yamaha aw2816/4416 owners/users--help, advice please....

[code green]

hi all. first, it seems that the aw2816, at least, has its share of detractors on this forum. so let me begin by saying i am aware of its limitations (preamps, anyone?) and have come to like it nonetheless. i have had my aw2816 for about 5 years and using it has become pretty much second nature by now. i have not had problems with the OS....however....

a couple of months ago it started getting weird on me. i started to get digital noise at points where i had recorded channel on/off in the automix. then (in the same mixing project) channels started muting on playback, seemingly at random (or if there was a system to their shutting down, i didn't discover it). aggravating as hell, but it was not a mix that had to be done right away so i hoped it was just a case of that particular file being corrupted and moved on to the next project, in denial.

now, on my current project, i'm getting the digital noise again at some of the channel on/off points, and on some i'm not.

another problem, possibly unrelated (i.e., this may be a mechanical problem caused by inadvertant abuse--see below): the fader for channels 7/15 has gone all jiggly on me--it shakily moves up and down a few dB "clicks" at certain unpredictable points in the mix.

it also seems i'm getting unpredictable volume drops, only on these channels; when i solo the channels, however, the drops aren't there. like the previous problem with certain tracks muting on playback, this is like the carnival game "whack-a-mole"--fix it one place (by riding the faders), and it pops up in another.

these problems are very quickly becoming unbearable for mixing, so i need to either get a new recorder or get this one fixed.

-the problem with the jiggly fader/volume drops happened after the board get wet. i dried it throughly (for a week) before plugging it in/turning it on again...but the drying out process involved turning it upside down on a towel--maybe the fader in question got "jammed" this way, thus causing the jiggling problem?

-has anyone out there had these or similar problems with this board or aw4416? are any/all of them fixable?

-will updating the OS help? i have cpu version 1.00

-if things look hopeless for this board, i am seriously considering buying a 4416 used to replace it...because i don't really have a lot of time right now to learn a whole new system (e.g., computer-based) and it seems to me that, at the prices they go for on ebay, there is just not anything that can touch them in terms of power (providing you have external mic pres--which i do). but would i just run into the same problems down the road?

sorry this has been such a long post--but looking for some much-needed help from those experienced with either or both of these machines. any replies most appreciated. thanks.

eric

[JohnNy C]

Try updating your OS. I owned an AW4416 way back when and I remember hearing some serious horror stories about killer OS bugs. If that doesn't work, get rid of it and pick up a second hand Aw4416. They can be had for DIRT cheap on eBay these days. Let me know how things turn out for you.

[code green]

thanks, johnny c....ok, i'll update the os and see if that helps.

anyone else with thoughts/advice/opinions (based on use/ownership) of the 4416?

e

[Byll]

Eric: I am new to the board. Have been lurking for quite some time. I joined in order to comment on your post. A room in my studio is built around twin, cascaded Yamaha AW2816s. We also use a third AW2816 for on-site recording. The total compatability of the units has worked well, for us. Most mixing is done to a Masterlink.

We chose the AW2816s because of what we felt to be their OS superiority over other brands at the time, their dependability, and the support Yamaha had given us, in the past. We chose them over the AW4416 because we did not wish to pay for extra pro-sumer features we knew we would not use. We also found the fan self-noise of the 2816 to be considerably lower than the 4416.

We have had no operational issues with these units in years of use, save for a defective burner that was replaced, early on. As you know, an OS upgrade is available from Yamaha, on CD. We have asked our units to do things not broached in the owner's manual - especially in the area of cascading. Yamaha support has always been helpful, both on the phone and in hard-copy. It might be well to call Yamaha, discuss your issues, and find out if a repair is the way to go. There are a number of AW2816/4416 units out there for sale - 2 on Sweetwater, alone. Yours just might have a lot of life left in it.

Your channel muting situation is interesting. Yamaha does mute 2816 playback channels while recording, depending on the number of record channels. There is a logic to the channels selected for mute. However, I have never experienced any muting of channels, while mixing.

I wish you the best.
Byll

[aussie_techie]

Originally Posted by code green

i started to get digital noise at points where i had recorded channel on/off in the automix.

this is usually because the mute/un-mute on a non zero crossing point, if you do a fade out before muting the channel it wont happen

the Version 2 OS on the 4416 was always stable for me i never used a unit on version 1 but the list of problems wasnt nice to read so i would recomend upgrading.

i never had to deal with a broken fader, but apparently they are fairly easy to fix.

buying a 4416 on ebay might be a good idea, having the extra faders is always good and then you will have a bckup recorder aswell.

[code green]

Thank you so much for the additional replies, folks...for so long i have been operating in a near-vacuum with this board, given that no-one i know has one--so it really helps to get this kind of feedback, even on a general level. and special thanks to you, Byll, for registering to reply to my pleas for help--i appreciate it hugely!

Originally Posted by aussie_techie

this is usually because the mute/un-mute on a non zero crossing point, if you do a fade out before muting the channel it wont happen

i appreciate this advice...but am afraid i don't know the terminology "non-zero crossing point." also--i tend to use the "channel off" function for times when i want a channel to cut out suddenly, so i'm not sure this would help me--unless you mean that any "fading out"--even by a few dB's--would do the trick?

[aussie_techie]

Originally Posted by code green

i appreciate this advice...but am afraid i don't know the terminology "non-zero crossing point." also--i tend to use the "channel off" function for times when i want a channel to cut out suddenly, so i'm not sure this would help me--unless you mean that any "fading out"--even by a few dB's--would do the trick?

a zero crossing point is where the sound wave crosses zero between a posite and negitive polatity, kinda technical jargon but if you look at the wave form at the time of the mute you will see why. something moving the mute a couple of ms can help. on the 4416 i used to do a very fast fade out mute the channel then bring the fader back so that it didnt loose its position, mabey it wasnt the best way of working but it did the job. fading down a few db can be enough so that you dont hear the noise anymore.

[the 925s]

Hi guys hope you can help, ive had my aw2816 for about a year now, ive nearly worked out most things about it just a few things im not sure about.
1. how do you use auto mix? ive recorded my song added effects compression blar blar blar but can anyone tell me as sinple as you can how to use it
2. ive been doing all the editing etc on the aw2816 and as you know it can be a bit of a pain and use alot of your time, how do i record my track to disk as a wav file, i can only seem to record the track as a stereo track.
3. Is there anyway of running an external screen from the 2816.

Hope you can help also check out my band if you get a chance MySpace.com - THE 925S - Eindhoven / London, NL - Indie / Rock / Pop - www.myspace.com/the925s

Thanks for reading guys hope to hear from you soon
lee