Burl B32 Vancouver vs RND 5057

[trodden]

Having to plunk down close to another 2k in repairs for my AMEK BCII, gets me thinking that I should either:
A. Just figure out how to make my "in the box" mixes sound as good as my hybrid workflow that I've been doing for the last 17 years. I'm on protools 9, and I'm sure it's capable of quality results. Just keep the AMEK around for combining mics in two, or more, mic applications as well as a control/monitor center.

or

B. Sell the AMEK to some other sucker (if that's even possible), take a loss money-wise, and invest in an over-priced summing box that offers some "mojo" options like the B32 or 5057. This option sounds more "fun". This also means I'd have to buy a control room piece to sort out my monitoring options and talkback.

I still use a handful of outboard gear on my mixes. External compressors and EQ on stems or busses from protools, along with a Space Echo, some spring reverb, some distortion boxes, etc. I like interfacing with outboard.

Surprisingly, there's very little comparison out there between these two units. They both offer options for tone enhancement. The Neve unit has half the amount of channels, but it's cheaper and multiple units can be chained together. And honestly, I can get away with 16 channels anyways.

I've got a pair of Burl B1d preamps which are fucking awesome. They sound amazing the the build quality is also superb.

Anyone have any experience with both, or even just one?

Thanks.

[digitaldrummer]

I'll just say that I've been very happy with my UAD Apollo 16. 16 channels of I/O and the UAD console has the ability to create cues/headphone mixes, and you can chain a couple together if needed. I built a passive monitor switcher (using a 4PDT toggle switch, so I can A/B 2 pairs of monitors). I don't need talkback since my mix position is in the live room. My preamps are all outboard in this case (mostly 500 series). I could easily sum to an outboard unit, but never really felt the need to. I use the Slate Digital virtual console (and sometimes Sonimus Satson or Britson, or United FrontDAW).

[losthighway]

Or you can get a cheap utility mixer (A&H) and get your color from your outboard/plugins. The used market for not hype 24/4/2 (and similar) boards is crazy cheap.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

^^^^^^ That's a good idea. I had one of the little A+H 16 channel mixers and that thing sounded great.

[trodden]

I'll just say that I've been very happy with my UAD Apollo 16. 16 channels of I/O and the UAD console has the ability to create cues/headphone mixes, and you can chain a couple together if needed. I built a passive monitor switcher (using a 4PDT toggle switch, so I can A/B 2 pairs of monitors). I don't need talkback since my mix position is in the live room. My preamps are all outboard in this case (mostly 500 series). I could easily sum to an outboard unit, but never really felt the need to. I use the Slate Digital virtual console (and sometimes Sonimus Satson or Britson, or United FrontDAW).

When the much needed upgrade comes along, I plan on going the Apollo path!

[trodden]

Or you can get a cheap utility mixer (A&H) and get your color from your outboard/plugins. The used market for not hype 24/4/2 (and similar) boards is crazy cheap.

Oh indeed. The mackie 1202 i've owned for 25 years is sitting in place of the AMEK while it's been at the doctor's!!!

[MoreSpaceEcho]

Lolz, that little mackie is looking nervously over its shoulder, suffering some bad imposter syndrome.

[Nick Sevilla]

I have an A&H 2800-32 since 2008. Still going strong. Use it all the time. There are still spares and the service manual you could get from me. Each channel and the center section are all individual circuit cards, which can be swapped when making repairs somewhat easily, you still have to take all the knob nuts off and flip it on its back, but I have managed to do so by myself.That makes maintenance a LOT easier! Cheap to get some online. Try to get a church owned one, those seem to get less abuse than road worn ones. Some companies might still have brand new ones in stock. Check with a few stores online. And as a bonus I love the sound of the Allen & Heath. They really do sound good. Not clinically clean, not distorting badly when overdriven a little.

As to summing boxes, I have several friends who have tried that over the years, and end up going either full ITB, or getting a more useful console for monitoring. I stay away from summing boxes. They really do not add anything worth what you pay for them , IMHO.

I am using Dante since about 4 years ago. Focusrite RedNet. I also have a patchbay, so I can use my hardware processors as inserts with little problem.

Cheers!

[trodden]

I have an A&H 2800-32 since 2008. Still going strong. Use it all the time. There are still spares and the service manual you could get from me. Each channel and the center section are all individual circuit cards, which can be swapped when making repairs somewhat easily, you still have to take all the knob nuts off and flip it on its back, but I have managed to do so by myself.That makes maintenance a LOT easier! Cheap to get some online. Try to get a church owned one, those seem to get less abuse than road worn ones. Some companies might still have brand new ones in stock. Check with a few stores online. And as a bonus I love the sound of the Allen & Heath. They really do sound good. Not clinically clean, not distorting badly when overdriven a little.

As to summing boxes, I have several friends who have tried that over the years, and end up going either full ITB, or getting a more useful console for monitoring. I stay away from summing boxes. They really do not add anything worth what you pay for them , IMHO.

I am using Dante since about 4 years ago. Focusrite RedNet. I also have a patchbay, so I can use my hardware processors as inserts with little problem.

Cheers!

Excellent. I worry about getting 20-25 year old "cheap" console, and then I'm looking at the same shit in a few years that I'm dealing with on my 35 year old console!! I'm sure once it's back from repair, recapped power supply and master section, as well as the other fuckery going on, I'll be right back in love with it. For some reason those stupid summing boxes really get my GAS going. I have no clue why they do so much. The AMEK is a really cool little console, and as my studio spaces get smaller and smaller, I had to get rid of the 32 channel soundtracs because it was just too big and it was also having issues. That was a great sleeper console as well, and made a lot of good records on it between 2004-2015. Unfortunately, it wasn't built like your A&H. Working on it meant pulling the whole god damn thing apart with no swappage. It was a total pain in the ass.

[trodden]

Speaking of A&H. I was looking at this yesterday, thinking "I can sell the AMEK to some sucker, and just use this, I'm sure it's just as good". Plus it has 16 pres! My AMEK is set up with four stereo line in modules, four preamp/line in modules, and four buss channels besides the stereo bus that also have line ins.. giving me 16 inputs for mixing... but only 4 preamps. Great preamps though!

But I question the $80 shipping from Poland???? I contacted the seller and they said, yeah, to the US... hell of a deal really.

https://reverb.com/item/56058424-allen- ... _recipient

[digitaldrummer]

But I question the $80 shipping from Poland????

apparently you haven't shipped anything lately? the prices everywhere have skyrocketed (especially with insurance). $80 to ship a mixer from Poland to the west coast USA actually sounds low to me. I would insist on insurance...

[trodden]

But I question the $80 shipping from Poland????

apparently you haven't shipped anything lately? the prices everywhere have skyrocketed (especially with insurance). $80 to ship a mixer from Poland to the west coast USA actually sounds low to me. I would insist on insurance...

That's what I'm saying! TOO LOW. I just sent four LP's in one package to Germany and it cost me $60!!!

[trodden]

*now sees Alex's Dangerous 2Bus+ in the for sale forum and gets GASsy...

[digitaldrummer]

That's what I'm saying! TOO LOW. I just sent four LP's in one package to Germany and it cost me $60!!!

ah, got it. but somehow you can still get a widget shipped from China for under $2... that never seemed right.