Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: gusbud1 on August 28, 2010, 09:30:19 AM
-
I have an older mini-me sitting in a box, that I would like to get repaired so I can sell it. I could send it off to Apogee, but I am sure they will bend me over. Is there anybody on TS that can repair this type of equipment? I guess it might help to list the problem. The first problem I'm sure is a simple fix that probably requires a little soldering. It is a loose/faulty coax line out. The 2nd issue may or may not be more problematic. The unit works fine for a small period of time (5,10,sometimes 15 minutes) then it's like it overloads and resets, or maybe it is just resetting, I don't know. Any suggestions on possible repair techs would be appreciated, or you can just tell me I'm screwed and to send it to apogee. Thanks for looking.
-
Every mini-me owner I know complains about the cheesy RCA female SPDIF out. It's an obvious design flaw, but just try to get Apogee to even admit that they have ever fixed EVEN ONE >:( They'll lie to you and tell you that there's never been an issue........liars.
I sent mine in.......cost me $180 to get it back fixed.
Ripoff.
Great piece of equipment, otherwise, and if my D8 would take a properly matched and attenuated AES solution, without choking on SPDIF logic, I probably would not be bad-mouthing Apogee.
Nonetheless, these guys won't admit to using a shoddy production part, and won't fix it without shaking you down for at least $180, as was in my case and others I have spoken to.
Repair ripoff artists, and liars. >:(
Did I mention, "Liars"?
-
I'd send it to Apogee purely for the fact too that it will give a future buyer the piece of mind that it was fixed correctly. You never know with some of the other repair places. It would make it more attractive to a buyer as well to see that it was done through them.
-
I'd send it to Apogee purely for the fact too that it will give a future buyer the piece of mind that it was fixed correctly. You never know with some of the other repair places. It would make it more attractive to a buyer as well to see that it was done through them.
True
-
Hey Capn,
did they actually fix that crappy spdf out? I always use the aes, but it would be nice to be able to give that to people as a patch,. that said, i don't use mine that often, as my p2 a/d sounds pretty good. thanks
richard
-
FWIW, I had apogee do some simple work on a Mini-MP and even though the job probably was overpriced, I had no problem with their service, which I would actually grade as A+ for the experience I had. Very good and proactive communication and kept me informed all along the way.
-
Hey Capn,
did they actually fix that crappy spdf out? I always use the aes, but it would be nice to be able to give that to people as a patch,. that said, i don't use mine that often, as my p2 a/d sounds pretty good. thanks
richard
Same here. When I bought mine I was aware of the issue of the SPDIF connections getting flaky so I've used my aes connection since day 1.
-
Hey Capn,
did they actually fix that crappy spdf out? I always use the aes, but it would be nice to be able to give that to people as a patch,. that said, i don't use mine that often, as my p2 a/d sounds pretty good. thanks
richard
I just tested it with a straight RCA......and I'll be damned ---- I can still get it to start dropping out if I wiggle it just so. I've been runnung a right-angle cable since the supposed "fix", and have been lucky, so far.
Why can't these guys spec a part that works?
Worse than liars, are "inept" liars.... >:(
-
Interesting about the minime spdif out. Ive had mine for a few months now, bought it used and haven't had that problem with it. I thought i did at one point actually because my tape had dropouts in places but i think it was a battery issue and a heat problem. I was running it in a bag with a V3 at High Sierra music fest in the summer. I bought a pretty nice heavy duty right angle spidif to use with it. I tried wiggling it as well to see if it was the connection but everything was fine. I went taped phish in Telluride, no drops or issues at all. maybe im lucky with mine (knock on wood).
capnhook: i see you run the LSD2 and minime, how do you like that combo?
-
I can still get it to start dropping out if I wiggle it just so.
Why can't these guys spec a part that works?
Don't f'n wiggle it!
Even if it was a panel mount version of the connector, a push on coax spdif is not a connector that is "wiggle proof". I always had my minime in a cage, so there was no load or wiggle on any of the connectors. The cables were zip-tied to the cage. With a pcb mount conncetor, if you strain it, you risk cracking the solder joints on the board.
A panel mount connector would have been a better choice, but they would probably argue they never expected the units to be used in bags, etc. And even if the rear connectors are panel mounted, you have front knobs and switches which are not. Those need to be protected.. Grace smartly recessed those fragile bits on the v2 and v3. Same for the 7xx - engineered to be rugged. Psp2? Extremely rugged. Aerco? Rugged.
