Cadac

Heres an 'early' discrete Cadac that just sold on ebay for £5600 with 38 bids. It was in Devon UK, West Lake Audio

Trident Series 65

All the previous posts were archived from my other blog. Heres a new post about a Trident on ebay today. The 65 was launched in 1984 as a low cost but fully modular console. Theres more here

Neve 51 Series

And here is a early 80's version of a Neve, all IC and compacted but still an interesting prospect:

Neve 5316

Here's a beautiful 53 series, basically the broadcast version on the 80 series, this time with 31 [it was a custom fit for a specific location] 33114b modules. Class AB 70's discrete technology!

Neve 8048

Today on the bay you can buy what I consider to be the ultimate console ever made, for me anyway. It's a Neve 8048 with 32 1064 mic/eq modules, which are the same as 1073s but with a slightly different eq. Actually there's a great post here on gearslutz in which Neve guru Geoff Tanner explains the differences between the various 10xx modules. This console is in CT USA, the seller vintagetones wants $147000 / £98000. That's £2500 per module plus £18k for the rest. Value

EMI 8000

I was watching a really nice little 8 channel EMI 8000 console on the bay. It comes with a matching EMI limiter and patchbay, and would make an exquisite little set-up

Neve 8218

There's a cool looking Neve console on the bay today. Its an 8128 made in 1984

Telefunken Custom

Here is a very interesting console I just saw on ebay. Its essentially a Telefunken, well sort of because it was made by Hans Becker. See the text that follows. It was originally made in 1974 for film composer Klaus Doldinger, check out the clip below for some early-80s synth soundtrack work done on this very desk

Custom Calrec Two

Here's another really nice looking Calrec console from the seller of this one. Thanks Seb for pointing it out

Studer 089

This little beauty just sold on the bay. Location Dortmund, Germany, sale price £1665, 19 bids. BARGAIN!

Studer 169

There's a nice little Studer 169 on the bay today. It's in Germany and has has a ton of bids, but I'll report later in the comms. I really need to sort out the 189......

Custom Calrec

There's an interesting [well, interesting to me] Calrec on the bay today. I've not seen one of these before. It's very expensive at £30k though. In my experience i-c based consoles do not command such prices, unless they begin with the letter 'N' - who wants to take on all that risk without the cachet? Sexy though isn't it....

Neve DSP1

Alan found some pictures he took of the Neve DSP-1 console he helped build in the early 80s

Neve Kelso

Look at this beautiful little Neve Kelso. Would you like to download the original brochure for it?

Neve 1060 Console

There is a vintage Neve with 1060 modules [same as 1061 but with alternative eq] in California today, which would go very nicely in the the studio next to the one in the previous post

Quad Eight

There's a beautiful Q8 console on the bay today. It's in Shelburne, MA, US, and is curently just $100

Focusrite Studio Console

Here is a Focusrite Studio Console for sale. POA though, so not a lot of useful info. Imagine how much power this thing would use up each day. And you would keep yourself fit just walking round eq-ing things

TAC Matchless

Its from this studio in Stockport, and has had some pretty cool records made on it

DDA DMR12

32 channels, split design, 12 groups. In Hessen, Germany. The second pic is from google images. Here's the manual

Neve Melbourn

$25k [£15k], in Florida

Neve 8078

There is a Neve 8078 console on ebay today. This certainly is one of the best desks ever made

Amek M3000

Quote from ebayer: "This listing is for a vintage (1979) Amek M3000 mixer. In my opinion, this is the best sounding analog mixer that I've ever recorded on, including Neve's, SSL's, API's and Tridents. It was designed by Rupert Neve and it sold new for $249,000.00"

Neve DSP1 The First Digital Console

Some days I come over all Neve and have to look at pictures of old consoles and listen to Dire Straits recordings

Welcome

I am interested in vintage mixing consoles. So I am starting this blog about them, in which I intend to put up pictures, information and links whenever I find something that catches my eye. There are not many websites or blogs that I can find on this subject, which probably means that no one else will find it even remotely interesting! What is interesting about mixing desks to me is the fact that they are the ultimate studio gadget and the centerpiece of any recording studio, and they have defined the sound of all the recorded music we listen to. So I will persue this fascination of mine and try and document in a rather sporadic way the history of these beautiful objects. Hopefully over time the labels/tags will be useful in categorising posts by manufacturer or era produced, etc. I will endeavor to credit pictures or link back to their origins, and when it comes to reporting on eBay items I will try and put information in the post as opposed to linking to the auction as eBay don't archive for long. If you see a picture or anything on this blog that you want me to remove, or if you see a console that you think I might like to post about just let me know at balanceweblog@gmail.com

I have another blog called Its Full of Stars which is all about my studio and stuff I like in relation to that, and I have decided to re-post all the console related posts here. So the following 20 or so items are duplicated here for posterity






The picture above is from a session at the studio at Château d'Hérouville during the recording of Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in 1973. The console is an MCI 416b and was situated in the smaller of the two studios there