My Mackie 1604 VLZ has (I think) the ribbon cable problem. This
particular system is more concerned with flexible routing and getting
the job done quick than with ultimate quality - the customers compare
the result with a twin-cassette boom-box rather than with a SSL :-)
But I can't have busses dropping out, and repair seems uneconomic :-(

Suggestions?

"Laurence Payne" lpayneNOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote in message
...
My Mackie 1604 VLZ has (I think) the ribbon cable problem. This
particular system is more concerned with flexible routing and getting
the job done quick than with ultimate quality - the customers compare
the result with a twin-cassette boom-box rather than with a SSL :-)
But I can't have busses dropping out, and repair seems uneconomic :-(

Suggestions?

something better, like a lx7 or something cheap and disposable like a
behringer 3242(299$)
george

"Laurence Payne" lpayneNOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote in message
...
My Mackie 1604 VLZ has (I think) the ribbon cable problem. This
particular system is more concerned with flexible routing and getting
the job done quick than with ultimate quality - the customers compare
the result with a twin-cassette boom-box rather than with a SSL :-)
But I can't have busses dropping out, and repair seems uneconomic :-(

Suggestions?


You can find a nice Soundcraft Delta in the UK for not much money.

A Mackie Onyx or an A&H Wizard would also be a step up from what you have
now. I'll refrain from suggesting a step down.

Does merely replacing the ribbon cable in the 1604 VLZ require dismantling
the whole mixer? Fixing it may still turn out to be your best option.

Predrag

In article ,
Laurence Payne lpayneNOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote:
My Mackie 1604 VLZ has (I think) the ribbon cable problem. This
particular system is more concerned with flexible routing and getting
the job done quick than with ultimate quality - the customers compare
the result with a twin-cassette boom-box rather than with a SSL :-)
But I can't have busses dropping out, and repair seems uneconomic :-(

Suggestions?

Uneconomic?

If you call Mackie they'll send you a free replacement ribbon cable set.
It takes twenty minutes to install them. Put a little Cailube on the
pins first beforehand. It's really not a hard job at all. The hard part
is getting the case open.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 3 May 2006 10:18:28 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

Suggestions?

Uneconomic?

If you call Mackie they'll send you a free replacement ribbon cable set.
It takes twenty minutes to install them. Put a little Cailube on the
pins first beforehand. It's really not a hard job at all. The hard part
is getting the case open.
--scott

I trust you are right. I have just emailed the UK distributor.
Fingers crossed :-)

Phil Allison wrote:
"Scott Dorsey"
If you call Mackie they'll send you a free replacement ribbon cable set.
It takes twenty minutes to install them.


** If you happen to be superman.

The main PCB has to be released ( all knobs removed etc ) to install the
plugs - the whole job takes a least 1.5 hours.


If he's not feeling up to the job, he could eBay it, with an explanation
of the issue. Many DIY'ers scan the listings for stuff they can fix and
use or resell.

jak


........ Phil

Scott Dorsey wrote:

If you call Mackie they'll send you a free replacement ribbon cable set.
It takes twenty minutes to install them.

I belive that Mackie has ended their "free ribbon cable replacement"
program. I guess they figure that it's been long enough since the
problem was discovered (and fixed in production) that anyone who cared
would have taken care of it by now.

They do have a serial number range (it's a secret - you have to call
them, give them a serial number, and they'll tell you if your mixer is
likely to have bad ribbon connectors) and this is a good start in
bringing a mixer back to life. But if it's had essentially no
maintenance, there can be problems other than ribbon cables that cause
intermittent operation.

flatfish+++ wrote:

On Wed, 03 May 2006 10:00:30 -0700, Mike Rivers wrote:

They do have a serial number range (it's a secret - you have to call
them, give them a serial number, and they'll tell you if your mixer is
likely to have bad ribbon connectors) and this is a good start in
bringing a mixer back to life. But if it's had essentially no
maintenance, there can be problems other than ribbon cables that cause
intermittent operation.

The classic symptom is raising the faders all the way up brings it back to
life for a while.
At least that's how my 8-bus acted.
New cables fixed it.

I suspect that caused the signal voltage to increase and 'punch through'
whatever crud had developed on the connectors for a while.

