Wednesday, July 27, 2011

UREI 546 Dual Parametric EQ


I've got a tender spot for UREI recording stuff. There are so many different units that serve different purposes. They all seem to lie in the same function/availability/price category as well - they are certainly capable, they're always surfacing as used items for sale, and they tend to stay under the thousand mark.

Anyway, this one is the UREI 546 Dual Parametric Equalizer. On each channel, you've got low and high cut filters, variable bandwidth controls for each band (Low, Low-Mid, High-Mid, High - also, pull out the bandwidth knob and you've bypassed that band), detent frequency selection and stepped boost or cut control. This thing looks almost good enough for mix bus or mastering! Functionality reminiscent of a certain Manley piece? Sure, but very different guts. Cheap on eBay!
UREI 546 Dual Parametric EQ

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Ursa Major Space Station SST-282


This thing LOVES dub. Onboard, it features a LF CUT/HF CUT equalization section, four individual volume controls for 4 pairs of delay "taps" (make the third "tap" repeat louder than the second, quieter than the fourth, for example), and even a echo feedback control. This unit, which is the first revision of the design, also doubles as a reverb with a single push-button. It's amazing how cheap this particular one is going for so far on eBay.
Ursa Major Space Station SST-282

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Klemt Echolette

Get hip to this thing, its got tons of character! They usually need some love to get back to perfect condition, but the way it saturates is great. Also check that if it has only the weirdo Din connector, you get a cable to go to something you can use in your studio.

KLEMT ECHOLETTE

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Korg VC10 Vocoder


this thing looks like a lot of fun. Sure there are cheaper and simpler ways to do vocoding now a days, but this still seems more fun.

KORG VC10

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Make your OWN records...

This looks amazing. Could be the perfect way to get vintage sounds. If it really, really, really does work, this could be awesome.

"Tabletop" vinyl cutting lathe!!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Inovonics 250 Multiband Compressor


A recent fascination with multiband compression in hardware form led a dotted line to an X in the U.K. (via eBay) that is an Inovonics 250 stereo multiband compressor. Of course, designed for implementation in broadcast, this unit is fully programmable. As described in its manual, it combines slow gain-riding A.G.C., multiband compression, graphic equalization, and a final stage of peak limiting. The manual gets intense, appropriately geared to the piece of gear it pertains to. Alone, it's a good read, and at some point while reading it, I guarantee you'll nod approvingly and think to yourself, ".. that's a pretty good idea."
Check out the auction and decide whether you're cruel enough to tell me you've won it:
eBay: Inovonics 250 FM Stereo Multiband Compressor

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Upcoming interviews

Hoping to have a few more interviews up soon!!! Stay tuned!

Custom Vintage API 24 Channel Console

Modern API configurations actually make getting a 24 channel impossible, so this is even more rare than one might imagine at first glance. At $60,000, a pretty amazing deal.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Lawo V970 Pre Amp


I've passed over this auction several times and thought nothing of it at first, but now I keep coming back to it. I'm not sure if it's the fully discrete circuit that intrigues me, or the Haufe transformers it boasts. Perhaps more than anything, it's that it comes in a single space, extremely portable, module swappable 500 series enclosure. Oh, the price is very reasonable, too: Lawo V970 Pre in 500 Series Box

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Rack (Box) of Melcor Gear


Three Melcor GME-20 EQ's. They have great points for electric guitar. They're also extremely hard to find. Included in this rack is a Melcor compressor, which I am completely unfamiliar with - possibly a CL-20? Who knows, but it's probably awesome.
Bid on them here: Melcor EQ's and Compressor

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Western Electric 630a

This "8-Ball" mic is brilliantly innovative. It is easily one of my favorite microphone designs. Production on these spherical, omnidirectional dynamics started in 1931, and I've wanted one ever since. One became available as advertised on Craigslist NYC, going for way less than I'd ever expect: Western Electric 630a

Look at this!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

PULTEC MEQ-5

Expensive stuff again. however it is a classic one.

Pultec MEQ-5

Vintage Kenwood Recording Rig


Vintage Kenwood Full-On Analog Recording Rig

Following my obsession with the home electronics of my youth (that'd be the pre-digital 70s/early 80s), I stumbled on this incredible beast. I've decided to live without it, but someone is going to make some very singular recordings with this thing. It will take four inputs and has on-board drum machine and spring reverb! I imagine this, a reel-to-reel and some bean-bag chairs.

LOMO 19A19



Found this morning on Craigslist Brooklyn, a LOMO 19A19 tube cardioid condenser with power supply and cable for $1500. Steve Albini has been seen shooting Martians with this mic. For more pictures and to contact the seller: LOMO 19A19

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Arcade Button MIDI Controller

Keeping in the spirit of Francisco's ChipTune post, this Instructables.com Instructable shows you how to make a MIDI controller that looks way cooler than an MPC - and for just under $100. I've used a PlayStation controller with Ableton Live once before, but this simply blows it away:


Friday, May 13, 2011

Cheap, vintage, discrete spring reverbs.



