ELEVEN Rack BUILD THREAD

[Joe Malone]

UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Photos coming soon

NOTES & ERRATA
For PCB dated 240719 in top left corner the below changes NOT needed as the cap has been moved up on pcb to fix the problem.
For PCB dated 230818 in top left corner only use the extra longer thinner 3300uF 25v Cap supplied laid on its side between the input XLRs on bottom edge of pcb next to the larger inductor so hex bolt for DB25 doesn't hit into the cap. Best to fit this cap after the XLRs are fitted.

Cap sideways.jpg

PCB images in maps have been shortened to fit.

Link to ELEVEN PCB Front Build map
http://jlmaudio.com/builds/maps/ElevenFrontMap.html

Link to ELEVEN PCB Rear Build map
http://jlmaudio.com/builds/maps/ElevenBackMap.html

Build order
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1. Fit 2 x 10 pin header to the front side of pcb the correct way around. Double-check all soldering joints are properly soldered.
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2. Fit 11 x blue 15-edge connector to the front side of pcb. Check no gold connectors have slid forward while fitting. If any have press them back down before soldering all the blue connector pins. Double-check all soldering joints are properly soldered.
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3. Fit 4 x 26 pin right angle connectors to rear of PCB and solder with them flat against the PCB facing outwards as shown.
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4. Fit 1 x small inductor with black plastic side closest to the top edge of the PCB and solder in.
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5. Fit 1 x large inductor with black plastic side closest to the bottom edge of the PCB and solder in.
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6. Fit 1 x 100uF 50v cap with correct polarity to PCB and solder in.
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7. Fit 2 x 3300uF 25v cap with correct polarity to PCB and solder in. Read Notes & Errata.
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8. Fit all 22 x XLRs in their correct places and sit back panel on and add a few xlr screws to hold it together to keep alignment while soldering. A good idea to have the XLRs face down on a flat hard surface while soldering them in.
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9. Fit all 26 x TRSs in their correct places and sit back panel on and add a few xlr screws to hold it together to keep alignment while soldering. A good idea to have the XLRs face down on a flat hard surface while soldering them in.
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10. Fit 4 x DB25 cables into rear of the back panel and Plugin IN (bottom) and OUT (top) DB25 ribbon cables into 26pin IDC connectors. Fit Hex nuts to hold DB25 in place. The 4 cables are different so 2 out must be on top and 2 in on bottom with D cutout matching the DSub connector shape.
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11. Test all in and outs with loop PCB or 500 modules and if all works fit all XLR screws.
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12. Screw case together with M3 x 5mm countersunk bolts provided and fit 500 modules with M3 x 8mm countersunk bolts provided.
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[rack11]

What do these little switches do?

internalSwitches.jpg

TRS out, TRS in.
-What does this do for channel 9, 10, 11?
-What is the difference between having this feature on the rear TRS compared to the TRS in channels 1-8?

Link switch
-Is the link switch for some units that can do stereo linking. If so, is that only for JLM modules?
Or is it for feed from audio 1 to audio 2, etc?

Link Ground
-What is this?
-Should this be kept off and when should it be on?

I have sent you an email as I am missing some parts, so I have been using the La500a parts so I can finish this rack.

Thank you.

[Joe Malone]

What do these little switches do?
internalSwitches.jpg

TRS out, TRS in.
-What does this do for channel 9, 10, 11?
-What is the difference between having this feature on the rear TRS compared to the TRS in channels 1-8?

Channel 9-11 can have there TRS Jack switched to be separate stereo inputs and outputs for some rare stereo modules. Normal setting is M = Mono which parallels the TRS with the XLR and db25 . S = Stereo. Channel 1-8 are always mono with TRS in parallel with XLR and db25

Link switch
-Is the link switch for some units that can do stereo linking. If so, is that only for JLM modules?
Or is it for feed from audio 1 to audio 2, etc?

Link switches are for standard 500 series stereo link for compressors. We do not do any internal audio linking in our racks.

Link Ground
-What is this?
-Should this be kept off and when should it be on?

Standard in most 500 racks this switch links audio ground to mains ground and in most setups this switch should be on.

I have sent you an email as I am missing some parts, so I have been using the La500a parts so I can finish this rack.

Ok usually best always when missing parts is to fill in the missing parts form as it speeds up getting the parts sent out.

But your batch of Eleven racks went out without 2 x IDC10 and half panel and missing parts parcels are already being packed to send next week.

https://www.jlmaudio.com/shop/missing-part-form.html

[rack11]

Thank you.

[rack11]

Hi Joe,

Some of the TRS socket caps keep coming off when I plug in and out TRS plugs.

The caps are push to click into place, is that correct, and you do not turn them to lock it in place?

Does the protrusion look right? I cannot make it protrude any more otherwise I do not have enough of the rear TRS legs to solder onto the PCB securely.

trsSocketIssues-1.jpg

I have tried trimming off one of the caps plastic bottoms to try and get a better hold when I push the caps in place, but it still comes up with the-same issue of caps popping out in use.

trsSocketIssues-2.jpg

I think you should have used TRS sockets with the nuts to lock it in place as these are easy to misplace if they pop out.

[rack11]

TIP for the DB cables.

When I was doing the DB cables, what worked for me is the two bottom DB connectors (IN) screwed onto the rear panel, and the top DB plugs (OUT) inserted into the PCB headers.