-
back when i still had a mini-me, I sent it to Nick..(SchoepsNbox) to see if he could make some custom knobs for the trim pods...that didnt end up working out, but he did fix the SPIF out for me while he had it....might want to give him a shout and see if he would be interested in looking at it.
a
-
Definitely needs some work done.
-
Interesting about the minime spdif out. Ive had mine for a few months now, bought it used and haven't had that problem with it. I thought i did at one point actually because my tape had dropouts in places but i think it was a battery issue and a heat problem. I was running it in a bag with a V3 at High Sierra music fest in the summer. I bought a pretty nice heavy duty right angle spidif to use with it. I tried wiggling it as well to see if it was the connection but everything was fine. I went taped phish in Telluride, no drops or issues at all. maybe im lucky with mine (knock on wood).
capnhook: i see you run the LSD2 and minime, how do you like that combo?
I'm extremely happy with the pairing, and the closer I can get the mic to the source, the better. 90% of the time I run X/Y cards @ 90 degrees. I don't understand why you'd run the coincident omni configuration, so I don't. Made a couple niiiice blumlein recordings, with the mic in the center of a crescent of players. I like the SL compression on the minime, and use it all the time.
-
I can still get it to start dropping out if I wiggle it just so.
Why can't these guys spec a part that works?
Don't f'n wiggle it!
Even if it was a panel mount version of the connector, a push on coax spdif is not a connector that is "wiggle proof". I always had my minime in a cage, so there was no load or wiggle on any of the connectors. The cables were zip-tied to the cage. With a pcb mount conncetor, if you strain it, you risk cracking the solder joints on the board.
Yep, I the fragility of the pcb mounted connector should have been a design issue with these units.....for chrissakes, didn't Apogee realize what this successor to their AD1000 was going to be used for?
But I still say, even the presently sourced repair part is not gripping the center pin of the RCA connector properly.....every straight SPDIF cable I own can be made to drop the signal. Glad the right-angled cable kinda fixed it, but it still ain't right. If it gets flakey on me one more time, I'm a gonna weld a pigtail to the board! >:(
-
But I still say, even the presently sourced repair part is not gripping the center pin of the RCA connector properly.....every straight SPDIF cable I own can be made to drop the signal.
One fix would be the rubberband fix that the V3 needs on the power cable pin.
Basically, split the center pin (not all are solid) and then wedge a bit of rubber in there at the base so it is always splayed out and maintains contact. But that'd be really half-assed in this app..
The other fix might be installing a proper panel connector and running leads to the board. But that would only address the board issues, and not the fundamental issue with the push on/off connector.
You know... SD did it right with the 7xx. They don't use junk push on/off connectors. They use bayonet BNC connectors that twist lock. They have none of these issues. Though if you went that route, it should be a panel mount and not PCB.
-
I'll have to take that over to the wire EDM and cut me a nice slot....thanks for the kludge, Freelunch.... 8)
Yep, a panel mount BNC would be the cat's ass....
-
Hey Capn,
did they actually fix that crappy spdf out? I always use the aes, but it would be nice to be able to give that to people as a patch,. that said, i don't use mine that often, as my p2 a/d sounds pretty good. thanks
richard
I just tested it with a straight RCA......and I'll be damned ---- I can still get it to start dropping out if I wiggle it just so. I've been runnung a right-angle cable since the supposed "fix", and have been lucky, so far.
Why can't these guys spec a part that works?
Worse than liars, are "inept" liars.... >:(
Weaksauce! ::)
-
All this talk of Mini-me. Has anyone opened it up? I'd like to know what is inside. I heard somewhere that it has INA163 preamps. What about the ADC chip?
Also, is it a simple problem (physical connection) with the RCA jack or is there something with the chip/driver that is breaking?
Thanks,
Richard
'
-
All this talk of Mini-me. Has anyone opened it up? I'd like to know what is inside. I heard somewhere that it has INA163 preamps. What about the ADC chip?
Also, is it a simple problem (physical connection) with the RCA jack or is there something with the chip/driver that is breaking?
Thanks,
Richard
'
\
Nah, Richard......the damn board-mounted female RCA doesn't grip the center pin properly. It is a well-known problem that many owners have.......one that Apogee won't acknowledge, even after charging you $180 for the supposed "repair" that ends up not working any better than the part they replace.
ripoff
Kevin