Every time I move my pm2k I like to check the +/-24V rails reach all the way to track 1 before I plug any channels in. Have had a couple bad connections on the backplane. I think it was on GS that somebody said to simply replace the "resistor leg" connections or "staples" as it were, with flexible little wires. I will never do this because it would obviously be a legendary PITA. When you have your console where it's going to be for good, just re verify that the backplane is good and forget about it. It's strange you had to dig down into the pcb trace to get a good connection though. Usually just reflowing does the trick.
As for the JLM eq mod, I once did 24 channels of it. I sold that console, somehow wound up with a second, and decided not to do that mod on any of my current channels. The eq is pretty aggressive sounding, and the JLM mod doesn't really change that. It does widen the mid bands, but I've moved onto digital eq's and my 4 80b rack eqs.
Just FYI, but all incidents where I have had insane white noise and pops on channels have turned out to be opamps, the DOA's or the Hitachi IC's. It's usually easy to find by running program material through the channel, attach a crappy speaker with a capacitor inbetween, to the output of one opamp, then another until you find where it changes dramatically, comparing to a known working channel. You can narrow it down first with the input switch. The mic pre DOA clicks in around noon on the switch. You can hear if it's bad at the point. Similarly, if it's in the eq, you can usually get it to pop and fizz by arming the eq and adjusting the bands until you find the right IC.
Anyway, for anyone reading this in the future, they have been a problem for me, but aren't hard to find other than the fact that pops/noises are often intermittent.
For DOA replacement, I like the Hairball 990's and Pierre's APP992.
After working on this console off and on for almost 20 years, I have a bunch of opinions. But I think the best bang for the buck if someone were to do nothing else, is to pick a pair of program channels, upgrade both the IC opamp (pita) and the program DOA (to 990) and pick a pair of clean high headroom output transformers (originals are still pretty good though) This will take a bit of the blanket off.
Anybody with one of these consoles notice the very mild roll off? Starts around 1K and is down about -2dB at 18K.
