Analog Consoles

[Guest BentonC]

Just checking in with our fellow audio guys out there to see if anyone has any experience or thoughts on analog consoles they've worked with? What did you like? What didn't you like? Any cheap or mid-priced boards you've gotten good results on?

 

Anything console related at all- let's hear it.

[L5Larry]

I've got two large Tascam analog boards, probably from the early eighties. For my recording setup I have a Tascam M-520 (20x8) feeding an MS-16 1" 16-track tape machine. This is an incredibly flexible board for both recording and playback, and in fact also controls casual music listening to about half my house. This is a studio only console for it is way too big and heavy to be portable.

 

For live sound I have a Tascam M-320 board (20x4x2x1). Also designed by Tascam as a studio recording board, it is small and light enough to be somewhat portable. I not only use it for live band sound, but also to control a 5.1 surround sound system for a portable theater system I have.

 

This series of Tascam boards, and their respective recorders, were very well designed and built. The M-500 series are still in demand and command high prices, but the M-300 series can be had for a very reasonable price.

[Guest BentonC]

Thanks for the info! I've heard some great recordings on older Tascam boards (too bad thier newer boards don't have the same vibe). How many auxes are on the 520? Also, does it have a dedicated line and mic input on every channel? Just curious.

 

Post some photos if you can too- I love looking at that sort of thing.

[L5Larry]

On the M-520 each channel is switchable for three functions, mic-line-tape, and have four Aux's switchable for pre-post-tape. Plus it also had a completely separate 16 channel monitor bank for the 16 track recorder.

[Guest BentonC]

Wow- sounds like a pretty ideal console. Is the signal path clean/transparent? Or is there a particular character to it?

[L5Larry]

Wow- sounds like a pretty ideal console. Is the signal path clean/transparent? Or is there a particular character to it?

 

There is a particular characteristic sound to it....ANALOG, and to my ears (and many others) that is an asset, not a liability. I've been very satisfied with the clarity and sound of my recording rig. Compared to today's digital recording setups, there is certainly an analog sound to it, and that's part of the beauty of it. Being "old school" I always thought digital recording was harsh, and even somewhat painful. There is something about the old analog pro gear that just sounds SWEET.

 

Anyway, I dug up a few of photos of my studio setup:

 

 

 

[Guest BentonC]

Wow- looks like tape heaven in your studio. I do agree, there is something about tape compression that just warms everything up a lot (harmonics really sing too). Though, I do have to say that digital has come a really long way in the past 5-7 years.

 

Still- envy abounds when looking at your rig. I'm guessing you can use 2" on that 16 track machine?

[L5Larry]

The 16-track is a Tascam MS-16 1" machine, with two 8-channel DBX units.

[Guest BentonC]

The 16-track is a Tascam MS-16 1" machine, with two 8-channel DBX units.

 

Nice- thanks!

[Valeriy]

Wow- looks like tape heaven in your studio.

 

I'm also impressed with the studio. Looks nice.

 

Now I make a 5-channel analog mixer, many years 5 good homemade preamps are and not used.

But when I started to put it in the mixer, it was so much detail, it is necessary to have also mic inputs, aux-s, etc

 

The truth, the first sound of the first channel that I have tested - very much it was pleasant, I am compelled to complete it now.

[Guest BentonC]

I'm also impressed with the studio. Looks nice.

 

Now I make a 5-channel analog mixer, many years 5 good homemade preamps are and not used.

But when I started to put it in the mixer, it was so much detail, it is necessary to have also mic inputs, aux-s, etc

 

The truth, the first sound of the first channel that I have tested - very much it was pleasant, I am compelled to complete it now.

 

So, you're making your own console? That's really cool. Post some pics if you can!

[Valeriy]

So, you're making your own console? That's really cool. Post some pics if you can!

 

OK, BentonC. Tomorrow I'm going to do a test recording guitars using the first working channel of the console and by my computer. And so, tomorrow I will try to show the record of my guitar with the pics of the console.

But it will not look like the usual console. I install those 5 channels in the body of a digital reverb. Three channels of line and one mic prеamp already placed. And 2 channels - I will think still . It is necessary to expand the reverb body likely.

[Guest BentonC]

OK, BentonC. Tomorrow I'm going to do a test recording guitars using the first working channel of the console and by my computer. And so, tomorrow I will try to show the record of my guitar with the pics of the console.