I almost hate to do this because this seems like one of the few things left to discover, but back in the late 60s, Pioneer and Sansui were making spring reverb units for home stereos. I just snagged one of the Pioneer SR202s for $40, and have a bid in on a Sansui (so don't bid, yo!). This era of home audio gear is typically more robust than much of the pro-sumer stuff out today, and there's just a great vibe about it all. Search youtube to hear some rad stuff, and you'll see how cool and inexpensive these are.


ChipTune NES

Yup, its the classic 1986 NES, with a cartridge so you can use it to program 8bit sounds via midi.

First time I had seen mods like these was a friend who used 2 gameboys for programming. pretty fun sounds.
check it out here

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Interview: Gregory Lomayesva of Drip Electronics


I found the Drip Electronics stuff through talking with some cool pals that are slightly more DIY than I am these days, and after I checked out the website I really wanted to know more about who was behind this stuff.As it turns out, Gregory Llomayesva is a totally amazing character, right in line with what I had hoped was the personality behind these killer designs.


Who the heck are you?
     Well .... I am: A Hopi Indian artist, musician and love-torn individual, with a stand-alone complex and obsessive compulsive behaviors. I'm pretty much a human pattern recognition system.


How did you get started with DRIP?
     Years ago, I had a recording studio stocked from floor to ceiling with Avalons, Manleys and every major piece of recording equipment in between that I had collected over the years. Seven years ago, in a bad turn of events, I had to let all of that go.

...Insert love gone wrong story 'here'...

     After that, I couldn't afford any of the equipment I once had, but finishing the album I started was still a high priority in my life. I became interested the possibility of 'DIY' equipment. Necessity was the beginning of DRIP.
     I got my start in a forum for audio circuits. The folks there gave me some great support, and the haters provided great insight in understanding the similarity between electronics design and the art world I was already familiar with. That's when I realized that I could really succeed at producing these designs. I never let jerks keep me from trying out an idea. After a few years in that forum, I'd gained a following and felt it was time to move on and start my own  gig. And there was born Dripelectronics.com.


Your PC boards look incredible. Did someone design them or did you find the technology on a captured spaceship that you don't want us to know about?
     I design everything myself with good old pencil and paper and an expensive CAD program. I’m proud to say I have everything manufactured here in the USA using aerospace firms, and the highest grade materials I can get my hands on. I tend to memorize the things I draw, so it makes working with the designs and schematics easier. I feel that in order to excel, one must practice constantly. I design, listen to my design, accept that I make mistakes, correct, repeat, etc., until I can no longer distinguish any anomalies.
     I've seen many circuit boards inside some of the major companies' products. Hell, I used to own them all. The components on top tend to look very nice, but when you flip the board over, you discover how freakin’ messy the wiring really is. Most tend to look like a drunken spider designed them.
    As an artist, this revolted me! I was shocked such high end companies would dare put a $4K plus price on those 'designs'. It was like someone said, 'Hey Bob, I have all these nice parts, let’s just crap out a pcb and stick it in a nice case, put some glow tubes in front and add some nice aluminum meter guards! No one will ever know how much time we didn't spend on it!'
     I thought to myself, 'No wonder point to point wiring is said to sound better than a pcb; folks are designing circuit boards that look like shit!' So I hypothesized that the reason audio sucks on most pcbs is that the sound is going through zigzagged, sharp corners. An effect called 'ringing' or ' reflection' occurs on these sharp corners, and audiophiles believe you can hear this. Organic layouts function better. I take an example from nature, and use order, spacing, smooth corners, and elegance. (I keep the Fibonacci ratio when I design) It's a fact, the more simple a circuit is, the better the result.
     For myself, pcb design is an art form, and this is where my abilities flourish. I have yet to see a design that cannot be created with elegance. I've found that the more elegant a design, the shorter the connections, and the higher the performance. Thus, my designs are safer, more efficient, and quieter. I never use auto-routing (never, ever, ever), and I never use more than one layer. This isn't a fucking iPhone, it’s a high voltage recording device, and it needs to be perfect!
     Over the years I've gained quite a following of people - both famous and underground – who not only appreciate but rely on this high quality and the beautiful tone of my work. I'm very proud to give all my customers the best of the best.


Which thing you make is the most popular? Which do YOU think is the coolest and why?
     My most popular design: My version of the LA-2A compressor design (the Drip opto 4) is a great starter, and the pcb has shorter connections than the original, but is still identical in circuit and provides an amazing performance. This is the one most folks get their feet wet with. It’s not terribly difficult to build, and I've seen many successful builders who had never touched a soldering iron before. The LA-2A is just such a great all around compressor. It’s like the universal 'Give that track some balls!' machine. The Drip one can be built for between $500 and $800. Folks that have used the famous Sowter audio transformers, say that it kicks the shit out of some of the major companies designs costing four times as much. Some even say it's better than the original (but I use that statement lightly, 'thou shall not blaspheme')

As for what i think is cool ...

