I'd like some information on vintage mixing desks?

C

chrisghost

New member
Hello to all of you, I'm new here.

I'm your typical musician with a low buget. I'm recording on my computer. I'm combining old and new techniques. I want the possibilities the computer gives you as far as sampling and cutting up tracks goes, unlimited space to experiment etc., I like weird stuff. Further more it saves me buying a lot of gear that I can't afford.

So I'm pretty much set up for the computer. Reasonable mics and preamps to go in, good instruments.

But still...

I don't want my recordings to sound too modern. I don't like recordings that sounds to clean, I like a bit of grainyness, like on old pictures.

So I'm thinking: what if I do all my pre-work in the computer, get what I want out of that, then run the individual tracks back out through an oldfashioned mixing board and make the masters on an external DAT recorder or maybe even a tape reel.

Of course I can never make it sound like it's from the 70's, that's not the point, but surely I can get a great deal of "digital" out of my recordings.

So...

I could use some advise on what would be a good mixing board to go after. I'm looking for at least 8 tracks, a machine from the, say, late sixties to early eighties that goes around for not to much money, with a good punchy sound. Low maintenance would be nice.

Anyone?

Cheers!

P.S.: If anyone knows any sites where I can look at, and compare vintage mixing desks that would help a lot. Google's not giving me much.
 
I don't really know what you mean by getting the "digital" out of your recordings. 24bit digital recording simply reproduces exactly what you put into it. The days of digital sounding supposedly "sterile", etc...are long gone. It's not even an issue.

If you're talking about warming up your sound to make it sound more "tape-saturated", that I can understand. But I don't think you have to worry about counter-acting any "digital-ness" in the sound of a 24bit recording.
 
okay I'll jump in here...and what you are wanting to do is pretty reasonable and is what I do, except you won't find a reasonable priced "vintage" anything in good working order...to run your 8 outputs into for a final mix to a dat machine or reel recorder. Ebay is the only place that comes to mind, other than some vintage equipment sites (not cheap) I am an ol' analog head if ya will, and I love my Ghost console, but finding a vintage console cheap and working well will be a task. Good luck.
 
Dat machines blow goats. More of a pain than an asset. Just run it back into your interface if you do this.
 
A vintage desk might give you a unique sound, but you won't find them for cheap. Not by a long shot.

One thing you might consider (and do some research on around the site here), is mixing down to a stereo track in the box, and then running it out to a stereo reel tape recorder, and back in again, if you are adamant about getting a real "analog sound". How much of a difference it will make is basically 100% subjective, though - some people will hear a positive sonic difference, others will not.

I don't do it, simply because it seems like an extra step involving A/D/A conversion, and additional noise. Haven't tried it, so I can't reaaally say the benefit wouldn't outweigh the added noise and conversions, however, I don't want to spend the 300+ dollars to get the tape deck to try it :p
 
(Yeah yeah... different forum, same old b*llsh*t . Thanks for the comment of the DAT guys, but that was a bit beside the point wasn't it.)

I'm not expecting to pick up a vintage desk for a hundred bucks of course. I have no money to spend, still I bought myself a proper vintage Richenbacher bass last week. I can eat just beans for another 6 months, no prob :)

Well, what can you recommend me then, mixing board wise, and what would you expect me to pay. I'll get the money somewhere + I have a handy friend who can fix most anything, so maybe I can get a bargain on a dodgy one. Are there any sites with information for me.

Cheers
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Neve-56...ryZ23785QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

There ya go.

That should beef up your sound.

But in reality, you really ought to look more at, perhaps, mic upgrades, a nice mic preamp, or perhaps an external tape deck to master to. Because, honestly, you aren't going to hear a major difference going through any outboard mixer unless you invest a lot of money.

But if you really have this horn-o-plenty that spits out money, look at Neve, SSL desks... go over to the analog part of the forum and ask them, they'll have a lot more recommendations than the likes of us home recordists who own an interface, a few mics, and a PC.
 
+2 on DAT machines "blowing goats", as was so delicately said. Avoid DAT machines at all costs.

You can do your "pre-work" on your computer, send it out to an analog mixer with hardware outboard processing, then just record it right back into the computer.

The key to not sounding "digital" is to get the best possible analog to digital converters. So when you send your tracks out of the computer to the mixer you should have excellent quality conversion for that. Same goes *especially* when you bring the stereo mix back into the computer.
 
