MCI is a very good and simply console.
Not to much capacitors instead of amek.
Try to balance your system for more details and less noise see for example...http://www.equitech.com or search for something more cheap
There is also a custom made pre from John Hardy but I don't know if it is for your board too.

best regards

Roberto

Just curious....are you saying that the "rig" is noisey,or just the board? Does the Otari have dbx? My MCI rig used to drive me crazy when it was relatively "young". I can't imagine what it would be like this day and age. BTW, the John Hardy pre's are available for the later models-the 500 and 600 models (and the Sony MPX). I don't know that they support the original MCI 400 series.
I have noticed on this site that there are a good number of former MCI owners that are now happy Ghost owners. And the Ghost is supported by various 3rd party techs here in the States. Maybe you can check with someone like Audio Upgrades to see what is presently offered to "hotrod" a Ghost and what to look for in terms of production upgrades as well as potential problems. Then you can ditch the logic/relay/switching nightmare you are currently nursing!

Think about this.

The Op-Amps that console has can be easily replaced with newer and far more improved integrated circuits. The old dried up capacitors can also be replaced. It is still quite a functional console and since you are quite familiar with it, this may be a better and far less expensive way to go? Texas Instruments has absorbed Burr Brown, also, Analog Devices also has a nice offering. Many of the high-end consoles have been retrofitted with Panasonic capacitors and many of the improved integrated circuit Op-Amps.

Although there are a lot of people that don't like capacitors (we are all little filter circuits), they really do not detract much from good sounding and well designed circuits. If they weren't good sounding, nobody would ever want an API or NEVE desk! So that kind of an opinion isn't completely relevant. Just an opinion.

If you just want a change of pace? And you have the money? You may desire another console?

If you have any further questions? Feel free to contact me.
Remydavid@cox.net

Re-cap the master modules and a couple of channels (e.g. pull the channels, and replace all the capacitors, especially the electrolytic ones. They go bad eventually. Just put in new ones with the same values, you can substitute higher voltage, and you can substitute closer tolerance. So say, your original cap is a .01 ufd 10 volt 3% beasty (.01 microfarad, 10 volt rating, 3 percent tolerance), you can drop in a .01 ufd 20V 2% replacement if you can't find one that has exactly the same values).

see if this doesn't help things out. If it does, set a schedule to pull two channels ever couple weeks or so.

dwoz

dwoz makes a valid suggestion. But I know that old console and its integrated circuit chips were truly awful sounding to begin with. This console never sounded anything more than ill defined and mushy. But it was one of the first inexpensive, in-line consoles.

With just a change in the capacitors as dwoz suggests, you may very likely hear a tremendous difference as well but if you do want a more modern, more state-of-the-art sound out of that old beast, change the capacitors and the chips. Also, the input transformer for the microphone preamplifiers is equally dreadful! You may want to try to purchase a new/used Jensen transformer for one of the input strips and with all of these modifications together it'll sound fantastic!

I guess I've just had it with the mci and am ready to move on. I'm not sure if I can afford it, but I"m going to be moving and want a more low maintenance set up, something that isn't 25 years old. And something that sounds better too! I like the pres on the mci. it's just a specific sound that i'm growing tired of. So maybe a ghost? do those have any form of automation built in?

Yes they do have a version with MIDI-automated muting (the "LE" version does NOT have that feature). You might also check into the Soundcraft 2020 which added moving faders to the feature list....
Remy's right...we used to say that MCI stood four "Mush City Inc"...