HOW TO easily build AUTHENTIC RE-CREATIONS OF LA2A, PULTEC, UA176... ALL BY YOURSELF

So, this is the plan and in the meantime I started working on it. Making my first steps to create some content that I will make available here as soon as I feel it's good enough to be shared. Hoping, it will be a good starting point to create a community & project related knowledge base.

Just to make it clear - all the information & knowledge that has already been gathered on these projects is not my merit alone! Many others who started to follow my projects and build their own legendary pieces of gear based on my work, already contributed a lot and even co-developed solutions...
...so basically the seed is already there - now we need a proper soil ;)

Late to the thread, but I am really impressed with your (and anyone else who was involved in the builds) work. I started researching how to build a passive EQ and read a lot on the DIYER site about their kits where you order one and all the directions are given to you. This seems a step up from that, but not that much more complicated. I'll have to read more about what you posted but I for one am very into doing something like this. You did some incredible work. Thanks for posting and welcome!
 
Ok guys,

sorry for the silence the last couple of days - in the meantime I was very busy working on the first steps to bring this idea to life!
Thanks for your great feedback and responses!! They made me aware of many things I didn't think of before - but beyond, it motivated me a lot to get something going now!!

So as mentioned in one of my last posts I already started to work on some good content and I think now I can finally share some of it.

With a little help of some close friends I launched a first initial "website" with a video to outline how we could approach this and what could be happening in 2018. It's still pretty basic, but I think it’s a good starting point.

If you followed this thread so far and like the basic idea - please check it out and let me know what you think! :)

www.analogvibes.com


I really think you’ll like it.
And if you do please leave me a comment right there on the page - I think this could help us a lot to build up a community.

Thanks again guys! I think we should keep this exchange of thoughts going! :)

Martin

P.S.: here’s a little teaser for one of my upcoming projects (some of you might know already) - my DIY re-creation of a UA176 from scratch:

2cx44ez2nbxtv885g.jpg
 
Happy New Year guys!

I hope you all had the chance to spend some time with your families & friends during the holidays :)

I took almost 2 weeks of myself, but now I'm slowly preparing to get back on track creating the content for the upcoming episodes. Those of you who joined me already get notified once I'm ready!

As mentioned before, your feedback is well appreciated - here or in the comment section of my page!

Here's a little sneak preview on the landing page of the actual platform/community website I'm working on:


dthxylac5r54uy55g.jpg
 
Just a quick heads-up :)

As stated in my first video on analogvibes.com as a first chapter towards the platform I wanna do a series of videos and e-papers.
In this series I'll go through some of the most iconic pieces of studio gear with actual units in hands, then pick out one of them and cover it in more detail.
Beginning with how exactly it works and how the signal goes through the circuit. From there I'll explain step by step how to build one yourself...

...I've been working on the content for the last two weeks and if everything goes as planned, I can launch the next video & e-papers end of January :)

Thanks for your patience guys!!
Martin
 
Slightly off-topic, but thought this build / kit was neat.

I worked on a Pultec MEQ-5 once (the tube model.) It was one of the highest quality builds of point-to-point tube gear I've seen.

I rarely go out of my way to buy carbon comp resistors, but for this one, I did, just so it would look original inside when I was done.
 
Just a quick heads-up :)

As stated in my first video on analogvibes.com as a first chapter towards the platform I wanna do a series of videos and e-papers.
In this series I'll go through some of the most iconic pieces of studio gear with actual units in hands, then pick out one of them and cover it in more detail.
Beginning with how exactly it works and how the signal goes through the circuit. From there I'll explain step by step how to build one yourself...

...I've been working on the content for the last two weeks and if everything goes as planned, I can launch the next video & e-papers end of January :)

Thanks for your patience guys!!
Martin

Looking forward to the new video. Keep us posted!
 
Alright guys sorry for the delay - it all took longer than expected, but now we can finally get started for real!

Of course this is still only the next step, but finally the second video + 2 more e-papers are online now:



I put a lot of work into it - and I really hoper you'll like it!

Please let me know what you think - either right here or by leaving a comment on my page.

Thanks guys - all your feedback so far helped me a lot so far!!
Martin
 
Great work on these Martin. Your site/videos look great, and I'm looking forward to seeing where all this goes. Thanks much for all your efforts so far!
 
Slightly off-topic, but thought this build / kit was neat.

I worked on a Pultec MEQ-5 once (the tube model.) It was one of the highest quality builds of point-to-point tube gear I've seen.

I rarely go out of my way to buy carbon comp resistors, but for this one, I did, just so it would look original inside when I was done.

