I have just finished putting back together this PRE BMX III console.
We basically ripped the guts out of this unit and in doing so, I was reminded of how well these things are built. The PRE BMX series consoles were truly wonders of audio engineering. It is a testament to their ruggedness and serviceability that so many of these units are still in use twenty to thirty years after they were manufactured.
This console suffered some pretty bad water damage to the backplane:
Which was replace, along with many switches and buttons. The Mic2, Mic3 and CD1 modules seemed to have taken most of the damage, there were several logic ICs and IC sockets that needed to be replaced on those modules. Of course, this was not inexpensive; the parts were somewhere north of $3K plus about 40 man hours of labor… that adds up fast.
The good news, I think that the studio was back in service last night.
You can still get backplanes for those PR&E mixers? Wow…
I picked up a watered Ward-Beck a few years ago that was scrapped by WCBM (back when it was a Metromedia property). I knew it would never work again as a console, but I harvested enough intact electronic and metal parts from it to keep my junk box full and my project bench busy for years to come.
The more “techie”-looking parts (meters, large-can caps etc) I gave to a sculptor to build into some wacky crap.
Paul, did you water-proof it this time?
@Alan, Mooretronix has almost everything for these consoles. The backplane we received from them looked like it was salvaged from something else, but it did the trick.
@Mark, We contemplated laquering the back plane boards, but put a rubber membrane in the ceiling above the console instead.
I have a BMX II I am trying to sell. Would love to get it to someone who can appreciate it. Also have several other paerts that went into a home studio.
Paul Gilman
559-907-6842
I have 2 BMX III-30 consoles for sale with 3 power supplies.
marka28@aol.com
469-401-9000
I’m a intern at the grass roots DC here in Washington DC
Someone donated BM X II console
REPORT OF LIKE TO HAVE A PUNCHING WIRES AWAY LIKE CRAZY
4A IN 4AND
4A IN 16 A LINE IN 4A
SAYS THAT ENDS OF THE LINES ARE INPUTS GOING TO THE MIXER
THE OTHER END OF THE LINE GOES INTO THE RECORDING DEVICE IT OUTPUT
THE PATCHBAY BLOCK
DOES THE OUTPUT GOING TO OUTPUT SINCE IT’S GOING TO PATCHBAY BLOCK
OR OUTPUT GO TO INPUT LIKE A NORMAL PERSON WOULD THINK
have a BMX II I am trying to sell. Would love to get it to someone who can appreciate it. Also have several other parts that went into a home studio.
Paul Gilman
559-907-6842
Does anyone have a technical manual in .pdf for a BMX III? I’m doing a tiny bit of installation stuff on a system that uses one of them as their main on air console and I need the manual to plan my piece of that.
Thanks very much!
Michael
Hey there! I am looking to purchase a BMX II or III. Anyone have one thats in good working order, let me know:)
Thanks!
I have one Trevor email me at (redacted, contact blog admin)
Hello Trevor..I have a Pacific Recorders & Engineering BMX-18 for sale am in NW Arkansas..Thanks
I’d love to know where to pick up 5 of the BMX II or IIIs OR an RMX 20, either model with the phone module shown in the final install above. Any ideas?
There’s one on E-bay. 12 hours left.
Hello,
I am in need of a pdf of the PR&E BMX III console
If you can furnish a link for download.
Thank you very much!
JJ McCartney
Hey guys,
I’m looking for the BMX II Technical Manual. Anyone know where I can get the digital?
Thanks in Advance
Nick