Soundcraft 200 series (frustrating)

SteveM

SteveM

New member
I've got a soundcraft 200 series, it's not the 200b or the 200sr or the delta and there is virtually no info on this exact model though it is very similar to the others. The 200b is pin 3 hot and the 200sr is supposedly pin 2 hot (or maybe the other way around). The other decks are supposed to run at +4 but I've discovered that my Tascam has a louder output than this does. :confused: Also the meters on this are getting pegged while the Ampex is getting a very low meter reading. The Ampex is right, because I've been using it with other gear. I know that some of these are supposed to have switches where you can switch between -10 and +4, I looked inside to see if it had been changed and I found no such switch inside. Also I can't tell which pin is wired to which because the jacks are enclosed in a box.

Does anyone know anything about these boards? Would having the pins swapped actually make the output lower even though it seems to sound fine?
 
SteveM said:
I've got a soundcraft 200 series, it's not the 200b or the 200sr or the delta and there is virtually no info on this exact model though it is very similar to the others. The 200b is pin 3 hot and the 200sr is supposedly pin 2 hot (or maybe the other way around). The other decks are supposed to run at +4 but I've discovered that my Tascam has a louder output than this does. :confused: Also the meters on this are getting pegged while the Ampex is getting a very low meter reading. The Ampex is right, because I've been using it with other gear. I know that some of these are supposed to have switches where you can switch between -10 and +4, I looked inside to see if it had been changed and I found no such switch inside. Also I can't tell which pin is wired to which because the jacks are enclosed in a box.

Does anyone know anything about these boards? Would having the pins swapped actually make the output lower even though it seems to sound fine?
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Hey Steve I think I have one of those way in the back of the shop I'll take a look and report back to you ... in fact I think that I may have the manual in the case as well!
From what I remember is that they are switched but if that's the case you wouldn't get any signal.







:cool:
 
moresound said:
Hey Steve I think I have one of those way in the back of the shop I'll take a look and report back to you ... in fact I think that I may have the manual in the case as well!
From what I remember is that they are switched but if that's the case you wouldn't get any signal.






:cool:
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Thanks Moresound. I thought both hot and cold carried the same signal? I'm still always confused about that though. Let me know what you have. This one looks almost exactly like the popular models but the PDF's of both that I saw does not exactly describe this one. Strange.
 
SteveM said:
Thanks Moresound. I thought both hot and cold carried the same signal? I'm still always confused about that though. Let me know what you have. This one looks almost exactly like the popular models but the PDF's of both that I saw does not exactly describe this one. Strange.
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?







:cool:
 
Yes, a balanced signal carries the same signal on the hot and cold legs, they are just 180 degrees out of phase...correct that if there is a pin 3/pin 2 hot disparity when connecting a balanced output to an unbalanced input there will be no signal, so that is not your problem.

Steve, there is also the possibility that the Soundcraft is neither +4dBu OR -10dBv nominal, but 0dBu...also there is a possibility that there is an internal jumper for output level (soldered staple jumper or jumper plug).
 
Steve, what happens if you use the "PHONES" output on the Ampex electronics as your output instead of the "OUTPUT" jacks on the back? The "PHONES" jack is unbalanced pre-output tranny. It is tapped prior to the output step-up transformer and will be about -7dB nominal below +4dBu or +8dBu (depending on how you have your outputs strapped...I'm assuming +4dBu).
 
sweetbeats said:
Steve, what happens if you use the "PHONES" output on the Ampex electronics as your output instead of the "OUTPUT" jacks on the back? The "PHONES" jack is unbalanced pre-output tranny. It is tapped prior to the output step-up transformer and will be about -7dB nominal below +4dBu or +8dBu (depending on how you have your outputs strapped...I'm assuming +4dBu).
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Hey Cory, I use the LA 4 for going out to the Tascam, I'm not using the Soundcraft for summing, but that is a good idea with the phones. The problem is actually when I'm going IN to the Ampex. I have a couple other preamps that I go direct into the Ampex with, the levels are all good. but using the soundcraft group outs, the level is low, even though the meters reading the output are pegged in the soundcraft. This series are all supposed to be balanced +4 ins/outs, though I can't find the manual for this exact one. The others have the same exact channels strips and chassis.

