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Author Topic: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??  (Read 4455 times)

Beneficial

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$1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« on: November 15, 2004, 06:15:47 PM »

I recently bought an old Allen & Heath System 8 1616, sixteen track mixer for decently cheap because it didn't have a power supply. After asking around online I figured it would be about $100 to $200 to either buy a replacement or have one built, the schematics are available. So anyway, I finally got in touch with the only electronics repair shop that I've been able to find in Atlanta, and they told me it could cost about $1100!! Is this reasonable? The board was only $400. Does anyone know of a place online that will build/replace one? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
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bobkatz

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2004, 06:29:05 PM »

Beneficial wrote on Mon, 15 November 2004 18:15

I recently bought an old Allen & Heath System 8 1616, sixteen track mixer for decently cheap because it didn't have a power supply. After asking around online I figured it would be about $100 to $200 to either buy a replacement or have one built, the schematics are available. So anyway, I finally got in touch with the only electronics repair shop that I've been able to find in Atlanta, and they told me it could cost about $1100!! Is this reasonable? The board was only $400. Does anyone know of a place online that will build/replace one? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?


Do you have the schematics/pinout of the multipin connector where the PS was hooked up?  Do you have the multipin connector and can you solder?

I can go down to Skycraft and get a pair of single ended Acopian or similar regulated supplies, complete with crowbar regulators, for a song...

I figure an amp ought to do it, but if anyone has a higher recommendation, let me know. 1.5 amp should be easy and cheap, anything more will cost you a bit more, but certainly less than $500, probably less than $200 for the whole thing plus your solder labor and my time for picking up the parts and testing them for you.

You know, a board without a power supply is probably hiding more defects than just a missing supply...  Test for shorts, use a Variac and watch the current as you slowly bring the new supply up to its voltage, which will be either +/- 15 or +/- 18 volts, depending on what A&H says it should be.

BK
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There are two kinds of fools,
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bobkatz

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2004, 06:30:26 PM »

I said "crowbar regulators" but of course I meant crowbar overvoltage protectors. Skycraft has bunch of Lambda OV protectors ready to go. I'll adjust them for you if you want.
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There are two kinds of fools,
One says-this is old and therefore good.
The other says-this is new and therefore better."

No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However a large number of
electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

Phillip Graham

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2004, 06:40:14 PM »

bobkatz wrote on Mon, 15 November 2004 18:30

I said "crowbar regulators" but of course I meant crowbar overvoltage protectors. Skycraft has bunch of Lambda OV protectors ready to go. I'll adjust them for you if you want.


As a former Orlando'ite, I also have to give props to Skycraft.  Great place for many electronic bits.
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Phillip Graham

Beneficial

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2004, 08:07:31 PM »

If you bought all of the parts (decent enough to keep the noise floor extremely low) and you did the work. What would you charge me total? here is a picture of the back of the board where the power supply connects. I think someone sells the schematics online for $35 too. Would you need those.

http://www.beatsbybenefit.com/Temp/Other/CloseUP.jpg
http://www.beatsbybenefit.com/Temp/Other/bigboard2.jpg
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Jeff Francis

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2004, 11:09:24 AM »

Beneficial,

I've got an old Allen & Heath MPS6 Console Power Supply.  It is a beefy 3 rack space unit with similiar coloring and logo as your console.

The cinch connector pinout lists +/- 16 Volts, +24V Aux supply, +48V Phantom. Looking at the bipolar Lambda supply inside, it says it is variable +/-12 to +/-15 volts @ 3A.

I've got it burning in at the moment (It hasn't been powered up in a few years - just been sitting in a storage closet).  Let me know if you are interested, and I'll test it more fully.  Make me an offer, cash or trade.

Thanks,

Jeff Francis
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bobkatz

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2004, 12:14:13 PM »

Looks like a high current one to me based on the number of channels.  But I can't see $1100. Let's see if you get the one that someone is offering in a subsequent post, or get back to me with the specs, particularly current requirements and I'll let you know the cost!


Bob
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There are two kinds of fools,
One says-this is old and therefore good.
The other says-this is new and therefore better."

No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However a large number of
electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

Beneficial

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2004, 12:31:37 PM »

Thanks for your help. Jeff, and Bob, I don't know anything about the tech side of electronics. Jeff, is the connector at the end of the PS cable the same as the back of this system 8 board? Would it just be a matter of switching from 16v to 15v? Basically would I be able to buy this from you if you modded it,, plug it in and have it power the board?

