SSL 9K & 4K (E Series) 500 / 51X NEW BOARDS Mic Pre Thread 2011

[Whoops]

Just an FYI. CAPI is now stocking AS194s. He just got them in. They'll be on his site soon.

AS194's (as I understand it) are equivalents for LM194s, which are mil-spec versions of the LM394s.

Didn't know about those transistors, AS194 or LM194, it's nice to know there's alternatives but I still have a good stock of MAT02 and LM394, and I it's still possible to source MAT02 easilly

 

[Ricardus]

Didn't know about those transistors, AS194 or LM194, it's nice to know there's alternatives but I still have a good stock of MAT02 and LM394, and I it's still possible to source MAT02 easilly

Yeah, Once I decided I loved these preamps and wanted to build a bunch,  I started buying up these transistors. I bought 5 LM394s from a reputable supplier on eBay. I bought 10 more from someone on here. I bought 10 MAT02s from another person up here, THEN I learned about the AS394s being made in Russia or Latvia, and saw they were stocked at Small Bear Electronics, and grabbed 10 or 12 from them. THEN I learned about the Mil-Spec 194 versions, THEN Jeff from Capi announced he made a big buy of the AS194s.

So now everyone knows what I know.    And my OCDs are telling me to grab some of those 194s and makes some with those, too!

 

[Whoops]

Yeah, Once I decided I loved these preamps and wanted to build a bunch,  I started buying up these transistors. I bought 5 LM394s from a reputable supplier on eBay. I bought 10 more from someone on here. I bought 10 MAT02s from another person up here, THEN I learned about the AS394s being made in Russia or Latvia, and saw they were stocked at Small Bear Electronics, and grabbed 10 or 12 from them. THEN I learned about the Mil-Spec 194 versions, THEN Jeff from Capi announced he made a big buy of the AS194s.

So now everyone knows what I know.    And my OCDs are telling me to grab some of those 194s and makes some with those, too!

It's great to have that many options, in 2010 when I made my 9K preamps, both the LM394 and the MAT02 were already discontinued and there was no alternatives. I was able to buy a few MAT02 from a fellow forum member.

It seems some people don't like the sound of the LM394 that much, MAT02 seems to be more favored in terms of sound.
any opinions on that?

 

[gnarmageddon]

I built a pair of the 9k5's a few years ago and started with the LM394. I didn't think they sounded horrible, but I kept my eyes open for NOS MAT02's.

Let's just say yes, there is a difference.

 

[Ricardus]

I built a pair of the 9k5's a few years ago and started with the LM394. I didn't think they sounded horrible, but I kept my eyes open for NOS MAT02's.

Let's just say yes, there is a difference.

I was told SSL used the 394's in the actual console. So no idea what to make of that.

 

[gnarmageddon]

I was told SSL used the 394's in the actual console. So no idea what to make of that.

Don't know what to say other than it was based on preference and not how true it felt to sitting at a 9k desk. Potato, potato I suppose?

 

[mr_dot]

EDIT:

moved to the proper thread.
sorry for the inconvenience

 

[Whoops]

hi, I'm having an issue with an ssl 9k preamp clone and I'm hoping you could help me. (it's not a 500 but I'm desperate)

So post your questions in the proper thread,
this thread is for the 500 series project, the older non 500 series project is here:

https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=11320.680

https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=33100.0

 

[JAY X]

Hi!

¿Is it possible to add a DI input for an instrument?

Jay x

 

[Whoops]

It's not my build I just found it in the forum

SSL 9K5 with Bo's DI:

 

[JAY X]

Hi!

Thanks Whoops!

Another question is if the switches can be metallic or must be plastic isolated. I suspect they are isolated in plastic  because the gnd plane in the bottom layer is all for audio gnd return current and there is no  specific area of separated gnd pour dedicated for chassis connection. ¿Right? .

Jay x

 

[kml23956]

Does anyone have the 4k 500 series doc? I can't seem to find it.

 

[Whoops]

Hi!

Thanks Whoops!

Another question is if the switches can be metallic or must be plastic isolated. I suspect they are isolated in plastic  because the gnd plane in the bottom layer is all for audio gnd return current and there is no  specific area of separated gnd pour dedicated for chassis connection. ¿Right? .

Jay x

What Switches?

 

[JAY X]

Hi whoops!,
I refer to the pcb toggle switches (phantom/phase/pad,)
All picture builds i have seen, show those plastic isolated switches.

Should the switches be isolated in order to avoid make contact with the front panel?

Jay x

 

[Whoops]

Oh I see.

I really don't know if people used plastic ones because that was what the BOM advised and people followed that, or because they have really be isolated

 

[Ricardus]

I'm sorta curious to build some of the 4000 preamps now that I've built a bunch of the 9000s.

 

[TillM]

Maybe this will not happen.
Cause there no chance to get the SSL4K PCBs again.

 

[Whoops]

Maybe this will not happen.
Cause there no chance to get the SSL4K PCBs again.

Just use the Black Market,
there's a lot of those PCBs in fellow members drawers.
From all the PCBs sold around these forum probably around 70/80% never get build into projects

There's still Green Pre PCB's being sold in the Black Market and that was one of the first mic pre projects in this forum, 10 years before your register date and 12 years before Ricardus

 

[Ricardus]

Maybe this will not happen.
Cause there no chance to get the SSL4K PCBs again.

Were the Gerbers lost?

 

[TillM]

Joe sadly died two years ago.
Maybe Gustav has the Gerbers, but I think, he will not make them public.
As Whoops said, ask on the black marked.