GBird

Hi All,

 

I've got a few bits laying in my garage doing nothing that I'm going to chuck out unless they're of any use to anyone?

 

The following items are all available for collection only free:

• Soundcraft Spirit Live 4/2 24ch empty frame with back and slides
• All mono (x24), stereo (x2), aux and group boards (x2)
• Soundcraft Spirit Live 4 16ch empty frame with back and sides
• All mono (x16), stereo (x2), aux and group boards (x4)

Most of the channels / boards work fine but obviously no guarantee. None of the boards have faders. Looking to shift as a job lot. Based in Cambs.

 

PM me if interested. Will be throwing them out later next week if there's no interest. Cheers

As it turns out, mute group 3 has stopped working as well. Looks like there's no continuity from pins 3, 4 & 5 so will resolder these to hopefully resolve. The hiss is still there and the issue with the group buttons for each channel still persists.

The insert points are early on in the path from the mix busses to the finals group and main outputs. The circuitry between the busses and the insert jacks is identical for both group and main so the noise should be the same here. If it is then the noise is coming in later on, if they are different then we need to look elsewhere.

 

Thanks Brian, the hiss on the groups is present on the inserts for each group but not on the main so it must be earlier on.

 

With the mute groups, pins 3-6 on CN2 all measure 0v whether the mute is switched on or off. This doesn't make sense in my head as mutes 2&3 are working so would expect 4&5 to show -17v?

 

In a new strange turn of events, on every channel selecting output to either groups 1&2 or 3&4 is now causing the output to all groups, not just 1&2 or 3&4 respectively. I'll try reseating the ribbons connecting the channels tomorrow as this is the only thing that has changed!

Running the width of the desk are 4 Mute busses controlled by the mute group buttons on the aux master module. 0V means un-muted, -17V means muted.

 

The can be found on CN2 pins 3-6.

 

If you put a meter on these they should switch between 0V and -17V as you press the mute buss masters.

 

Compare the level of hiss at the insert points for the groups and mains. They should be the same there as along as you have the same number of input channels routed to both groups and mains.

 

Really appreciate your help here Brian, I'll try later on this evening. Trying to learn here as well, is the reason for trying the insert points for the groups and mains to check that the issue is after the insert points for the groups?

So replacing the resistor fixed a number of issues with the desk (thank you Brian!!) but there are still two notable issues.

 

When bringing up the faders for any for the four groups, there's a small hiss on each of the outputs that isn't present on the main mix.

 

Also, mute groups 1 and 4 don't seem to be working. When the master mute for group 1 and 4 is pressed, the LED comes on to indicate that they're muted but it doesn't actually mute any of the channels that have the mute groups selected. The LED doesn't come on for the channels that have the mute group selected.

 

Before I go through component by component, does anyone have any starting points to test or could give a helping steer on where I should be looking?

 

Thanks

Thanks Brian, I'm trying to find out what resistor is R97 if you could let me know!

 

R97 (and R96) are both 10R and are in the supply lines (along with C62 to C65 they act as filters) to Op-amps IC1 to IC6. R97 is in the -ve rail.

 

According to the BOM they are 0.25W 2% Metal Film and mounted on stand-offs, or mounted so that they stand off the PCB (can't tell from the manual which).

 

But it should be the same as R94, R95 and R96.

 

HTH.

 

Great, thank you very much for your help Brian!

 

 

Does anyone have either the service manual for a Soundcraft Spirit Live 4*2 mixing console or the schematic for the AUX master board (part SC3533B Issue 4)?

 

I almost certainly know the guy who wrote it. Until Soundcraft moved abroad all the manuals lived in an archive in the documentation office. I believe a lot was lost in the move (including my school friend's dad, who wrote most of the manuals, and would photocopy and post pages out as needed).

 

It's a real shame. I appreciate they're old bits of kit now, but I've been enjoying fixing a couple up until I hit these sorts of issues.

Thanks all

Does anyone have either the service manual for a Soundcraft Spirit Live 4*2 mixing console or the schematic for the AUX master board (part SC3533B Issue 4)?

 

I do, it's now on the desk beside me. What do you need to know? Mine is issue 3 but I doubt there's much difference.

 

Thanks Brian, I'm trying to find out what resistor is R97 if you could let me know!

Hi all,

 

Does anyone have either the service manual for a Soundcraft Spirit Live 4*2 mixing console or the schematic for the AUX master board (part SC3533B Issue 4)?

 

Google hasn't given me any results and reaching out to SoundTech haven't been able to help yet.

 

Thanks

Gareth

So a few mins google tells me that the Elco 8284 range is a 2.54mm pitch (ie 1/10 inch) single row IDC connectior

 

Searching (eg) Farnell for 2.54mm 18 way single row IDC female connectors gives:

 

https://uk.farnell.c...acts=18contacts

 

Or from RS:

 

https://uk.rs-online...6964,4294881961

 

Thanks for this, I wasn't sure how to identify what I was looking for and you've answered that!

 

Re the output to group 4. I'd really need to see a circuit diagram or service manual rather than the user manual you link to - or see the board - but according to the schematic, the section which controls the switching to the LR bus and the 4 groups is just passive switches - there are no "per channel" op amps or anything like that - so I'd be suspecting a mechanical problem with the switches or connector. Time to get a meter out....

Of course, there might be components that have been omitted from the schematic...