It mentions in the other manuals, jumpers in the channels and internal switches on the group outputs, to switch between -10 and +4 but the schematics or info for where the jumpers are located can't be found in any manual.

So I guess this is wired then like the Ampex, pin 2 hot?
 
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So I've discovered the main L & R outputs have the correct +4 output volume. The 1-4 sub groups are supposed to too, but it's still a mystery as to why they don't or how to change it back.

I guess I'll call soundcraft. Though I've heard they aren't very helpful with this. In the meantime I can use the left and right mains as group outs. It's the same thing I guess. The main reason I bought this was for the group outs. :rolleyes: I'm basically just using it to sum drum mics.
 
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The Ampex should be pin 3 hot, and depending on the age of the Soundcraft I'd guess it to be pin 3 hot too.
 
Thanks Dementedchord! It does look like a good site. I'm going to look around in there. I swear there are no switches on this though. I looked over everything. It's crazy, I could have sworn the signal was fine before. :confused:


I'm also wondering if you can swap channels from other models into this. Like the ones with the parametric eqs. Doubt it, but that site looks like the place to find out.
 
SteveM said:
So I've discovered the main L & R outputs have the correct +4 output volume. The 1-4 sub groups are supposed to too, but it's still a mystery as to why they don't or how to change it back.

I guess I'll call soundcraft. Though I've heard they aren't very helpful with this. In the meantime I can use the left and right mains as group outs. It's the same thing I guess. The main reason I bought this was for the group outs. :rolleyes: I'm basically just using it to sum drum mics.
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On my Soundcraft Ghost there is a jumper for each channel out to change the level from +4 to -10. Unfortunately, I'm sure my schematic is going to be totally different than yours.

-MD
 
i took a quick look for that sticky with the schemo link but couldnt find it... it's gotta be ther somewher... thats where i got my 5oo schemo.... and yours is nothing like the delta... i used to have one... i've worked on 200's but without it in front of me i cant tell ya much...
 
FALKEN said:
do you have a multimeter?
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I do , but I know that the output is low on all 4 program outputs. They're not even a little bit low, they are way lower than the mix outputs. I'm guessing they have to be somehow set for -10. I have a few other preamps where the levels match up with the Ampex 440. And the main L and R mix outputs on the soundcraft match up with Ampex too at nominal level. Also all the channel inputs seem to set up for +4 too because I've run those other pres into them as well.

I realize the reason I didn't notice before was because I was experimenting with running the group out into a second tube preamp before going to tape. I didn't pay attention to the soundcraft meters and the 2nd preamp made up the gain.
 
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dementedchord said:
i took a quick look for that sticky with the schemo link but couldnt find it... it's gotta be ther somewher... thats where i got my 5oo schemo.... and yours is nothing like the delta... i used to have one... i've worked on 200's but without it in front of me i cant tell ya much...
Click to expand...

Thanks. I actually looked through everything in the soundcraft forum, I didn't see anything. I found one post with an inquiry about this mixer with no replies.
 
SteveM said:
Thanks. I actually looked through everything in the soundcraft forum, I didn't see anything. I found one post with an inquiry about this mixer with no replies.
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Hey Steve I found the Soundcraft 200 console in the shop and the original user manual! :D

Hooked it up and that gal in working fine like the day she was born.Think I'll keep it out and use it around the work area of the shop to check gear and mic before they go out on the road.
I forgot how really nice it sounds.

The manual is in a loose leaf type binder (the way manuals us to come with the product) do you want me to fax it to you? 36 pages long.

Just a thought on yours ...is the power supply working good?

And one other thing your console may have been modified or worked on in the past at one time or another. Where ever it resided in the past the owner, be it a radio station or what have you, may have needed it that way.
Possible a special factory order.







:cool:
 
Thanks Moresound! Sent PM.

Power supply is working good. In fact everything works good. It's pretty clean.
 
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