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Daniel Hook Gear R esearch B log P ost MUS-2204-011

Daniel Hook Gear R esearch B log P ost MUS-2204-011. VINTECH X73 Pre-amp.

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Daniel Hook Gear R esearch B log P ost MUS-2204-011

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  1. Daniel Hook Gear Research Blog Post MUS-2204-011

  2. VINTECH X73 Pre-amp The Vintech X73 is made by Vintech Audio. Established in 1997, their goal is to produce audio gear based on vintage designs. This unit is a knock off of the famed Neve 1073 which is sought by audio professionals for the quality engineering and sound. The X73 has a LED Output meter ranging from -6 dB to +18 dB and a power indicator. A 1/4-inch front panel instrument input jack. On the rear panel, there are both Neutrik XLR mic input and line output jacks and a 1/4-inch TRS line input jack. The equalizer is a 3-band type with 16dB boost or cut and a separate, selectable high pass filter. Frequencies for the high pass filter are 50, 80, 160 and 300 Hz. The low-frequency equalizer section is a shelving type with 35, 60, 110 and 220Hz positions. It is a solid state, Class-A output amplifier that uses a 2N3055 NPN power transistor. This unit was manufactured to mimic the Neve 1073 known for its low-frequency coloration. There are many applications, low end frequency instruments would reap the most from this unit. Such as Bass guitars, kick drums, etc.. Of course the choice of microphone or input device would and more dimension to this unit. The X73 has a single, large motherboard with all it’s components neatly laid out, with three audio transformers mounted to the chassis sides. There are both line and mic input transformers and a large output transformer, all made by St. Ives. The X73 is well-constructed and hand-assembled in the U.S. and has individually soldered front panel switches. Dallas Upton from Vintech explained that the original 22-position, Elma rotary input gain switch used in the 1073 must be hand-wired for each X73 unit. The other EQ switches are by Electroswitch and, like the Elma, have gold contacts.

  3. Summit TLA50 Summit Audio was Established 1978, The Summit Audio Tube Leveling Amplifier, A high-performance, easy-to-use compressor with flexible interfacing options and hybrid circuitry to add the classic valve character. It is a hybrid of technologies. This contains both vacuum tube and solid state components. With a combination of old and new technology, it produces an incredibly warm and smooth sounding compression device without the inherent disadvantages of the older designs. The TLA 50 features: TRS -10dB and XLR +4dB input and output, Automatic level matching for interfacing -10dB and +4dB devices, 3-position attack and release settings, Continuously variable gain and gain reduction controls, VU metering of input level or gain reduction, Overload indication, Side chain access on TRS jack, Stereo linkable with second TLA-50, Internal high voltage power supply and One 12AX7A/ECC83 vacuum tube. The valve circuitry adds characteristic warmth on its own which can be very handy, and very small amounts of gain reduction seem to alter the clarity and brightness in a subtle way without introducing obvious dynamic control. The TLA50 will work extremely well with most sources, especially bass guitars and vocals. On both of these sources it is able to exercise a lot of dynamic control without sounding heavy-handed. However, it doesn’t seem to have sufficient speed to handle percussive instruments, recording to a digital medium and complex mixes. Some features also include: “Soft Knee” Characteristic, Switch Selectable Attack and Release Settings, Side Chain Access, Stereo Coupling Capability and Balanced and Unbalanced Inputs and outputs. It also contains both vacuum tube and solid state components.

  4. Avalon M5 Avalon microphone preamplifiers have been in use around the world since 1986. All Avalon preamplifiers share the combined technologies of low ratio transformer balanced inputs coupled with high-voltage cascade FET twin bipolar discrete class A amplifiers. The M5 features: Pure Class A, 100% discrete design, Smooth musical detail and sonic excellence, Minimum audio signal path, High performance input transformer, Microphone and Hi-Z inputs to +36dB, Very low noise -126dB, High headroom +30dB, Gain switched in 2dB steps to +64dB, DC coupled Pure Class A output, Large illuminated professional VU meter, Twin LED peak signal indicators, Regulated +48v phantom power supply, Low distortion less than 0.5% THD and IMD, Variable passive high pass (bass cut) filter and all signal routing with sealed silver relays. Avalon boasts of unlimited sonic character and a natural harmonic detail. I like the warm mids. The M5 is ideal for vocal and acoustic instruments, active DI input for the direct recording of bass, guitars and keyboards. The M5 has Twin cascode FET and bipolar low level input signal stages. Avalon's advanced true symmetry design offers high-voltage, large headroom, extended bandwidth and very low noise.

