DL32R channels not working - Performing surgery today...

[JohnMHoyt]

My DL32R has been misbehaving and it's time to spank it - again.

For a while now, input 5 was not working - no signal from anything plugged in, so I just avoided that for a couple months.
One of the aux outs has been down that we use for our horn section monitors - sometimes it works, sometimes not, so we moved them to another output.
Channel 12 has been up and down for months - that's been a rack tom - we just moved it to another input.
Input 8 where our Subkick was stopped working at a gig a couple weeks ago.
And the straw that broke the camel's back - the "Left" output failed during a show where we were sending a stereo feed to a pro audio company that was running FOH...... It worked at sound check, but failed during the show.   We run a stereo mix, so we had to center everything for them to hear those left channel sources.

Had it failed before the show, it would have been no problem - we would have had time to swap the output and then use the matrix to re-route the left channel to another aux. and then you would have never known from the console.

How to "fix" this situation on a more permanent basis, short of sending it in for repair?

Since this is a slow week for my band, no rehearsal, and just one show so I brought the rack in and ripped the DL32R from it and unscrewed eleventy-billion screws to remove the top.

I then *carefully* pulled each ribbon cable loose (but not all the way out) and then *carefully* slide it back into place.
This is apparently enough to clean the oxidation from the contact points and reestablish the connection.

A quick check before putting the cover back on and all is okay (for another few months hopefully)....
I believe it was about July the last time I did this. Maybe I will write the date under the cover =)

If you are losing channels on your DL32R - it's likely this same issue.   If under warranty - send it in for sure and don't do like me, put off sending it in until it is out of warranty because you are using it every night.

Want to see inside?   Go here:
https://imgur.com/gallery/xnkhL

[Weogo]

Hi John,

About six months after getting my DL32R I opened it and reseated one ribbon cable, for an output issue.
That was more than a year ago.
Since then, all good.

Good health,  Weogo

[JohnMHoyt]

About six months after getting my DL32R I opened it and reseated one ribbon cable, for an output issue.
That was more than a year ago.
Since then, all good.

I believe this is the 4th time i’ve had to do this.  About 3-6 months between repairs.

So, that’s 1-3, plus a rehearsal per week.  Or, 4 to 8 moves per week.  About 200-400 miles per week in the back of my car.   

Whatever the cause - movement, temp changes, air quality - mine suffers from it =(

Compared to the old analog Yamaha console, which had maybe 6 years, 2500 shows, saw three countries and 20 states, was manhandled, rained on, beer spilled in it, used hot dessert sun and freezing cold, once fell off the lift gate (in a road case) and a lightning strike to a rack on stage that was directly linked to that mixer via a 200ft snake...  only suffered a single broken knob, and a couple scratchy faders...   

The Mackie has never been bumped or manhandled...  zero beer or moisture exposure. Only used in a smoky venue maybe 4 times..

Yamaha analog wins the tough category.

Presonus loses bigger - had one that died after a power surge - it was 2 months old.  Replacement failed within 6 months - I/o board issue. Replacement replacement was sold and completely melted down on new owner within a year - out of warranty and completely dead.

I would like to get a new DL32r to replace my current one, or maybe something similar. Hopefully a little more robust.   Keep waiting for the next big thing, but no luck.

[SteveB]

John - thanks for the picture. I think this is the problem with mine but still under warranty so will be going back for repair in the near future.
 

[JohnMHoyt]

I so wish I had just rented a DL32R or bought a new one and sent mine in for repair.

I do know this - if it ever does it once - everyone I have spoken to has said it has done it again (except that one guy up there ^ who says he had it do it once! hehe).
So, if it were me sending it in, I would get them to say, in writing that this was going to be a permanent fix, or that they would replace it/repair it again even if it is out of warranty when it happens the next time.

The expense and inconvenience to send it in to them, just to have cables reseated like I have done - uhmmm would not be worth it.
A *REAL* fix and promise of it being permanent would certainly have been worth it.   

Good luck with yours!

[SteveB]

I'll be seeing what sort of guarantee I can get that it's permanent! To be honest I'm not hopeful! Going to have to find a quite time when I can roll out the old Mix-wiz.

I thought the days of handling snakes and arguments with venue owners about finding out front was long gone.

