On 4/4/2019 3:16 PM, ChrisG wrote:
I have a 24/8/2 Auditronics 310 in storage which Im thinking of
recommissioning (mostly for line level mixing). The project holds a lot
of promise; Ive got service manuals and even a spare 4 buss version for
parts. I saw it powered up years ago, so Im fairly confident that it
can be resurrected with a bit of futzing but€¦ I never heard it when it
was working. Moving, modifying, and troubleshooting this monster will
not be trivial.
The question: Is it sonically worth the effort?
That's a pretty open question. The console is 40 or so years old, so
even if it were in brand new condition, it would sound "vintage." Is
this important? If not this console, what are your alternatives?
I predict that it will work somewhat when you power it up, but that
you'll find noisy faders, pots, and switches, and if you check it with
square waves, you'll find that it's in need of new electrolytic
capacitors in the signal path. At least it's modular, so you can work on
one channel at a time. But I'll tell you that I have a Soundcraft 600 of
about the same vintage (I bought it new in 1980) and it's just plain not
quiet enough for today's digital expectations.
Honestly, I think that, if it's really important, for the vibe, to be
working on a vintage-though-not-famous console, you shouldn't worry
about the sonics, but you'll have to put it in good enough shape so that
it sounds like it did when it was new. Then you'll have two projects,
not one.
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