Bob, I've seen someone sell the schematics for this board online for $35. Is that the only way I would be able to get the specs for you or is there stuff online. I checked Allen & Heath on the web and they have a manual and block diagram. By the way,, someone suggested having you build this just so I could claim Bob Katz built my PSU! You're some what of a legend I suppose. Before I buy these schematics and wait for them to ship etc,, do you have a rough price range that you assume it would cost?
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bobkatz

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2004, 12:37:12 PM »

Beneficial wrote on Tue, 16 November 2004 12:31

Thanks for your help. Jeff, and Bob, I don't know anything about the tech side of electronics. Jeff, is the connector at the end of the PS cable the same as the back of this system 8 board? Would it just be a matter of switching from 16v to 15v? Basically would I be able to buy this from you if you modded it,, plug it in and have it power the board?

Bob, I've seen someone sell the schematics for this board online for $35. Is that the only way I would be able to get the specs for you or is there stuff online. I checked Allen & Heath on the web and they have a manual and block diagram. By the way,, someone suggested having you build this just so I could claim Bob Katz built my PSU! You're some what of a legend I suppose. Before I buy these schematics and wait for them to ship etc,, do you have a rough price range that you assume it would cost?


I think if John Klett did your PSU then you could talk! Every PSU I've built has used off-the shelf 3 terminal regulators. I would have to go to Skycraft and price items before I'd quote you anything. Let's wait until that fellow who happens to have a spare supply in his closet says. +-16 volts is fine even if you want +-15.

BK
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There are two kinds of fools,
One says-this is old and therefore good.
The other says-this is new and therefore better."

No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However a large number of
electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

Vertigo

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2004, 03:23:43 PM »

$1100?!? You must have called Wizard - those guys are absolute crooks, don't deal with them. There ARE other electronics shops here in Atlanta, I could dig up a few if you're interested. There's also my favorite tech in NC I could point you to if you need help converting an existing PS.

-Lance
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Jeff Francis

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2004, 04:10:04 PM »

Beneficial wrote on Tue, 16 November 2004 17:31

Thanks for your help. Jeff, and Bob, I don't know anything about the tech side of electronics. Jeff, is the connector at the end of the PS cable the same as the back of this system 8 board? Would it just be a matter of switching from 16v to 15v? Basically would I be able to buy this from you if you modded it,, plug it in and have it power the board?


Connector is an 8 pin Cinch connector, but a cable could be made or the power supply modified to have a 5-pin XLR output.  Power supply looks like it could be easily trimmed to 15 volts.  I'll have time to check it out tomorrow morning and I'll let you know.

Thanks,

Jeff Francis
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Jeff Francis

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2004, 03:34:15 PM »

Beneficial,

The bipolar supply trimmed nicely to +/- 15volts.  Positive and negative rails were within 0.3 volts of each other.

Phantom supply is only +33volts.  The +48V power supply board is working correctly and the adjustable regulator is setup correctly, but the xformer they choose steps the voltage down too much, to about 28Volts AC.  I don't know what they were thinking - perhaps they left this xformer the same for 240VAC and 120VAC operation.  At 240VAC, it would make a beautiful 48V.  Maybe they felt 33V was okay for phantom.  Most mics would still work.  I'm sure the console this used to power was run this way for many years.

Connector is pretty old style and I couldn't find a similar one, so the best bet would be to wire a new cable ending in a 5-pin XLR.

Your options:
1)  Say thank you, but no thank you to my PSU and keep looking elsewhere.  

2)  add a cable and use supply as is

3)  replace xformer to make +48 output correct and add cable

I would be hesitant about #2, especially if this board were my only mic preamps and I used lots of condensers.

I could do #3 for $250 (supply, 48v fix, and cable).

Let me know,

Jeff

BTW, I'm in Columbia, SC.  Are you in Atlanta?  As you can imagine, the supply is heavy, so you may prefer to pickup rather than ship.
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Beneficial

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2004, 09:11:22 AM »

Thanks for all of your help and information. It turned out that it just wasn't worth it  (trying to get a replacement built). It would cost much less to just wait until another one pops up on Ebay that comes with the original supply. Hopefully it happens soon.
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fixedxgear

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2005, 04:38:10 PM »

hi jeff,
so the saga continues, as "beneficial" didn't
actually buy the board, and now it has fallen into
my hands.  would you be willing to ship your power
supply out to denver?  if so, its 80211 to
calculate shipping.  thanks a lot, i look forward
to learning a ton here!
david
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Sahib

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Re: $1100 for a replacement A&H power supply??
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2005, 06:07:44 PM »

For the guys who are experienced in soldering. I am not trying to sell you a power supply but offering an alternative. We have 5A and 10A versions of PSUs. Output voltage can be varied from 5.1V to 40V. I would be happy to supply you only the PCB with bill of materials which you can get all of them from Digikey. Both power supplies are fully short circuit and thermally protected and feature soft start. If you think you may need it one day then bookmark our web site
  http://www.robotica.co.uk/robotica/ramc/products/power_manag ement/pwr_mng_idx.htm

Cemal

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