SonicAlbert said:
+2 on DAT machines "blowing goats", as was so delicately said. Avoid DAT machines at all costs.

You can do your "pre-work" on your computer, send it out to an analog mixer with hardware outboard processing, then just record it right back into the computer.

The key to not sounding "digital" is to get the best possible analog to digital converters. So when you send your tracks out of the computer to the mixer you should have excellent quality conversion for that. Same goes *especially* when you bring the stereo mix back into the computer.
Click to expand...

On the flipside, you could lower your converters to about 6-bit quality, intentionally making your recordings sound completely robotic.

Also, try this guy - it'll give you some tube warmth.

http://vintec-audio.de/
 
it's just not going to happen. the best you can do for "little money" is a used mackie or something along those lines, but in most of those cases it's more about mitigating the suck rather than embracing some "vibe".

you see, anything from the 60s, 70s, and even 80s has had the 'vintage' moniker slapped on it and even the absolute rubbish from those eras is fetching far more than it ought to. i saw a bass from 1993 called "vintage" the other day. :rolleyes:

unless you're prepared to throw lots of money into an abyss, my advice is to save those pennies, practice those parts and go to a "real" studio and just worry about performing.

maybe i shoulda bought a boat instead......prolly woulda been cheaper.....


cheers,
wade
 
cusebassman said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Neve-56...ryZ23785QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

There ya go.

That should beef up your sound.

But in reality, you really ought to look more at, perhaps, mic upgrades, a nice mic preamp, or perhaps an external tape deck to master to. Because, honestly, you aren't going to hear a major difference going through any outboard mixer unless you invest a lot of money.

But if you really have this horn-o-plenty that spits out money, look at Neve, SSL desks... go over to the analog part of the forum and ask them, they'll have a lot more recommendations than the likes of us home recordists who own an interface, a few mics, and a PC.
Click to expand...


Our band is actually working on a neve 8108 neve console. that one listed is a 56 channel and the one we're working on is a 48. 19,500 actually seems cheap for that console, I think the studio we're recording at paid 30,000 for theirs, plus another 30 to get it there and working!
 
jaybriggs84 said:
Our band is actually working on a neve 8108 neve console. that one listed is a 56 channel and the one we're working on is a 48. 19,500 actually seems cheap for that console, I think the studio we're recording at paid 30,000 for theirs, plus another 30 to get it there and working!
Click to expand...

Very nice :) And informative, to the point that you'll spend a shitload of money if you really want to go quality outboard.

There are far better areas to invest in, in a small home setup. Room treatment is probably number one, next to quality instruments. Then I'd say mic's, preamps, interface, computer, in order.

There's a lot to work with there.
 
I'm suprised nobody has mentioned Blevins Audio yet. This is one of the go-to places in the country for refurbished analog consoles and decks.

The main web site is at http://www.blevinsaudio.com, and they have an at least partial listing of currently available consoles at http://www.blevinsaudio.com/consoles.html (though if I were ready to buy, I'd call them on the phone, as often times they get new inventory that hasn't made it to the website yet.)

G.
 
I think it's all too much of a hassle just to sound less modern/digital.

Get really good at making digital sound 'analog', you'll be the fattest kid at the birthday party.

That's just my opinion.
 
cusebassman said:
fattest kid... birthday party... :confused:
Click to expand...

You know! Learn to use minimal tools to achieve the results you want so you get really good at faking it, that way you can full make use of the real thing when you get the cash for it. In essence, you're the fattest kid at the birthday party because you brought your own cake? I dunno.

It's not like you can't get a nice rig together and add a vintage board/tape on later when you can find one. And you may just realize you don't need it.

EDIT: I realize The OP has a decent rig together!

So maybe I'm a dumbass and you should be shopping around for a board to complete the sound you're after. Carry on. Ignore me. Bluh. I need to start sleeping and eating again.
 
ThanX

Thanks for the info and advice.

I'll have a look around and check out prices, but I will certainly consider what some said about "faking it's the better option". I'm just a bit computer-phobic you know.

(My mic's are good, Neuman, Sennheiser, Beyer, mostly 60's stuff, no prob there.)
 
IF this music and mix are soooooooooooooooo good that running it thru a distortion device would make any meaningful difference to the 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of the people that both could hear it and would care, you've already long since got a hit on your hands
 
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