SCA 500 Series Lunchbox?

[JB872]

I just read about this on the Seventh Circle site and was wondering if anyone has any more details, like when it will be available and if there will be SCA 500 series diy kits of their current pres?

[bxt403]

Yeah I've been reading up on that at the SCA forums and waiting, myself. Apparently Tim has improved the grounding scheme of the 500 series box- but no word on an ETA- maybe some time this year. I've been holding out on getting 500 series modules until I get a proper one from SCA. Have you checked the SCA msg board at all for any updates? My guess is that'd be your best bet since I haven't seen posts from Tim on GS.

[TRW]

I've been waiting 2-3 years for more info on this superlunchbox from Tim...is he any closer to getting it ready?

I hope so...and the price is right.

-T

[JB872]

Originally Posted by infested3d

Yeah I've been reading up on that at the SCA forums and waiting, myself. Apparently Tim has improved the grounding scheme of the 500 series box- but no word on an ETA- maybe some time this year. I've been holding out on getting 500 series modules until I get a proper one from SCA. Have you checked the SCA msg board at all for any updates? My guess is that'd be your best bet since I haven't seen posts from Tim on GS.

I checked out a thread regarding this topic on the SCA msg board but it's been a while since Tim has replyed. I wonder how many modules it will hold and when we might see an SCA 500 series kit?

[crypticglobe]

I thought that he mentioned to me that his module series would NOT be 500 compatible. Can someone confirm? 500 series would be awesome, especially if he offered all the pre's in that format!!

[rapfreak]

IIRC, in a previous post on here (I think) he mentioned that his modules would not fit in a 500 series frame but that he would design a box that could mount his OR a 500 series module. I don't know if that would be a "dual backplane" design or if his cards would fit in the same space.

[TRW]

I spent some time emailing back and forth with Tim...

IIRC it was 8 channels with a much deeper card format than the 500 series...backplane capable of digital control, ethernet, USB and I2C(S) connectivity.

Multiple mix busses and 4 I/O per channel.

I think he was planning on variable rear panel connectivity so each module could be different - for example XLR on a stereo comp or DB25 on mixer module etc.

Digital control for new SCA stuff - in that they would have no front panel knobs but be plug-in controlled.

Old preamps might be repackaged...but this was looking less like a DIY venture.

AND to top all that off!!!! a 500-series adapter card with on-board regulation per module as his rails were going to be +/-30V or so...

I have probably just spilled the beans but have not heard from Tim in a long while.
I really hope he gets this sorted as I have two pre-amps I'd like to fit in there...

I think the mechanicals are the hard part...

I know of someone else who make a rack system (currently available) who are also considering a 500 series adapter...hmmm

-T

[Wes Kuhnley]

I'm personally of the opinion that trying to adapt the 500 series frame into a mixer, adding additional I/O, USB blah blah is all a waste of time and money. The 500 series is so great simply because of it's mix-and-match-ability. It's good for mic pres, EQ, and dynamics, and almost nothing else. The few companies that have adapted new features into the rack, or into new modules are going to run into reverse compatibility issues when someone tries to use an old module in one of their fancy adapted racks. If you want a mixer or a A/D converter, buy one, if you want a varitey of sweet tracking and mixing tools in a small rackmount space, get 500 series gear. JMHO.

[TRW]

Wes - I somewhat agree on the 500 series simplicity and also on the new stuff with adapted feature sets for the 500 racks regarding backwards compatibility or just plain awkwardness - eg all connections on the front panel (Al.SO)...

However - just to be clear incase you missed my point, the SCA subrack (if it turns out like Tim originally told me - he could have completely changed it by now...)

is NOT designed as a 500 rack. It should be a NEW rack system - pretty much the ultimate one!!

One to develop all the new stuff people would like to see...more flexible in many, many ways compared to 500, X-Rack, Audient Black and Tonelux systems.

