Anyone Over 500 Series?

Hey Paul, just an FYI, API has a newer version of the lunchbox with 8 spaces, but d-sub only, for the same cost as the old 6 space.

Got ya.  XLR is better for me too, but those extra slots for the same cost are pretty tempting.

You should add up parts some time and then add up man hours to build them. These guys aren't getting rich building these modules. I know I wouldn't want to do most of it for the hourly rate they are making.

R

Agreed, $7-800 is about the norm, I don't see all these so called limitations that seem to be the 500 series negative buzzword lately?? Almost any designer, can overcome any perceived limitation by utilizing double space and a pair of faceward 1/4" jacks, then pound for pound and space for space, it's less costly by a long shot, especially if ur into 51x and diy

Are they really doing that over there, Dan? I'm not at all surprised, but damn, how incredibly underhanded.

I know I've shared this before, but I'll share it again. I feel like I "told it like it was" over there (it got me banned) and they definitely didn't like me asking why posts were being deleted and manufacturers were moderators. It REALLY got under my skin in a thread I started about CAPI products. There was one gear pimp moderator openly bad-mouthing the product (which he didn't use and didn't carry) and another deleting posts. Then the final straw was them moving it to a totally different forum to try and make it go away. Anyway, I noticed - twice as a matter of fact - that no one was responding to any of my posts. I remember asking Littlesicily if he saw my posts - and he didn't. So, I emailed a mod and they said something like, "oh, so sorry - it's fixed now." Then when corresponding with Tony Arnold, we figured out the same thing was happening to him. I'm not a big conspiracy theory guy - but I figured there was something to it.

So - I end up starting this forum after they banned me over there. (I got banned for posting a new UAD2 never opened still in the cellophane in the classifieds...they argued that it wasn't new, and I explained that it was and reposted...I was a bit perturbed at that point). One of the things that I learned was that as a moderator, you can "ghost" people - where no one else but them see their posts. So, that's what they were doing to me and Tony. Just some dirty, dirty shit going down over there. And that's just the half of it.

That is the difference in buying consumer quality verses a high grade components. You do get what you pay for. Companies like Great River, Kush, RTZ Audio, Inward Connections and Radial Engineering use high quality components and therefore, their products are priced accordingly. I will always be skeptical of a $300 module. A corner got cut somewhere to make that happen. Just the injection molding for a simple quality knob(but a new design) can be in the thousands.

R

I bought a cheap (I mean REALLY cheap) MXL Ribbon...Brought it home, put it up, pulled out the shockmount, put it on the mic stand, started tightening the screw to hold up the mic, broke the screw. Within 10 minutes of pulling it out of the case. Seriously, that "metal" was 35% butter.

+1. Their ethics have become very questionable, to put it politely. I always wondered why, in some threads, I saw people answering to posts that didn't exist.

Well, again lets not derail this thread hashing up thing on other forums. I was just trying to answer some buyers belief that certain products, in the 500 format should cost a certain amount no more. Quality cost money. Its just like music production and engineering. You get what you pay for in most cases.

That being said, I would love to be over the 500 series format, because I am out of rack spaces. It's just that so many outstanding products keep getting developed in it. Three, 11 space 500 series racks later... I am out of space again.

I never warmed up to the 500 format for several reasons.

First is the size, they are very crowded with tiny controls. Add to that the bundle of cables crowded into the rear, a ratsnest sized format to work with. Maybe it's ideal if you have small Japanese sized hands. 500 designs are the clown cars of audio. You never know how many knobs you can fit into them.

Next are the power supply issues. Power supplies are not that hard to do right. Somehow, the rack boys seem to always under power them. For me, it's no harder than building a power supply that will handle twice what anyone will throw at it. The obvious solution is to locate the power supply externally, like as done in an analog console. That way current limitations are avoided and that internal power transformer no longer generates hum fields into your audio path and audio transformers. It would also free up more rack module spaces as that power supply wouldn't eat up one end of the rack. You could then fit modules all across the 19" rack.

Last is interaction problems and crosstalk. Modules should not talk to each other. Again, power supply issues and ground distribution are key. I prefer my outboard to be self powered individually. The crosstalk is best that way. Someone should do a crosstalk sweep of common racks with common modules, but that info might get into the way of marketing the products.

Couple of thoughts after starting and reading through thread again...

I started the thread because I was having power issues in my rack after adding a 5th module in a 6 module rack. I talked with some well informed audio guys that said this is a common problem with some rack's and they will lose headroom and fidelity and that is what was happening with mine.

Now, being informed of new rack options that supply more than enough power to modules, Im not "over" 500 series...just have a better understanding of the obstacles.

I love the fact that there are so many options and I think the future is exciting for all types of modules for this platform.

If I had a 500 rack, I would rip the power supply out and wire a 4 or 5 pin connector. Add a Power One 5 amp dual supply and call it a day.

It's not worth playing with toys when you need tools.