KVR Audio

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:16 pm

So i run into old mixers now and then for not that much money and i'm thinking i should buy them for the parts alone. Right now i'm eyeing an old 16 ch 8 bus console for not much money. The faders alone should cost about the same to buy new. And i get this big ass metal case to fill with fun stuff. Plus the potentiometers,connectors and whatnots.

Any pitfalls ? Anyone doing this ? Any other thoughts ?

EDIT: Hell it just dawned on me there's probably enough opamps,transistors,capacitors etc. to build a whole poly synth if i'm lucky.
If it isn't SMT. When did that begin ?

trimph1 · Post by **trimph1** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:10 pm

Hi!!

Just a heads up on some of the parts. Some of the sliders may need a good checkover to see if they still are usable as I've run into a fw that actually were really worn to a frazzle

And, of course caps..watch the caps

But, basically, you really should have no issue with using any of the parts of that mixer

The SMT stuff started being developed in the 1960's but really started to take off sometime in the late 1980's so there is a lot of synth stuff that may or may not have that in it.

Lie to see what you came up with...

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:37 pm

I think i'll pass actually. It just dawned on me how much i hate sliders and potentiometers. Rotary encoders is where it's at. Or motorized faders but they're bloody expensive. I've just order a metric shitton of stuff from the far east,we'll see when it arrives. I want to build my own controller.

I'm still a bit tempted by that mixer,it's f**king huge! Weighs 40 kilos with an early mute automation system that interfaces with a Commodore 64! If that chip blows and it will,the mixer is pretty much useless. He wants 750 SKR which is about 100 dollars but i reckon i can get it for 500. Depends if my cousin turns up tomorrow with his car. Don't feel much like taking a 40 kg mixer alone on the tram.

I don't really know,i'm torn.
Good tip about the capacitors BTW,didn't think of that.
EDIT:He says it's working fine,just some crackles and such which isn't bad i guess.It's 28 years old. Maybe a renovation project if nothing else.

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:01 am

The only downside to buying as-is stuff for parts is, it's really addicting. I used to go to a local 'ham-fest' (swap meet for nerds) and would always come home with a trunk full of garbage 'for parts', which I knew would probably never even get disassembled.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:08 am

Bloody hell! Just found a wavesoldering machine for 500 SEK! No way!
That will NOT fit in my apartment,no way. But i was never any good at soldering,maybe a soldering machine is the answer?

trimph1 · Post by **trimph1** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:09 am

justin3am wrote:The only downside to buying as-is stuff for parts is, it's really addicting. I used to go to a local 'ham-fest' (swap meet for nerds) and would always come home with a trunk full of garbage 'for parts', which I knew would probably never even get disassembled.

So you have a used equipment warehouse of your own now?

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:46 pm

Ok ridicolous idea nr 9973 (for today): what about servos you have in radio controlled planes/cars/boats ? Couldn't you make a cheap automatable mixer/controller with them ?
Found some fairly cheap ones that are 1*1*0.5 inches or thereabouts so they're pretty small though i suspect the insides of a mixer isn't very roomy.

trimph1 · Post by **trimph1** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:02 pm

They may just about fit..how many?

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:06 pm

trimph1 wrote:They may just about fit..how many?

http://www.blocket.se/goteborg/Allen_He ... ?ca=15&w=1
This is the mixer i've been eyeing all along so a shitload of them.

50 for 121 dollars.
http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/45 ... alers.html

EDIT:This is possibly the worst idea ever and i feel like doing it just because.
But i'm not gonna.I think.Maybe.

EDIT2: Maybe buy one of them servos for cheap just to try and DIY a cheap motorized fader,now there's an idea. Damn i'm brilliant!

EDIT3: Dammit this is the best idea ever! Not the mixer but automating faders via servos,i'm a f**king genious! I've been wanting a controller with motorized faders since forever and this would be dirt cheap,i'm going to be a legend!
I'm so smart not even i (who is so smart) realize the width of my findings.

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:25 pm

jupiter8 wrote:EDIT2: Maybe buy one of them servos for cheap just to try and DIY a cheap motorized fader,now there's an idea. Damn i'm brilliant!

If you just want to play around with controlling an analog mixer with CV, I'd say go for it. If you want to implement a motorfader for a midi controller... good luck. I helped layout a motorfader PCB recently and designing all the support circuitry that allows for two-way communication (particularly all the touch sensor and logic that tells the motor when to work and when not to work) was a real pain. The concept of a motor fader seems pretty simple, but in practice...

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:33 pm

justin3am wrote:
jupiter8 wrote:EDIT2: Maybe buy one of them servos for cheap just to try and DIY a cheap motorized fader,now there's an idea. Damn i'm brilliant!
If you just want to play around with controlling an analog mixer with CV, I'd say go for it. If you want to implement a motorfader for a midi controller... good luck. I helped layout a motorfader PCB recently and designing all the support circuitry that allows for two-way communication (particularly all the touch sensor and logic that tells the motor when to work and when not to work) was a real pain. The concept of a motor fader seems pretty simple, but in practice...

Well yeah but i'm brilliant,don't forget that.

You do capacitive sensing on the fader cap and release the motor when you touch it and engage it again when you release,what else is there ? And don't be afraid to get technical,remember i'm brilliant.

ZenPunkHippy · Post by **ZenPunkHippy** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:34 pm

OK Mr. Briliiant ... what about noise ... ? Seems like a good idea, but RC cars tend to sound like an angry wasp (at last when running at v. high speeds).

Peace,
Andy.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:40 pm

ZenPunkHippy wrote:OK Mr. Briliiant ... what about noise ... ? Seems like a good idea, but RC cars tend to sound like an angry wasp (at last when running at v. high speeds).

Peace,
Andy.

WHAT?? CAN'T HEAR YOU! LET ME TURN OFF MY MIDI CONTROLLER FIRST.

Ahh that's better. I don't actually know but part of the fun is finding out,no ?

I feel like a million dollars right now,this is the best idea ever,promise.

Are the servos really that noisy ? I actually thought about that,believe it or not.

ZenPunkHippy · Post by **ZenPunkHippy** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:47 pm

Are the servos really that noisy ?

Don't know - it's just one of those things that's very distinctive about RC cars. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Looking forward to seeing what happens with this project ... so I say, GO FOR IT!!

Peace,
Andy.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:52 pm

ZenPunkHippy wrote:

Are the servos really that noisy ?
Don't know - it's just one of those things that's very distinctive about RC cars. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Well that's mainly the motors,not the servos,is it not ?

They have 10 for 33 dollars. That's like a few beers at the pub. About 4 here in Sweden.
http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/45 ... alers.html

If worse comes to worse i can just sell them for pretty much what i gave for them me thinks.

Buying an old shit mixer. Automating it.