Topic: UA-5 Switchable DigiMod?

[zowie]

Has anyone tried installing a switch (I guess it'd be two switches - one at the printed USB path and one along the jumper wire to the digital outs) in order to have option of easily going between stand alone use and computer output use on a UA-5?

Any reason something more  than good soldering skills and a couple dollars of parts is needed for this to work?

[sexymexi]

i think the only reason you would want to do this is to playback via the Ua-5, correct?  but it seems like more work, and something to have to worry about while using it.  For instance say what if you accidentally switched the switch over while using it for standalone.  i would venture to guess it would stop working, and possibly could damage something in the machine.  i personally wouldn't do it, kinda interesting, but not neccesary, just go the better route, and have oade mod it, get the warm or presence mod depending on what mics you have, its gonna be better overall.

also, if you didn't know once it is modded for standalone use, it can still be connected via usb.  the only thing you can't do is playback.  hope that helps. good luck.

matt

[Brian Skalinder]

I knew I'd seen this posted before over on the oade board:

Re: Modifying UA-5 for digital output

Subject:  Re: Modifying UA-5 for digital output
Date:  Thu, 7 Aug 2003 14:55:58 - (EDT)
From:  Doug Oade <doug@oade.com>  

Greetings !
It is not hard at all to add a switch. The trick is to add the
switch without raising the noise floor. Every wire and trace in that
box was carefully thought out. Extreme attention must be paid to
things like ground noise, in fact, that is a specially in itself. If
you do try to add a switch, listen for a raised noise floor and try
dressing the leads in various ways and along different paths should
your technique induce noise. It is not a bad idea to record the
unit's current noise floor before you start, if you do not have the
gear to measure it. Using a twisted pair or shielded cable for the
switch is a good place to start. Also, remember once you do
something like that and the unit fails, unless you can repair it,
odds are no one will touch it. The reason is modified units can be
problematic and a tech looking to make a living with his time will
not want to touch a modified low cost box for fear it will start to
bark loudly once it hits his bench, costing him lots of time for a
machine he cannot repair for a reasonable amount of money and
therefore cannot get paid to work on.
 Have fun...Doug

[zowie]

Yup - it's about playback.  My PC is a laptop, so I'd still need a USB, Firewire, or PCMCIA playback device (I have a couple now but they're not what I want).  I'm thinking this will kill two birds with one box for less bucks.

[sexymexi]

if your not that picky about playback. then just run mini > rca.  i have that hooked up to my PC.  easy, done.  i'm the poor kid without digital connections.  other than that i have to run all high quality rca's. with gold contacts on everything possible..  works good for me. and i think it sounds sick..  

[kev B]

also, if you didn't know once it is modded for standalone use, it can still be connected via usb.  the only thing you can't do is playback....

bump for a question...

So, after I digimod my UA-5 for use with my JB3, can I use the digimoded UA-5 to transfer some of my old tapes?

[Brian]

also, if you didn't know once it is modded for standalone use, it can still be connected via usb.  the only thing you can't do is playback....

bump for a question...

So, after I digimod my UA-5 for use with my JB3, can I use the digimoded UA-5 to transfer some of my old tapes?

yep. just hook up your "play deck" to the one of the inputs and you should be able to transfer. where do you want to transfer it to? if to a computer than you can transfer it through usb, optical, or coax into your computer, whatever input you have.

[kev B]

thanks for the info. someone give this man a +T for me. Yes, I am going to transfer some old tapes to my computer (Acoustic Junction, Solar Circus, maybe some old LP's for my parents). I am using my Dennon DRM series > UA5 > desktop computer via usb. The UA-5 was definitely the right choice for me. Thanks again.

[Brian]

hey no problem. I love my UA5 for recording in the field and for my band in my home. great unit for the price.  

Happy Tansferring! +t

Brian