Carbon composition resistors are 'king awful things and the original designers would have KILLED for MF types! Lower noise, vastly better long term value stability. I should not really complain? As a service tech their crappity kept me in beer!

Dave.
 
Carbon composition resistors are 'king awful things and the original designers would have KILLED for MF types! Lower noise, vastly better long term value stability. I should not really complain? As a service tech their crappity kept me in beer!

Dave.

Yeah...I would have to agree, but I guess some folks want everything to be identical to the original, regardless of spec quality.

My current favorite amp builder, Alan Philips, who builds Carol Ann amps (I just bought my third one a few weeks ago)...has one of the best perspectives about "clone" building.
His original/first amp designs were based on his own favorite Marshall amps, and many of his later designs might posses a foundation in some vintage design, but even when someone asks him to do a custom build and clone some particular brand/model...he doesn't try source all the same, identical components, and arrange them identically as the vintage original...rather he designs based on what the amp is supposed to sound like, and often he will utilize totally different, modern components, and adjust his circuit to clone the tone and behavior...not the parts.'
IOW...it's about the end game, not about following some by-the-numbers building process...which he feels many builders try to do, and are surprised that simply copying the parts list of a vintage piece, doesn't give them what they expected.

And...this is also my very favorable plug for Carol Ann amps... :cool: ...they are absolutely fantastic sounding, and the build quality is the best I've ever seen... :thumbs up:
Alan is also a really great guy, and has a very humble and friendly attitude if you ever get to speak with him on the phone.
Not to mention...he is a one man shop, and each amp is tweaked based on sound and performance. He doesn't just assembly line a given model. Plus, he takes most of his build out for a live band test, so nothing leaves his shop unless he is happy with it.

Oh...sorry...not trying to derail, I only wanted to comment on the component perspective when building clones. :)
 
hehe - maybe we can continue that discussion later - for now, in case you missed it - the next episode is online! :)

In this episode I'll share the ultimate blueprint to build a tube opto compressor - meaning a complete wiring layout split up in more than 20 chapters in a 24(!!) pages e-paper.

So if you missed it, you should really check it out:



and as always - feedback is highly appreciated :)
Martin
 
Nice video and great work on your version of the "blueprint"...looks like it takes a good deal of time to create, not to mention the videos...and of course, building them.

So Martin, I gotta ask...with the amount of time/effort you've put into all this stuff...do you still have time to record? :)

I'm still waiting for the finished versions to be available for sale. ;)
 
Good stuff.
I've built amps, now I'm going down the rabbit hole of mic modding, and then I'd love to build a vintage style comp, also preamps.


Oh, which i click on the video link, i get weppage not available
 
Good stuff.
I've built amps, now I'm going down the rabbit hole of mic modding, and then I'd love to build a vintage style comp, also preamps.


Oh, which i click on the video link, i get weppage not available


Sorry about that - I was working on the backend in order to prepare the content and page for the upcoming 4th and final episode of that first "build your legend" series :)

It should work now.

For those, who already subscribed, follow the direct links you received in the mails to get through to your e-papers and the rest of the videos, as the link above leading to the initial
landing page.
I'm working on a full website for the future, but for now, this is what I have :)

BTW: I already finished the 4th video and e-paper which is a complete bill of materials with all links to every single component you'll need to build an authentic tube onto compressor yourself!
There's even a mouser shopping cart for the most parts - nice & easy, so you can get started.
I plan to release this last episode of the first series tomorrow.

So I now [MENTION=94267]miroslav[/MENTION] I'm gonna go over to the studio and make some music :guitar: :thumbs up:

Stay tuned ;)
 
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Sorry about that - I was working on the backend in order to prepare the content and page for the upcoming 4th and final episode of that first "build your legend" series :)

It should work now.

For those, who already subscribed, follow the direct links you received in the mails to get through to your e-papers and the rest of the videos, as the link above leading to the initial
landing page.
I'm working on a full website for the future, but for now, this is what I have :)

BTW: I already finished the 4th video and e-paper which is a complete bill of materials with all links to every single component you'll need to build an authentic tube onto compressor yourself!
There's even a mouser shopping cart for the most parts - nice & easy, so you can get started.
I plan to release this last episode of the first series tomorrow.

So I now [MENTION=94267]miroslav[/MENTION] I'm gonna go over to the studio and make some music :guitar: :thumbs up:

Stay tuned ;)

Hmm it works over here on all browsers.
But I'm not a web guy so my skills are very limited in this concern...

Have you tried a different browser or your phone? What OS are you on? Is it an older one?
I once had someone who couldn't reach the site - he was on Mac OS 10.6 and obviously there was something on my page his old browser didn't support.

Anyone else having issues to reach the page?
 
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