SSL 6K replacement IC's

[Bhang]

I'm still having trouble with my SSL and I can't afford the insane $$ to bring in a tech or to ship out 24 channel strips. I think some of the op-amps are bad ( many channels cut out and increasing gain causes them to pop back on / Also some nasty distortion and crackling coming from both pre-amp and line inputs) and there doesn't seem to be an easy way to fully test these IC's. I am going to replace them all in a couple of channels and see if I can get 2 of them to work properly. I can then use the working cards in these 2 channels to troubleshoot the rest. My question is whether I should replace these op-amps with the same ones or opt for something newer and/or better ( if it exists). I found some TI 5534 IC's for pretty cheap ( which is the main bulk of IC's needed (38 per channel yikes!)) and I think the LM324N will work in place of the CA324E. Then there's the LF347N, which I can also get cheap. Are there better options than these or would you recommend going with what is already in there.

Thanks for all of your help over the past months. I really want to get this thing working, but it is an incredibly complex piece of gear and I am going it alone and therefore incredibly slooow.   

[StarF666]

You should check if the op-amps are really the problem. Every time I suspected a faulty op-amp it was something else, at least when it came down to the 5534s. I changed exactly one on our 48 channels that really went bad. Every other problem, it was something else. But it's a very good idea to get one channel working and then test the modules from other channels one by one.

Good luck...
Martin

[radardoug]

Its very unlikely to be the opamps. Its very likely to be the switches. When the fault happens, exercise all the switches until you find the very crackly one. Thats the one causing the problem. Use tone as a signal source.
Methinks if you cant afford to service your SSL, maybe you would be better off with a cheaper newer mixer?

[Bhang]

Well ... That does seem to be the consensus everywhere I ask. I guess I will pull out one of the channels that is working moderately ok and clean the crap out of the switches. I have already cleaned them once, but maybe they are just that gunked up. I cleaned them all except for the matrix switches. These seem to be trickier to clean and I think they are outside of the signal path I am testing (or?).
      Can the switches for the matrix cause problems like this? I get distortion like you get from dirty switches. I will also lose the signal and it only pops back on when I increase the gain or drive the signal before the input. If I let it sit it a short while it will drop out again until a strong enough signal is applied. I use the routing matrix to go to my AD and always thought they lived outside of the signal path I am testing ( through the channel to the Mix Bus). I have all EQ's, Compressors and other routing disabled, however, many of the comps/ EQ's still have scratchy switches even after a good cleaning. These are going to be the 1st ones I re-soak with contact cleaner and give another good work out.
I appreciate all of your advice and help. I just hope this issue isn't more serious than some stubborn dirt or other easily remedied problem.

[Matt Sartori]

Well ... That does seem to be the consensus everywhere I ask. I guess I will pull out one of the channels that is working moderately ok and clean the crap out of the switches. I have already cleaned them once, but maybe they are just that gunked up. I cleaned them all except for the matrix switches. These seem to be trickier to clean and I think they are outside of the signal path I am testing (or?).
      Can the switches for the matrix cause problems like this? I get distortion like you get from dirty switches. I will also lose the signal and it only pops back on when I increase the gain or drive the signal before the input. If I let it sit it a short while it will drop out again until a strong enough signal is applied. I use the routing matrix to go to my AD and always thought they lived outside of the signal path I am testing ( through the channel to the Mix Bus). I have all EQ's, Compressors and other routing disabled, however, many of the comps/ EQ's still have scratchy switches even after a good cleaning. These are going to be the 1st ones I re-soak with contact cleaner and give another good work out.
I appreciate all of your advice and help. I just hope this issue isn't more serious than some stubborn dirt or other easily remedied problem.

First check the EQ in/ out/ MON and then the Dyn in/ OUT / MOn switch bank.
they are a great source of problems especially if they have dry joints or are extremely dirty.

to clean them take them out of the channel and wash them (yes) in lukewarm water with a bit of fairy liquid.
once they are CLEAN put some contact cleaner lubricant like the fabulous Craig Industries D5 (G5 or whatever) or the EML
http://uk.farnell.com/electrolube/eml200f/contact-cleaner-200ml-aerosol/dp/279481
this has worked for me pretty much 90% of the times.
if this does not work you need to change the switches.

Having said that you probably need to get a tech in as it sounds like the console needs some attention.

good luck.

[Bhang]

Thanks Matt, I will give it a go and see if it clears anything up.