Replace D&R Triton Summing with Neumann V475

[maurizio127]

Hi everybody,
I'm working on several changes on my D&R Triton console: automation fader, master panel control and now i'd like to replace the summing module with a Neumann V475.

But i've some doubts about how to proceed.

All channel of this mixer produce unbalanced output. Newman V475 has balanced input. how should I proceed?
Can i connect a v475 transformer terminal to ground and use the other as an input (It does not seem a great idea)? or is better to balance the output of all channels?
Or other solution??

Thanks for your help

 

[home_listening]

I bought a few D&R Avalon channels a few years ago and made up a sidecar with them, I was even going to use a Neumann summing amplifier too as I had one in my workshop.

In the end all my research led me to believe it wouldn't like balanced inputs directly and it obviously seems pretty crazy to balance every channel before summing them - so - I decided to use the API ACA summing card from classicAPI.

 

[[silent:arts]]

Where is the problem?
Look at your unbalanced output as +/-, or hot/cold (or a/b in the V475 data sheet)
Your Signal is +, hot, a.
Your modules GND is -, cold, b.

 

[helterbelter]

I have tried the same thing with a DDA console about 11 years ago. That didn't turn out well. But 2 years back I used an SSL summing amp with balanced input, and that did work out fine. But I had to do a few modifications on each channel, things that I didn't think of when i tried the Neumann, and of which I'm fairly certain would also be the solution for fitting the Neumann.

Can't really recall which mods I did, but  can take out a channel and have a look of course. It had to do something with the ground to connect it to the - of the inputs of the summingamp, and , IIRC, I also had to make 2 dedicated daisychained lines for -L and -R.  Another thing to check, is the resistornetwork that's used in the channels for the summing. Which value are the resistors ? Are the channels connected through a ribboncable that's daisychained ?

Can you share a schematic of the D&R channels , and maybe a datasheet of the interconnects ?

Another question, possibly of greater importance : What do you expect the Neumann will sound like ?  I remember when I finished up my Neumann Summingbox, I was initially disappointed. It doesn't sound ballsy/fat/huge/juicy/mojo-ish. But you get one of the most neutral, clean, true sounding with close to zero distortion response summing you've ever heard.

If that's what you're aiming for, go for the Neumann amp, and then you know you don't have to look for a better alternative EVER again.
But, if you actually like another sound like the  API sound, SSL 4k, 5k,  or 9k sound, or whatever,  you'd better look into getting another summing amp first.