[WK154]

A long, long time ago in AT&T land there was Nitrogen to keep long lines and locals from becoming a problem. I know because my company provided air dryers and detection systems for them. Then came along gel-filled lines and gone was Nitrogen and dry air. My suggestion is to pick up No-OX-ID or equivalent and apply it to the cable end (female) connector after clearing any corrosion and making sure it's dry before applying the gel. It's been in use in the power industry for many decades. This may buy you some additional time. The issue of becoming loose especially on the long 3M cables is hot glue. Behringer seems to love that and it works.

[musicman7722]

I just picked up a new DL32r last week you people are scaring me now

I recall in the PC repair world where I work when the early SATA connectors came outy were wiggling off their connectors.  Usually hard drives.  The issue was eventually fixed by adding a locking clip to them.

Also ram inside a computer can wiggle free and needs to be re-seated.

[WK154]

Yes there are quality 3M connectors but they cost. Mackies not about to put Gold plated lockable header connectors on this product. $$$engineering also a poor layout based on the Pic I saw of the DL32R. Better solutions also exist on board connectors.

[Rdmitch]

I have yet to experience this issue on mine, but knowing the quick fix was reseating the cables I would not
bother to send it for repairs.  The time in transit and for them to do this task would easily be a few weeks at best.
That being the case, I could do it myself before my coffee got cold and be back up and running.
With such an easy fix....why would anyone with an out of warranty machine ponder sending it to Mackie?
Granted it’s a inconvenience, but considering the other multitude of possible problems I can deal with reseating the cables  instead of some of the other horror stories I have heard from presonus and behringer owners.

[JohnMHoyt]

With such an easy fix....why would anyone with an out of warranty machine ponder sending it to Mackie?
Granted it’s a inconvenience, but considering the other multitude of possible problems I can deal with reseating the cables  instead of some of the other horror stories I have heard from presonus and behringer owners.

Well, picture this....   The last time it failed was after soundcheck at a very high profile show.  It was working perfectly on the L+R outputs and an hour later, it was not.

We made it through, but what if I had not? I do need reliability.   While my band does play a lot of craphole bars, we also play in front of thousands of people, and I run sound with this rig for some shows which might have 10000+ people at them.  The bigger gigs are the exceptions, not the norm, but a failure can be devastating for our reputation, even on a non-profit fundraiser.

Sad to say - the audience doesn't care what the reason was it fell apart - only that it fell apart.   

Therefore, if I can scrape the funds together, I'm buying another mixer.

[Gitarzan1]

I've had this mixer for about 2 years now and love the functionality and ease of the GUI on the iPad.  But, I have to pull and reset the ribbon cables a lot.  I'll lose and input channel or two every 4 or 5 gigs.  I can re-patch on the spot but it's a HUGE pain in the ass.  I work with my band and a lot of other bands and if I do a show with a band before I pull and reset the cables, I have to remember to re-patch those dead channels when I recall a show for another band and then re-re-patch them after I fix it.  The unit is in a case and does not get banged around at all.  I'm very careful with my gear.

I've heard the same complaint from several other users.  I have 2 of these units (one as a backup) and I rotate them occasionally and both of them have exhibited this issue.  Glad I can fix it, but mad that I have to so regularly.

I wish there was a more permanent way to fix this connectivity problem with those ribbon cables.

[WK154]

I've had this mixer for about 2 years now and love the functionality and ease of the GUI on the iPad.  But, I have to pull and reset the ribbon cables a lot.  I'll lose and input channel or two every 4 or 5 gigs.  I can re-patch on the spot but it's a HUGE pain in the ass.  I work with my band and a lot of other bands and if I do a show with a band before I pull and reset the cables, I have to remember to re-patch those dead channels when I recall a show for another band and then re-re-patch them after I fix it.  The unit is in a case and does not get banged around at all.  I'm very careful with my gear.

I've heard the same complaint from several other users.  I have 2 of these units (one as a backup) and I rotate them occasionally and both of them have exhibited this issue.  Glad I can fix it, but mad that I have to so regularly.

I wish there was a more permanent way to fix this connectivity problem with those ribbon cables.

Why not try what I suggested above. A more permanent solution is solder, not for the faint of heart.

[JohnMHoyt]

Why not try what I suggested above. A more permanent solution is solder, not for the faint of heart.

If I had a backup mixer, I would be fine with doing that, but having been inside it several times to fix this ribbon cable issue, I know it pretty well and with the density of those cables and the number of solder points, I would be afraid I would bridge something and not have it tested and back up for the next show.

If it were just one cable, no problem, but there's a lot more than i would feel comfortable with without having more time.

[James91104]

What a most unfortunate and entirely preventable situation by design PIA. Points deduction Mackie.