SOUNDCRAFT 6000 (how to) HOOKUP???

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robin watson

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The Soundcraft 6000 (with patchbay) uses a hookup convention I'm not at all familiar with: 56-way VARELCO connectors for the multitrack machine. Does anyone know where I can get them? I'm connecting to an Alesis HD24, so will need to terminate with 1/4" jacks. If I can only get hold of the connectors, I'll make the cables myself, but still need a pinout diagram for channel orientation.

Moreover, I cannot find any Aux Send or Return jacks! Where are they?

Any takers?
 
Hey, Robin.

I found a link to the manual It's a pdf so you will need acrobat reader (free on the web if you don't have it.)

6000 series manual

I'll take a look and see, we can probly figure it out.
 
Soundcraft 6000 hookup

Yes, I've looked at this. Thanks. Some of the terminology assumes some preknowledge on the part of the user (not suprisingly), some of which I will need to get my head around. Section 3-7 (bottom) refers you to a wiring diagram (M12579) for 'tie line connections' that cannot be found in the manual. That would have been a start at least.

If anyone can bear with me, I'll list some terms and expressions/concepts that I can't grasp and see if anyone can paraphrase in layman terms.

Cheers for the Reply, B'man
 
Go for it- since I was one of the guy that rcommended this mixer to you the least I can do is help. Feel free to PM or e-mail me as well. OOps, might as well do it here so others can see- I guess that's part of the point :D
 
P.s. I e-mailed Soundcraft to see if they have the diagrams.
 
They have the diagrams- but they have to fax them. I should be getting them soon. I cna fax them to you or get them scanned and send them over the web.
 
Thankyou very much for sharing the pin-out information. I have Elcos snakes marked 'Tie Line' that came with the desk, which are obviously what I'm supposed to use for connection of outboard gear to the patchbay. Unfortunately, the pinouts don't help in determining which connectors at the other ends (of said snakes) are for what kind of gear.

"SUPPORT" on Soundcraft's website is a total misnomer: 3 emails, zero replies. So-called Soundcraft services in Japan have nothing to say either, so all in all, it's a bit fucked really. What I have managed to achieve single handedly (with some help from Boingoman - thanks, mate) has been enough to get me up and running, and I'm very pleased with the desk's sound and routing, which has really speeded up the work flow. Oh, well. Just have to keep posting the same SOS in the hope that someone out there will share what information I need. Thanks again for the post of the pinouts, which I now have for future reference. Great stuff.
 
Okay, here's the deal. Are you using your tie lines and how are they terminated?

If you are not using your tie lines, you can reconfigure your tie line Elcos to the Tape Send/Return pinouts. To do this you open up an Elco, pop out the pins, and then put them back in following the Tape pinouts. For this you may need an Elco extractor/insertion tool.

Understand this is just a theory as I have *not* done this yet! I don't see why it wouldn't work though. I also cannot take credit for it. This concept was recommended to me by Byron, a local tech, here in Denver.

Another thing he recommended was to look on EBay for Elco snakes in the ADAT standard. Looking for the ADAT standard should mean 8 sends and 8 returns per Elco. Then, when you get the snake, you reconfigure the Elco side to match the 6000's tape pinouts.

I got lucky and found Elco snakes on EBay for a Soundcraft Sapphyre that, as far as I can tell by reading the documentation, follow the same pinout diagram as the tape pinouts for a 6000. The auction also came with some great tie lines but it seems as though those pinouts are a bit different.

Also, there are some Soundcraft 6000 and 600 (little bro. to the 6000) owners over at the TapeOp message boards. You might try posting your dilema there: http://messageboards.tapeop.com

Just some ideas to maybe help get you going. Keep me informed as I'll soon be experiencing the same thing you are!
 
Are you using your tie lines and how are they terminated?

No, I am not using the Tie Lines, yet, but I do have the Tie Line Elco cables. they are terminated with a combination of XLRs, 1/4" and RCA connectors. The previous owner had this seriously connected to a lot of outboard gear, evidently.

If you are not using your tie lines, you can reconfigure your tie line Elcos to the Tape Send/Return pinouts. To do this you open up an Elco, pop out the pins, and then put them back in following the Tape pinouts. For this you may need an Elco extractor/insertion tool.

