Soundtracs JADE (pt 4) - OH NOO, are ALL BAD???
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Time to play some sound and check what needs to be replaced!
We knew that some of the potentiometers needs to be changed - but we had no idea that SO MANY were in such bad condition.
Just changing gain pots and pan pots will be a huge projects since this is an inline console which means that each channel has two gains and two pans. A total of 128 pots - and that is only gain and pan...
This is the forth video from our serie about setting up and fixing a 30 year old SoundTracs JADE 32 analog mixing console.
Welcome to the studio console family! Be prepared for routine maintenance but in my opinion it is well worth the price of admission!
Thanks - it feels so great to be back behind an analog console where i once started, after all these years working digital.❤
Nice desk! Back in the 90s I worked for the South African agents for Soundtracs, and I worked on a lot of them, most the MX and FX series. As @FLIGHTCASEMUSIC says, Deoxit is the best solution, expensive but very good. As far as I recall, the channel strip pots are sealed, but I used to drill a 1mm hole in the casing and spray into the body which solved all but the very worst issues. If you do this, drill into the corner of the pot, away from the carbon track, and drill only until you have just pierced the casing. So drill slowly and STOP as soon as you get through the casing. You'll have to take the PCB off the front panel to do this. Its a big job fixing a console like this, but very satisfying as well.
Some of the level imbalances might be ribbon connector related, so for example with chans 1 & 2, swap their positions on the ribbon cable (plug chan strip 1 into chan strip 2 position, and 2 into 1s position). If the level difference follows the channel, then the issue is on the channel strip. If the level difference stays as it currently is, then the issue is not on the channel strips but on the ribbon cabling system. Spray some Deoxit into the ribbon connector and plug it in and out a couple of times (almost like massaging the pot) to remove anything that might disturb the electrical connection.
If I may make another suggestion, concerning re-capping the electrolytic capacitors in the channels, re-cap one channel and then compare the other channels to the re-capped channel. Listen for weak bass and slightly fuzzy audio in the un-capped channels. Electrolytic caps typically last for 10-20 years so yours are past their usage date, but depending on how hard the console was used, they might still be OK. Ears are the best judge.
Wow, what an amazing tips about the pots, that could really be worth trying before switching all of them. I am so grateful to get in touch with experienced Jade people like you that have so valuable information about the console, and solutions to make it great again. Thanks for sharing!🙏
@@petercornell2002 Aha, i would never have figured that out about the ribbon connectors, and it make sense when you mention it.
There are four ribbon connectors for each channel, i guess i change all of them, like swapping channels or is there only one of them that needs to be changed to test it?
Yeah, it has never been recaped so i guess it could make a big difference in sound. Later on i will recap two channels and compare it to the others and see if it is worth trouble. There seems to be 48 caps on each channel, which makes 1536 caps in total...😳
@@moneeo Without seeing a service manual, I could not tell you offhand, so I guess its all 4.....
Great stuff you guys. Since the desk is an old girl, she's gonna need some TLC for sure. Do a few rounds of sliding, turning and pushing everything on that board, as lack of use is normally what the crackles are coming from. Kontakt cleaner then deoxit as said above will aid in the cleaning process. Touch everything as much as you can and use them first before renewing any pots or switches, cause remember these are old boards and re-soldering new parts will be a challenge to the old traces on the PCB's, maybe use that as a last resort or if the component is truly kapot. I never calibrated my inputs to the led meter as it wold be an ongoing and never ending job for me. Unless it interferes with the sound / use then leave as is. The 2 batteries are a must, please renew them as soon as. Its not much work and you dont need to remove all IO modules to get to them. The console needs to be used as much as possible and it will more than likely sort out alot of crackles for you. Thank you very much for these fantastic videos. You 2 rock!!!!!!! Good luck
Thanks a lot!🙏
You are right, we need to get it up and running asap so that it gets warm and get the moving parts (pots & faders) moving.
Yepp, i bought two new batteries and will install them next.👍
@@moneeo Your very welcome my friend. Recapping is not something ( in my humble opinion) will not do much for your sound quality unless most of the caps are bad and contrary to common belief that doesn't happen alot at all, if anything I would look at replacement opamps to bring the sound up to date but only if it really needs it. Recapping will not change the sound much at all but will be preventative maintenance. Remember this, if it ain't broken, then don't fix it. Good luck. The old copper tracks on the pcb will be a bit frail, the less soldering, the better
@@Joey-rp5vg Trying new op-amps sounds like an interesting project.
I also read about someone adding input transformers which sounds like an interesting project for the future.
Excellent desk. I have a CP6800, servicing it currently. Great sounding mixers. Great video.
Thanks!👍
Great to service these old beauties, what is it that need to be done to your CP6800?
Worked on a CP6800 a long time ago. Decent console, i think. First time i used console automation
@@fjn667 Console automation was such a revolution back these times!👍
Hello, your videos are superb, well done! I also have a Soundtracs Jade 40 IN with the FX return, it needs maintenance for sure because they are not very young...
One thing that has always helped me is DEOXIT, it's the only valid spay!! and without danger.
There are some for contacts:
DeoxIT D5S-6 and the other for the faders: DeoxIT 182 ml F5S-H6
Before changing the pots try with Deoxit it will definitely help you. You have to remove the slice and spray from the inside.