     The Drip 670 compressor pcb is my hands-down favorite! It was just so damn hard to pull off! Hell, it was a joke that I was just musing with. At first, I thought it couldn't be done in two dimensions (Which means I couldn't do it, with my 'only one layer' rule). That design took about a year of full, eight-hour days, not to mention almost losing my house twice, trying to fund my research. I didn't want to have to charge $20,000, like some of the current re-issue models on the market. My goal was to make a 670 - identical to the original circuit - that performs just as good, if not better, that you can build for less than a fifth of that price. And I pulled it off. It is the most beautiful design work that I have done to date, and it performs as well as it looks. A few builders have just finished the first Drip 670 builds, and I'm so happy for them!


Do you think jail is really an answer to crime prevention?  
     At fourteen, I made some 'home made fireworks' and blew someone's mail box up. Then, at fifteen, I made a 'home made flamethrower' (after seeing 'Alien ,' the movie) and proceeded to torch things. (Didn't know that a flame thrower needs blow back control ... Oops.) At sixteen, I stole a few cars and was finally handcuffed in front of my mother at the police station, and read my Miranda Rights. "You have the right to remain silent.... " echoed in my ears. The idea of jail has kept me on the right side of the law since. (Those Mercedes were freakin’ awesome though!) So yes, I think the threat of jail is a very good way to prevent crime. I, for one, would never want to put my family through that process again.


If you could be the leader of any country in the world for a month, which one would you choose and why? 
     I haven't had a vacation in four years, so i would say Bora Bora (French Polynesia). I think I might have to run all of France, since they own Bora Bora. Anyway, I'd say "Sorry, honey. I have to go to Bora Bora this week for some 'drinks' ... I mean 'meetings' ... I mean diplomatic support."


What's next for Drip?  
Fortunately, the future of Drip is yet undefined. However...
  • STA-level / STA-level stereo
  • UA 175b / 175b stereo
  • Drip opto 5 (LA-2A) mastering compressor (with 3 T4Bs per channel (fast, med, slow) and a fully tubed power supply (no chips)
  • REDD47 pre-amp - 3 pack version of the Drip fourseven
  • MEQ5
  • Pultec EQP1A stereo - beginner version / mono unit
  • Drip recording channel - REDD47 (Drip fourseven) pre (or v72) to LA-2A (or variable MU compressor) to EQP1A, all in 1 unit. 
  • A special top secret hybrid unit TBA.
     These designs are either complete, or almost complete, and in the prototyping phase. They will all be coming out this year.
     I would [also] love to go into manufacturing sometime in the next two years. Plenty of folks would like to use my designs, but are unable or unwilling to build one themselves. I think this would be
the next logical step for Drip. I want to do both boutique styles for the 'pimps of audio', and economy models (still pimp) for the folks on a budget.


Would you rather ride a unicorn through the desert, or ride a manatee with an eye patch and a bent crown around the Atlantic Ocean? Why?   
     Definitely a unicorn. I'd eBay his ass if he got sassy. Local pick-up only.

Regards,
Gregory Lomayesva

Gregory: thank you for making good recording stuff, and thanks for being the type of person that makes gear and the recording world fun to exist in. I look forward to getting a couple of your kits into Studio G Brooklyn, and I would urge anyone to look into your stuff!!!

Visit Drip Electronics on the Interwebs
Or send an email to info@dripelectronics.com!

Monday, May 9, 2011

This RCA could be awesome, or not.

This RCA mic looks like a 44 but might be a paperweight. This will be an interesting auction to watch... to see who gambles and then see if they win or lose.
    thats if you like RCA 44's in the first place, and if this turns out to be one.

Neumann CMV 563

This is a Great Microphone, and a perfect item as a first vintage Neumann for your collection since it won't make you completely broke or force you to sell a kidney to get it. The CMV 563 is fantastic on Vocals (since you can get an M7 Bayonet capsule for it) Its also amazing on acoustic guitars, as a Drum Room mic and Vibraphone. Yes, Vibraphone.

we do not endorse this sale in particular, we just have a couple of these and they are fantastic mics.

CMV 563

Thursday, May 5, 2011

UREI / Universal Audio 509 EQs



This pair of UREI / Universal Audio 509 EQ's were, as the eBay description states, designed with the UREI 1109 pre in mind. They were originally incorporated into the preamp's design via a feedback loop with the 1109's amplifier. Two-band, general purpose equalizers with boosts or cuts at 50, 70, 100, 400 Hz and 2.5, 5, 7, 10 kHz with LF (100Hz) and HF (10kHz) roll-offs. Rack them up as passive EQ's, or better yet, throw amplifiers of your choice after them to make the most of them:
UREI / UA 509 Pair

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

GATES STA LEVEL

Seems like it will take a little work to get it back to its true form, but none the less, this is such a great unit, I wish I could afford it.

STA-LEVEL

Monday, May 2, 2011

Roland SRE-555


Roland SRE-555 tape dealy, chorus and spring reverb. Coveted these as a kid.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Maxon UE-700


WHAT.
This thing looks like some serious fun. It looks like it could be a real winner in a studio's effects rack, especially if you find a way to rack up the controller, or better yet, redesign the "pedal board" in a mountable housing that is more finger friendly.
Make an offer on it here: http://cgi.ebay.com/MAXON-IBANEZ-UE-700-Analog-Guitar-multi-effect-VRY-RARE-/290559776190?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a6b655be#ht_953wt_1141

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Neumann M49b

This is a mic that makes you happy when recording, especially for Female vocals and strings. great for drum overheads and rooms too. who ever grabs this is going to be a very, very happy engineer.

