EMI REDD 17

Well its not very often these come up - I think there are only 5 or 6 left in the world! So its no wonder this recent ebay auction ended early - probably some megastar bought it for their living room. The current bid was £14k with loads of bidders when it got pulled... and more info on this out there?

EX ABBEY ROAD EMI REDD 17 STEREO-DUO-MONO MIXER

Incredibly rare and sought after ex-abbey road valve mixing console.

This mixer was used by abbey road in it's studios and for location recording from approx 1958 until it was originally sold at auction in 1980.

The redd 17 was the first emi desk conforming to the modern concept of  a recording console.

Emi's redd department (record engineering development department) made recording equipment exclusively for emi's own studios from approx 1955 until it was dissolved in the mid 60's.

Full information on the very similar redd 37 & redd 51 mixers can be found in the book "recording the beatles".

The main obvious differences between the redd 17 and the redd 37 / 51 desks are the number of group outputs and monitor sections, otherwise the facilities are remarkably similar.

All 3 types of redd mixer have the same number of basic input channels.

Redd desks where custom made in very small numbers, although it isn't possible to say exactly how many where made.

Paperwork exists with serial numbers for 6 redd 17's (this one is unfortunately missing it's serial number) and according to "recording the beatles" book other redd desks built for abbey road where = 3 redd 37's and 3 redd 51's and unless new information surfaces to say otherwise, that is probably all that where ever made.

Approx 5 or 6 abbey road redd mixers are still known to exist, others are currently unaccounted for.

At this point in time it is highly unlikely another redd mixer will surface or that one of the others still known to exist will be offered up for sale.

The desk is in fair cosmetic condition and good working order being fully loaded with siemens V72s pre-amps (20 amps in total = 19 housed in the desk sides and one spare) 

The "s" of the V72s identifies it as a special "studio" version, a regular V72 was primarily intended for broadcast.

V72s pre-amps were manufactured exclusively for emi and have 6db more gain than a regular V72.

V72s pre-amps are very rare. according to "recording the beatles" book one former siemens employee estimates only 300 were ever manufactured.

Also housed in the desk sides  = 2 x V.U. meter amplifier type RS 128B / Correlator type RS 133B / LFT tone generator H 480

To be included in the sale = 23 x tuchel connector (15 x 3 pin & 8 x 5 pin) (all permanent external connections are made at the back of the console with tuchel connectors)

8 x siemens plugs / 18 x siemens "U-links" / 2 x siemens "U-link" 12 DB T pads / 2 x siemens "U-link" 14 DB T pads  (all internal connections - inserts / sends / returns etc - are made via siemens patch strips in the front and back of the console)

Original mains connectors / Original assembly hardware / Vitavox type B 55 talk-back microphone / box of misc spares including valves & one spare painton fader (this type is very scarce)

Copy of original block schematic (dated 7/9/56) & other relevant literature.

If you want any further info please call 0208 985 8862 leave a message and i'll call back asap.

Sold as seen, buyer to arrange collection.