Recapping SSL6000 channel strips on a budget- where to start?

[jwhmca]

Hi Guys,

I'm doing an SSL recap in chapters... so I thought it would be best to replace the caps that are always in the audio path 1st.

I'm wondering about the VCA card and the Group card. Are those in the audio line path at all times? from the block diagram they appear to be...

[sintech]

Both cards are in the audio path.. personally do card by card testing as I go, if you buy in bulk, the caps are pennies.

[jwhmca]

Both cards are in the audio path.. personally do card by card testing as I go, if you buy in bulk, the caps are pennies.

The Groupd card is in at all times... like if I pull the card out the channel will not pass audio?

[sintech]

The group card has other stuff.. like the small fader buffer, anything being sent to routing including Floating of channels, will pass through this card.


.... sorry, the Small fader buffer is on the Mic pre card, the Quad fader buffer is on the Group card


...sorry again.. the small fader buffer is actually on the Group card, the small fader Routing and Pan buffering is on the Mic pre card.

[sintech]

So.. yes, if you pull the group card you will loose that channels in the quad bus

[marcmozart]

If you want to save money - order at least 100 caps of each type you need. 200-300 US$ of caps will keep you busy for a while.

If you want to save time, run a 100Hz test tone and a frequency sweep through every channel, testing one at a time. On Mac OS, Fuzz Measure is a cool software that does the basic jobs even in trial mode: http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/FuzzMeasure/

You will quickly know the difference between "good" and "bad" channels and what cards are trouble. Start recapping the cards that show problems.

Clean VCA Faders are also important for the sound.

I am documenting all the work I'm doing on the console in a service journal that looks like this:

Hi Guys,

I'm doing an SSL recap in chapters... so I thought it would be best to replace the caps that are always in the audio path 1st.

I'm wondering about the VCA card and the Group card. Are those in the audio line path at all times? from the block diagram they appear to be...

[xmax]

I have way too many Nichicon 220uf 25v NP. I will sell cheap if you need some. N

[michaeldtech]

If time is cheap then prioritize the signal path and do a circuit section at a time.  Consider how much time it takes to un-screw, pick-up, put-down, unscrew, remove, pickup, pullout, putdown, insert, solder, cut, clean (YES only amateurs do not de-flux), inspect, return, screw,  return, screw, etc. all the modules, cards, tools, components, etc. involved and time actually means something.  Reducing the number of times the soldering/desoldering tools are touched and maximizing the amount of time they are held is HUGE.

If you have to do it around sessions using the whole desk then you have to fix the squeaky wheels first as you can, as described above.  If you can work minus a bucket or a few modules over time then I would say do everything at once as you can afford it, ordering quantities that minimize cost.  Make sure you make covers for the empty slots!  1/4" ply or maybe buy some blanks on ebay.

I like to use 1/4" foam board to map each card and the positions/polarity/values of caps.  Colorcoded highlighters for the different values will make stuffing real easy.  I prefer big so I can look up at the shop wall and stuff away.
Mike

[marcmozart]

Hi Michael,
I take what you mean is doing ALL EQ-Cards in one run, then ALL Input-Cards, etc... ?

Did I understand you right?

If yes, 100% agreed. It's so much faster doing a lot of the same cards in one session.

[michaeldtech]

Economies of scale.  Yes.  If you are a techdog at Desk Doctor you can spend half a week on EQ cards only.
Most projects deal a bucket at a time, so at least you can do 8 cards at once, four times, and bang a 6K bucket. 

It is the same with wiring.  If you have to make 40 mic cables, don't make them one at a time, make them all at a time.  Cut all lengths, strip all ends, splay all shields, etc.  The zen of it takes you away and all the sudden you are on to the next step. 

Until it is DL pinning time!  Gotta come back to earth and orient those DL's before you start stuffing pins.
Mike

[xmax]

The more shit you do at one time the quicker you can do it, If you can shut down for a week get all the parts and do one type of card at a time,
you will get to know that card and it will fly! Then the next type of card. That said spend the $200 and get a hakko 808, if you are recapping a fucking SSL!
You should one. Find a known perfect channel and test all cards one type at a time (a extender card is great) because if you just put everything together
all at once with no test of anything and there is problems you are only going to feel like drinking, drinker or not. only fuck with the electrolytic audio caps on the
mic amp card, eq card, dynamic card, vca card and group output card, please cue in if I forgot something. N

[jimlfixit]

Yeah, doing a batch at a time is far more efficient.

What I generally do is to document one item (PCB mod or wiring) and time it. The first one may take ages but then find a quicker and better way to do the second and time and document that as well.

When you get to the third one, you should be much quicker and would have got most of the preparation sorted (ie bending resistor or cap leads or ideal strip lengths for cables etc). At this point you will then have a better idea of how long the rest of the mods or leads will take.

When I first started, I did a job for Real World (Peter Gabriel's studio). I quoted Mike Large for wiring some effects racks with DL's using 32 pair foil screen Klotz cable in 1987. The first DL took nearly 7 hours and I thought, shxt, I would lose money on this (using Klotz foil screen didn't help though but this type of cable is easy now). I had never wired a DL plug at SSL before believe it or not!

Anyway, after documenting and tweaking it a bit, the time came right down to about 2 hours. With wiring, once you have done a few from scratch then you can prepare the rest in one go using the tools one at a time to do the same job on all the cables. Then move onto to the next task using a different tool or procedure for all the cables. This saves picking up different tools and parts like heatshrink etc for each loom. Also, you can cut, strip and prepare the wires quickly and efficiently knowing that the end product will be just right.

DL's can be a pain in the butt as there are so many circuits in a small space. Perhaps see my post in the wiring menu about wiring DL plugs for some useful tips. I have also prepared some pictures and notes for wiring 25 way D connectors using 8 pair. I will post these soon but please don't put me out of work as a result!

Regards from Jim Lassen (www.profcon.co.uk). Also on FACEBOOK