pimp my small DDA console - a noob's project

[helterbelter]

Hi to you all,

Here?s the thread about my DDA mixer hotrodding project. The goal is to make a analogue mixer with VCA automation and a DAW interface. Of course the layout of the mixer should be as simple and logical as possible, so that everything is easy accessible, and within reach. Also, I?m on a very tight budget, so it has to be done without big expenses !

I must also note that I?m an electronics noob. I know how to solder, can solve simple defects on audioequipment, can understand simple schematics, but I certainly don?t know much about electronics !!!

For this project I bought a 16 channel 4 buss DDA M series console (in quite horrible cosmetic condition), 2 Behringer BCF controllers, and a Behringer Cybermix Midi/VCA automation box.
Got a few Neumann meters as well, and a smptedisplay, and some german B1 modules. An old pc keyboard, an old AEG videoeditorcontroller (1 euro @ebay, just bought it for the switches), and a Logitech trackball mouse.

I don?t know if the cybermix would be a detoriation to the sound, but at least it?s something start the project with, and it?s cheap too !

In a Nutshell : what I did already :

First thing I?ve done after buying the mixer, was making the powersupply external. I?ve added an additional 18 volts PS to it, as well as 24 volts for the B1 modules. Made a cable for it, and used Siemens connectors for the connections.

As second, I have resized the frame of the mixer, and sawn the channel and buss modules in two. I replaced the original faders with faderpots, which I took from a couple of soundcraft B800 modules I bought at ebay too.

I used the sawn off parts of the channelmodules as modules for the motorised faders of the BCF controller.

Made a frame for the motorised faders, pckeyboard and mouse, including a new armrest. mounted it with an angle to the original DDA frame.
I used switches from Neumann switchboxes for channelselect etc. instead of the usual behringer switches. There will be added more switches to it for the ?write? function, so I have to resolder a large part of the controller section.

Also built a meterbridge for it, with B1 format modules in it, the DDa VU meters, a SMPTE display, and some other features. It's not finished yet, but you can see a preview of it in this picture.

this one is taken a week earlier.

unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the DDA before I started this project. It was a square, large "brick alike" mixer, without stand.
The meters wre built in the bussmodules.

What still has to be done (at least !), is to :
-add switches for the VCA circuit, and insert on/off, for each channel and buss.
-to buy a stereo plasmameter (like RTW or NTP) for the meterbridge.
-add a USB connector in the meterbridge (for memorysticks or such media),

And lots and lots and lots more !!!


Well, I?m already busy with this project for 4 months, so this first post could be very long. I?ll post some other features I?ve built in time. (like my custom built PC keyboard)
I?ll stop for now, with a (first) couple of questions :

-I want to upgrade my master/summingbuss. What would be better : A Lawo 975 summing amp or a Neumann 475/2b ?

-Would it be very recommendable to fit these in the subgroups as well, considering the tight budget ? Or is this something worth to do in the future?.

Thanks so far for reading this,

Paul / helterbelter

 

[Jonkan]

sorry, cant answer any questions.

But, very cool project!!

/J

 

[Steffen]

yeah, nice project!

for the summing amps, I think Kubi is the man to talk to

steff

 

[helterbelter]

Yeah, I already thought he would be the one for this question. As a matter of fact, in the "consolenstein" topic he mentioned the v475, 675, 975, and 1175 summingamps as his favourites....

I sent him a mail with the link to this thread. Now we'll wait. In case someone has any ideas or tips, I'll appreciate it !

 

[helterbelter]

Thanks for sharing these testresults !

[quote author="kubi"] Remember the thread at the lab about somebody selling V672 input iron at eBay?
[/quote]

These ? http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7407856424 Funny, I recently bought an amp from this guy. http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7400861620&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1 It had a defect which was supereasy to fix. don't know what kind of amp it is. I guess it's a summing amp. Anyhow, Koeniev is a very trustworthy ebayer. maybe these trannies would be interesting to use as a line input stage ? or could I just put these in front of the current summingbuss ? (edit : hmmm, I've read the thread....)

about the 975 : a bit harsh in the highs you say. I use a Siemens W295 eq as mastering eq (inserted in the mainbuss), because of the bright, shiny, "exciting" highs. Would the V975 undo these nice highs a bit ? Would it still be better to spend the 30 euro's extra on another summing amp like the Neumann, which is currently easy to get on ebay ? ... "smooth and detailed" sounds as music in my ears ! If it's not worth the extra euro's, I'll go for the Lawo ones !

Oh, the other question : would it be wise to put these summingamps in front of the subgroups as well ? Even though I'll route these to the mainbuss ?

 

[helterbelter]

Okay, thanks for your reply, I'll go for the Lawo ones for the subgroups and the masterbuss, unless you've already placed bids on those (as I noticed on Ebay)...

[quote author="kubi"]

Exciting? You mean distorted.
Ok, I'm a bit gained, I don't like the V2xx stuff at all, but that's another story.
[/quote]

Hahaha, an Aphex exciter is a distortion too, right ? I like the sound of the siemens eq, though. In my opinion it's better than any exciter I've heard so far (Aphex, Bellari, whatever). And I only use the highshelf of it. Still, I'm very curious about the W 491 eq of Neumann as a master Eq. There's room in the meterbridge for a couple of these, but it'll take a time before I can buy a pair.

 

[helterbelter]

Okay, here I am again.....

After my previous post I searched for Lawo summingamps, but suddenly the price went higher than Neumann summingamps for some reason ! So, I wanted to buy a Neumann after all. By mistake I bought a different model than the 475..... a PSV/d. I guess this is an older model.

Nevertheless, I put this one in the mixer, But for some reason this thing generates a lot of noise.... Tomorrow I'll try it again with another powersupply, maybe that'll fix the problem. I certainly hope so.

I haven't updated this thread for a long time. Since my previous post I have finished the meterbridge. This one includes 6 Modutec VU's, 3 neumann U5072 meters, 1 Neumann phasemeter, a SMPTE reader, the displays of the behringer controllers, the powerswitch and powerled of the computer, along with some other ANT and Neumann B1 modules which actually only function as blinds. I hope I can buy 3 more U5072 modules one of these days.

I'll make a few pictures of the completed meterbridge...I guess tomorrow.

I've also made some preparations to get the second controller ready to be fitted, but I haven't finished it yet. Next week it'll be finished, I hope... hahaha...

I also have soldered a new patchbay, so that's also a reason why I haven't got much further with this console.