SSL 9000J channel strip racking

[victlamchl]

This is a noob question probably. I'm racking a pair of SSL 9k channel strips recently, and I need some help on the PSU. The strip require the following voltages
-25V
+48V
-20V
+20V
+8V
Could anyone suggest a PSU that could power it up? This is my first time racking channel strips. Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Michael Tibes]

I believe you'll need to build your own, this is a very special combination of voltages. Be aware that these channels suck crazy amounts of current.

Michael

 

[dan_vennacava]

Hi , how did you rack these, did you have to cut the pcb? Thanks

 

[kags]

Joe Malone has a few choices for power supply kits that would work for the ssl channel. Check out:
https://www.jlmaudio.com/shop/power...y-kit-v5-easy-mount.html?display_tax_prices=1

 

[dan_vennacava]

Thanks Kags , i appreciate it!

 

[martha lin]

Working with high voltage electronics and altering equipment like channel strips can be dangerous if not done correctly. It's crucial to only trust qualified personnel with relevant experience and knowledge to handle the power supply for your SSL 9k units.

 

[gyraf]

Martha, are you a bot?

/Jakob E.

 

[dan_vennacava]

Kinda sounds like it lol! Anyone who has done has racked em without cutting the pcb?

 

[kags]

Step by step
https://forum.sslmixed.com/index.php?topic=1022.0

 

[dan_vennacava]

Thanks you, i actually printed this thread its gold! In it tho keith doesnt mention anything about cutting, this is why im wondering! In other threads there is talks about cutting the pcb

 

[kags]

I don't think you need to cut the pcbs - they are separate pieces already. You just need to cut down the entire face to fit in a 19" rack. I have a handful of 9000J channel strips that I want to eventually cut down like this, too.

 

[dan_vennacava]

Yea theres 2 pieces the lower and upper pcb! Im pretty sure the gentlemen Keith Andrews wouldve mentioned at the beginning of that thread that we needed to cut the pcb!! Im just trying to double check! Im going to be racking 4 of these suckers

 

[kags]

You're right - there is some cutting involved - below is a picture with the cut lines marked. You could leave the channel intact, but then you would need a large frame to mount the unit in.

The racked images from Proharmonic below, show that the routing cards have been removed and covered with a matching face plate. It looks like part of the routing card section was also cut off, probably to keep the length to fit in the rack.

 

[radardoug]

This has never made sense to me. You can sell the module for good dollars, and then build kits of all the sections that people have designed.
Often they have done all the metalwork too! 500 series etc.

 

[kags]

This has never made sense to me. You can sell the module for good dollars, and then build kits of all the sections that people have designed.
Often they have done all the metalwork too! 500 series etc.

You're right - I also wonder why anybody would really want an SSL mic preamp at all! We have three SSL consoles (96 ch 9000J, 80 ch 9000J and 80 ch 4000G+) at the studio, and in the last five years, I've only seen 1 engineer use the onboard mic preamps. Our outboard preamps are in constant use, but never the onboard pres, except as utility preamps, like for the cues.

We do have several 9000J channel strips that are in various states of repair that I consider racking just to have a couple of "floaters in the studio. Some people need to have the SSL badge around to feel legit.

 

[Whoops]

I guess the value of an SSL console input channel strip will just go down and down,
an alone module is not of much use if it's not racked.
And with time more modules will be available for sale as a lot of those consoles are not used any longer for mixing and it might be easier to decommissioning it by selling it's parts (modules) than to sell the complete console.

I think people rack the modules not because of the Mic preamp, but because of everything that it's on the strip. A nice Dynamics section with compressor and Gate/expander. Also a great parametric EQ and then High and Low Filters. Polarity

I'm also guilty of having racked a channel strip in the past that needed to be cut in order to fit a rack case, in this case it was an Amek Einstein channel strip, not in the same league as the SSL but it had some sentimental value for specific reasons.
Actually the first post ever I made in this forum was about that racking job that was inspired by ProHarmonic SSL racking photos, and this project was the reason to join groupdiy back then:
https://groupdiy.com/threads/racking-amek-einstein-project-completed.27689/

As far as I can see it, there will be so many SSL channel strips modules available in the future that I think it's much better that people rack and use them (even if the PCB needs to be cut), than the modules being sold for scrap or taken into a dumpster.

The number of large format consoles still being used for mixing is getting reduced each day.