Good luck ! Charly
Thanks Charly, it's so much fun documenting the process! 🙂
It's like you read my mind, i was just going to ask about the different spray for pots vs connectors. Think i will need both of them 👍
I would second that! I have worked on a few analog consoles with similar issues. This was my process, if you are able to remove the individual channel strips, first use 99% alcohol to clean out any dirt or residue on the boards using q tips. Then I would use Deoxit D5S-6 on all pots, every time you spray one pot, you turn it from left to right many times to make sure the Deoxit spreads in all contact parts. Lastly I would use Deoxit F5S-H6 on all faders to lubricate them but not before cleaning each channel thoroughy with 99% alcohol (it evaporates almost immediately making it safe for electronics). I personally, never had to replace any pots using this method. Deoxit also fixed the input signal level differences that you are currently having. You may still need to do some individual calibrating but I bet you that once you do this to every channel strip, you will notice that your levels are a lot more closer now. Have fun! Let us know if it worked. God bless
@@PaulGoodtimes Thanks for your tips, i think i will rethink my original plan to change the pots and instead try the Deoxit treatment that you and other have suggested. If it works it would save LOTS of time and money.
We are so grateful to get support and tips from more experienced users like you, and we learn tons of new information from the posts on this channel - thanks!🙏❤
I remember doing this with my desk (Allen & Heath Syncon B) many moons ago. I don't think you need to swap out those pots - clean them and use them and they will probably be fine. I doubt there are any trim pots internally (might be wrong) so you will need to do some further testing to work out why you are getting different levels - but it's an old analogue desk - it's not going to be perfect - that's part of the character of it - probably best to build that into your workflow as you get used to working with it. And as others have said, use it, and if it ain't broke (really broken rather than noisy) don't fix it - the PCBs will be fragile, you'll need a steady hand and a precision soldering iron if you're going to swap things out. Good luck and keep the videos coming.
deoxit is on it´s way now - i give it a shot before i try to replace the pots. I found two small screw driver pots pretty close to the gain knobs, it would make sense if they where for calibration, but i am just guessing now. I will film them for an upcoming episode.👍
@ 15:53 ,,,,,, you sat down and said " oh man " oh yeh ....... ive been there !!!!!!! 😊😊😊😊
I believe there will be coming more moments like this further down this process ha ha🤣🤣🤣
I saw on your short video you need tips to remove the circuit board with the battery.
It looks like you may need to remove the knobs on the dynamics board. I would try to prise off the top cap and see how they are fixed. Some have a nut under that cap. Then it looks like the board has a socket it plugs into so will need to be wiggled off that.
Good luck!
I bought a Solitaire to fix (was cheap and had been sitting for a while) unfortunately the batteries in the Solitaire are in a place that causes bad damage when they leak .. and so the circuit boards need extensive repair.
Check if this is the only battery in the desk ... There may be others
Aah, yes ofcourse - it could be caps with the screw on top, i did not evne think about that. I will check it out - thanks for the tip!
Yes, there is one more battery that has been taking care of by now. There will be a longer video about our battery adventures as soon as they are done.
Sounds like a great project with the solitaire, but i guess it's a massive job if the PCB have been damaged by the acid. Hope you manage to get it fixed - it's a beautiful desk!👍
Dont change any pots , until you have proved , it really is the POT , get a SCOPE on it FIRST , it could be something further down ,, , , get some DEOXIT D5 and spray switches , you can do this from the TOP , pull off tge BUTTS with pliers and spray down the NECK of the switch , and pump the switch , especically the LINE SW , the EQ sw and the VCA SWITCH , because the signal passes thru all these switch contacts , if you look at the circuit , even when the switch is OFF the , the signal passes thru the " other side " contacts ,so these have to be clean as well as the ' switched contacts "
Yeah, i have been getting seconds thoughts before i change the pots.
Your right, the switches ARE also making crackles so that could be the first thing to try out easy. Thanks for the Deoxit tips, thats a good start.
I am thinking of trying Deoxit F5 on the pots as a first step. Could that be worth trying?
I never used an osc, but this could be the perfect time to get to learn how to use one. Is there anything special feature i need to look out for when buying my first osc?
Whats the potentiometer brands ? Sfernice p11a? Are they white color? Sometimes just by removing the cap on the bottom spray some deoxit f5 will make them work and if not ultrasonic and relub rhem maybe can make them work
I was happy to see that they are ALPS potentiometers, which is probably the only brand of potentiometers that i have heard before.🙂 That must be a good sign, right?
They have got their fair share of deoxit through the years, and i am thinking that 30 years is probably the life span of a potentiometer. So the idea right now is to replace them with new ones, if i can find that amount, and i f the price is making it worth. Otherwise i think a proper cleaning by removing the cap could be a great option.
@@moneeo new is always better of course ...i think audio maintenance in england can help you with soundtracks parts
Most problems are from the EQ on of switch . Just press it on of and the sound comes back
We hard crackels from it, but had no idea it could be that's causing the cracles that seems to come from rotating the gain pots.
also the low cut switch if you do not have sound it need cleaning
@@Frank290578 Aha, thanks we will try that!👍
Never 😅😊🎉
DeOxit is your friend....
Yeah, seems like i have to order some of it, thanks!👍
@@moneeo just so you know there are separate deoxit for faders and separate deoxys for potentiometers
@@everythingcomputer Yeah, i ordered both F5 (fader & pots) and D5 (contacts).
search for the Blue Dog PSU for the desk it runs cooler
That's on our wish list!👍
Don't trust the meters
Ha ha, at least not until they have been properly calibrated. They are all over the place right now 🤣