Neumann M49b

Electro-Harmonix 12AY7

Inexpensive, useful, compact, AND it sounds good!

12AY7

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Electrix Mo Fx

This is a pretty great delay unit, use it with a midi interface so you can lock it to protools and have timed delays super easy. You can also make crazy sounding effects thanks to all the other stuff on it!

Also... look at what its going for.

ELECTRIX MO-FX

Oktava MK-319



Have one hundred dollars?
Willing to travel to Staten Island to spend it?
Get this microphone:
Oktava MK-319

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Neumann M582 microphone

This thing looks awesome, same capsule as the KM54. Unfortunately there is no power supply with the mic , but I'm sure you can get one made by Korby.

Neumann M582

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

---> Sean of Valhalla DSP INTERVIEW!!!!

I really love the Valhalla DSP reverb plugs. They are priced modestly, to say the least, and sound really great. "Shimmer" is amazing, with a pitch shifted coolness that is like a cross between 7 things I already loved wrapped into one elegant plugin, and "Room" is just a great , quality reverb that can really do wonders for people with tastes in quality reverberation that extend out past the wallet.... I sat down, then emailed Sean, then went about my business in life doing stuff nobody would ever understand. This is the reply I got when I finally checked my interworld surfing device. I am a fan. 
Who the heck are you?
I'm Sean Costello. Pacific NW native, with an awesome wife and 2 amazing daughters. Decent guitarist, crappy drummer, ok synthesist if I concentrate on the knobs and less on the black and white parts at the bottom of the synth.

I am also Valhalla DSP, maker of audio plugins for the people.

How did you get into making such great reverb plugins? What makes your reverbs so great?
As an undergraduate at Stanford, I was lucky enough to study with some DSP geniuses (Max Mathews, Julius Smith, Perry Cook). I put that aside during the 1990's to pursue Anthropology, and the $8/hour lifestyle that prepared me for. In 1998, I talked my way into taking a yearlong computer music course at the University of Washington. I guess I did well enough there, as I ended up getting a job as an audio DSP programmer at a place called Staccato Systems, which was later bought by Analog Devices. 

During the first decade of the new millennium, I created audio algorithms and audio development tools for a bunch of clients. Almost none of these made it to market. For whatever reason, all the algorithms I worked on during that time seemed to be put in that warehouse seen at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  This was kind of depressing, but I kept going. It paid the bills, and I got to work with some whip smart folks (Scott Van Duyne, Tim Stilson, David Jaffe, Joseph Anderson) from whom I learned a ton.

For the past 12 years, I have been designing reverb algorithms. Some of my algorithms from 1999 ended up in Csound, but the vast majority of the ones that followed got filed in the above mentioned top secret warehouse. In 2009, the good folks at Audio Damage hired me to design algorithms for the plugin that was released as Eos. These algorithms didn't get shelved - Eos sold quite well, and the Audio Damage guys were kind enough to call me out as the author of the algorithms, which is unheard of in most of the DSP industry. The last two reverbs I have designed, ValhallaShimmer and ValhallaRoom, have been under the Valhalla DSP brand.

Most of my reverbs have not been so great. At least 90% of my reverb algorithms have sucked big time. However, I'm obsessed with the stuff, so I've created several hundred reverb algorithms in the past decade+. The algorithms I have released are some of the ones that don't suck.


Why reverb specifically?
I'm sure that my love of big washy reverbs comes from the electronic music of my youth. PBS science documentaries and "Cosmos" were a big part of that. During the mid 1990's, I got into electronic music again, and sought out music by the Warp artists, the German kosmische bands, Brian Eno, and so on. My love of ambient tracks continues to this day.

There is also a bit of "forbidden lore" about reverberator design. I've read every paper on the subject I can find, staring in the 1950's AES archives, and the vast majority of published designs don't sound good. For the most part, people don't patent or publish the good reverbs - they keep them secret. So figuring out how to track down this hidden information is a fun challenge. It's like an Audio Grimoire.

The biggest reason for my reverb obsession is that reverb algorithms are COOL. An algorithmic reverb is a bunch of delay lines and filters that are combined together in twisted configurations and fed back on themselves, with the goal being to sound as random as possible. The various building blocks are like Legos that can be combined in an infinite number of configurations. It's a mental puzzle, that I can work on in my skull wherever I am. 




If avocados are the cashews of the jungle, then reverb is the mayonnaise of delay units. You know what I mean?
If yes, explain. 
Reverb is a sauce that, if applied sparingly, can blend everything together into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. I would never eat straight mayonnaise (I'm shuddering right now as I type this), but put a little bit inside of a Bánh mì, combined with some hoisin sauce and some sriracha, and the result is a unified entity of flavor. Reverb is a form of audio umami.