It would be a platform for DIY & advanced, new SCA products and if he also made it so it accepted 500 series (which was the plan) then it would be a suitable rack for someone that didn't like the restrictions of the 500 rack (that would be ME!) and wants to build/buy stuff that can't be done in 500...BUT would also quite like 1 or 2 500 modules currently available for flavour.

Personally I want this rack so I can build my transformer based pre for it, some clean Forssell JMP based ones and grab a couple of Chandler Germ500s and call it a day on the portable tracking front.

If you have a 500 rack - GREAT, stick with it...if you want something thats a platform for the future, hope Tim gets this thing to market...SOON!

-T

[JB872]

Originally Posted by TRW

Wes - I somewhat agree on the 500 series simplicity and also on the new stuff with adapted feature sets for the 500 racks regarding backwards compatibility or just plain awkwardness - eg all connections on the front panel (Al.SO)...

However - just to be clear incase you missed my point, the SCA subrack (if it turns out like Tim originally told me - he could have completely changed it by now...)

is NOT designed as a 500 rack. It should be a NEW rack system - pretty much the ultimate one!!

One to develop all the new stuff people would like to see...more flexible in many, many ways compared to 500, X-Rack, Audient Black and Tonelux systems.

It would be a platform for DIY & advanced, new SCA products and if he also made it so it accepted 500 series (which was the plan) then it would be a suitable rack for someone that didn't like the restrictions of the 500 rack (that would be ME!) and wants to build/buy stuff that can't be done in 500...BUT would also quite like 1 or 2 500 modules currently available for flavour.

Personally I want this rack so I can build my transformer based pre for it, some clean Forssell JMP based ones and grab a couple of Chandler Germ500s and call it a day on the portable tracking front.

If you have a 500 rack - GREAT, stick with it...if you want something thats a platform for the future, hope Tim gets this thing to market...SOON!

-T

So if I understand correctly, this is going to be a new racking system with routing options similar to that of the X-rack plus digital control and maybe an adaptor for 500 series models?

I'm the total opposite of Wes and like the idea of slowly building up to a small console especially one that intergrates with your DAW as you described. Sounds awesome! Just wish we knew the ETA.

[Wes Kuhnley]

I'm not sure the world needs another modular rack format...lots of things would be cool, that doesn't mean that they will do well in the marketplace. Hopefully we'll be able to see the new SCA rack soon, so I'll reserve my opinions till then. If it's as smart as their current range of products, I'm sure it'll kick ass!

[TRW]

Originally Posted by Wes Kuhnley

I'm not sure the world needs another modular rack format...lots of things would be cool, that doesn't mean that they will do well in the marketplace.

Well thats true enough, I don't think the 'other' subrack formats are selling too well...I guess (and forgive me as it's just a guess) Mr. Wolff makes more selling large Tonelux systems than little racks to people...seems to me that people buy into Tonelux for the console-esque vibe. I may be wrong...but there are quite a few large systems on his website now.

I know for sure the other racks that aren't 500, aren't selling very many at all. I understand the modular thing is far more popular in the US than here in the UK.

So we'll see about SCA. However the one thing it would have going for it would be the 500 compatability...which the X-Rack, Black Rack don't have.

Instead of it being another rack format - I'm sort of hoping it will be the modern solution / replacement...

If done right you could load up one with 500 pres and it wouldn't be much different to an 8-channel 500 subrack from the likes of OSA/Purple/API (yes I know that not everyone does an 8ch box)...

However you could then use another to add digital control EQ, mixer stips or multi-buss summing - visually everything would vertically align and could be racked like a tonelux 'mini-console' frame.

It makes more sense to me than say some of the 500 series mixer frames in development.

-T

[rapfreak]

As long as it's executed well in it's feature set and ease of use then I see no reason to not anticipate such a product. If a mic pre includes an EQ, as long as it doesn't degrade the sound quality and doesn't significantly raise the price, why wouldn't you want it there for conenience?