Soundcraft 600 series...multiple issues need some guidance please

[Kilohertz]

Hi guys,

I just picked up a nice condition Series 600 Soundcraft 16 channel console. I have been going thru it trying to remember how to operate these things( been 30 years since my studio days) and have found a couple of issues which I don't think are operator related, I believe there are some internal problems. I'm also and electronics tech and have been studying the schematics for the past few hours, and am now swamped.

Summary of the issues.

1. Channel 1 no signal indicated from the slate OSC. all other 7 channels show nice even LED VU level.
1.1 I can plug in a mic to any other channel 2-8 and push PFL on that channel, and channel 1 and 9 LED VUs light up, not the channel who's PFL is pressed.
2. Channel 1 input module causes solo light to come on and remain on, no matter the solo switch position. I changed input module with channel 2 and the problem followed the board so I have at least narrowed that one down, but it's not the switch, tested and works fine, so it's somewhere else on the board.
3. When I PFL on the mix boards (red sliders) no matter what channel I push PFL on, channel 1 LEDs light up as well as channel 9.  ie Slate OSC is on, channel 2 thru 8 light up, then I push PFL on any of the mix modules and #9 LED lights up as well as #1, none of the channel 10-16 LEDs come on at all, no matter what.
4. Left main VU meter not reading, no signal drive to the meter screw terminals, haven't pursued it beyond that.

I am just going to go thru all the insert jacks and clean them and all the other connectors on the rear panel.

Something is definitely wrong inside, I am just not familiar enough with the design to figure it out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am building a studio for my 15 year old son to start producing music in.

Cheers 

 

[Kilohertz]

;D
Well that was easy...I removed the top panel to start cleaning the connections and jacks on the back and was just glancing around the bottom of the unit, looking at all the wires and ribbons and such, and noticed that the 2 wire (black and white) wires going to each of the red slider mix modules were numbered, 1 - 8. I noticed that #1 was going to the master module, and there was an unlabeled pair going to #1. I pulled both the master module and #1 module and confirmed that indeed these were probably in the wrong location. I swapped the one labeled #1 to the channel 1 module and the unlabeled one to the master module, fired it up and all but one issue is resolved, all meters and VU meters working again, all channels show correct level with slate OSC on, then I removed the problem input module that causes the solo light to go on, poked around the switch PCB pins and measured 22K between two pins that should be open, reflowed all 6 pins on the switch and and that fixed that!!

Now just going to go thru and clean all the switches in the console, some are a little scratchy. I have my precious can of unobtanium Cramolin Red from the 80's and will sparingly apply it. Anybody else have any good recommendations for a similar contact cleaner, safe for plastics and as good as Cramolin Red?

Cheers

 

[Monte McGuire]

DeOxit is the modern Cramolin red. As far as I can tell, it behaves similarly.

One advancement is that we now have ProGold. The difference is that it's not essential to remove it, to prevent it from eating away the copper over the years like Cramolin red will. It's not quite as aggressive, but it still works pretty well. Useful to have, along with DeOxit for the tough jobs.

 

[Kilohertz]

Thank Monte, I'll see if I can find it in Canada.

Cheers