Soundtracs Technical Help

Cables and Installation

We have been doing studio installs' for nearly twenty years and its about the only thing in pro audio that hasn't changed in the last twenty years - you still need a soldering iron, a pile of cable and tons of various connectors... And once its all hooked up that's when the fun starts : chasing earth hums, gremlins and strange alien events!

We at Studio Systems have been there, seen it all and got the T shirt.

We can price up a job and offer various price breaks and options. All our large consoles with integral patch bays are usually hooked up using 56-way EDAC connectors / multicore and balanced line connections. This configuration usually works out at roughly £6/line on a 4m run or £8 /line terminating on XLRs:

So a 16 way EDAC > 3m > 16 x balanced gold jacks will set you back around £100. (Studio Spares price is about £120 and VDC £140 inc VAT)

We can make up any configuration you require - please email for a quote.

Day-to-day maintenance

For switch cleaner use CAIG DE OXIT at £15 per 200ml is the best spray for switches and especially those annoying INSERT /send and return jack sockets. (Remember the Studiospares BURNISHER tool is king for this job too).

We are still searching for a new POT cleaner as you cant get SWISH anymore (EEC ruling). OMEG recommend using IPA spray.

Tech. stuff

THE BIG question I keep getting asked is about UPGRADING the ICs in these older consoles. Steve from VTI who does the USA tech support has to have the last word on this :

The IC looks as if the specs are like that of the TI/BurrBrown and will definitely cause your console to sound sterile. The LM4562 is a higher slew rate (20V vs 8V) lower distortion and noise floor approx 50% lower than the chipos used.

The problem with all this is that the console voltages are at the maximum rail capacity and therefore they will cause extreme problems as well as with all "New and Improved" IC's, draw lots of current and sound completely sterile.

The console was designed with the IC's that were state of the art at the time and maximized for their use. In all my years of playing with some of the IC's out there I find they change the sound so drastically that the console is no longer what it was designed to sound like nor is it preferable to how it was. Almost none of my clients have ever kept the newer chips.

Their consoles were no longer British sounding with a warmth and musical charachteristic that makes them what they are.
Please feel free to try 1 channel with the newer IC 1st, only in the 5532 spot as the TL072 is a J-FET chip and very warm. If you like it then change the TL072.

Please let us know what you think.

Steven M
305-944-2503
Exclusive National Authorized Soundtracs Analogue Service

Another "chip" enquiry from Alec in London who wanted to enhance his PC Midi console, which he loves. He suggested putting in LM4562

Steves reply:

The LM4562 has a better noise spec and higher slew rate. The 55MHz bandwidth is great but be careful of compensation and stability under unity gain.
Another factor is that the max V is +/-17V and may cause offset if not failure problems as well as limit headroom.

The 5532 is still the baby to stay with and has a bit more crunch in the sound but fuller sound vs bandwidth.

If you would consider trying the OPA2107 for the 5532 only in the Master summing or fader booster I believe you may be more pleased even though I still think you will move back to the 5532.

The LT1359 is a very impressive chip from checking the spec sheet and seems to be unity gain comp'd. The operating voltage may again cause a problem and be extremely careful with overshoot and ringing as it is a very high slew rate amp. Never saw one for audio application with 600V/us and would feel
that would have a very fragile high end and possibly limited low end. Please be careful to not exceed the specified rail voltages.

I am sure that you will find that the TL074's have the warmth and fullness that is more classic to the vintage console sound.

Please let me know how the test goes. I would appreciate it. Talk with you soon.

Alec's reply:

Thanks again Tim - I'm sure that will be fine.

Steve has been very helpful indeed with his advice about the chips and I must say I am close to admitting there will be no benefit. However, if I do try changing the master summing chip I will let you know how it goes. If you like I can send some sound files for you to judges yourself.

I intend to recap the power supply with the best quality components I can get my hands on.

The lead that accompanies it has a Studiosystems sticker on it so it is quite possible you have already done this yourself. However, as I don't know how long ago that might have been it can't hurt to do it again.

The desk does sound very good in my opinion. I have no other desks to directly compare it with but A/B comparisons with in-the-box mixes I have done are so "night and day" it's almost funny.

Thanks again,
Alec

NEW VENTILATED LIDS FOR GRID and SOURCE PSU

Those of you who have a GRID PSU (SOLITAIRE) or SOURCE PSU (Megas and SOLO/LOGIC range) will no doubt have noticed it overheating, (especially the GRID) so we have made some new metal lids. These are be perforated metal and include a 29dB low noise mains fan so you can just plug straight into the mains outlet ,they are be 55GBP plus post , a really good investment if your going to keep your desk for more years to come.

What I do to stop it getting damaged is to put the FAN inside the lid for shipping , its a simple case of self tapping the fan to the top of the lid (holes marked in red ) and then use the other self tappers to hold the lid in place on the base of the case (have you ever tried to drill out a 3mm hole where you want it in perforated metal !!! : nightmare !!

Below is a typical E mail I recieve nearly every day of yet another Source psu that has roasted itself to death :

Hi Tim

Hi Greg

I found your site the other night whilst trying to find some info for a rather unhappy SOURCE power supply unit.

TIM: Oh dear

So i thought i would enquire to the range and price of your service.I have one very unhappy SOURCE unit(still works but humms like a trooper) which i am guessing may need the full works,1 source power supply that at prescent would just need a service

TIM: Does it look roasted inside? (the hummy one) does it hum on BOTH desks you have?

Then we come to the desks first of all is the solo8 32/8/2 with vu metre bridge. (Aren't they LED?)

TIM: Is that the Logic version? with the VCA auto?

It was worked hard before we aquired it and to be fair is still going strong but there are plenty of bits that are not up to par,so i would like to get this serviced as well.

OK

The other desk is a solo 32/4/2 which at present seems fine but it has not had a service in three years so it could also do with the once over later in the year.I am also looking for manuals for the above and a spare source power supply if you can help.Love both these desks as they are solid workers and they sound so rich and full, unlike the alan & heath we added 2 years ago that has all the gadgets but sounds so clinical.

TIM: "Sound so rich and full"! - that’s what I like to hear !!!!!!!!!

... Sorry , I can't do a SOURCE power supply but I have a chap who builds a supply (new) that would do the trick, only trouble is they are at 2009 prices and are a tidy sum at £300, but this is what the Source psu cost 15 years ago at least ! (the Solo 32 used to sell at £7000) - comes with same SOURCE multipin socket

Any way could you let me know when you have gaps in your work load so i can book the first power supply in and then the solo8.And any ball park figures as to what costs are going to be involved say worst case that way i can work my budget around.

TIM: OK: first:we are now based in Cornwall (near Looe) and I tend not to do "“on the road" service work any more, (I burnt myself out on the M25 treadmill a little too much years ago so not keen to travel )

However no problem if you send the PSU down to me and I can give it a damn good thrashing , I charge £75 for a SOURCE service plus parts (usually just bridge rectifiers /regulators / sometimes a new transformer) plus £12 carriage return.

ALSO: I have a reliable UK network of techs I've built up over the years, I could put one of these guys your way to service the desks, where are you based ?

MANUALS :

The Solo USER manuals are £15 each. I actually have a few originals left. The LOGIC side of things manual has to be photocopied (extra £15) but I doubt you need that its pretty simple stuff.

I also do a subscription tech help line via the web site which can be very useful in times of trouble (inclusive full email tech support)

Best Regards

tim

Monitor speaker placement

Lots of people ask me about monitor speaker placement around thier newly aquired desk and I found a very interesting article from Maudio about this.

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