Graham

On Wed, 03 May 2006 10:00:30 -0700, Mike Rivers wrote:


They do have a serial number range (it's a secret - you have to call
them, give them a serial number, and they'll tell you if your mixer is
likely to have bad ribbon connectors) and this is a good start in
bringing a mixer back to life. But if it's had essentially no
maintenance, there can be problems other than ribbon cables that cause
intermittent operation.

The classic symptom is raising the faders all the way up brings it back to
life for a while.
At least that's how my 8-bus acted.
New cables fixed it.


--
flatfish+++
"Why do they call it a flatfish?"

flatfish+++ wrote:
The classic symptom is raising the faders all the way up brings it back to
life for a while.
At least that's how my 8-bus acted.

Man, did I hate that board. Ugly sounding preamps, useless EQ, and
"that" (above mentioned) problem. How infuriating.

To the OP: get a A&H MixWizard 3. It'll do everything the Mackie does
better, plus it will be easier to repair. It will also be less likely
to need repairs as they are built very stoutly.

Dan Fox

"Daniel Fox"

To the OP: get a A&H MixWizard 3. It'll do everything the Mackie does
better, plus it will be easier to repair. It will also be less likely
to need repairs as they are built very stoutly.



** Have they still got the * SMPS * built onto the exact same PCB as all
the mic pres, input/output connectors etc that dangle off the back of the
things ???

They are a treat to service when they self destruct.




......... Phil

On 3 May 2006 22:06:16 -0700, "Daniel Fox" wrote:

To the OP: get a A&H MixWizard 3. It'll do everything the Mackie does
better, plus it will be easier to repair. It will also be less likely
to need repairs as they are built very stoutly.

Seems lacking in routing compared with the Mackie?

flatfish+++ wrote:
On Thu, 04 May 2006 01:40:11 +0100, Pooh Bear wrote:

I suspect that caused the signal voltage to increase and 'punch through'
whatever crud had developed on the connectors for a while.

Yes, but the problem is cleaning them doesn't help, or at least not for
long it's hard to tell because the bug is highly intermittent. My sore
little fingers (at the time) can attest to that

Right, because the geometry of the cable connectors is incorrect, and they
do not have much surface area of contact at all. You need to discard the
cable and replace it with one that has the proper connectors, which Mackie
will provide for you.

This is the result of someone in procurement deciding that they could save
some money by going with an alternate vendor, without realizing the long
term consequences of that decision.
--scott


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

On Thu, 04 May 2006 01:40:11 +0100, Pooh Bear wrote:


I suspect that caused the signal voltage to increase and 'punch through'
whatever crud had developed on the connectors for a while.

Graham

Yes, but the problem is cleaning them doesn't help, or at least not for
long it's hard to tell because the bug is highly intermittent. My sore
little fingers (at the time) can attest to that

--
flatfish+++
"Why do they call it a flatfish?"

On Wed, 03 May 2006 22:06:16 -0700, Daniel Fox wrote:


Man, did I hate that board. Ugly sounding preamps, useless EQ, and
"that" (above mentioned) problem. How infuriating.

I hated it too, but it was good for routing etc.


To the OP: get a A&H MixWizard 3. It'll do everything the Mackie does
better, plus it will be easier to repair. It will also be less likely
to need repairs as they are built very stoutly.

Dan Fox

I'll agree the sound on the Mixwiz is superior, but an RnR band I used to
play with was using one and it proved to be a might bit unreliable.
Mostly mechanical things, but still.


--
flatfish+++
"Why do they call it a flatfish?"

On Thu, 04 May 2006 10:24:33 -0400, Scott Dorsey wrote:


Right, because the geometry of the cable connectors is incorrect, and they
do not have much surface area of contact at all. You need to discard the
cable and replace it with one that has the proper connectors, which Mackie
will provide for you.

This is the result of someone in procurement deciding that they could save
some money by going with an alternate vendor, without realizing the long
term consequences of that decision.

--scott

Thanks for the info Scott.
I ended up replacing them on my 8 Bus and while it was no joy, it did fix
the problem.
I sold the 8 bus shortly afterward, but being the idiot I am, I purchased
a 1604VLZ later on for some outboard stuff and now I am getting it on that
as well.
I just sent an email off to Mackie to see if they can help me out as I am
the original owner of the board and I did send in my card, years ago

--
flatfish+++
"Why do they call it a flatfish?"