I also think that a good algorithmic reverb, with the modulation dialed in just right, is like an avocado. Put an instrument through it, turn up the decay time so that the sound just hangs there in space and evolves, and you have some delicious sonic guacamole.

I probably should have answered this question after dinner.

Would you rather see a shark and a robot fight, or see a unicorn and a T-Rex fight?

Fight to the death? Shark and a robot. I would hate to see a unicorn get hurt. How would I tell my daughters about that?


Thanks Sean!!

Thank you, Joel!

beautiful Gates 6144 dual limiter



Check it out on the TapeOp site... this thing rules. FULL DISCLOSURE: it is my partner, Tony Maimone selling this thing. Totally killer box.

SEE THE LISTING HERE With killer pictures and more info.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Tape Master Tube console

This thing looks really crazy, and you would have to be nuts to buy it, but right now its at 56 dollars.. and it could be a killer project as a sidecar!!!
Crazy little tube mixer thingy that I am trying not to buy.

Neumann BCM 705

Another killer dynamic mic for tracking vocals, guitars and bass.

Neumann BCM705 dynamic

Wurlitzer Sideman



This is fun. The Wurlitzer Sideman, according to synthmuseum.com and other Interweb sources, is argued to be the first drum machine. It clearly paved the way for rhythm presets, such as waltz, bossanova, and march, that you find on most modern "keyboards". The genius behind this circuit's motor and tube design is something that needs to be seen: check out this Youtube clip. If you're compelled to have one for yourself, get in touch with this guy on Craigslist: http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/msg/2341452376.html

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Interview with Carissa Spatcher of Brooklyn-based SNATCHTRONICS



Who the heck are you?
My name is Carissa Spatcher. I have three cats. My favorite color is brown. I hate mayonnaise.

How did you get into building pedals?
Well, I basically sucked in school, dabbled in college unsuccessfully, got into music later on, and ended up teaching myself electronics. Yeah, take that, Wheeler! (that's the high school i practically failed out of in Providence, RI.) I guess it just sort of arose out of need, like, a friend would say "hey, this pedal doesn't work. can you fix it?" and I'd open it up, and see a broken wire or something. That's how it started. Then drawing out schematics by hand, looking up what each symbol meant. Then i was copying pedals - not too hard if you sit down with it for a while.

Your overdrive pedal is really big. What's going on in there?
This overdrive (which i call the OvaDrive) has a lot of balls (or ovules). I used full-sized pots, one of which is a dual pot (for the drive), and the board itself takes up a lot of space. I'm working on a condensed version for my next production run which will be the exact same circuit but fit into a smaller enclosure.

You've named your company in the time-honored tradition of naming guitar pedals after female genitalia. Why is that?
I dont know....I guess all of us pedal makers have dirty minds! Well, it just seemed fitting, that I'm a chick, my company is a play on my name and a word for vagina, so why shouldn't my pedals be similarly themed? I had some nastier names in mind (less clinical than OvaDrive), but to try to appeal to a broader audience, I toned it down a little.

There are tons of 'boutique' pedal companies out there. What distinguishes Snatchtronics?
Well, im a chick. Not a lot of chicks build pedals. Also, I'm damn good at it. I dont skimp on components, and everything is put together by hand. Oh, and I powdercoat all of my boxes....no pun intended.

What's Snatchtronics going to be building in ten years?
Time Machines.

Gnomes or unicorns? Explain.
I've always been a unicorn fan myself, being that I've always loved horses, but something about the combination of the letters "Gn" at the beginning of words I find interesting.

You rock, and so do your pedals!

Friday, April 22, 2011

AKG 451E Pair and More

Found recently on Craigslist Brooklyn, an engineer based in Park Slope is passing on some of his gear. In addition to this amazing pair of AKG 451e's, he also has for (affordable!) sale a Gefell UM92 1.S tube condenser, a Vintech 1272 dual mic pre, an AKG 451b, a Royer 122 active ribbon, and a Universal Audio 6176 mic pre/compressor. Contact him through this Craigslist post and ask him about anything listed above: http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/msg/2339095364.html

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Doepfer Modular Synth

Found on NYC Craigslist: A good start to a great modular synth rack. The seller is getting rid of 6 modules, including a voltage controlled ADSR envelope, a MIDI interface, a VCA, a low-pass filter, and a mixer to sum all your crazy patches. Or, as I'd recommend one to do, buy the full setup with rack ears and all the other necessary "fixings". You can read, check out the post: Doepfer Modular Analog Boutique Synthesizer

DRIP electronics

Have a soldering iron? Dont have 9 billion dollars?
That could be the EXACT combination of things these guys had in mind when they started Drip electronics!
You can build your OWN EQP1a... could be a very cost effective way to get some killer gear rolling in your space right now!

TRANSIENT DESIGNER 4

One of the most interesting and forward thinking boxes ever made. Designed by the same mind that now brings us the Elysia stuff....

SPL Transient Designer on EBAY

SHURE SM7B

Why do you not have one? this thing rules on guitars, bass amps, and vocals. if you have a small budget and need an all purpose mic, get this one.

