OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:20:10 GMT

Placed an online order (I'm a lazy lout) with Digikey for 4 pieces.

Thanks for the tip.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:33:42 GMT

These IC's also go by the name LM4562.

Here are links to the NatSemi datasheets.

http://www.national.com/ds/LM/LM4562.pdf

http://www.national.com/ds/LM/LME49720.pdf

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:12:31 GMT

Try Newark or Digikey. Don't go by the online stock indicators. Call a rep. They can get you just about anything fast. I prefer Digikey myself.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:37:08 GMT

LME49720

digipenguin,

Where do I get four of those?

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:44:37 GMT

Lower self-noise and significant THD reduction are the main points for me. Not to mention wider frequency response and faster response time.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (D K)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:42:28 GMT

OK - I see....

What is the difference between the OPA21111/LME49720 and the NE5532?

I noticed a fairly significant improvement with the mod kit

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:29:24 GMT

The Machinator mod doesn't come with OPA2111's it comes with NE5532's. I want to use the OPA2111's or LME49720's so i need the NE's to be easily removable.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (D K)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:23:03 GMT

Hey digipenguin,

I see bapu already gave you an answer but I am a little confused- Why would you not want the OPA21111 soldered to the board? Am I missing some kind of advantage/opportunity?

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:27:58 GMT

Oh. Missed that. Thanks anyway.

I think I'm going to go with LME49720's anyway.

...and I don't think it was a waste since you already had them. It would be a waste for me since I could just order the parts and not have to disassemble something in order to reassemble it into a useable config.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:24:13 GMT

You want to sell your opa2111's since your not using them now?

Maybe you missed my previous post. I actually bought sockets and put them on. Probably a watse of time but I don't mind. I actually us4ed my OPA21111's.

Sorry.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:47:42 GMT

ORIGINAL: bapu
looks like they are available online again.

Yeah, that's why I'm asking.

If they are soldered onto the board it's not worth my time because I'm planning on using the opa2111's anyway. It would be a waste of time to buy the machinator mod then desolder the opamp, buy sockets, solder the sockets onto the PCB and then install it.

It' s easier just to make my own. Speaking of which. You want to sell your opa2111's since your not using them now?

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:26:05 GMT

digipenguin,

looks like they are available online again.

go fo it (if you haven't already).

Ed.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:23:53 GMT

DK, were your op amps soldered to the board or did they come mounted in a socket?

Mine were soldered to the board. Went to Fry's and for $0.49 I go two sockets and soldered them in (actaully bout two packages so I could do all four). Now I can swap out if I hear about "the next best thing" in OP AMPS.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:21:21 GMT

<lol> That's funniest way I've ever heard of removing a component. Next time try using a solder sucker.

I got one of those suckers. Works great. What will they Think of next?

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:21:08 GMT

DK, were your op amps soldered to the board or did they come mounted in a socket?

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (digipenguin)

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:20:45 GMT

Ouch. Sorry to hear that.

Thanks for the warning too. I'm planning on ordering these as soon as they are available.

I solder quite a bit though so I'm not TOO intimidated right now.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (D K)

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:49:43 GMT

Yeah - we (my buddy and i ) did it about 2 weeks ago.

Something we did a little different though is that we put the new capacitors on the underside of the board as oppossed to over the top of the existing ones as the mod suggested - seemed much easier and cleaner to us.

Took about 2 1/2 hours only because we also replaced a poor performing fader while we were in there.

I mostly used outboard pres but the mod has certainly improved the onboard pres - What we liked most was the lowered noise floor and that they sound just a little less "crispy" in the upper frequencies

Worth it in my mind ......

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (Randino)

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:55:12 GMT

Has any actually installed these

Yes. It took about 45 mins to get the board out, about 45 mins to remove the old pre-amps and install the new ones and about 10 mins to put everyhting back together again.

To remove them I thought it best to wiggle them back and forth until the pins broke off. Then I would just care fully heat each pin point and push it through the board with the tip of a bulletin board Push Pin.

<lol> That's funniest way I've ever heard of removing a component. Next time try using a solder sucker.

RE: OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (guthrart)

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:02:46 GMT

Hi,

I'm really sorry that you had grief and additional expense, but I appreciate your real-world warning. I was tempted to try that upgrade myself, without professional help as well.

The only upside to the story is that you are eventually going to have the improved pres.

In the meantime, if you need more inputs, you could buy a Presonus Digimax FS or Focusrite Octapre and link the units using ADATs (any audio interface with ADATs would work). You can then use the FW-1884 as the interface and mixing controll surface, and use the Presonius/Focusrite preamps. Once you get your unit repaired, you'll then have 16 mic pres.

Good luck, my friend!

OT: Machinator for FW-1884 disaster (bapu)

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:32:18 GMT

Has anyone actually installed these (not hired someone to do it, but did it yourself)?

I attemped it and failed miserably. I now have one mod on inputs 7 & 8 but the mod inputs 5 & 6 is inoperable. I never got to inputs 1 & 2 or 3 & 4.

The original OP AMPS are soldered to the MIC board of the FW-1884. To remove them I thought it best to wiggle them back and forth until the pins broke off. Then I would just care fully heat each pin point and push it through the board with the tip of a bulletin board Push Pin. Seems simple huh?

I thought I was pretty good at using a soldering iron but apparently not. Or, maybe my solder iron was too hot or too big but I found it very bulky to work in these side by solder conections.

I barely got the mod in inputs 7 & 8. Removing the old OP AMPS was not fun. I almost ruined the circutry at one pin.

When removing the old OP AMPs from the MIC board for input 5 & 6 and trying carefully to remove the remaining pin tip (like I did on inputs 7 & 8) some solder drebis lifted and ripped away some of the circutry. Ouch!!!!

Semi-good news: I ordered a new MIC board form TASCAM. It's due in mid-Feb (out of stock but on order). With shipping it was only $100 (one of the worst $100 audio mistakes of my life).

Side note: I was disappointed in the idea that the Machinator dosumentation says you can upgrade the OP AMP from what is supplied because the PCB has a socket on it (in one of their pictures). Mine did not come that way. The OP APMS were soldered to the PCB, so I never even attempted to swap out my upgraded OPA2111KPs. Good thngs I did not else I mah ruined the Machinator PCB. Hopefully I can salvage the two PCBs from the old MIC board when I get the new board.

In the mean time I'll limp along with 6 operable inputs until such time that I get the mod done professionally.

Word to the wise, even though the Machinator mods are unavalibale at thie time, if you decide to order these, be real sure of your soldering skills on a VERY TINY closely adjeacent solder connections. If you're not skilled at this I suggest you have a pro do (just like I'm going to do after I recieve my new MIC board).