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#1
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Brent Averill's BAE 312A preamps w/ Avedis?
Hi all,
I need to get another pre for my rack, but apparently Brent Averill is no longer selling the refurbed API Preamp modules. Instead he's offering "BAE 312A mic preamps made using the new Avedis 1122™ opamps". Has anyone had any experience with these? Or compared them to the OSA MP1-C? Or better yet, does anyone have a real, (I guess they're "vintage" now :) BAE API pre they'd be willing to sell me? There are some currently being auctioned on Ebay but they look suspiciously like the Valley Sound modules, which I would highly recommend avoiding like the plague, BTW. Thanks for any advice. Cheers, Rick Novak. |
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#2
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Avedis told me some months ago that he was building 2520s by hand, at
least, I thought that's what he said. But you can also get the API 2520s from API/ATI. THe last ones I bought from Paul Woolf sounded just fine. rickymix wrote: Hi all, I need to get another pre for my rack, but apparently Brent Averill is no longer selling the refurbed API Preamp modules. Instead he's offering "BAE 312A mic preamps made using the new Avedis 1122™ opamps". Has anyone had any experience with these? Or compared them to the OSA MP1-C? Or better yet, does anyone have a real, (I guess they're "vintage" now :) BAE API pre they'd be willing to sell me? There are some currently being auctioned on Ebay but they look suspiciously like the Valley Sound modules, which I would highly recommend avoiding like the plague, BTW. Thanks for any advice. Cheers, Rick Novak. -- Stephen Anderson ~At the end of the day, it's all about the music |
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#3
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Avedis told me some months ago that he was building 2520s by hand, at
least, I thought that's what he said. But you can also get the API 2520s from API/ATI. THe last ones I bought from Paul Woolf sounded just fine. rickymix wrote: Hi all, I need to get another pre for my rack, but apparently Brent Averill is no longer selling the refurbed API Preamp modules. Instead he's offering "BAE 312A mic preamps made using the new Avedis 1122™ opamps". Has anyone had any experience with these? Or compared them to the OSA MP1-C? Or better yet, does anyone have a real, (I guess they're "vintage" now :) BAE API pre they'd be willing to sell me? There are some currently being auctioned on Ebay but they look suspiciously like the Valley Sound modules, which I would highly recommend avoiding like the plague, BTW. Thanks for any advice. Cheers, Rick Novak. -- Stephen Anderson ~At the end of the day, it's all about the music |
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#4
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Perhaps Brent would make you a new one, but with an API 2520.
I wonder how their new xfrmrs match with the old API. You could also get some 312 or 325 cards, then have Brent module them up for you. What do mean by Valley Sound, amps made by them, or BAE 312s from a studio by that name? rickymix wrote: Hi all, I need to get another pre for my rack, but apparently Brent Averill is no longer selling the refurbed API Preamp modules. Instead he's offering "BAE 312A mic preamps made using the new Avedis 1122™ opamps". Has anyone had any experience with these? Or compared them to the OSA MP1-C? Or better yet, does anyone have a real, (I guess they're "vintage" now :) BAE API pre they'd be willing to sell me? There are some currently being auctioned on Ebay but they look suspiciously like the Valley Sound modules, which I would highly recommend avoiding like the plague, BTW. Thanks for any advice. Cheers, Rick Novak. |
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#5
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Perhaps Brent would make you a new one, but with an API 2520.
I wonder how their new xfrmrs match with the old API. You could also get some 312 or 325 cards, then have Brent module them up for you. What do mean by Valley Sound, amps made by them, or BAE 312s from a studio by that name? rickymix wrote: Hi all, I need to get another pre for my rack, but apparently Brent Averill is no longer selling the refurbed API Preamp modules. Instead he's offering "BAE 312A mic preamps made using the new Avedis 1122™ opamps". Has anyone had any experience with these? Or compared them to the OSA MP1-C? Or better yet, does anyone have a real, (I guess they're "vintage" now :) BAE API pre they'd be willing to sell me? There are some currently being auctioned on Ebay but they look suspiciously like the Valley Sound modules, which I would highly recommend avoiding like the plague, BTW. Thanks for any advice. Cheers, Rick Novak. |
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#6
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I can't say enough good things about the OSA modules. I think they
really compare well to a real vintage API console we've used. I tracked on some vox recently on my little OSA modules and then our singer did some overdub stuff in a studio with the same mic and using a vintage API console. I couldn't tell the difference in the parts. Later, m |
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#7
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I can't say enough good things about the OSA modules. I think they
really compare well to a real vintage API console we've used. I tracked on some vox recently on my little OSA modules and then our singer did some overdub stuff in a studio with the same mic and using a vintage API console. I couldn't tell the difference in the parts. Later, m |
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#8
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#9
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#11
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Why not buy a 3124 from API?
