Turning Mixer Monitor Section Passive

[Bang]

I have a Neotek Elite. We swapped the 5534s in the monitor section to Burr Browns, but I was wondering if its even possible to mod the monitor section to make it passive. If not, I guess I'll have to build a little outboard box and put it post Mix Outputs.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Bang

I have a Neotek Elite. We swapped the 5534s in the monitor section to Burr Browns, but I was wondering if its even possible to mod the monitor section to make it passive. If not, I guess I'll have to build a little outboard box and put it post Mix Outputs.

Why would you make the monitor section passive?

If you don't trust the monitor section of your console bypass it all together and go outboard.

No modifications will equal to having a high quality outboard monitor section(and i mean high quality).

It does make a sonic difference when mixing or mastering.

The problem is the really good ones are expensive.

[Bang]

Where would you patch it, mix outputs? Hows the coleman? Which model?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Bang

Where would you patch it, mix outputs? Hows the coleman? Which model?

No returns from whatever you are mixing or mastering to.

The Coleman is ok but slightly choked and colored.

Which model?

That's the thousand dollar question.

I've heard good things about the Dangerous monitor(hopefully i will check it out soon).

The Cranesong Avocet fascinates and scares me.

I've tried a bunch of the esoteric Hi-Fi ones and the best were of course the most expensive(isn't this always the case).

I prefered the active ones over the passive ones sonically though.

[RoundBadge]

I just got The Cranesong..sounds REALLY fabbythumbsup

Also Steve Firlotte [of Inward connections/Vac Rack fame] does good things to monitor sections all over LA..makes his own op amps ..and they sound great.
He made me an amazing EQ with em recently

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

I just got The Cranesong..sounds REALLY fabbythumbsup

Also Steve Firlotte [of Inward connections/Vac Rack fame] does good things to monitor sections all over LA..makes his own op amps ..and they sound great.
He made me an amazing EQ with em recently

Do you know if he is using the same op amp as in the Nautilus monitor controller?

I think its by John Hall.

If so...

I thought for a mastering controller it was a little colored for my taste.

I know he used it in the summing box he had a while back which sounded good for this purpose.

If Bangs got the dough to swing around these days this isn't a bad one and its for a decent price:

Jeff Rowland Coherence II:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ran&1145399452

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

I think its by John Hall.

If so...

I thought for a mastering controller it was a little colored for my taste.

I know he used it in the summing box he had a while back which sounded good for

Haven't heard the Nautilus stuff..but I've heard that same comment from a mastering buddy.
right,,Yeah,good point.seeing as Hall is a big influence of Steve's .
well ,the Eq sounds amazing and yes ,pleasantly colored.

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by Bang

I have a Neotek Elite. We swapped the 5534s in the monitor section to Burr Browns, but I was wondering if its even possible to mod the monitor section to make it passive. If not, I guess I'll have to build a little outboard box and put it post Mix Outputs.

The problem with passive is the changing impedance of your outputs. The opamp's output impedance is very low. Run through the wiper of a 10k monitor pot and then you have as much as 5k resistance to feed the power amps with. This can affect frequency response, transient reponse and noise levels. A better opamp with better caps might solve this problem for you.

Try AD 825's on a Aries or Brown Dog adapter or a LM6171, LT1357. A couple of .1 uf mono ceramic caps placed from pin's 4 and 8 to ground may be needed to stabilize the power supply inputs. Change the bipolar coupling caps to Panasonic FM, Nichicon HE or Rubycon Black Gates. Bypass with Wima .01 uf MKP-2 250 v or better. Or, install some offset trims and remove the caps. All of these are better than the OPA134 or OPA604.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Bang]

So the Coleman sounds choked and colored? Damn, that was in my budget. I'm going to look at the Avocet.. Anyone got contact info on Steve Firlotte?