SM7B on ebay

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

JBL/UREI 7110's can be fun

These can be fun, and inexpensive for a later UREI piece. Kind of cool tone with flexibility. Like a makita drill.. they just work to get the job done
without a ton of money changing hands. Here is a PAIR.

JBL/UREI 7110 pair on ebay

-----> Wade from Chandler LTD interview!!!

This mini conversation with Wade from Chandler LTD really sheds some light on the fact that he is just like you or me: a FREAK that likes gear and audio and Brad Pitt. Thats why I love his designs and support his super cool company!
     Chandler LTD stuff really has the right personality to hang with the vintage stuff without seeming like it is trying too hard to be "vibey" or "vintage-ey". It just screams quality, and we have a bunch of the stuff at Studio G... The Curve Bender EQ, the Germanium compressors,  The Zener Limiter, 4 channels of germanium mic pre, and I am probably forgetting something else in the rack... It is great stuff, made by a great guy. Check him out !!

Questions:

Who the heck are you? Well mostly Im just a kid from Iowa who has always liked music and sound. I started playing guitar in 7th grade and my parents bought me a Tascam Porta One 4 track in 8th grade (I big investment at the time!) and I have been recording and playing ever since. Nearly 30 years. I thought it was amazing that I had the "same setup the Beatles used"....a Four track! haha! Ah to be that bright eyed again. 

Why do you make gear? What made you start making gear? I make gear because I love sounds and gadgets. As a kid I was fascinated by the guts of an old radio and that was multiplied when I started looking inside Neves and Pultecs! They were works of art in both the build and sound. What really got me into building was when I had saved enough money to buy 1073s. It was a life changer for me. I NEEDED more of them and just did not have the money to get them, so I searched the planet for as many spare parts as I could and started making my own modules from them. It was pretty crude but they worked and sounded great. I even hand etched circuit boards when I could not find certain ones that I needed. Drawing the traces out by hand and dunking them in acid. Was quite fun! The first TG1 circuits were done this way as well almost 20 years ago. It is a very dense circuit and I drew the circuit out by hand on copper board and hand etched them as well. 

What piece of gear would you make if all the usual parameters were removed... like price point/physics/reality. Remove all reality and what would you want chandler to make? I think this is why I am now pursuing guitar pedal designs. Working with them seems to remove some of the restrictions life and physics put on us. Price becomes less of an issue because the circuits are simpler. Even some of reality is removed because with pedals even sometimes a wrong or terribly designed circuit can be amazing! In fact some of the things you would do to a guitar pedal are ideas that would never fly with a high quality mic pre for example. It brings me back to the feeling of being a kid and being amazed by gadgets and how even these smple circuits can be very effective and creative.

Would you rather be a unicorn or brad pitt? explain. Thats a tough tough questions....Im gonna have to go superficial on this on and choose Brad Pitt. Having been recently divorced I could use some of his luck with women! hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

What single piece of gear, new or old, do you think defines the word "quality" in pro audio? I dont think I could choose just one. There would have to be at least one per catagory! Like and old EMI for eq or pre. Or a 1073. For a mic I would say an RFT7151 or KM53 or 54. Guitar amps....A marshall 69-71, Watkins Dominator, Selmer. Quality has many meanings...Sound, build, thoughtfulness in the design. If I was to pick one thing that shines in all ways for me it would be the EMI TG compressor. The design is light years ahead of its time, thoughtful, intricate but elegant. The sound is like nothing else there is...For me THE prime example of what we all mean by vintage and colored. Im lucky enough to be involved in the circuit in some way.

Thanks, Wade. You rule. 

Sincerely,
-Joel




CHANDLER compressor

These things are great. We have the germanium compressors and the Zener limiter by chandler. We are big fans of Chandler stuff around Studio G. Vintage personality and actual character, without the maintenance schedule...

Sennheiser MD211N (x2) Omni Dynamics


Easily one of my personal favorites. This omnidirectional dynamic microphone, the MD211, as I've been told, was primarily used for communicating with German miners working underground. Now, they are killer room mics.

Find a pair here:

Monday, April 18, 2011

INTERVIEW: Dominik from ELYSIA

I got one of the first 2 Elysia mpressors in the united states, and I only got number 2 because Michael Brauer can run surprisingly fast when there is great gear at stake...  Since getting the mpressor in the rack, next to some super sought-after "classic" compressors, I really feel that the mpressor is truly an incredible device, and I said so in a TapeOp review of the unit ages ago. I am a fan of Elysia, and the mpressor. Dominik Klassen, of Elysia, answers some important questions below. Enjoy. 
 **** EDIT:  to see this interview in german CLICK HERE

Who the heck is "Elysia"?

elysia is what fell out of Dominik's poor tortured brain after thinking about possible brand names night after night during the start phase of the company. We wanted to have something short and significant, ideally hinting at sophistication and excellence in terms of what we do. After five years of doing what we do, we are still pleased with the choice we made. But you know, we're not native speakers, so after a while we learned that Elysia is also a girl's name in some English speaking countries. That's cool - our greetings to all the sweet Elysias out there!

Did Reuben travel to the future when designing the mpressor? If no, why not?

