Heard a “high end” console first time in my life. Neotek

[AnalogApples]

“Can expensive equipment really sound good enough that it’s worth the price tag?” -me for all of my 20s. I’ve been a hobby recordist for about 20 years and last night I finished installing a 24 channel Neotek Series III in my home. Had a friend over to make a tape recording an hour later.

Last night might be the first time I’ve ever made a recording, metaphorically speaking. It’s THAT good. It made my Tascam M3500 sound like a scam product. I loved the sound of that Tascam, but it doesn’t sound anything like the Neotek. The popularity of home studios is indeed tragic because no way I’ll ever have the budget to fill my house with boutique gear like this. Arrogant pricks like me thought they’ll outsmart generations of engineering tradition with a DAW and a cheap DAC.

I can see why 2 channels of Neotek sell for thousands, it’s actually worth it for a serious recording artist or pro studio.

If I try to describe the night and day difference I’d say the Neotek is 5 times louder but also sounds sharper, warmer and has a much more 3 dimensional sound quality. I really hoped it would be similar to the Tascam, and I could get this giant Neotek out of my house, but nope. I’m marrying this console.

If you are a home recording guy (or gal, or hermaphrodite) seriously invest in one or two racked high-end channel strips. They earned the hype. I wish I’d spent the money sooner.

Do you have a story of having an epiphany when you heard truly high-end recording equipment for the first time??

 

[RFR]

I’ve heard high end gear in pro studios. I personally got to play around with a mix on an SSL g series console once.

But in that kind of environment you expect it to sound great. It’s a combination of of every thing. At home I imagine it might be mind blowing. I’ve not had that experience.

So is this console yours? As in a permanent home studio fixture?

 

[Papanate]

“Can expensive equipment really sound good enough that it’s worth the price tag?” -me for all of my 20s. I’ve been a hobby recordist for about 20 years and last night I finished installing a 24 channel Neotek Series III in my home. Had a friend over to make a tape recording an hour later.

I worked on a Neotek Series III. - I though it was good - I also used a AMS Neve 88RS 48 Channel Console - it was a sound - the ‘Neve’ sound - but I didn’t like that everything sounding like that - I’ve done work on a Trident 65 London - very similar to the Neotek - I have to say what I tell all Analog hunting Kids - the Boards are good - but it won’t make your music better and it won’t help you arrange - And the differences between in the box (with plugins) and in the board (and tons of outboard gear - if you can afford that level) comes down to maintenance - you won’t have to on your computer - but you will on Old analog consoles - and the space they take up these days is too much for me -
unless you have a good sized room - and even them you have reflections and other audio gremlins.

 

[AnalogApples]

I’ve heard high end gear in pro studios. I personally got to play around with a mix on an SSL g series console once.

But in that kind of environment you expect it to sound great. It’s a combination of of every thing. At home I imagine it might be mind blowing. I’ve not had that experience.

So is this console yours? As in a permanent home studio fixture?

Yes I got it for less than I should’ve as everyone else correctly viewed it as a red flag maintenance nightmare. I’m at the bottom of the middle class in Midwest USA income-wise and that’s the only way this country dude will ever posses a pro console. It’s a private all-analog setup in a rented antique tilting house (no parallel surfaces hahahaha help) I bought it sight unseen and it’s been stored in a garage10 years in the subtropics. 7 dead channels off the bat. 2 had burned resistors and replacing them fixed those channels .

The control room is heavily treated with rock wool insulation at critical reflection points. It sounds wonderful in there, even MP3s sound sound nice in there and I’m normally critical of that file type. Live room is 30 ft by 14 foot.

I hate to admit I’m a changed man. The hype is real about this pricey gear, bummer, haha

 

[AnalogApples]

I worked on a Neotek Series III. - I though it was good - I also used a AMS Neve 88RS 48 Channel Console - it was a sound - the ‘Neve’ sound - but I didn’t like that everything sounding like that - I’ve done work on a Trident 65 London - very similar to the Neotek - I have to say what I tell all Analog hunting Kids - the Boards are good - but it won’t make your music better and it won’t help you arrange - And the differences between in the box (with plugins) and in the board (and tons of outboard gear - if you can afford that level) comes down to maintenance - you won’t have to on your computer - but you will on Old analog consoles - and the space they take up these days is too much for me -
unless you have a good sized room - and even them you have reflections and other audio gremlins.

The maintenance required is something I should not have dismissed. I have many full days of electronics projects to do to optimize a 16 channel 1” tape to 1/4” master tape (or to hard drive) setup. I should’ve just bought horses instead of getting into quality recording gear haha