What Ics to use on a Neve V series ?

[Rob Flinn]

Yes. I had forgotten about the DiAn but was aware at the time. Am I correct in thinking it all ran on a single Z80 micro ?.
Where the analogue circuits under the control surface itself or; n a remote mainframe ?
fwiw I think the Euphonix series ran on multiple Z80s.

My experience with a client running a CS3000, was that it ran on a 386. I also had a client who was using a Harrison Series 12, which sounded really good, but a maintenance nightmare now, running on one of those original apple computers that was a square desk top box, using 2 nubus cards & a CRT touch screen. Try gettting hold of spares of any of those things now. In comparison the EUphonix is much more servicable. Ian Brown the U.K euphonix tech told me it was designed by someone who was a service tech at some point, so maybe that's why.
Comparing the Harrison to the Euphonix, the Harrison is pretty clunky with huge racks & loads of ribbon cables. The Euphonix is a much more sleek design. Both are very power hungry, from memory we had to install a 22A feed @230v for the 56ch Euphonix.

 

[Newmarket]

My experience with a client running a CS3000, was that it ran on a 386. I also had a client who was using a Harrison Series 12, which sounded really good, but a maintenance nightmare now, running on one of those original apple computers that was a square desk top box, using 2 nubus cards & a CRT touch screen. Try gettting hold of spares of any of those things now. In comparison the EUphonix is much more servicable. Ian Brown the U.K euphonix tech told me it was designed by someone who was a service tech at some point, so maybe that's why.
Comparing the Harrison to the Euphonix, the Harrison is pretty clunky with huge racks & loads of ribbon cables. The Euphonix is a much more sleek design. Both are very power hungry, from memory we had to install a 22A feed @230v for the 56ch Euphonix.

Sounds about right. Going back to the Novation (as it's what I dealt with) - IIRC it was pretty much full of (current hungry) NE5532/4 opamps. I recall Mr Swettenham opining that he thought the buffering was a bit overdone but that the EQ points were good.

 

[xarolium]

I designed a diagram of the Neve VR channel MIC/line signal path. I surprise how many time the signal comes and goes to the mini fader module and how many switches the signal cross !

 

[Matt Syson]

The signal path of a SSL4000 from mic to summing goes through around 23 switches if I remember correctly. Many of these are rarely used, such as 'EQ to Dynamics sidechain' even if you are not using the Dynamics at all so it all these 6 or 8 pole switches that give the user the possibility of a gandy function, but in reality rarely of ever DO that makes these large desks unreliable simply because the mechanical operation of pushing switches never happens so dirt builds up. Buffering of pots and many places in a signal chain is necessary to get predictable and 'accurate' laws for the controls and avoid level changes when switches are operated which was the hallmark of well designed desks. Just because you can stuff 100 amplifiers into a channel strip does not necessarily mean you SHOULD.

 

[KrIVIUM2323]

I designed a diagram of the Neve VR channel MIC/line signal path. I surprise how many time the signal comes and goes to the mini fader module and how many switches the signal cross !

It's because you can route in almost every possible way in the chanel ( rec, mix and broadcast mode + swap between small and large faders+ chanel op).
The V series use faders with audio running through them, not vca with remote fader controls hence a lot of audio switching needed.
They offered a lot of flexibility regarding routing option but was way more complicated to use than say a 4000.
Ch.Op which source small faders from large one ( giving access to routing matrix) was great. A bit like 'float' on SSL 4000 but with more option.

You must be careful when operating the desk as there is many ways you can introduce feedback without noticing it. It's particularly true with can lines: i remember a session where a drummer got a very high blast in headphones because an assistant switched something on desk ( can't remember what) when engineer was not at desk. The guy had tinitus for some days and assistant was kicked back from control room.

You talked about the issue with switch. Manipulate the solo/mute ones with delicacy, they break like glass ( because of heat) and cost an arm and leg when you can find spares.

I took care of multiple V ( Vr legend and Vx). In the Vx the electrolitycs capacitors were all 105*c rated ( metal cans) which greatly increased longevity and space between reccaping.