By the way Kags, I love the Distorted sound of the 4000G Mic pre,
please try it mate, it's great on Bass, Snares, Room Mics, Kick Drum.
Just send some recorded tracks of those instruments through some channels on the board using the Mic input (Line Level into Mic Preamp), Lower the channel fader a lot and crank the gain, it's an amazing Fuzz/distorted sound, I love it and it' something I miss from that board.

 

[kags]

By the way Kags, I love the Distorted sound of the 4000G Mic pre,
please try it mate, it's great on Bass, Snares, Room Mics, Kick Drum.
Just send some recorded tracks of those instruments through some channels on the board using the Mic input (Line Level into Mic Preamp), Lower the channel fader a lot and crank the gain, it's an amazing Fuzz/distorted sound, I love it and it' something I miss from that board.

Agree about channels having more value in the future than full consoles. I love overriding API channels as you described but I never got into the SSL that way. I’ll have to try it. If I get around to racking up any G+ modules I’ll let you know!

 

[dan_vennacava]

Ill be honest, once i separate the two pcb’s and the upper one doesnt fit in a case im not going to bust my head trying to cut the pcb. Ill just slap it in a nice custom wooden box and call it a day! Im going to be racking 4 of these up, and it goes smooth i would definitely want to do more in the future. I was a bit set on having it fit in a 19” rack but now its pretty obvious it wont without being modified! Maybe down the line if i do more and am confident where the cuts need to be, sure but for now definitely will not be cutting the pcb! Ill post pics and update when i start this project!! Cheers

 

[dan_vennacava]

I guess the value of an SSL console input channel strip will just go down and down,
an alone module is not of much use if it's not racked.
And with time more modules will be available for sale as a lot of those consoles are not used any longer for mixing and it might be easier to decommissioning it by selling it's parts (modules) than to sell the complete console.

I think people rack the modules not because of the Mic preamp, but because of everything that it's on the strip. A nice Dynamics section with compressor and Gate/expander. Also a great parametric EQ and then High and Low Filters. Polarity

I'm also guilty of having racked a channel strip in the past that needed to be cut in order to fit a rack case, in this case it was an Amek Einstein channel strip, not in the same league as the SSL but it had some sentimental value for specific reasons.
Actually the first post ever I made in this forum was about that racking job that was inspired by ProHarmonic SSL racking photos, and this project was the reason to join groupdiy back then:
https://groupdiy.com/threads/racking-amek-einstein-project-completed.27689/

As far as I can see it, there will be so many SSL channel strips modules available in the future that I think it's much better that people rack and use them (even if the PCB needs to be cut), than the modules being sold for scrap or taken into a dumpster.

The number of large format consoles still being used for mixing is getting reduced each day.

By the way Kags, I love the Distorted sound of the 4000G Mic pre,
please try it mate, it's great on Bass, Snares, Room Mics, Kick Drum.
Just send some recorded tracks of those instruments through some channels on the board using the Mic input (Line Level into Mic Preamp), Lower the channel fader a lot and crank the gain, it's an amazing Fuzz/distorted sound, I love it and it' something I miss from that board.

You really believe the price of the modules are going to drop? i definitely hear where you coming from and youre not wrong about the number of large consoles being decomissioned but you dont think theres enough "smaller" studios who would love to pick one these up(at a reasonable price of course)? i know thats definitely a dream for me... But to be very honest going the route im going now with the 4 modules i told myself if it goes smooth ill get 4 more down the line and eventually another 8 to make a total of 16 channels and id have something pretty legit for much less than what it would actually cost for a full size console. im definitely hyped about "racking/boxing" these ! so yea if the price of modules are going to drop ill pick up a bunch LOL

 

[kags]

Just speaking about SSLs, there are hundreds of studios with E, G, and J consoles that are in rapid freefall. An 80-input SSL J can be bought for under $50K, which is about 5% of its original price, and much less than $1k per channel strip. Parts are hard to come by, especially switches and specialty pots, so repairs are becoming difficult, especially for the J series. The G parts are easier to source, at least for now. The new SSL products, like the Big Six and 500 series modules are excellent-sounding products, although different/limited features as compared to full console channel strips.

There is definitely something cohesive about tracking an entire song's worth of instruments and vocals through the same console, but today most records aren't made like that. I think we will go back to the age of "recording consoles" with great pres and EQs and most mixes will take place in the box. There will always be purists (luddites?) who prefer a specific workflow, but for commercial music production, times have moved on...

Just today - Reverb has a listing for 24 channels from a 9000J for under 700 bucks each. A year ago these were over $1k...