Electronics - bah!

Foster

I've an behringer ultragraph pro that refuses to power on (from one drama group) and a DMX dimmer pack that is also refusing to power on (one of my own)

Why are modern electronics so shitty? Neither are particularly old, hell I buy older electronic stuff that works fine! Wouldn't be so fussed it if cost a few quid to replace but the ultragraph cost the group £150 and the dimmer pack cost me £80 - I'd like to get some use out of them!

Looking inside reveals naff all, yes there is a circuit board, that's nice.

ICBM

No power at all usually means a broken switch, or a blown internal fuse (sometimes not obvious as a fuse) - although that may indicate something else is wrong. Definitely not a replacement job yet...

If they have attached cables, cable damage is also a possibility, and if they have IEC sockets the fuse is often in a drawer next to the plug space.

Foster

Tried replacing the fuses, dimmer pack did naff all and the behringer actually blew the IEC cable. Nice!

I'm not gonna replace if I can help it, i'd rather fix things

ICBM

Foster said:

Tried replacing the fuses, dimmer pack did naff all and the behringer actually blew the IEC cable. Nice!

Less good... sounds like the Behringer could have a shorted power supply (either transformer or SMPS), which could be uneconomical.

The dimmer pack is more hopeful if it just did nothing, that sounds more like a broken switch or a connection.

Danny1969

I haven't seen inside a Ultragraph Pro but almost every other bit of Behringer cheap outboard I've seen has had a cheap SMPS in it ... these often fail, normally caps and then normally pulse width chip and god knows what else. Not easy things to fix unless it's just the caps as the main components  are normally covered in yellow gunge and some of the stuff like switching transistors and Vref chips are unlisted on every site you look on. 

If the dimmer pack is ol skool Triac then that's probably fixable 

Emp_Fab

Sorry to be a dissenting voice Foster but the problem is that we've all got used to cheap electronics that are built to a price, not a specification.  £150 is nothing for the functionality of what you're getting.  Feeding a thousand Chinese children after they've done a 23hr shift isn't cheap you know. 

crunchman

There is a reason why Behringer are cheap.  Had a quick look on Thomann, and there are other brands that are 3 times the price.  Not saying they will never go wrong, but they will be a lot better made.

ICBM

Behringer's QC is interesting - they're not badly made, although they do cut parts specs very fine, but for the vast majority of cases it's not a problem and the thing works perfectly for as long as you like. In a small fraction of cases something must be too close to the lower tolerance and the thing dies quite quickly.

It is very much a throwaway design model - they're rarely economical to repair if something serious goes wrong, and in many cases seem to be almost deliberately "designed not to be repaired" rather than "not designed to be repaired", if you see what I mean, and as Danny1969 said - although it may not be intentional.

Not by any means unique to modern Chinese manufacture, and it's just something we have to get used to. Especially those of us who earn our money fixing things...

ESBlonde

I like to fix things or at least get them fixed so I feel your pain. I've got one of those units unused in a rack somewhere but the face plate has taken a bash and slider knobs went everywhere!

Two comments I'd like to make.
The digital EQ by behringer (Ultracurve) is far better sounding than the slider version, but less instinctive to use for a drama group unless someone rings it out and locks the best settings in.
This is advertised online used, probably not much more than a repair fee if a lot of diagnostic time and shipping charges are involved.https://shop.musical-money.co.uk/all-studio/behringer-fbq6200-ultragraph-pro-eq.html

Foster

Had another look, i've no idea at all now. I would contact Behringer or QTX directly but I guess the reply will be "We don't give a fuck mate".

It is utterly disheartening, small community drama groups don't have a lot of cash - equipment is always bought on a budget. I can accept behringer equipment not being the best, some of it is decent but you've got to allow for hums, buzzes, not the best quality but usable. It pisses me off no end that companies think using something 3 times before it dies beyond repair is acceptable.

Foster

Well an attempt to contact QTX directly via their email service was a waste of time - it crashes when you try to submit anything. Their server must be made from the same components as the dimmer pack!