He was originally casted for the role of Doc Brown, so I'm pretty sure you're right about this (although he never tells anybody). Just like in the movie, I think we're much more looking at a round trip... the discrete technology used in the mpressor is a secret art from the past which only a few people know to master these days, while the concept of this compressor certainly does not rest on what we call Vintage these days. We wanted the mpressor to become a truly modern and highly flexible piece, and if you ask me, I think we pretty much nailed it.

Would you ever consider making sweatshirts with the word "ELYSIA" in a pink "spray paint" type font? Mostly to sell in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

You wouldn't believe it, but a hardcore fan of the alpha compressor (a guy who does not even own the machine) made a whole collection of T-Shirts with different photos of the alpha on it, in different colors, sizes and even Girly-Shirts. He did not only give these shirts to his friends, but also send a pile of them to Germany for us. The only thing missing was some lingerie to go with it ;-) So yes, the future of pro audio (especially talking about analog stuff) is merchandise, and a pink spray paint elysia shirt should definitively be the perfect start.

Are you sorry you ever sold me an mpressor?

We're sorry that we didn't sell you two... just think about traveling and stuff... some spares would really come in handy. On the other hand, we're really glad about the one machine you have. The one reason is that you, dear Joel, belong to the few people who got the concept and the idea of the mpressor in all its aspects right from the start, and that you keep telling people who great it is - thanks a lot, dude! The other is that so much great music is sent through it because of and by you. Wild things we really like a lot!

What is next for Elysia? possibly a tube DI box with pan pots?

Oh boy, the drawer is crowded with cool ideas.... The main 'problem' is that elysia has remained a two-people-busyness ever since, and we really have to pick our projects carefully because of obvious time limitations. We have a lot of fun boxes and custom stuff as prototypes from former times on the shelves - I really do hope that besides 'serious' processing we are involved in at the moment we'll find more time to care about more creative and crazy gear, too. For example a tube DI with automated pan pots, sure ;-)

If you could turn into a unicorn and save the world, or travel through time 18 minutes forward or back, which would you choose?

That's a tough one: On the one hand, we could build the most accurate look-ahead gear of all times, on the other we could save the planet and everything on it. I don't know... We've seen so many movies that show the many things that can go wrong during time traveling. But being a unicorn is no fun either - you can't even turn the knobs on the gear you love. I think I'd ask Joel to do this for us. I mean, the guy has been on a Vespa race throughout the US for charity. He must know. 

Thanks, Elysia!
-Joel

Thanks, Joel. Always a pleasure!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

interviews!

Look for upcoming interviews that are almost certainly 56% as exciting as facebook, coming soon with people like Chandler LTD, Elysia, Sage Electronics, and other audio mutants we love around these parts...

Friday, April 15, 2011

Super Duper

Not really "recording stuff" per se, but absolutely one of the best inexpensive upgrades to your day to day studio life: Super Duper by Shirt Pocket.

It's a totally amazing incremental backup system, along with the ability to run a script at the end of the copy, or select from pre-set scripts that shut down, repair permissions, or the usual computer stuff.....

Enjoy the ability to clone your system drive while it is still working....

Thursday, April 14, 2011

SHOTGUN SHELLS


The following interview is the first in what will become a completely random series over the years, hopefully. The spirit and intent and vision and fun built into these mics is EXACTLY the aesthetic I love in the recording community. I ordered a pair of these already, before western Mass runs out of deer to shoot and so spent shells become hard to come by, or more likely, that Brad gets sick of making these things much the way many of the other custom, cool, underground mic makers have gone. I first championed a microphone called the "copperphone" when nobody else had one. I Have a Davisound 1950 microphone, I have the Stapes omni's that became the prototypes for the Avenson omni microphone pairs that seem "old school" almost at this point in the mic world.
Anyway, here are some questions that Brad Martin, creative mastermind and deer slayer behind these mics graciously answered for me. Enjoy. Buy his mics while you still can!!!


Who the heck are you?
Haha well, my name is Brad Martin. I'm 26, a Capricorn, I enjoy taking long walks on the beach, and blowing away squirrels to make microphones from the spent shotgun shells.

Do you record people?
I do. In college I interned at and then eventually worked at a recording studio in Western Mass for about 3 years. When it closed it's doors a few years back I came to the realization that I either had to find another studio to work at locally (there are none) or take on clients in a home studio which I do now. I make my living as a guitar teacher, but I have sessions nearly every weekend.

What was the basic motivation for making microphones at all?
Honestly because I'm broke haha. When the studio where I worked closed I realized I had basically no gear of my own. Having a house and a bride-to-be the only cash that I allow myself to put into gear is what I make from sessions. I was using Protools HD and Neumanns at my job but my first session on my own was on an mbox 2 pro with a bunch of 57s. It sucked. Buying cheap mics to mod or making my own mics was one of the ways to maximize my Gear-To-Dollar ratio.

