Best Recording console under $5000

veedub242 · Post by **veedub242** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:42 am

I am looking to sell My 1965 Lambretta li150 (200cc) Scooter and buy a recording console.
Need at least 16 channels of decent pre's. whats all your suggestions?

Ian Lund
room zero recording
www.myspace.com/roomzero

Phiz · Post by **Phiz** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:54 am

I picked up a used Allen & Heath MixWizard 16:2 (series 2) for under $500. I don't have any high end preamps to compare it to, but it certainly has lots of nice routing options.

Fieryjack · Post by **Fieryjack** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:40 pm

I dunno about the console, but how did you get those characitures made?

@?,*???&? · Post by **@?,*???&?** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:12 am

veedub242 wrote:I am looking to sell My 1956 Lambretta li200 Scooter and buy a recording console.
Need at least 16 channels of decent pre's. whats all your suggestions?

What other features do you require?

veedub242 · Post by **veedub242** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:28 pm

Fieryjack wrote:I dunno about the console, but how did you get those characitures made?

Are you referring to The Danger record cover? This guy Alex at 1090 designs drew them up from photos

http://www.gigposters.com/designers.php?designer=59972

BTW, Do I know you?

Ian

veedub242 · Post by **veedub242** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:37 pm

What other features do you require?[/quote]

Well, I guess as many features as possible while being under 5 grand. A meter bridge and patchbay would be nice. Decent pre's, Decent EQ. Reliability, You know, the kind of things we would all want in a Console... I know all of these things come at a price and some console excell in some areas and suck in others... I guess I was hoping to start a debate as to what consoles are the best for the money... Ian

MT · Post by MT » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:46 pm

A Soundcraft Ghost can be had for well below $5K.

Phiz · Post by **Phiz** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:20 pm

Heh. I just realized I mis-read your post ($500 vs $5k). So disregard my previous comment.

??????? · Post by **???????** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:27 pm

how many channels do you need? The little Yamaha (PM1000) and Sound Workshop boards are mighty fashionable.

sonic dogg · Post by **sonic dogg** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:34 pm

I'll second the Ghost. A GREAT mid-level board. A 24 channel LE(no auto muting) can be had in very good condition cheap enough to allow you to add some serious mic pres for those 'special' tracks. The Ghost pres are good enough for a lot of things and the EQ and routing are fine. Makes a great front end for a 'puter rig. For 5K, you could find(used) an LE,a couple of channels of Great River or do a whole 7th Circle lunch box....get all kinds of noises ..

snatchman · Post by **snatchman** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:49 am

There's a guy over on the GS Forum selling a Soundcraft 600 console for $4,500.00. 24 channels, meterbridge, patchbay and have been " hot rodded" by Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades! He says he had $11,000.00 worth of mods done and list the mods on the forum. Talks like it's a killer sounding board..!..

..Wish I had the cash to buy it.!..

..Good luck.

stinkpot · Post by **stinkpot** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:57 am

I'll third the Ghost. I've had mine for about 8-9 years now and have never had a single problem with it. The pre's are more than adequate, and it's nice and quiet with a pretty slick EQ.

I love mine.

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:52 pm

Whenever someone is pulling out transistors you have to wonder what they're replacing them with.

Typically for something like a 600 series Soundcraft mixer, whoever is building it is testing transistors and only 1 in 10 spec out good enough to be used. This is what a guy who used to work for Soundtracs has told me. Anyway, I've heard of people getting that very board (the 600) upgraded and the original transistors were pretty much stolen and replaced with crap, in the name of a mod.

Anyway, Jim Williams though is a pretty damn reputable guy. I wouldn't imagine he'd be doing that, but if somebody is going to buy that Soundcraft I'd contact Jim Williams and ask him what his procedure for transistor replacement entails.

snatchman · Post by **snatchman** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:41 pm

honkyjonk wrote:Whenever someone is pulling out transistors you have to wonder what they're replacing them with.

Typically for something like a 600 series Soundcraft mixer, whoever is building it is testing transistors and only 1 in 10 spec out good enough to be used. This is what a guy who used to work for Soundtracs has told me. Anyway, I've heard of people getting that very board (the 600) upgraded and the original transistors were pretty much stolen and replaced with crap, in the name of a mod.

Anyway, Jim Williams though is a pretty damn reputable guy. I wouldn't imagine he'd be doing that, but if somebody is going to buy that Soundcraft I'd contact Jim Williams and ask him what his procedure for transistor replacement entails.

I don't know if Jim pulled transistors and all. I know the list of mods the guy posted was pretty extreme..! I think Jim has a Soundcraft that he modded/uses ( 6000 ?) and I think he knows these things inside out..!...

love_tempo · Post by **love_tempo** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:56 am

I'd go for an Amek BC series or a studer 169. Might be a couple of channels short of 16, but you could add a nice external pre into the stereo line channels for variation. Nice tidy, clean reliable setup with the great monitoring sections, pres, eqs, built in stereo buss comp/lim and metering. Beautiful looking and amazing build quality too, and definitely a step above soundcraft.

I bought my 12 channel BCII in perfect cond. for $2500. You It has 2 stereo channels so you could add a couple of nice external pres with the remaining 2.5k. Or you might get a BCIII with 16 channels for 5k, not sure. Studer would probably cost closer to 4k.

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Best Recording console under $5000

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