Trident 80B Tuchels to/from a multitrack recorder

[Brian Roth]

First of all, I dunno if this is the correct section here for this question....if not, I ask for the Moderators to move this to the appropriate section!

I am working with a friend/client who recently acquired an 80B desk in great condition, but is located approx. 250 miles away.  I recently visited him as he was beginning to set up his new studio, and I brought back a nicely made set of snake cables which had been properly made for his MCI JH-24, but needed the other ends re-terminated into 30-pin Tuchels for the Trident.

As I "neared the finish line", I began to question the info published in the Trident docs.

Trident used three male and three female Tuchels "on the belly of the beast" for the ins/outs into the multitrack....one gender "per direction".

The docs are ambiguous.  The pages in the manual for each set of Tuchels are for "multitrack inputs" and "multitrack outputs".  Is this From The Desk's Point of View...or from the recorder's point of view?

Some Tuchel wiring pages in the manual are NOT ambiguous.  Examples....mic inputs and control room/studio amp feeds.  In those cases, the descriptions ARE from the "desk's point of view" as opposed to the external equipment.

I thought "well, look at the gender of the Tuchel connectors".  No dice...mic inputs into the desk and monitor outputs from the desk all use a female Tuchel connector on the wiring harness.

Google didn't give much relief, although I found a few hints that the Trident docs were "from the viewpoint of the recorder".  A few other items on my 80B paper copy (and an 80C PDF) also hint in that direction.  Egads....

If I was at my friend's new studio build-out, I'd know the answer in a few minutes!  He's a great guy, but a songwriter and producer...not a tech...so I won't ask him to poke around on the Belly of the Beast with non-existent test gear...LOL!

Thanks for any assistance, amigos.  I don't want to solder the wrong genders onto the snakes!

Bri


PS...I should start a new thread on wire harness documentation/labeling, since I've NOT had these sorts of questions in my own designs for a few decades.....but then again, nowadays folks just start slinging solder with no sort of plan...LOL!

 

[sodderboy]

The block diagram should show the same nomenclature, as should the bay. Neve had similar guzintas-comzouttas language confusion, so you reference the block.
80B, Tuchels, DL's- you are in total Miami Vice 80's territory!
Mike
PS: maybe try am email to Malcolm at toffee signs. Really nice people there!

 

[Brian Roth]

Maybe I'm just stupid, but nothing in the docs convince me that I'm on the correct track...LOL!  I ***THINK***  that I see the correct answer, but...but...but....

Resoldering six Tuchels makes me re check everything.

Bri

 

[pucho812]

as I read this I am currently looking at the 80B manual in hard copy edition.  It says tuchel # 15 is multitrack inputs 1-8 and so on,  This would have me going from that tuchel  into inputs to of the daw or the multitrack of choice.  me thinks.  As per usual male output and female input. I couldn't see trident doing it differently then anyone else.

 

[Brian Roth]

I also have a (mostly complete) 80B hard copy manual, and there is no rhyme or reason for the genders.  2 Track inputs and outputs, amplifier (CR, alternate, foldback, studio) outputs, "delay device" inputs and outputs, and mic inputs all require female receptacles on the cable harness.  The only time male plugs for the harness appear in the docs are for "multitrack outputs" and "external equipment outputs".

I did have an "aha! moment" and recalled a friend who used to work at a studio with an 80B, so I'm following up on that direction.


Bri

 

[pucho812]

I also have a (mostly complete) 80B hard copy manual, and there is no rhyme or reason for the genders.  2 Track inputs and outputs, amplifier (CR, alternate, foldback, studio) outputs, "delay device" inputs and outputs, and mic inputs all require female receptacles on the cable harness.  The only time male plugs for the harness appear in the docs are for "multitrack outputs" and "external equipment outputs".

I did have an "aha! moment" and recalled a friend who used to work at a studio with an 80B, so I'm following up on that direction.


Bri

oh yeah the master section stuff where it gets all wonky. I would have preferred they just have every tuchel be the same gender

 

[mjrippe]

I installed an 80B in Baltimore several years ago.  For about a month I had a solid understanding of all the ins and outs of that board, despite incomplete paperwork and modifications.  Unfortunately once the job was done it all got wiped from my mental hard drive    All those stupid 30 pin tuchels did not make for easy 4/8/16/24 channel connections.  That probably explains why it was a *30* input 80B!!!

 

[pucho812]

well outside of some custom ones. The 80B average model was 32 inputs plus monitor side. My buddy's company has an all input 56 channel version. It has no monitor juke box.  Custom for sure.

 

[Brian Roth]

The "later model" 80B's had 30 input channels since the jukebox was changed to add EQ on each monitor channel, making that section wider.


Bri

 

[Brian Roth]

I finally recalled someone I know who runs a studio with an 80B, and even he couldn't recall "which was which".  But, he poked around with his desk and gave me the answers I needed.  The manual's descriptions for the multitrack ins/outs are "from the viewpoint of the recorder".  IOW,  when the pages state "multitrack inputs", it means "from the desk to the multitrack" and hence female receptacles for the wire harness.  "Multitrack outputs" in the docs are returns from the machine back to the console inputs and require male Tuchel plugs.

This is in spite of many/most of the connector details in the Trident manual being "from the viewpoint of the desk"...ie, mic inputs, amplifier outputs, etc.

Sheesh.


Bri

 

[mjrippe]

Thanks Bri!  If I ever get a call to install an 80B again I'll refer them to you ;-)

 

[sodderboy]

Odd that the console nomenclature is from the multitrack's perspective.
Cue Jan Hammer and solder-on.
Mike
PS: Vice discs 1 and 2 are on youtube.