But it will not look like the usual console. I install those 5 channels in the body of a digital reverb. Three channels of line and one mic prеamp already placed. And 2 channels - I will think still . It is necessary to expand the reverb body likely.

 

Housed in a reverb unit- Very Clever! I'm really interested to see it. What type of preamp are you using?

[Valeriy]

Housed in a reverb unit- Very Clever! I'm really interested to see it. What type of preamp are you using?

 

Here are pics of the industrial version of the reverb and reworked with the addition of preamps. Thanks, yeah, the reverb is usually always needed for both guitar and vocal. And it's convenient to have a few basic channels and reverb in one small package. The basic idea is that it would be nice to have two or three channels of good quality especially for the main vocal, for example, or for 1-2 guitars.

I use the type of preamps on sound chips - operational amplifiers, speed, (К574УД 1, К544УД 2А or analogues AD 513, CA 3130 and others). Also, in my preamps there are special (paper) capacitors, which are sometimes the size of a matchbook, vide the pic where they (capacitors) are near to the reverb. But these capacitors very good for sound. Some of our developers use them for professional studio devices (mic preamps etc). Therefore, the main thing here is not the number of channels.

 

I could only accommodate round volume controls.

 

And the trial record of my guitar here (from stereo output of the reverb):

 

Here I rehearse a thing which waits already 10 years for record. 10 years ago an old record was made at home:

, but to repeat playing guitar in the professional studio, where every hour is regulated, and it was worth the money, then it was not possible to anybody.

[Guest BentonC]

Very cool- thanks for the pics!

[relgycandy]

Thanks for the info! I've heard some great recordings on older Tascam boards (too bad thier newer boards don't have the same vibe

 

 

 

 

 

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[Valeriy]

... I'm really interested to see it...

 

With your permission, I added new photos.

It is that reverb with those paper capacitors (old pic):

 

This is a view from above, to the right 2 blue Canon sockets are inputs for microphones:

 

This is the front view:

 

I think that needs to be done 48 volt phantom supply for microphones. It will be later.

[Valeriy]

... What type of preamp are you using?

 

This is not industrial unit, but I can show circuits I had used. Generally speaking, a good individual preamp (including industrial) can be always better than the one into any even the best of consoles that have a lot of additional features and functions. It is one of the reasons why it makes sense to make the small console with 4-5 channels without additional functions, but with those good preamps.

 

My preamp was taken from our magazine about sound. At first I underestimated it since it was proposed for the home Hi-Fi devices. But when I brought the first made preamp on rehearsal to check guitarist and keyboard player were delighted though they played with many other preamps. Later I also was convinced that this preamp surpasses many others (although it is relatively simple). For example, it has no oxide capacitors, i.e. it will not get old (sound will not change over time).

 

Instead of the traditional high-low control here are controlled cutoff (variable R15, R16, line-parameter) in the two ranges: Low and High. And also here is controlling amplitudes of frequencies in these ranges (variable R13, R14, log-parameter). The variable resistors R13 and R14 can be 10k, then resistors R8, R12 must be 15k.

Taking into account use for an electric guitar here it is necessary to add: 1. On the output - fixed resistor 36-47k and variable resistor 100k (log-parameter, for volume), 2. Given the level of the guitar signal the resistor R3 (10k) must be increased up to 12-15k 3. And if usual guitar (no active electronics) the resistor R1 (100k, input impedance) must be increased up to 1-2 MOhm.

Also here:

Вход – input, Выход – output.

К – kOhm, мк – uF, + - 15 В – v (volts)

operational amplifiers К574УД 1A, К544УД 2А - analogues: AD 513, CA 3130 and others

transistor КТ3102Б – analogs: 2SC945Y, BC546B,C

 

One moment, to get good sound with good bass the capacitors C5 and C6 (2.2uF, in the bass section) must be of the type of CL-21, i.e. metallized polyester (no Paper In Oil).If for guitar, Paper in Oil cap is good as C1 in the input, maybe also in the output, although in my preamp on the output (C8) the type of CL-21 cap is installed, guitar sound is exellent.

 

 

This is a figure of the PCB (printed-circuit board)of this preamp (solder side):

 

I hope who loves a good sound and he is on friendly terms with a soldering iron this will be interesting :) .