  5. Universal Audio 6176 Universal Audio's Model 6176 Channel Strip is a two-rackspace unit containing one channel from UA's Class-A 2-610 tube mic preamp and a UA 1176LN peak limiter.. Besides featuring refined versions of UA's two stalwarts that date back to the '60s, the 6176 provides the remarkable sonic synergy of a classic tube mic pre followed by one of the most popular transistor compressors ever made. The preamp has three inputs: rear-panel XLR mic and line inputs, and a front-panel, unbalanced ¼-inch jack for direct recordings. Controls include -15dB pad and phase-invert switches. There is a rotary impedance switch for both the XLR mic (2k-ohm and 500 ohms) and the instrument (47k-ohm and 2.2 meg) inputs. Gain setting is via a rotary switch with -10/-5/0/+5/+10 “ballpark” positions that set the amount of negative feedback (and therefore gain) for the 12AX7 and 6072 tube amplifier stages. The preamp has up to 61 dB of gain, and the 1176LN section has up to 40 dB of gain. Because the preamp also has a separate line input, the 610 double-duties as a line-level processor. Increasing the gain switch to +10. The 6176 uses a simple high/low-shelving EQ. A three-position switch toggles between 4.5/7/10 kHz for HF and 70/100/200 Hz for the lows. This equalizer's boost/cut is in 1.5dB steps for up to ±9 dB. 1176LN Controls include: attack, release, ratio (with 1:1, 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1 and All settings); the input control (to set the amount of compression); and the output level control. There's a three-position rotary meter switch to select gain reduction; Pre shows the output level from the 610 and the Comp position reads the 1176LN's output level on a lighted VU meter. There's phantom power-on/off, an oversized power switch with an old-style (incandescent) blue-jewel power indicator, and the important Join/Split switch that connects the 610 output to the 1176LN input or separates them for independent operation. There's a pushbutton to select between 15k-ohm or 600-ohm input impedance; otherwise, in Join mode, the impedance is 600 ohms to match the 610 output. The sound is remarkably versatile. It can be tailored to many vocal styles and a wide variety of musical instruments. It’s steel cabinet containing three main circuit boards: mic pre on the left, PS in the middle and 1176LN on the right. Four of its five transformers are firmly bolted to either the cabinet's floor or walls. Cine-mag transformers for both the mic pre and 1176LN inputs are used, and all connections to the circuit boards are hand-soldered (for audio paths) or use special, high-reliability Molex Trifurcon connectors for easy field maintenance. The preamp section uses 12AX7 and 6072A tubes. There are high-quality Electro switches, polypropylene capacitors and metal-film resistors galore.

  6. Summit 2-BA-221 Again, Summit Audio was Established 1978. The 2BA-221 featuring microphone level, line level, and Hi-Z instrument inputs, the 2BA-221 utilizes separate and individually controlled solid state input controls to mix the microphone input with the Hi-Z or line input into the variable vacuum tube output. Mix them together through the 12AX7A/ECC83 vacuum tube output or separately through individual solid state outputs. The 2BA-221 also features a stackable input design; multiple 2BA-221's can be linked together to form a modular mixing device with individual outs, inserts per channel, and a final vacuum tube gain stage. It’s swept high pass filter, multiple simultaneous tube and solid state outputs, insert jack, and internal power supply makes the 2BA-221 a powerful tracking and mixing tool. This also is very versatile combining solid state technology with classic tube design. Warm lows to brilliant highs. This unit works well for vocal tracking and acoustic microphone applications. The 2BA-221 in conjunction with the Summit TD-100 provides you with a direct box and a mic preamp. This setup allows you to mix the sound of your guitar or bass amp with the direct sound of your instrument and sounds fantastic in both live or recording situations.

  7. Drawmer DL-241 The Drawmer DL241 ,Dual Channel 'Auto-Compressor' highlights the beginning of a new generation of dynamic processors which set new standards of sonic excellence. Its combination of features, displays and well designed control functions make it an outstanding product for a vast range of broadcast, sound reinforcement, and recording applications. The Expander/Gate provides 80dB range and variable threshold from +20dB to 70dB with an OFF position. Switching is provided for 'Fast' or 'Slow' release characteristics. A full Auto Attack/Release Compressor with variable Threshold and Ratio successfully combines the smoothness of the 'Soft Knee' principle with the precision of a 'Ratio' control. Peak Level. 'Zero Response Time', 'Zero Overshoot' circuitry provides an absolute limit to the peak level of the output signal, adjustable from OdB to +16dB above system level. 'Zero Response Time' means that the DL241 provides complete protection from even the fastest and shortest signal 'spikes' (overloads). Comprehensive bar graph displays give 'at a glance' indications of gain reduction, and output signal level Gain reduction from 1dB to -30dB is shown simultaneously with signal level from -20dB to +15dB Other single LEDs indicate function status of Gating Acton, Auto Mode, Bypass, Peak Limiting, Stereo Linking, and Power On. When processing stereo signals, linking should be used to prevent image shifting. This facility ties both channels together. Using channel 1 (left) as the master channel removes the need to duplicate control settings for both channels. A fully balanced hard-wire bypass connects the input directly to the output allowing signal to pass through the unit with no power applied. In bypass the VU level meter displays the Input signal. The operating level of the DL241 can be instantly switched, independently on each channel, for either +4dBu or -10dBu operation using a rear panel push switch. The DL241 is available with either XLR connections and fully balanced inputs and outputs, or with stereo jack (TRS) connections, fully balanced inputs and single ended outputs. The DL241 produces a smooth, transparent and warm sonic performance. Uses include many applications from vocal to bass guitar. This unit can also be used for final mix or mastering. Selectable manual or fully automatic Attack and Release times dramatically extend the application range and user scope of the DL241. The 'Auto' mode removes the need for manual adjustment and is particularly valuable when the program being treated does not have predictable or consistent dynamics, often the case when processing a complete mix or a virtuoso bass guitar performance. Under manual control the wide range of adjustment available gives the user the ability to create dynamic effects as well as normal compression.

  8. Bibliography All information derived from these websites and all sites are current to date. http://www.drawmer.com/products/pro-series/dl241.php http://www.summitaudio.com http://www.soundonsound.com http://www.gearslutz.com/board/ http://mixonline.com/ http://www.vintech-audio.com/ http://www.avalondesign.com/index-main.html http://www.uaudio.com/ http://www.sweetwater.com/ http://en.audiofanzine.com/

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