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#12
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Bryson wrote...
What do mean by Valley Sound, amps made by them, or BAE 312s from a studio by that name? There have been a few questionable eBay auctions of "API pres" during the past few days. The only one left is for an "API 312 mic pre made by Valley Sound in Burbank CA---real 2520 opamp" : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...30206 07&rd=1 A couple years ago I made the mistake of hiring Jamie Sutton, the owner of Valley Sound, to wire some Neve and API pres for me in sort of a Mega-Lunchbox. It was a total disaster. The thing didn't even pass audio. Geoff Tanner wound up having to totally gut the thing and rewire it properly from scratch. Granted, these "API" modules currently on eBay are much simpler and maybe by some miracle Jamie did them right. But personally I wouldn't go near them. Also, Jamie has made his modules so they look just like Brent's, except they don't have the "Brent Averill Enterprises" logo at the bottom. Two other eBay auctions which finished this morning for supposed Brent Averill modules had photos in which the spotlight was positioned so that the area where Brent's logo should have been was in dark black shadow. Pretty slick if someone was trying to pass off some of those Valley Sound modules as Brent's. I tried to email the seller twice and got no reply. So, buyer beware of anything having to do with Valley Sound. Cheers, Rick. P.S. Somehow it amuses me that Brent's modules have now become the "real, genuine, vintage, rare" deal now that they're out of production. Don't get me wrong, they're great and deserve to be thought of as classics, but still it strikes me as somehow goofy. R. |
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#13
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Bryson wrote...
What do mean by Valley Sound, amps made by them, or BAE 312s from a studio by that name? There have been a few questionable eBay auctions of "API pres" during the past few days. The only one left is for an "API 312 mic pre made by Valley Sound in Burbank CA---real 2520 opamp" : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...30206 07&rd=1 A couple years ago I made the mistake of hiring Jamie Sutton, the owner of Valley Sound, to wire some Neve and API pres for me in sort of a Mega-Lunchbox. It was a total disaster. The thing didn't even pass audio. Geoff Tanner wound up having to totally gut the thing and rewire it properly from scratch. Granted, these "API" modules currently on eBay are much simpler and maybe by some miracle Jamie did them right. But personally I wouldn't go near them. Also, Jamie has made his modules so they look just like Brent's, except they don't have the "Brent Averill Enterprises" logo at the bottom. Two other eBay auctions which finished this morning for supposed Brent Averill modules had photos in which the spotlight was positioned so that the area where Brent's logo should have been was in dark black shadow. Pretty slick if someone was trying to pass off some of those Valley Sound modules as Brent's. I tried to email the seller twice and got no reply. So, buyer beware of anything having to do with Valley Sound. Cheers, Rick. P.S. Somehow it amuses me that Brent's modules have now become the "real, genuine, vintage, rare" deal now that they're out of production. Don't get me wrong, they're great and deserve to be thought of as classics, but still it strikes me as somehow goofy. R. |
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#14
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Folks wrote:
Why not buy a 3124 from API? I've got a single BAE/API pre with a Reichenbach transformer in a lunchbox which I'd like to match as closely as possible just for symmetry's sake. One of today's eBay auctions said it had a "Reichenbach/Jensen transformer". I thought those were two different things, or am I somehow mistaken? ...good things about the OSA modules I've heard that too, but they're almost as expensive as Brent's API modules used to be before they became unavailable. I think they might be running out of old stuff to refurb, I got some Calrecs from them about a year ago and I notice they no longer offer them on their website. That's definitely it. As many have said, the people at Averill are a great bunch to deal with that's for sure. Yep! I'll call them next week and see if they can scrounge something up for me. Question; is there anything special about the actual API 312 card other than the 2520 and the transformer? Thanks y'all, Rick. |
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#15
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Folks wrote:
Why not buy a 3124 from API? I've got a single BAE/API pre with a Reichenbach transformer in a lunchbox which I'd like to match as closely as possible just for symmetry's sake. One of today's eBay auctions said it had a "Reichenbach/Jensen transformer". I thought those were two different things, or am I somehow mistaken? ...good things about the OSA modules I've heard that too, but they're almost as expensive as Brent's API modules used to be before they became unavailable. I think they might be running out of old stuff to refurb, I got some Calrecs from them about a year ago and I notice they no longer offer them on their website. That's definitely it. As many have said, the people at Averill are a great bunch to deal with that's for sure. Yep! I'll call them next week and see if they can scrounge something up for me. Question; is there anything special about the actual API 312 card other than the 2520 and the transformer? Thanks y'all, Rick. |
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#16
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rickymix wrote: I've got a single BAE/API pre with a Reichenbach transformer in a lunchbox which I'd like to match as closely as possible just for symmetry's sake. One of today's eBay auctions said it had a "Reichenbach/Jensen transformer". I thought those were two different things, or am I somehow mistaken? According to my friend Steve Hogan, who worked as a designer at Jensen for many years, Reichenbach did Jensen's manufacturing for many years. For reasons not really important now, they had an ugly "divorce" and Reichenbach kept on manufacturing the transformers designed by Deane Jensen and Steve Hogan under their own name, calling the former JE-123 now the RE-123. Reichenbach also circulated propaganda making some outrageous claims about who actually designed what, and made some frankly libelous statements about Jensen. Some lawsuits happened, eventually it all got sorted out, and Reichenbach stopped advertising in most of the recording mags. If this is all true, as Hogan says it is, it's like the Korean company that manufactures certain Fender/Squier models claiming that they invented them, and that the Fender folks were not nice people. Having said that, I'm sure the Reichenbach xfmrs are fine, but for me, I'd stick with Jensen. Living in L.A., I believe in supporting ,my homies. -- Stephen Anderson ~At the end of the day, it's all about the music |
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#17
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rickymix wrote: I've got a single BAE/API pre with a Reichenbach transformer in a lunchbox which I'd like to match as closely as possible just for symmetry's sake. One of today's eBay auctions said it had a "Reichenbach/Jensen transformer". I thought those were two different things, or am I somehow mistaken? According to my friend Steve Hogan, who worked as a designer at Jensen for many years, Reichenbach did Jensen's manufacturing for many years. For reasons not really important now, they had an ugly "divorce" and Reichenbach kept on manufacturing the transformers designed by Deane Jensen and Steve Hogan under their own name, calling the former JE-123 now the RE-123. Reichenbach also circulated propaganda making some outrageous claims about who actually designed what, and made some frankly libelous statements about Jensen. Some lawsuits happened, eventually it all got sorted out, and Reichenbach stopped advertising in most of the recording mags. If this is all true, as Hogan says it is, it's like the Korean company that manufactures certain Fender/Squier models claiming that they invented them, and that the Fender folks were not nice people. Having said that, I'm sure the Reichenbach xfmrs are fine, but for me, I'd stick with Jensen. Living in L.A., I believe in supporting ,my homies. -- Stephen Anderson ~At the end of the day, it's all about the music |
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#18
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Stephen;
That is essentially the way I see it too. John Hardy The John Hardy Co. www.johnhardyco.com According to my friend Steve Hogan, who worked as a designer at Jensen for many years, Reichenbach did Jensen's manufacturing for many years. For reasons not really important now, they had an ugly "divorce" and Reichenbach kept on manufacturing the transformers designed by Deane Jensen and Steve Hogan under their own name, calling the former JE-123 now the RE-123. Reichenbach also circulated propaganda making some outrageous claims about who actually designed what, and made some frankly libelous statements about Jensen. Some lawsuits happened, eventually it all got sorted out, and Reichenbach stopped advertising in most of the recording mags. If this is all true, as Hogan says it is, it's like the Korean company that manufactures certain Fender/Squier models claiming that they invented them, and that the Fender folks were not nice people. Having said that, I'm sure the Reichenbach xfmrs are fine, but for me, I'd stick with Jensen. Living in L.A., I believe in supporting ,my homies. -- Stephen Anderson ~At the end of the day, it's all about the music |