I really love that these mics are built into shotgun shells, making it absolutely impossible for me to EVER fly with them, so how did you land on this idea? Was it after you had killed like 58 deer and a squirrel and you thought it was a waste of good plastic and brass to just throw the spent shells away?
Haha yes. Actually I had been building the mics into xlr connectors for a while just to fill my mic bag, but they just looked so lame. Some musicians would say, "dude aren't you going to plug mics into those cables?" So I was sort of on a search of something cooler to put them in. One day a few weeks back I was at a guitar students' house showing him one of my xlr mics and out of the corner of my eye noticed his stack of spent shells. That's really all it took. I've thought about buying empty shells, but there's something cool about a shotgun-shell microphone that still stinks of gunpowder.People are going so crazy over these things I'm in the process of making 2 more models, a cardioid condenser and a dynamic.

Do you have a favorite microphone (besides the ones you make)?
Favorite? I guess it depends on the application. I think the coolest mic I own is probably my 1938 Astatic K2. I sounds like shit but it looks really sweet.It has an old telephony sound that can be a killer room mic. Or decoration.

Thanks again for finding my little mics interesting enough to spawn an interview. I hope you enjoy them and any criticism will be graciously accepted.
-Brad Martin

Thanks for making good recording stuff, Brad.
-Joel

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Moog MKPE


Found on New York City Craigslist, a Moog MKPE Three Band Parametric EQ. It's a rare and interesting piece. Check it:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/msg/2314784236.html

Monday, March 28, 2011

PULTEC PAIR

A Pair of pultecs, with the API 2520 as make up gain. These are super cool EQ's.


Friday, March 25, 2011

Hamilton/Baldwin piano

1927 Hamilton/Baldwin 5' Baby Grand Piano
extensive work performed on it by Alex Colwell
a totally solid and cool sounding instrument for studio or home
asking $3500 or interesting audio gear trades

Joel says: "this piano is super great. I have recorded it a few times on records where the piano is the primary instrument. Great sounding instrument. Totally solid, and looks beautiful. And it says "Hamilton" on it so that has got to be worth something. 
This piano is in Brooklyn, NY

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Square State EQ Model One B

Square State Solid State's EQ Model One B. Incredible sounding equalizer with well-placed EQ points. Snares love this thing. The price is a plus, too.

Square State Solid State EQ Model One B

AnalogueHaven

Talk to Shawn at AnalogueHaven for all of the coolest FX and synth stuff. One of the most comprehensive
places on the interworld to find great electronics. 

VINTAGE NEVE 1066

great mic pre eq to get racked up, or put in a neve/BAE rack

blue mouse!

Great mic for bass amp or cello. great price too. 

Farfisa Syntorchestra!

Crazy weirdo cool synth thingy by farfisa. Check it out!


PULTEC in NYC!

Pultec EQH-2 in NYC


Culture vulture in UK

Such a great box.


RCA 77DX good deal!

From Odyssey Pro:
A great deal on a classic mic...


Altec 684a dynamic omni

cool looking dynamic omni in a nice box. Never used this one, used mics like it and they can be super fun flavor pieces.


Interesting: EMT bandpass filter

Never used this but I bet it is super cool. I have used the allison research passive filter boxes and they
are awesome.


NEVE 2254

These rule.

EMI console mixed "THE WALL" the movie

Just had to post this. This thing is incredible. Someone in NYC BUY THIS!!! :)

Neve 33122 racked pair

These are great modules, and this is a good price for them. Classic sounds, for less than you would think.
Not unlike the 33114's in my Neve console. Great build quality, BA440/438 discrete A/B based modules.


Drawmer 1968 compressor

My pal John Davis uses one of these all the time. Its a cool box. Michael Brauer claims its a good one also.


ALTEC 322C compressor

Super vintage unit. Never used this one but it looks really cool.


Binson/Guild Echorec!

Rare unit. Totally great.

Vintech 1272

These are totally solid mic pre's for the money. I just hauled our old one out of the storage space for a remote recording session out of state, and it ruled on Violin.
TapeOp - Vintech 1272

Valhalla DSP

While we are talking software, you really should be grabbing everything that this guy makes... these plugs certainly fit in the "good recording stuff" mission:
http://www.valhalladsp.com/

DEVIL LOC

Soundtoys, a really great software company, has posted this promotional code situation so you can grab this plug for FREE right now!!!


Check it out!

Symetrix 501

This is a great compressor for the money. The "poor mans distressor/33609"

EMI compressor!!

This is a really killer find. If you have the money, this would be sick.
I love the chandler Zener, and here is the original!!!

WELCOME!

   Welcome to the new blog all about cool things for recording that are for sale all over the world. We will be collecting links to all the stuff that gets talked about all the time with people who make records for a living.
   I couldn't find a single spot to just look over all the cool stuff, without filtering through 9 million ebay listings or craigslist posts or TapeOp messageboard pages to find just the fun and cool and interesting stuff, so i decided to get this rolling with help from a ton of people in the recording community. Expect to see constant updates, comments from recording people you know, and tons of gear to shop through that has all been referenced elsewhere or that we personally know to be Good Recording Stuff.
 We have absolutely no vested interest in the sale of any of these cool items. This is simply a service to the recording community to give a heads up when something cool is available.
    Enjoy. Hopefully this helps you find something cool to pursue the vision you have for your recordings.
-Joel Hamilton