Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

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trodden
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Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:16 pm

Hello.

In the process of refurbishing an AMEK BC2. I want to add more channels for mix down, so I purchased a handful of BC 1118/4's. One of them I popped into frame and good to go. However, the other three have a different buss routing option. While the modules that came with my console and the one stereo input module that works has buss assignment buttons "In" (for the panning pot), "1-2", "3-4", and "ST" and "Mute". While these other three stereo input modules have "1", "2", "3", "4", and "Mute". There is no "ST" button to route the input to the stereo buss. While I could just route that to sub groups 1-4, I'm also using those already for mix down inputs.

Since these consoles were pretty much made to order, seems that these modules could easily be configured and then reconfigured depending on needs. I can't seem to find any type of jumper or such that differs between the stereo module with the "ST" buss option and the ones without.

Please help!

Thank you.
Brandon
Buss Options.jpg
Last edited by trodden on Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Nick Sevilla
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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by Nick Sevilla » Wed Dec 06, 2017 6:52 am

Hi Brandon,

It looks like the left assignments are Stereo, while the right one is Mono.

The way to tell, is underneath, in the circuit board. They should not look the same.

If they DO, and you are lucky, the Mono version is just an unpopulated circuit board, so all you'd need to do,
is match the Stereo one, in order to get them all the same.

One other thing, make SURE the input / output connector is also the same. Otherwise, you might be looking at
a lot more work than you might be prepared to do.

Cheers
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Wed Dec 06, 2017 12:41 pm

That's the thing. They're both identical besides the buss routing, on the board, everywhere. They are both BC1118/4's which are Stereo Input Modules.

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by Nick Sevilla » Thu Dec 07, 2017 11:27 am

trodden wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 12:41 pm
That's the thing. They're both identical besides the buss routing, on the board, everywhere. They are both BC1118/4's which are Stereo Input Modules.
So the only difference then, is the buttons. I'd try to get new buttons then, and forget about making too much of a headache.

Cheers
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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Thu Dec 07, 2017 5:36 pm

Nick Sevilla wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 11:27 am
trodden wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 12:41 pm
That's the thing. They're both identical besides the buss routing, on the board, everywhere. They are both BC1118/4's which are Stereo Input Modules.
So the only difference then, is the buttons. I'd try to get new buttons then, and forget about making too much of a headache.

Cheers

Sorry, I must not be making myself clear. I'm not able to route to the stereo master buss since there is no "ST" button. I can only route to buss 1, 2, 3, 4. While on the modules that have "1-2", "3-4", and "ST" I can rout to either bus 1-2, or 3-4, or Stereo depending on which button is pushed.

If it was really only an issue of what is printed on the button, I wouldn't be making a headache.

I don't know if replacing the buttons will change where the signal is routed since the buttons and button assembly and where the button is soldered to is identical between the two boards. I'm hoping there is some jumper/solder jumper somewhere on the module board that directs the routing that I'm not noticing.

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by ulriggribbons » Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:07 pm

Two things. One, you need to trace down what pins the stereo signal is sent to on the working module, so you know where you are missing signal.

Secondly, the working module has a pan defeat switch, which the non working module does not.

My question is what happens on the non working module? When routed to 1, if you pan hard right, do you get no signal, or does it have no effect?

Hopefully you see where I’m leading with this, you need to factor the pan circuit into your thought process

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:42 pm

ShinyBox wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:07 pm
Two things. One, you need to trace down what pins the stereo signal is sent to on the working module, so you know where you are missing signal.

Secondly, the working module has a pan defeat switch, which the non working module does not.

My question is what happens on the non working module? When routed to 1, if you pan hard right, do you get no signal, or does it have no effect?

Hopefully you see where I’m leading with this, you need to factor the pan circuit into your thought process

Ok, right on. I went to run some more signal through the "weird" modules and again compared the two... and noticed some major re-routing on the OTHER side of the "weird" one. I'm about to pull all of the brown wires on the "weird" module so it matches the working one and see what happens.
IMG_2268.JPG

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:06 pm

ShinyBox wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:07 pm
My question is what happens on the non working module? When routed to 1, if you pan hard right, do you get no signal, or does it have no effect?

Hopefully you see where I’m leading with this, you need to factor the pan circuit into your thought process
Alright. Ran some signal through the weird module to check in regards to your suggestion. When buss 1 is selected, it sends it to buss 1 and all the way left is full signal, and all right is no signal. I select buss 2 and the opposite happens. So yeah, its set up to send stereo inputs to either buss 1/2 or buss 3/4. And, if sending only a mono signal into it, panning of that mono signal between buss 1/2 or 3/4.


Gonna snip some wires and see if it sets it to be like the "normal" one with the "ST" button.

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:19 pm

trodden wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:06 pm

Gonna snip some wires and see if it sets it to be like the "normal" one with the "ST" button.
Well that didn't work. Noticed while I was snipping away, the mod done to this module called for breaking some of the traces, hence the "scratch marks"

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by ulriggribbons » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:36 pm

You’ll have to put jumper wires in to replace the cut traces.

You can carefully scrape off the solder mask(the green, typically) over the traces to expose the copper to solder to, or put wires from components along the trace( in the case from the switch pins to the next solderable point on the trace, after the cut trace)

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by trodden » Thu Dec 07, 2017 10:16 pm

ShinyBox wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:36 pm
You’ll have to put jumper wires in to replace the cut traces.

You can carefully scrape off the solder mask(the green, typically) over the traces to expose the copper to solder to, or put wires from components along the trace( in the case from the switch pins to the next solderable point on the trace, after the cut trace)
Well I attempted, and got pretty damn close. I found two traces on the other side, scratch/broke, but they are hair thin traces, and I can't seem to find a component leg to tie off on for a side. I did however did get somewhere, with the master monitor cranked, I could faintly hear the two tones i was sending coming through, and the buss selection operating as it I wanted it. I'm guessing those last two traces were the final deal. I tried my damn to solder to those fine traces but ended up just fucking it up more.

A learning experience at least. It cost me a module obviously ($100) but fuck... I'm just happy that I figured it out and that I attempted to make it work.

The seller found two more stereo channel strips that DO have the "ST" buss selection button like the other one he sold me. I've asked that I send back the remaining two that work, but don't work for me, in trade for those two.

Here's my work.
FullSizeRender (6).jpg

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Re: Amek BC2 BCII Buss Assignment Routing

Post by Nick Sevilla » Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:46 am

trodden wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 5:36 pm
Sorry, I must not be making myself clear. I'm not able to route to the stereo master buss since there is no "ST" button. I can only route to buss 1, 2, 3, 4. While on the modules that have "1-2", "3-4", and "ST" I can rout to either bus 1-2, or 3-4, or Stereo depending on which button is pushed.

If it was really only an issue of what is printed on the button, I wouldn't be making a headache.

I don't know if replacing the buttons will change where the signal is routed since the buttons and button assembly and where the button is soldered to is identical between the two boards. I'm hoping there is some jumper/solder jumper somewhere on the module board that directs the routing that I'm not noticing.
So, in point of fact, the circuits are NOT identical.

Where the buttons are placed on the circuit board has NOTHING to do with what their function actually is, because, as you mention, pushing the ST button sends the signal to the Stereo Buss. But it does not do this on the other board without the ST designation.

Glad to read you found someone who would trade with you. Because modding them would be a lot of work. Challenging and good, but a lot of work.
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

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