Then start from the bottom and insert the bottom DB plugs (IN) to the bottom PCB headers and carefully move the rear panel into position so that it aligned the top DB connectors to the rear panel DB cutouts (OUT) and also all the XLR, Power and TRS sockets line up with the cutout holes of the rear panel.

You can adjust the position of the DB connector from the gap between the rear panel and the PCB until the DB connector screw holes line up.

dbRepositioning.jpg

Once lined up, I would screw a few XLRs to hold the rear panel into place and then screw the top DB connectors (OUT) to the rear panel.

[rack11]

Tips for screwing XLR socket for lining up soldering of sockets

Since I screwed and unscrewed this several times when lining up the soldering for the Power, XLR and TRS sockets, I inserted an XLR plug in the socket and held the plug steady to try to minimise movement of the XLR when screwing in the screws.

xlrSocket.jpg

The female XLR moves the most. Using this method gave me some peace of mind as I was concerned about breaking any solder joints of the XLR legs soldered onto the PCB. Alternatively, re-soldering all the joints after finalising the screwing in of all sockets to the rear panel is an option.

[rack11]

3300uf Cap

I have the 240719 PCB board, and the 3300uf cap next to the bottom inductor and DB connector is a very tight fit and should be soldered upright. I found leaving a little leg to allow some bending of the cap forward or backward useful to help ensure it is out of the way of the DB connector or inductor. There is headroom but small (I think about 3-5mm), from the top of the cap before it hits the rear panel on how I have done it.

3300ufCap.jpg

Note: When soldering the capacitors, I mounted an XLR to see how much headroom I had for the capacitors as I wanted to make sure the top of the capacitors did not touch the rear chassis panel.

[Joe Malone]

Hi Joe,

Some of the TRS socket caps keep coming off when I plug in and out TRS plugs.

The caps are push to click into place, is that correct, and you do not turn them to lock it in place?

Does the protrusion look right? I cannot make it protrude any more otherwise I do not have enough of the rear TRS legs to solder onto the PCB securely.
trsSocketIssues-1.jpg

I have tried trimming off one of the caps plastic bottoms to try and get a better hold when I push the caps in place, but it still comes up with the-same issue of caps popping out in use.
trsSocketIssues-2.jpg

I think you should have used TRS sockets with the nuts to lock it in place as these are easy to misplace if they pop out.

The Neutrik TRS caps press on and click and then turn clockwise one click to lock. When only pressed the nut shape points directly up as they slide into a keyway. When turned the nut shape should be flat on top.

You should not have to trim anything if soldered flat to the pcb as they are mounting on the correct thickness metal work

[Joe Malone]

3300uf Cap

I have the 240719 PCB board, and the 3300uf cap next to the bottom inductor and DB connector is a very tight fit and should be soldered upright. I found leaving a little leg to allow some bending of the cap forward or backward useful to help ensure it is out of the way of the DB connector or inductor. There is headroom but small (I think about 3-5mm), from the top of the cap before it hits the rear panel on how I have done it.
3300ufCap.jpg

Yes that looks fine. There are some plastic pcb mounts on the XLR above it that can be trimmed off as they are not used in vertical mounting.

But otherwise that looks fine. All the cap move was so the hex mount bolt for the DB25 didn't accidently go into the top of the cap.

[rack11]

The Neutrik TRS caps press on and click and then turn clockwise one click to lock. When only pressed the nut shape points directly up as they slide into a keyway. When turned the nut shape should be flat on top.

You should not have to trim anything if soldered flat to the pcb as they are mounting on the correct thickness metal work

That's better, the caps do not pop out anymore. Note: do not trim any of the bottom plastic of the cap because I think it provides a spring like mechanism to lock the caps in place when you turn it.

trsCap-1.jpg

Left side (R) is when it is locked, right side (L) is when it has not been turned to lock.

I found using a socket tool best than using a small wrench as it is easy to round the plastic nut shape on the caps.

socketTool.jpg

This tool allowed me to use it as a screwdriver and turn those caps on the Eleven Rack that was already installed and in use.

[Joe Malone]

Left is when it is locked, right is when it has not been turned to lock.

Right looked locked to me as it is flat on top. Left looks unlocked.

I found using a socket tool best than using a small wrench as it is easy to round the plastic nut shape on the caps.
This tool allowed me to use it as a screwdriver and turn those caps on the Eleven Rack that was already installed and in use.

Use a 12mm socket

[rack11]

Hi Joe, just some feedback, no harm intended, but I feel a little unsafe with those little switches you used for the link that is surface mount. I think I will be struggling to change them especially when there are modules installed in that tiny hole and it is dark.

switches.jpg

Maybe in future updates, something similar and smaller would have been better as they are through the board or maybe add switches to the rear panel.

mini switch.jpg

[rack11]

Here are my PCB boards soldering completed.
FRONT

completedPCB-front.jpg

REAR

completedPCB-back.jpg

[rack11]

Left is when it is locked, right is when it has not been turned to lock.

Right looked locked to me as it is flat on top. Left looks unlocked.

It might be the angle of the photo, as I needed to get behind the rack.

Here are where both caps are locked. When you look at the top of the caps straight on, they look like this straight line _______ maybe slightly tilted on some caps as there is a very small wiggle room on the TRS legs soldered on the PCB board holes.

trsCap-locked.jpg

OK, I see where the confusion is. When I meant left, I did not mean L on the chassis but left side on the photo