Mmm...not quite sure if we're on the same page here...all my tape Send/Returns are working (via 3 seperate ELCO snakes). That part works OK. Three snakes feeding all 48 INs and OUTs on the back an Alesis HD24. Super. This part is very tidy. It's the Tie Line cable configuration that I'm baffled by - dozens of connectors, and I don't even know what's a Send or what's a Return, let alone to where, ha!

Another thing he recommended was to look on EBay for Elco snakes in the ADAT standard. Looking for the ADAT standard should mean 8 sends and 8 returns per Elco. Then, when you get the snake, you reconfigure the Elco side to match the 6000's tape pinouts.

Gosh, I wish I had someone like that near me. Sounds like he's been really helpful to you. I would have taken the Ebay route, but then I learned the previous owner had thrown in all the ELCOs anyway.

I got lucky and found Elco snakes on EBay for a Soundcraft Sapphyre that, as far as I can tell by reading the documentation, follow the same pinout diagram as the tape pinouts for a 6000. The auction also came with some great tie lines but it seems as though those pinouts are a bit different.

Ha, I think I saw that - about a month ago, I think that was.

Also, there are some Soundcraft 6000 and 600 (little bro. to the 6000) owners over at the TapeOp message boards. You might try posting your dilema there: http://messageboards.tapeop.com

Awe, you've been too kind. Thanks. I'll do just that. there doesn't appear to be too many 6000 users around here.

Just some ideas to maybe help get you going. Keep me informed as I'll soon be experiencing the same thing you are!

Definitely. Thanks.
 
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Lunatic - making progress....

Lunatic, Hi.

Well, it's August now, so you must be close to aquiring your Soundcraft 6000, if not a proud owner already. After some teething troubles, involving lots of (actually quite fun) deduction with a friend, not to mention a fare share of complete misinterpretation, and finally revelation, I'm getting to grips with the thing.

I had been looking at things literally 'back to front,' regarding the Tie Lines and the patch bay. The 48 Tie Line sockets at the bottom of the patchbay are simply the direct terminations of all the connectors at the end of each Tie Line snake, i.e., Tie Line sockets 1 -48 (or however many you have on your patchbay) are where all your outboard gear comes into the patchbay. It's so simple, I'm embarrassed. I for some reason thought each and every connector on a Tie Line cable went into the board and was hard wired somewhere at various destinations within the mixer FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. Totally wrong. The outboard gear hasn't even entered the mixer yet, until you 'PATCH IT IN,' which is done by bridging the Tie Line sockets at the foot of the patchbay (which now are effectively the INs and OUTs of your outboard gear) to inserts, returns, etc., within the desk. Someone said to me "You'll wonder how you got along without the patchbay, once you start using it," and he was dead right. There a few patch options I can't see a use for now, and some I don't understand at all, but no doubt something will come to light.

Just a word of warning regarding the patchbay. I've had at least one, maybe two intermittent channel problems, which a horrifically deduced was a channel strip failure. After several hours, this was traced back to an insert point (for channel 8 in my case) on the patchbay, which had gone permanently open circuit. Thankfully, the modular nature of the board allowed me to unplug the insert strip and locate the faulty socket, which I simply repressured and channel 8 is up and running again. Thought I'd share that one with you, just in case you should ever experience a similar problem.

Sorry, long post, but hopefully of some help, although your problem is more to do with wiring up connectors, right?
 
glad to hear your 6000 is up and running. I too am an owner of a 6000 with intermittent problems from the patchbay. I need to take mine apart I guess.

I bought my cables for the elco to tape snakes from redco cable. I paid 150 each for them. it beats making em as the elco tool is a bit of money and i never could get the paper clip trick to work.

I think I know Byron from denver. he came out to my place and helped me track down some problems. he's a hell of a guy.

it seems just about every EQ switch is bad on my board so i havent been using the eq's much but they are super sweet. i love em.

if ya need any help with your 6000 give me a shout.
info@crystalclearrecording.com

and an excellent resourcefor these consoles is www.recordingconsoles.net there are a few 6000 owners over there as well.

Chris
 
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