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THE MIXER. CLICK on images to zoom
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This was a problem. Having no big Transit this time, I needed something
that I could fit in a car (for now), but would still look good when used. I spent ages
designing all kinds of neat consoles etc, but then cast my eye around what I already had.
By a stroke of luck the turntables fit into some old 'flight cases' I had laying around.
So it was that I decided to make the mixer a central unit rather than part of a console,
as was the custom in the 70s.
What to put in it ? I was going to build a PC motherboard into it so that I could use MP3 files from a hard disc, until rooting around I remembered the nice gizmo my wife bought me last Christmas. I have fitted a Harman Kardon iPod interface into the mixer, as you can see. (The display is behind the smoked panel at the back). What about CDs ? My son gave me a DVD player that he had. I took it to bits, extened a few wires, and there it is, all part of the mixer. (Its display is above the HK display). The final design then has eight channels - 2 mics, balanced or high Z, 2 turntables, magnetic or ceramic, and four AUX channels with three EQ settings. Treble Bass and Balance on all channels and a PFL bus, headphone amp (2.5W per ear, ouch), Vu meters. Sorted. I added two mains sockets at the back of the mixer for the turntables. |
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The DVD display has been relocated to the back panel, it is just above the display screen for the iPod interface. The actual HK unit is in the cutout that you can see in the middle. I had to build the PSU (back right) twice, because the first one was crap. |
There is the DVD player in its own space below the main mixer. The pcbs that were inside the original DVD player are also housed here. The beer crate is the Mark 1 stand. |
Two mains sockets for the decks, recessed so that the plugs do not make it too deep. You can also see an opening above the sockets which is a recessed IEC plug, again, the depth of the IEC cable socket is hidden inside the mixer. |
The square hole in the middle will be covered in smoked plastic, and the displays are fitted behind this. The two square boards are Vu drivers - accurate calibrated ones with peak or avg settings. The black things in the middle are bulbs in carriers (from a Jag XJ40 dashboard), that illuminate the meters. The oblong board on the left is the PFL amp. |
The rear panel with the Vu meters is now smoked perspex. On the left is an LED Vu meter and on the right an indicator system for the channel switches. I have added four clipping indicators because I had a small problem with over drive. |
Another view with the light controller fitted and a new projector and screen controller on the right. The screens are built into the record case lids. |
