Mackie CR 1604 with intermittently dead channels

[[email protected]]

I've read about the well-documented problem with the 1604 VLZ harness.
When channels on my CR 1604 began dropping out and returning in an
unpredictable manner I assumed this ribbon thing was the problem I was
experiencing. The people at Mackie say that this ribbon / harness
defect is unique to the VLZ.

Has anyone experienced this with the CR, or does anyone have any idea
what sort of problem I might be looking at? Normally only one channel
seems to be affected at a time.

[Richard Crowley]

laekrits wrote ...
> I've read about the well-documented problem with the 1604 VLZ harness.
> When channels on my CR 1604 began dropping out and returning in an
> unpredictable manner I assumed this ribbon thing was the problem I was
> experiencing. The people at Mackie say that this ribbon / harness
> defect is unique to the VLZ.
>
> Has anyone experienced this with the CR, or does anyone have any idea
> what sort of problem I might be looking at? Normally only one channel
> seems to be affected at a time.

Just becaue the VLZ suffers from chronic congenital ribbon-
cable problems doesn't mean that other products are immune
from random failures. Couldn't hurt to at least try re-seating
connectors, etc.

[YourHomeStudioDotCom]

I had no idea about the ribbon being a defect with the 1604 VLZ. My
channel one is intermittent. Are they going to replace the ribbons at
no cost?

Thomas
www.yourhomestudio.com

Free Home Studio Newsletter -

[studiorat]

Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but re-seating the connections didn't
help???

[laekrits]

They were ready to send one out until we got to the serial number and
the guy realized I had the CR, not the VLZ. They won't throw in the
labor, but I've read that replacing it is a fairly simple operation.

[Arny Krueger]

> wrote in message
ups.com
> I've read about the well-documented problem with the 1604
> VLZ harness. When channels on my CR 1604 began dropping
> out and returning in an unpredictable manner I assumed
> this ribbon thing was the problem I was experiencing.
> The people at Mackie say that this ribbon / harness
> defect is unique to the VLZ.

The well-known Mackie ribbon cable problem definately happens to their power
amps, as well. I get the feeling that for a while they forgot how to make
ribbon cables for anything they made that had ribbon cables in them.

[Scott Dorsey]

YourHomeStudioDotCom > wrote:
>I had no idea about the ribbon being a defect with the 1604 VLZ. My
>channel one is intermittent. Are they going to replace the ribbons at
>no cost?

They did some time ago, but they may have stopped at this point. It is
worth calling.
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

Arny Krueger > wrote:
> wrote in message
ups.com
>> I've read about the well-documented problem with the 1604
>> VLZ harness. When channels on my CR 1604 began dropping
>> out and returning in an unpredictable manner I assumed
>> this ribbon thing was the problem I was experiencing.
>> The people at Mackie say that this ribbon / harness
>> defect is unique to the VLZ.
>
>The well-known Mackie ribbon cable problem definately happens to their power
>amps, as well. I get the feeling that for a while they forgot how to make
>ribbon cables for anything they made that had ribbon cables in them.

No, it's just a matter of someone in procurement finding an "alternate
supplier" that was a little cheaper, but which wasn't quite in spec.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Laurence Payne]

On 28 Aug 2006 12:12:50 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>>I had no idea about the ribbon being a defect with the 1604 VLZ. My
>>channel one is intermittent. Are they going to replace the ribbons at
>>no cost?
>
>They did some time ago, but they may have stopped at this point. It is
>worth calling.

Here in the UK I was instructed to send my 1604VLZ to an accredited
repairer. If my unit turned out to be from the batch with
questionable cables, they would be replaced foc. But Mackie wouldn't
tell me if my serial number was in that range.

So I took it apart and reseated the cables. Seems OK now.

[Scott Dorsey]

> wrote:
>I've read about the well-documented problem with the 1604 VLZ harness.
>When channels on my CR 1604 began dropping out and returning in an
>unpredictable manner I assumed this ribbon thing was the problem I was
>experiencing. The people at Mackie say that this ribbon / harness
>defect is unique to the VLZ.

Right, it was caused by some bad connectors that they purchased.

>Has anyone experienced this with the CR, or does anyone have any idea
>what sort of problem I might be looking at? Normally only one channel
>seems to be affected at a time.

Could be a bad connection, could be a cold solder joint, could be all
kinds of things. You need to pop the case and start tapping around with
a pencil until you find the thing that is intermittent.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Arny Krueger]

"flatfish+++" > wrote in message

> On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 12:02:11 -0400, Arny Krueger wrote:
>
>> > wrote in message
>> ups.com
>>> I've read about the well-documented problem with the
>>> 1604 VLZ harness. When channels on my CR 1604 began
>>> dropping out and returning in an unpredictable manner I
>>> assumed this ribbon thing was the problem I was
>>> experiencing. The people at Mackie say that this ribbon
>>> / harness defect is unique to the VLZ.
>>
>> The well-known Mackie ribbon cable problem definately
>> happens to their power amps, as well. I get the feeling
>> that for a while they forgot how to make ribbon cables
>> for anything they made that had ribbon cables in them.
>
> Been there and done that with a VLZ.
>
> From what I remember, it has to do with the ribbon cable
> itself and the connector it plugs into being slightly out
> of spec and not fitting together correctly.
>
> Check me on that, but I remember being told something
> like that.
>
> Reseating usually works for a while, but if you have the
> harness already it's best to just replace it.
>
> It's a tedious job, (at least it was for me) with the
> potential to break more stuff while you are in there.

Not only that, but I had the ribbons in the amp replaced, and the problem
came back within about 18 months.

[Arny Krueger]

"flatfish+++" > wrote in message

> On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:42:13 -0400, Arny Krueger wrote:
>
>>
>> Not only that, but I had the ribbons in the amp
>> replaced, and the problem came back within about 18
>> months.

> That totally sux :(

Nobody with a pbrain is going to hold their breath until I next spend money
with Mackie, or the the authorized repair center that took my money.