Altec Pre Amps and Compressors For Recording Guitar?

[tubes2bits]

Could anyone suggest Altec pre amp and compressor combinations for recording guitar?

Any and all feedback appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

[bfish]

Howdy!

Since (unlike many), you wisely asked before buying, I'll try to help. Lots of details for your intended app would be needed to get specific, but I'm guessing (based on your username) that you're trying to get a warm, tube sound to hard disk. Whether miked acoustic, electric direct, miked amp, all come into play, as well as the desired result compared to the original signal. So, some very general observations;

IMO, All Altec gear built before the 90s or so, was top-of-the-line for the product type, and the time it was produced, FOR ITS INTENDED USE. I've never noticed that a particular model was superior to others, when one considers the technology available for a given era. Any units in the green lineup, any most of the early black ones are all fine products.

If your intent is to accurately interface an instrument to recording via vintage gear, you're on the right track. If, however, you're looking to modify your signal in any way, there are lots of products available that will do the job better and cheaper.

The leveling features available with the better recording software pretty much eliminate the need for a compresser, as long as care is taken when setting levels before recording.

A tube pre can warm up a sterile signal, and is widely used in many studios.

Much of the older, Altec gear available will need varying degrees of restoration to perform as it originally did. Interfacing various components properly can be a challenge also. Altec gear was designed to provide the LEAST distortion possible, and modifying it to do otherwise is silly, since one could build or buy a unit to do so for much less, without destroying a piece of classic gear.

As a lover of tube sound, and good guitar tube distortion, my advice would be to spend the bulk of your budget on a restored or cloned classic Fender or Marshall tube amp from the late 50s or early 60s, as well as premium pickups for your guitar. Once familiar with the wide variety of sounds that can be coaxed from one of these, you'll find little or no need for the plethora of stomp boxes, processors, and the like. Keep in mind, much of the advice available is from someone that wants to sell you something.

That's all the rant I've time for now, as I'm headed to my fishin' hole, and may be gone awhile.

[bfish]

Oh well, I tried......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7351063530

From the '75 Pro catalog; "1589B Mixer/Amplifier
The 1589B is a 2-channel mixer designed as a basic mixer, mixer-extender, or for use in coupling two other mixers together in one system."

Hmmmm... I wonder how 77db of gain will treat a soundcard...so much for the .5% thd.

I suppose the next logical question would be, "Can I plug a 12AX7 in where it says 15095? There's no other tube sockets, even inside....."

Anybody ever read of someone's equipment mods that DIDN'T work better than planned?


Why do they even ask?


PS; I've got a 1567 that I modified to spit $20 bills. As with all vintage electronics, will be sold as-is.

[tubes2bits]

bfish:

We are on the same freq.

I was the one who purchased the 1589b!

Thanks for taking the time to offer help.

I'm looking forward to trying this piece. Then, maybe fish for more likely Altec gear.

I've considered the 436C Compressor. There is a 436A on eBay now. I'm not sure how that unit relates to the "C". Although, I assume it to be an earlier creation of the same model.

Warm (tube) regards...

[bfish]

"bfish:
We are on the same freq."

Respectfully, I don't really think so. It seems my assumptions were likely incorrect.

I was the one who purchased the 1589b!

That's why I posted it.


Thanks for taking the time to offer help.

You're most welcome.

I'm looking forward to trying this piece. Then, maybe fish for more likely Altec gear.

Unless you've just got cash to blow, I'd suggest spending a couple of weeks recording and experimenting with your purchase. Report back with details; mainly, if you're happy with the recording or not, and why. Get specific, type is cheap.

I've considered the 436C Compressor. There is a 436A on eBay now. I'm not sure how that unit relates to the "C". Although, I assume it to be an earlier creation of the same model.

I promise there'll be as many 436s available in 2-3 weeks, as there is today. I've seen the same one bought and sold 3 times in the last year. Can you tell us exactly why you think you need one, and exactly what you expect it to do?

Warm (tube) regards...


Back (Guess there's only one way to say it.....your purchase is solid-state) At'cha

[tubes2bits]

bfish:

I will certainly report back after I've had a few weeks to work the the unit. It is due to arrive this weekend.

No, I do not have cash to burn...far from it at the moment. However, I did want to try an Altec piece.

I purchased solid state as I have a tube (Demeter VTMP-2b) preamp and wanted the option. I also liked the ideal of being able to mix two channels.

I was interested in the Altec 436s as I currently have a need for a compressor for tracking guitar. Actually, I'd be using it for limiting. I have seen the 436s in studios but never used one. I guess I'm looking at Altec stuff because I expect it to have been well made.

As for your earlier post regarding guitar amplifiers... I am currently using a Fender 1964 Bassman, and a Mesa/Boogie studio preamp.

I could be considered an "old **** " by some. I started playing around 1963, if memory serves me currectly...and that's now sometimes hit-and-miss.

Thanks, again, for the communication. It is greatly appreciated.

Peace

[bfish]

Some Altec units with compression functions;

Dedicated units; require substantial setup adjustment, and mostly are application-specific;
436 compressor (line only, a,b,c variants substantially differ)
438 compressor (w/mic pre, a,b,c variants substantially differ)
1591A Compressor/Amp
1612A Limiting amp w/compression
1612B Compressor/limiter
1712A Compressor/limiter
9473A Dlx. Limiter/Amp

Automatic mixers-can be a set-and-forget option in many apps, generally require less technical skill to operate;
1674B automixer
1678B automixer
1700B mixer/pre w/comp/lim
1707B w/comp
1715B w/comp

Misc.
14678A compressor assy., an optional accessory module offered with the following mixers/amps;
352A
361B
1607A
1608A

Although I firmly believe that tubes rule in certain applications, dedicated compression is not one of them (compare attack/release specs). While it's often a necessary evil for broadcast/recording purposes, compression kills the dynamics that a musician or group used to express the emotion or feeling of a song. Expansion units can be employed by the end-user/listener to restore compressed dynamics, but to be accurate, the compression ratio used on the particular broadcast/recording must be known and the expander set accordingly. This was often acheivable before CD (Convenient Dilution), but nowadays, few understand, and even fewer care. Too bad, for it would be fairly simple to encode a disc with that info, so a player could automatically compensate (see; fewer care).

I feel compelled to address the topic of modifications, particularly the hype surrounding the 436 series---HOGWASH! For starters, if it's circuit has been modified (other than modernized connectors), IT'S NO LONGER AN ALTEC! If a major studio like EMI had discovered some type of potential improvement to an Altec product, you'd better believe Altec engineers would have incorporated it into the next revision/model! Perhaps they did.....Far be it from me to say you can't turn your classic unit with known performance specs into some kind of sound-effects box of unknown performance, just don't call it Altec, 'cause it ain't! Anyone with enough tech savvy to properly design and re-engineer a complex circuit knows that it's far better and cheaper to build the desired item from scratch. Those claiming otherwise are idiots, liars, or both.

The only magic in the music world comes from the fingers, voices, and souls of the musicians. All hardware, (even Altec) is just hardware.

[valhallax]

then..pardon my ignorance, could you please suggest a two channel, 6 input, tube pre-mixer?