Where'd ya get that? Good story!
20 minutes from my house if you can believe that...
As is my normal pattern I prioritize low price over functional status...this mixer is missing:
- The power supply
- 4 of the 5 patchbay modules and ALL of the internal harnessing
For #1 I've got my feelers out for a PSU, but not too hopeful of finding one, at least not that I can afford. My alternative if I still haven't found an affordable factory PSU by the time I get the frame re-wired will be to purchase a quartet of Power One modules: a trio of bipolar 24V supplies and a +48V supply. Yep...the audio runs on 24V rails in this thing.
Headroom.
For #2, if I can't find OEM MCI patchbays for this (which are 1U half-width 2 x 24 TT units), then I can find older ADC 96pt TT patchbays (as that's where MCI got them, but they're just half the 96pt) and have my machinist friend make faceplates and transfer the guts...and then there's the harnessing...Oy that's gonna be the "ugly" about this project. All the wiring to and from the 240pt patch field is gone and therefore this thing ain't passing audio until I put those trunks back. It will be $100's in cable. I knew I was signing up for that though...
All of the source and output switching is handled by mechanical relays. The good part of that is that it is a mixer that makes audible clicks...I like that...the bad part is they get dodgey so we'll see how well it is working and then look at options for replacing the old reed relays if needed.
It is an opamp-based mixer but the opamps are MCI home-grown: MCI 2001's.
Think character. I think there is a love it or hate it verdict on the sound of these mixers, but they're bound to have tons of character and color with trannies on the inputs and outputs and with those proprietary opamps.
There is tons of room to work on the cards...holy smokes they're HUGE:
For perspective, those cards are nearly 9" tall! And look at how few components there are on the cards...so much room, so simple.
I'm working on getting my head around the mixer features/topology...what I know is:
- It is an inline console
- It has, like, 16 + 8 groups...groups 1~16 are available to channels 1~16 and groups 9~24 are available to channels 17~24.
- There are 4 auxes, 2 pre and 2 post, and one of the post sends is switcheable pre/post in one of the global mixer modes.
- EQ is 3 band, swept mids but the upper and lower shelving each have two selectable knee points, and the mid band has, ummm...12 selectable frequencies and is either boost or cut (switch selectable)...the boost/cut knobs are detented. So that might seem limited but I actually like it. My understanding is that having detented points mitigates potential for phase distortions and also makes EQ settings easier to duplicate channel-to-channel. I'm stoked. Each band when set to "0" is a hardwire off setting so you really have 3 independent EQ bands as far as having them engaged or disengaged. Only need to cut some mud? Leave the hi and lo shelving off at "0" and only switch in the mid band.
- I get fuzzy on this next point...this is a quad mixer, so not only do you have 16 + 8 groups, but you also have a 4-channel master buss (2 front, 2 rear). The quad buss is further able to be monitored in stereo or mono, so depending on where you are picking up your monitor source the mixer is sort of a 24 x 24 (16 + 8) x 4 x 2 x 1. So anyway, each channel can be sent to any one or two of the quad channels...and each channel has a monitor buss as well.
- There are global mixer status switches that basically set the mixer into either tracking ("MIKE"), overdubbing ("REMIX") or mixdown ("TAPE") modes but each input module has some local override control of the global status.
- Meters are the same as the large Dixson meters fitted to Ampex AG-440 and 440B electronics modules. I'm very fond of their look and ballistics. Meter sourcing is flexible on the quad and stereo master meters.
- No jacks on this thing...there are large connector blocks on the back that interface with the motherboard, patch field and all external gear.
- Faders are really nice Penny & Giles conductive plastic units...each has a big ol' plug with gold-plated terminals for quick disconnect from its associated board.
- Of course the master section has talkback features and the studio and control room sourcing has a full compliment of options. The master section also features 4 "echo" returns which are routable to the quad busses.
- There is oscillator sourcing available but you have to supply the oscillator...the console just has facilities for patching it in and routing it via the control surface. Fortunately it looks like a nice oscillator came with the mixer.
- This mixer is probably from 1973 or possibly 1974.
- Again, kind of getting my head around the gozintas and gozoutas...naming conventions for I/O facilities are a little different than what we use today, but basically each channel has a mic input, direct out, insert, tape out, and tape in, all transformer balanced.
- Phantom power is global and provided by an external supply if the operator so chooses.
Some more pics:
3 of the 5 master modules ("Control" room, "Studio" and "Meter" source/mixer status modules):
This is the "Control" room PCB...lookit the size of that quad master pot...the blue can:
The oscillator unit:
The motherboard:
Here's a shot of one of the locking plugs for the P&G faders:
I couldn't help myself...I just want to see how well its going to clean up. Started with the "Meter" module since it is small and simple, and just cleaning up the switch caps so far. It'll be pretty nice I think...before and after:
That's all for now...back to work on the Soundtracs mixer (which will be the mainstay for quite a time I imagine as the MCI desk will take quite some time), and prepping the Tascam 388 for sale.
Oh, and Brian, yeah, I couldn't help it...had to get the "Story" going.
BTW, I have a parallel thread going over at the MCI forum here: My JH-416