Reverse-Engineer" of the 1972 PHASE LINEAR 400 Power Amplifier!!! This not only will include a complete make-over and re-do of the PCBs to fix all of their inherent original flaws, but also a complete re-design of the clumsy mechanical chassis and power-transformer as well!!! And.....as far as the new and updated PCBs go, I am also thinking of going to either a 4-layer or possibly even a 6-layer PCB to easily handle the high-current load.

I am currently working on redesigning the PHASE LINEAR 400 Power Amplifier heat-sinks right now, as the original heat-sinks were rather flimsy and pretty lame!!! And, while the original PHASE LINEAR 400 chassis was a 4U rack-chassis, I am thinking of trying to shrink that down to either a 2U or 3U rack-mount chassis instead with rather beefy and robust heat-sinks!!! YEAH!!!

Some of these projects were for "others", while some others of these are "my own" project ideas.

[I have a few items I would love to have schematics for] -- And.....as I have also previously mentioned several times already.....I need to physically have an item "right here in my own hands" so I can extract and obtain all of the types of information that I need in order to do a "Reverse-Engineer" of a "PCB-To-Schematic" project. In the cases of the API mixing console PCBs and the U.S. fighter jet PCBs, the guy doing the API mixing console restoration simply shipped me all of his old console PCBs so I could recreate them "As-Is" so he could then have them re-fabricated as exact "New/Old" PCBs. In the case of the U.S. fighter jet PCB, the aerospace company had me do a "Reverse-Engineer" of their last remaining bare-board, but when it came time for me to design a new PCB of the old data, they also wanted me to -- update -- the design and convert - ALL - of the old Thru-Hole components to new Surface-Mount parts. So that particular project was kind of a "2-Level Reverse-Engineer" project!!! But, it paid very well.

WHOOPS - [Where are you located?] -- On the other side of the "pond" from you here in the USA, in the State of Maryland, ZipCode: 21742. You send, I will "Reverse-Engineer" for you!!! It's - THAT - simple!!!

 

[Ataùlfo]

Well, thought I might as will join the pile on...

I've actually gone thru the process of researching, laying out, and manufacturing 283, 284, 181, 182, 194, 205, & 211 boards (for doing 127x, 1066, 1073, 1084, etc.) that match the original dimensions and layouts but with additional pads for radials (in addition to the original axials) and straighter traces (sorry, I don't buy into the whole "but it's part of the sound" thing).

I have original 183, 283, and 284 cards and I don't hear a difference between new and 'vintage' when using in spec components. The old boards hold up to light rework but not nearly as well as a modern PCB with heavier traces.

I've owned vintage and new Neves with old and new transformers. They all sound good (when maintained) but I can assure you, I'll take 'modern & reliable' over 'vintage & crusty' any day.

It's similar to how I feel about using analog tape for recording: The only people who miss it are the some who never used it.

YMMV.

The opinions expressed do not represent the owners or advertisers of this station and should not be construed as an endorsement.

It’s a minority who says this.
I purchased an AMS-N 1081 & forthwith preferred old Neve’s output even though their gain staging wasn’t always as neat as in the channel amplifier model’s. Huge difference from vintage modules, perhaps due to the way transformers handle the signal.
& changing cap’s in ancient modules when not necessary IS a heresy for those who own vintage.

 

[ruffrecords]

It’s a minority who says this.
I purchased an AMS-N 1081 & forthwith preferred old Neve’s output even though their gain staging wasn’t always as neat as in the channel amplifier model’s. Huge difference from vintage modules, perhaps due to the way transformers handle the signal.
& changing cap’s in ancient modules when not necessary IS a heresy for those who own vintage.

It does not matter if it is a minority or a majority. In both cases they are simply opinions and and I am sure you know, opinions are like areseholes; everyone has one.

Cheers

Ian

 

[scott2000]

I have performed "Reverse-Engineering"

Any non-destructive ways to do this with potted modules?

 

[mjrippe]

It does not matter if it is a minority or a majority. In both cases they are simply opinions and and I am sure you know, opinions are like areseholes; everyone has one.

Cheers

Ian

I like to add "and they all stink except mine!"

 

[MidnightArrakis]

Any non-destructive ways to do this with potted modules?

I once got to look at the insides of a sealed radar-detector unit (I think it was a "Valentine" unit back in 1980) by using an X-Ray machine!!! I was working at a medical electronics firm at the time that designed, developed and built these huge "Cancer-Diagnostic & Therapy Systems". Of course, a part of cancer-therapy treatment is to shoot the cancer cells with radiation. All of the engineers were highly-interested with knowing what was inside my "Valentine" radar detector because it was so much more sophisticated than the more popular and well-known "Escort" radar-detectors of the time. So, one afternoon after one of the cancer-treatment machines was completed being built and was undergoing testing in a large "Faraday-Shielded" room, I placed my "Valentine" radar detector onto the "Radiation-Detector" unit that included some X-Ray film, and we "nuked" it!!!

A "potted-module" would probably yield more and better image results than a metal-enclosed sealed container, but we could make-out some of the parts and internal wiring of the radar-detector. I don't remember if the PCB routing was visible or not.

With all of this said.....I would recommend that you make an appointment at your nearest large medical center for your "potted-module" and have at least four different X-Ray images taken of it (i.e. Top, Bottom and 2 side-views). I also do not know if such a type of medical treatment for a "potted-module" is covered by insurance or not, although it - may - qualify under the current "Obama-Care" plan. At the least, take a boat from Florida across the Gulf of Mexico to Mexico and enter into the U.S. as an illegal alien. As an "illegal alien" in the U.S., you will automatically qualify for -- FREE -- medical care, or send your "potted-module" to someone in Mexico and have them leave the module on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande river. Then, your "potted-module" could be claimed as an "unaccompanied minor" and as such it would also then qualify for -- FREE -- medical care!!! Request that X-Rays be taken as soon as possible and have the films be sent to you or your primary-care provider. Let me know how things turn-out, OK???

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[scott2000]

X-Rays be taken as soon as possible

Thanks. Yes I've heard about using x-rays just wasn't sure who would do that. Maybe I could go to the airport one day and place it on the belt a few times and ask for the images...lol..
I will probably end up trying to trace the circuit in the future and see if filling in the blanks with the module will make sense. It's supposedly a simple circuit in it...photocell and some other things...