MicPre Brent/Chandler/API

[Saltman]

I am interested in a great set up mick pres for DRUMS, BASS,VOCALS:

Need folks opinion on the various 1073 clones

1) Brent Averill 1073 Clone
2) Chandler LTD1 1073 Clone
3) API 512C

I am hearing great things about the Chandlers. I already own a Millenia 8 channel, I used them on a rock drum project and it did not have the Punch nor the Clarity that I wanted.

Any advise comments on the above would be very appreciated.

Saltman

[Meriphew]

I have an API 3124+ and it's fantastic on drums and bass. As far as for vox I've gotten so & so sounds using Soundelux Elux 251/BLUE Baby Bottle/Shure SM58 mics thru the API.

[soundguy]

For my dollar I would buy the brent averill only because they are such a stand up comnay its amazing, and the tech there, avedis, worked with Geoff Tanner before workign at Averill, so that guy knows neve better than most people on earth. I tried to audition chandler products, and their distributor is about 20 minutes from me and it took them 3 months to return several phone calls and were generally in a complete cluster fuck every single time I tried to touch base with them. Both Chandler and Averill use or at least used to use real neve boards, so basically, you are just paying for a rack job. Averill makes a clone and now chandler might as well, but I knwo when chandler started off, they were just repackaging neve boards. Averill has amazing customer support and Avedis' work and attention to detail is far above what I expect from techs.

API 512, if you are looking for what a 1073 does, will surely disappoint, its a totally different animal with a totally different sound. amazing sound, granted, but its not that saturated neve transformer sound, its API's own thing.

I imagine that millenia produts would be WAY more "clear" sounding than either api or neve, but regardless, if you get the neve or api, you are bound to be happy with it on something, or many things or everything, its top notch gear. In the end, the averill and chandler are going to work out ot be the same, its just a question of who you want to do business with.

dave

[Shawn Simmons]

I own two Averill 1073 clones. These are not real Neve parts but a reproduction of them. I use them all the time on drums, bass, guitars, and vox. I also have two Averill 1272 (real Neve) pres. The 1073's do sound different than the 1272's but not in a bad way. I went to another local studio and A/B'd my 1073's with some real Neve 1073's and here's what I thought:

The real Neves had a better high end EQ. It was smoother and very natural. My clones sounded a little harsh by comparision but not bad.

My clones had a lower noise floor and more gain.

My clones seemed to be tighter in the low end.

My clones were very close to the originals when just using the pre-amp.

All of my observations are subjective and I'm sure it's hard to find two real Neve 1073's that sound the same so my comparisions are what they are.

That being said, I am extremely happy with my Averill 1073's and wish I had more of them.

Never used the Chandlers.
Shawn

[cwileyriser]

Speaking of swanky mic pres, I've got some new funds burning a hole in my wallet. I have a pair of V672s and a Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster as my mic pres. My main mic is a Rode Classic II, but I've got a load of other mics (421s, 57s, C1000s, pair of Rode NT1s, Beyer M260, Groove Tube AM11, and a RCA 74B that's going in for an overhaul now that I've got the $$).

Most of my recording is vocals, acoustic guitar and other acoustic instruments (mandolin, fiddle, upright bass, etc.)

I'd like to get another mic pre to add to the spice rack. I'd like to keep the spending to the $1000 range - I guess I could go to the $1000 range for one channel, though I suppose a 2-channel pre would be nice. I could get a Drawmer 1960 in that price range.

So, should I spring for a single fancy pre or should I go for a RNP and spend the $600 I save on something else?

[Catoogie]

What does everyone out there think of the new Universal Audio mic pres? Also does anyone make a copy of the Telefunken V76?

[wayne kerr]

Cattoogie - the 2-610 is FAT (not phat), very nice for chunking up guitars, room mics... with very usable shevling to boot! Also a great bass DI if yer bass player isn't to slap happy

I'll second soundguy's opinion (as I often do!) on the Averill stuff. I'm sure the competing products out there are every bit as "Good," but I have never come across a company with Averill's commitment to quality. I may be a little biasd since I used to live 6 block from Brent, but I've never once questioned the quality of a BA product. In fact, the last thing I bought from them was a 2-Ch. 1272 (original, not clone) and thought it sounded a bit dark and had too much gain for my M149 - I walked it down there and in 15 minutes, Avedis had new resistors installed which opened it up a bit and a new gain pot with a "-10 dB" click. How much? NO charge! These guys understand the value of taking care of their cutsomers.

E

And you can't go wrong with Brent's API pres for drums.

[jspartz]

You might also want to check out the Old School Audio products.

www.oldschoolaudio.com

jason

[Oliver Straus/Mission]

Hey there,

I own a 1073 console (26 of them). You cant go wrong with either the brents or the chandler. Most of the sound difference that I have noticed between the old and the clones has to do with the age of the Caps in the real ones, which accounts for the tighter low end in the clones. I am told that chandler went to great pains to get the windings in the transformers right. As this is a big part of the neve "thing" , it's an important piece of info.

What's cool about the APIs is actually their tendancy to distort. Gritty transistor distortion that adds emmensely to snare and sometimes to KIK.

I also agree that the 2610 Universal Audio box is worth looking into.

Whatever you choose...try putting it in the room with the drums and running line level to your console... Excellent!!

[fireproof]

I Recently bought a Chandler 1073 type pre/eq http://www.chandlerlimited.com/ltd1.html
Man it sounds amazing.....very open highs and the low end is huge!!
I was considering the averill but the extra eq points are great to have...

This box has made a big sonic impact on my recent sessions.
well worth the $$$$


Adam

[Saltman]

I had a chance to A/B today the Chandlers LTD1, LTD2 and API 512 micpress. I used the LTD1 on kick, LTD2 ove overheads, the API on Snare and wow I have never heard drums sound so huge in my studio...ever! It was quite eye opening. I only wish I had a Brent Averill to have completed my test.

In addition I auditioned the Chandler TG1 Compressor/Limite. AMAZING on the drum room mic!! Huge sounding! I also tried the Alan Smart C2 and man can it crunch a kit...in a GOOD way. Now I need to decide which way to go with the compressor.

Thanks to Jeff of Vintage King for driving out from LA to my studio in order to perform the test.

Saltman

[Saltman]

correction..it was the TG2 EMI micpres that I auditioned yesterday. LTD2 is their 2254 compressor copy.