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Nexo PC212 mk2 refurb

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csg View Drop Down
Old Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote csg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Nexo PC212 mk2 refurb
    Posted: 13 October 2018 at 4:29pm
These days it is rare for me to have the time to do much building etc, but when i spotted a couple of unusual boxes on eBay that looked like a great little project i thought it was time for a little fun.

 The PC range from Nexo was their first small-ish format system dating from around 1983 - these mk2 boxes were produced around 1990. As some on here know, i used to run a lot of the older Nexo kit and have a big soft spot for it as it generally sounded fantastic,, a lot better than their current gear to my ears at least.

The PC212 mk2's here were a box only produced in small numbers - they were very expensive, heavy and introduced shortly before the PS10 and PS15 were introduced. These have 5 drivers crammed in a very compact box ( around 380x380x880mm), 2x12" bass, 2x6.5" mid and a 1" HF on Nexo's propriety slot flare that was used on all their kit from the first SI systems to TS2400.  Given that the PS speakers have just 2 drivers and a much simpler crossover it is easy to see how expensive these were to make.

Bass and HF drivers are made by RCF, the mid drivers are the dreaded but great sounding Audax units - which when i got them naturally had the rotted foam surrounds.

These boxes, found on eBay were in really good condition, but unfortunately had been stored for some time in damp conditions, causing most of the magnet surfaces to corrode quite badly. Luckily all the magnetic gaps were clear of debris, so cleaning up with a rust inhibitor ( ACF50 - as used to winter proof my bikes) will keep these happy.

As mentioned above, the mid drivers had rotten foam surrounds - luckily surrounds for these are available, so all these were replaced.

The HF drivers have ferrofluid filled gaps, over time these tend to get quite sticky, dulling the HF response quite considerably - so the gaps / coils were cleaned out and the fluid replaced.

Other than that, it was quite a simple strip, test, clean and re-build, replacing some wadding and the foam filters on the grilles that had perished like the mid driver surrounds. tested them today, with the PC processor they sound fantastic with lovely tight bass, smooth mid and very detailed and airy top end.















“The fact is this is about identifying what we do best and finding more ways of doing less of it better”
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njw View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote njw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 October 2018 at 9:47pm
  Nice, I bet they make some noise for a (relatively) small box?
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Old Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote csg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 October 2018 at 9:06am
yes, they do - they sound considerably bigger than they are if you know what i mean. ill probably keep these for a while, with a couple of 18" subs a nice small stand alone system, or sidefill rig for a small / medium festy stage. Great dynamics, so will definitely suit some live use.
“The fact is this is about identifying what we do best and finding more ways of doing less of it better”
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 4D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 October 2018 at 11:24am
 Nice project Chris. Good to see old kit being refurbished, look forward to pics of it in action.
  
DMZ. "The bass was intense. Girls were literally running up to stand next to the subs"
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jammin75 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jammin75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 October 2018 at 12:07pm
nice Smile
feel the vibes !!!   "Who Feels it Knows it"            Strong like Lion              
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote haymere Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 December 2018 at 9:20am
Lovely, just talkin to my mate last night. I too have a very soft spot for Nexo as I had 8 PS15’s & LS1200s back in the day when I had my business. I don’t own any kit now as my mate has a Orbit rig but was saying to him if some Si tops came up I would be sorely tempted
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JonB67 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 December 2018 at 10:27am
look like they weigh a ton!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mojofilters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 December 2018 at 3:03pm
Thanks for posting the nice pictures. Long time since I've heard or seen those boxes, and not sure actually I'd seen inside before.

The HF horn looks like a giant version of the proprietary asymmetric one used in Clair's 12am monitors. Is there any relation there, or is it just a visual similarity?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote csg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 January 2019 at 10:06pm
    • I would say it is just a visual similarity, unlike the PS series these horns are 90x45 deg symmetric coverage. Im guessing Clair used DDS to mould their horns? DDS used to provide the same gloss black finish on their fiberglass work.
“The fact is this is about identifying what we do best and finding more ways of doing less of it better”
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote L8 ECU Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 January 2019 at 8:39am
Nice project.

Agree with you on the superb sound quality of the early Nexo products.

Many Nexo PC range speakers we're installed in West End theatre productions, chosen for vocal clarity, compactness & high spl's for the size of the cabinets.

Back in the day notable users / hire company's would have been Paul Farrah Sound, Delta Sound Inc and Montage.  

Later years Orbital Sound as well if I recall correctly.  

So good to see these cabs still in use today.


Edited by L8 ECU - 07 January 2019 at 11:28am
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