Shaker Desk - A/B Path Vinyl Mastering Console

[scott2000]

Ah...Nice idea... Makes sense......  Guess I should've done some more reading instead of staring at pictures....lol

Super impressive building... wow... As if the electronics side isn't challenging enough... love it..

 

[Whoops]

Very impressive build, congratulations Paul.

I'm in year 12 of this build. Shaker Desk is an A/B Path console for mastering directly from open reel tape to lacquer master.

Just curious about something, how many works a year do you receive to do a lacquer master from open reel tape?

 

[Gold]

Just curious about something, how many works a year do you receive to do a lacquer master from open reel tape?

At least a couple per month. I recently finished  three record set of jazz recorded live in LA in the late 1970’s. I also did a separate record of another artist of the same genre and time period directly from tape.

I hit a few snags but I’m back on track with a 4 channel Barry Porter EQ. When that’s done I’ll have the full 4 channel processing path. I’ve been really digging the IJR Sontec. I’ve practically stoped using my Maselec. I can’t wait to put the BPEQ in.

 

[labak]

Jaw Dropping project...

All the details and the tools, templates you have made to build this, are crazy.

Congrats.

 

[Whoops]

At least a couple per month. I recently finished  three record set of jazz recorded live in LA in the late 1970’s. I also did a separate record of another artist of the same genre and time period directly from tape.

I hit a few snags but I’m back on track with a 4 channel Barry Porter EQ. When that’s done I’ll have the full 4 channel processing path. I’ve been really digging the IJR Sontec. I’ve practically stoped using my Maselec. I can’t wait to put the BPEQ in.

Very nice,
congrats again and have loads of fun with it

 

[Gold]

Here is one of two Barry Porter EQ's. Like everything else it's a four channel unit. I decided to make this EQ M/S only using Wayne Kirkwood's first generation M/S boards. I built a two channel prototype before I built this one. I wasn't completely happy with the switch wiring on the first one so I left that one and plan on circling around and finishing that one now.

In the pictures above you can see discoloration on the PCB's. I had a mishap with some aluminum cleaner and polisher. I had just started using Alumi-Brite. It came in a thin plastic jug. The jug got punctured so I poured the chemical above the puncture into a metal container I had that previously had acetone in it. I left for the weekend and when I came in on Monday the Alumi-Brite had eaten through the metal can and leached onto the workbench which had the Barry Porter PCB's on it. Four out the eight PCB's had chemical damage marks.

I use two of the undamaged ones to make the two channel prototype. For this unit I used the four damaged boards. I wanted to see if they were a loss or could be salvaged. I thought the chemical had eaten through all the solder pads but when I polished them with a 1200 grit brush they brightened up. It took a bunch of flux and solder but eventually I got solder to stick. There were problems with some of the boards but I was able to figure them out. One of the four has an internal short in one of the SVF sections so that's a loss. Luckily I know someone who has a pair of boards that aren't going to use. I will shuffle the PCB's around for final construction so the two damaged but working boards are moved to a preview position.

All the boards are mounted on PVC bar stock. I had to mill out holes to be able to get a screwdriver to to terminal blocks mounted on the underside of the board. Each board can slide forward and back to expose the terminal blocks.

More guts shots. I'm happy with the mechanical construction. I was able to get to and work on every board without destroying anything.

Face plate.

 

[Gold]

With the BPEQ finished I now have the full compliment of processing that was in the original design brief. Two EQ's and two compressors. The BPEQ, TFEQ, Pico Compressor and DAOC. I have an unfinished aluminum faceplate for the Maselec MDS2 so it matches.

 

[boji]

Nice! Hope you make a session video someday. Sure I'm not the only one that'd love to hear everything in action.

 

[emrr]

Fantastic

 

[Harpo]

Congrats. Impressive build of audio tools.

 

[Gold]

I mastered my first album with the new rig today. Various artists covering Sharon Van Etten. Everything went well. I wasn't distracted by the gear. I was able to just use it. The only thing that need tweaking is the threshold of the DAOC. I need to raise it probably 3dB. Pretty minor.

I was uneasy all weekend. Waiting twelve years to find out if what I built will suffice is nerve wracking. It's not a total surprise it's okay but quite a relief.

 

[Gold]

New Meter Panel. I used a hole saw to cut out the holes for the VU meters.

I used a stepper bit to remove a bunch of material. Then an angle grinder make rough cuts. Then I used the micro mill to clean up the PPM cut out and get it to the final dimensions.

I'm using these giant Weston VU meters. Weston are my favorite. I like them better than the Sifam's I was using. I thought I would like the Sifam Mechanical PPM's but I didn't. They were replaced with an RTW plasma PPM.

I had meter driver PCB's made. Originally I was going to include a correlation meter but I had trouble with the one I had. I could never get it going properly. There is also a Meter Offset provision. +14dB for the NAB calibration record frequency response test. +20dB because it's the level I like to calibrate the lathe at. -3dB and -6dB for those really loud masters. There are also four stereo buffered outputs. Currently one feeds a headphone amp and another feeds an oscilloscope. Two are for future use.

 

[Gold]

Here is the latest addition. This is Elliptical EQ and HPF/LPF. The elliptical EQ has been installed in the console for about four years now. The Neumann HT75 filters I was using were on their last legs. They use eight section PCB mount rotary switches. They are impossible to replace AFAIK. They are touchy. One section on the B side was non functional in two positions. I only ever used 40Hz and 16K when cutting so that's all I wanted out of this. This is eight channels. Stereo Preview and Modulation for both the A half and the B half.

There are some mistakes on the faceplate but I'm happy with it overall. I did the stripe down the middle on the micro mill.

There was a lot of wiring. I used DIN rail terminal blocks for the power distribution.

Installed in the console.

 

[scott2000]

 

[Gold]

DONE

I finished installing the crossfader today. That completes the design concept I came up with. It only took fourteen years!

 

[Whoops]

Congratulations for your all work and dedication Paul,
I wish you great fun in using it now

It looks great

 

[warpie]

Amazing...

 

[L´Andratté]

Singularly great.

 

[TwentyTrees]

Congratulations, it's great to see all your hard work pay off! I bet it feels pretty damn good to sit in front of that desk.

 

[hitchhiker]

Over the top, Awesome, Congrats!!!