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#19
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Stephen;
That is essentially the way I see it too. John Hardy The John Hardy Co. www.johnhardyco.com According to my friend Steve Hogan, who worked as a designer at Jensen for many years, Reichenbach did Jensen's manufacturing for many years. For reasons not really important now, they had an ugly "divorce" and Reichenbach kept on manufacturing the transformers designed by Deane Jensen and Steve Hogan under their own name, calling the former JE-123 now the RE-123. Reichenbach also circulated propaganda making some outrageous claims about who actually designed what, and made some frankly libelous statements about Jensen. Some lawsuits happened, eventually it all got sorted out, and Reichenbach stopped advertising in most of the recording mags. If this is all true, as Hogan says it is, it's like the Korean company that manufactures certain Fender/Squier models claiming that they invented them, and that the Fender folks were not nice people. Having said that, I'm sure the Reichenbach xfmrs are fine, but for me, I'd stick with Jensen. Living in L.A., I believe in supporting ,my homies. -- Stephen Anderson ~At the end of the day, it's all about the music |
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#20
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There's not much else in 'em.
rickymix wrote: Question; is there anything special about the actual API 312 card other than the 2520 and the transformer? Thanks y'all, Rick. |
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#21
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There's not much else in 'em.
rickymix wrote: Question; is there anything special about the actual API 312 card other than the 2520 and the transformer? Thanks y'all, Rick. |
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#22
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Stephen Anderson wrote:
Brent's description of the sound of the transformers is pretty spot on, as might be expected. The Jensen's are the cleanest in the biz. Sunset Sound Factory's 2 APIs actually have a lot of Jensen iron in them; they have "upgraded" them over the years. Everyone i know who records and mixes there really loves the sound of the 2 consoles. the pres, it all really depends on the sound you're looking for, they are all useable. Later, Steve rick novak wrote: Thanks for the scoop, Stephen! It's amazing the soap operas that go on behind the scenes, isn't it? I remember talking with Brent Averill when I bought my other pre from him about 6 years ago, and I thought he had told me that they came with 3 different flavors of transformer, the old API, the Jensen and the Reichenbach. And that the Jensen was a bit cleaner, and therefore less "API" sounding than the other two. Unless I misunderstood him, or just don't remember correctly. But from what you're saying it would seem the Reichenbach and Jensen should sound identical. Well, I'm sure they all sound great anyways. Thanks again. Cheers, Rick. Bryson wrote in message link.net... There's not much else in 'em. rickymix wrote: Question; is there anything special about the actual API 312 card other than the 2520 and the transformer? Thanks y'all, Rick. |
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#23
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Stephen Anderson wrote:
Brent's description of the sound of the transformers is pretty spot on, as might be expected. The Jensen's are the cleanest in the biz. Sunset Sound Factory's 2 APIs actually have a lot of Jensen iron in them; they have "upgraded" them over the years. Everyone i know who records and mixes there really loves the sound of the 2 consoles. the pres, it all really depends on the sound you're looking for, they are all useable. Later, Steve rick novak wrote: Thanks for the scoop, Stephen! It's amazing the soap operas that go on behind the scenes, isn't it? I remember talking with Brent Averill when I bought my other pre from him about 6 years ago, and I thought he had told me that they came with 3 different flavors of transformer, the old API, the Jensen and the Reichenbach. And that the Jensen was a bit cleaner, and therefore less "API" sounding than the other two. Unless I misunderstood him, or just don't remember correctly. But from what you're saying it would seem the Reichenbach and Jensen should sound identical. Well, I'm sure they all sound great anyways. Thanks again. Cheers, Rick. Bryson wrote in message link.net... There's not much else in 'em. rickymix wrote: Question; is there anything special about the actual API 312 card other than the 2520 and the transformer? Thanks y'all, Rick. |
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