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Author Topic: Mixer Woes  (Read 3200 times)

kid_panic

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Mixer Woes
« on: April 26, 2004, 11:20:10 AM »

Hey All,

I'd love some input on my current dilemma.  

I have a 32x8 Mackie console that, quite frankly, has seen better days.  It was purchased new by my music partner about 8 years ago, and some of the faders are showing their age, especially the Master Fader -
*crackle*.  

The meter bridge is pooched, too.  

Now, because I'm a retail monkey by day, I could potentially get a deal on one of those new Yamaha MG or (shudder) Bear Ringer consoles, for about double what it would cost me to get the desk serviced.  (I have a line on a guy who services Mackies on-site, and he's already given me a quote.)

I'd love to completely upgrade and get something like a Soundcraft Ghost (I'll never be able to afford better than that), but that's out of the question right now.  I also haven't ruled out cracking open the Mackie myself, but I'd need to know that I could clean and reassemble it inside of a day - maybe a weekend.

Your thoughts?


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chrisrnps

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Re: Mixer Woes
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2004, 03:15:24 PM »

I also haven't ruled out cracking open the Mackie myself, but I'd need to know that I could clean and reassemble it inside of a day - maybe a weekend.

Surface mount. Not the most fun 'weekend project'.  Confused

The faders, if I remember correctly, are all in little rectangular 'sealed' metal boxes, and the tracks/contacts have some sort of pre-lubricated 'stuff' in/on them, so trying to clean them with contact cleaner can do more harm than good (the contact cleaner and muck doesn't have anywhere to go, and the contact cleaner removes the 'supposed to be there' lubricant stuff, making things 'rough and scratchy' feeling), so it's easier/more effective to replace worn/dirty faders than it is to try and clean/maintain them.

The same construction that allows Mackie and Mack-alike desks to hit the kind of price point they do (and to get that kind of performance at that kind of price point) is also what makes them harder to service/maintain, outside of just swapping out parts or subassemblies.



Edit: Oh - you might also call S'Mackie and see if they still offer their "factory refurb" program like they used to - it's (or was) kind of a "100,000 mile service" where they go through everything, fix and replace everything that needs to be fixed or replaced, and get everything back up to 'original specs', all for a 'flat fee' price, which was pretty reasonable IIRC.



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Rautio

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Re: Mixer Woes
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2004, 03:58:52 PM »

Kid Panic: I
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kid_panic

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Re: Mixer Woes
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2004, 12:18:29 AM »

chrisrnps wrote on Mon, 26 April 2004 15:15


Edit: Oh - you might also call S'Mackie and see if they still offer their "factory refurb" program like they used to - it's (or was) kind of a "100,000 mile service" where they go through everything, fix and replace everything that needs to be fixed or replaced, and get everything back up to 'original specs', all for a 'flat fee' price, which was pretty reasonable IIRC.



Hmmmm, I'll look into that.  At this point it's a question of what's more cost-effective, bearing in mind that I'll need to rent something if the sMackie goes away for a while.

While we're on the subject, has anyone tried one of those Yamaha MG series mixers?  I realize they're made more to be  affordable live mixers, but they spec out nicely enough, and I remember the 16 channel model getting a very good review in Sound On Sound (one of the few gear mags I trust....)


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Kid Panic:  Occasional brilliance at affordable rates.
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