 

Update:

 

Here's a circuit diagram for the mono input channel.

https://forum.cxem.n...ст/

 

The section at the top right is the output bus selection, it's just switches and 22k resistors.

 

So if the output to bus 2 works OK, but 4 is faulty, and it's the same when you plug into a different ribbon cable socket, then the problem must lie with either the switch, the resistor, the ribbon connector on the PCB, or something in that area.

 

Meter out the switch, and check the resistor.

 

Again, thanks for finding this! I've gone through step by step and it all looks ok so I'll revisit the ribbon cable / IDC connector. Only strange thing is that all the mono channels in this board have 15k resistors after the switches, not 22k as per the schematic you linked to :S

On the mono/group channel ideally you need a schematic. Other option is to compare like for like on another of the same. The nice thing about analogue mixers is you have many of the same circuit repeated and possibly with the same PCB layout you can compare 1:1. For any transistors, with the power off, use your DVM in diode mode across the pins each way round and compare like for like across channels.

 

On the fader, see if you can find a Bournes equivalent. I've needed to do that before when the Alps part was discontinued or not readily available in the UK.

 

Good luck! Bringing back to life good quality older kit is very rewarding!

 

Kevin

 

Thanks Kevin. I think I've managed to find a suitable replacement for the fader here from RS so I'll order a couple in case another is needed later on.

 

With regards to the mono channel, I can't believe I never thought of comparing side by side! I'll take out another channel from the desk and will work through to see if there are any differences. The schematic is available in the manual on page 33. (Now superfluous given Bruce's post!)

 

Thanks again for your help!

Hi all,

 

Disclaimer: First time trying to fix a board, not my forte but more than willing to learn hence posting for advice :)!

 

I've got a couple of issues with a Soundcraft Spirit Live 4 that I picked up for peanuts and thought would be a fun little project to start with. I started with stripping the desk and giving every nook and cranny a good clean which resolved a number of issues but there's a few leftover that I'm looking for your assistance to solve / advice on.

 

The first issue is that one of the IDC ribbon connectors between the modules requires replacement as the securing brackets have worn and snapped. The connector is marked ELCO 8284, has 18 pins and is the female side that's damaged but after a fair amount of googling, I cannot find a replacement. Can anyone help find one / have one spare that I can purchase?

 

Second issue is where I'm starting to get out of my comfort zone. On one of the mono channels, there is no output to group 4 on the desk. I've tested for continuity across the PCB from the switch and everything looks ok (in my naive wisdom going from component to component) which lead me to try it on a different connection to the IDC cable. The module still doesn't work when connected to a different connector which has left me a bit stumped. Any ideas on how to test, identify and resolve the issue please? I've looked at the diagram from the manual which has offered up no clues.

 

Final issue is that I'm struggling to find one of the 100mm 10k Alps faders that requires replacement. The part number is RSA0N111900Q but to buy one from mouser, I would have to pay £12 delivery which seems quite excessive. I can't seem to find them anywhere else to buy more locally. Can anyone point me in the right direction for something more locally sourced and thus not £20 for 1 fader?!

 

Thanks in advance!

Looking for a Chamsys PC Wing Compact that someone's willing to part with in the UK.

 

Drop me an email if you've got one for sale: gareth {at] birdpc d0t co d0t uk.

Not sure if this is of any use and I haven't any working knowledge of the company, but looking at their site there's a hidden (commented) section of code containing some contact details for their other brands on their contact us page:

 

Contact Address

 

DUTEST INDUSTRIAL EST.

P.O. Box 5389, Dubai, UAE.

Tel: +971 4 806 7700 Fax: +971 4 806 7701

Email: dutest@bindasmal.com Web: www.dutest.com

 

SAUDI DUTEST INDUSTRIAL CO. LLC.

P.O. Box 11969, Postal Code 31961, Al Jubail Industrial City, KSA.

Tel: +966 3 341 7222 Fax: +966 3 341 7333

Email: saudidutest@bindasmal.com Web: www.dutest.com

 

KHALIFA DASMAL TRADING WLL.

PO Box : 32425, Doha, Qatar.

Tel: + 974 4 475 6013 Fax: +974 4 475 6014

Email: bindasmalgroup@bindasmal.com Web: www.bindasmal.com

 

DASMAL TRADING EST.

P.O. Box 1084, Postal Code 130, Gala, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

TEL: +968 2 459 5996 Fax: +968 2 459 0012

Email: trading@bindasmal.com Web: www.bindasmal.com

 

GRIPTON LIFTING GEAR LLP.

W1S1YH, London, United Kingdom

 

There's no email / telephone number for Gripton Lifting Gear LLP

I've just read the foreword to the Chris Higgs book mentioned by Stuart91 which is pretty specific to the indoors entertainment industry.

He's written a few. I've read the introduction to rigging, but I note has a couple of others now:

On Amazon

 

Many thanks!

I've just read the foreword to the Chris Higgs book mentioned by Stuart91 which is pretty specific to the indoors entertainment industry. Any advice for the outdoor rigging industry and available literature?

Right now the lack of nice form docking controls is the main issue. I have some in mind, but they are 99 Euros.

 

 

Put the project open source on Git / B. Happy to help, what dev stack are you using?

Just had a look through. Looks like the sort of thing that I'm happy to commit some development time to - DM me :)