Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

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Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:10 am

I know of Headgap, Birdland and Twin Earth in SA.
Any others hiding out in the woods?
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby The Tasmanian » Sun Sep 03, 2017 1:15 pm

Berkfinger (Simon) runs one in Marrickville
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby casey_rice » Sun Sep 03, 2017 1:46 pm

The Tasmanian wrote:Berkfinger (Simon) runs one in Marrickville


I think Simon's console is a Series II.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Sun Sep 03, 2017 1:50 pm

casey_rice wrote:
The Tasmanian wrote:Berkfinger (Simon) runs one in Marrickville


I think Simon's console is a Series II.

Beat me to it!
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby The Tasmanian » Sun Sep 03, 2017 3:18 pm

rightly corrected !
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Sun Sep 03, 2017 5:52 pm

Any advances on three?
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby berkfinger » Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:00 am

Would love to have a go on an Elite to compare to my Series II, as the Elite's come up for sale all the time and I love my desk so much I always feel I need to know if the Elite is EVEN COOLER...The two engineers who have used mine and also have time on an Elite tell me mine is a bit warmer, with better pres. Elite apparently has more buttons/features and is a little bit more neutral.... but you may already know that if you are trying to hunt one down. Albini seems happy to use either???
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 05, 2017 10:18 am

berkfinger wrote:Would love to have a go on an Elite to compare to my Series II, as the Elite's come up for sale all the time and I love my desk so much I always feel I need to know if the Elite is EVEN COOLER...The two engineers who have used mine and also have time on an Elite tell me mine is a bit warmer, with better pres. Elite apparently has more buttons/features and is a little bit more neutral.... but you may already know that if you are trying to hunt one down. Albini seems happy to use either???

I actually have an Elite here in Melbourne which I am currently getting into shape. They are indeed common in the US but I was interested to know how many were in Oz. It seems four including mine. I would post some pics but due to some strange anomaly the forum won't seem to let me even if I make them under 800 pixels.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rick » Tue Sep 05, 2017 11:27 am

there were at least 6 in the ABC
so I reckon those are still scattered about the land ,

I bought one at auction and sold it to somebody here on the forum the next week about 10 years back

If its imperative ?
I could track down the actual import numbers , the original distributer ( retired ) is a good friend of mine .
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:03 pm

rick wrote:there were at least 6 in the ABC
so I reckon those are still scattered about the land ,

I bought one at auction and sold it to somebody here on the forum the next week about 10 years back

If its imperative ?
I could track down the actual import numbers , the original distributer ( retired ) is a good friend of mine .

Hi Rick,

Are you sure these weren't Neotek Esprits?

The Esprits were similar to the Elites in a few areas but were designed for broadcast rather than studio recording.

Rowan
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 05, 2017 8:29 pm

Here's a quick and dirty pic.
It's still work in progress.

So far I have restored the timber work which was painted black (now finished in natural Tung oil) and have reinforced the frame with a new marine ply base and a 2.8 metre length of aluminium angle behind the armrest.

The next job is modding the master section motherboard PCB to fix intermittent molex issues and then it's on to cleaning up the patch bays.

I've also opened up both side bays to 19" to accomodate some additional outboard gear.

I'm not confident the original single Neotek power supply will be up to the task (32 mono channels plus 8 stereo channels) but I guess I'll find out soon enough. It's had a cap replacement a while back and some opamp upgrades so I'm not sure how that may increase the power supply requirements although Neoteks are supposed to not be excessively power hungry.

elite.jpg
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rick » Tue Sep 05, 2017 10:45 pm

ELANS
hmm the ones i am talking about were more modern with the step in them ,


all very expensive new , well regarded and nothing to do with anything I wanted except to turn them over cheap to guys that love them . which I did i got involved in at least 4 sales of abc ones in some fashion or another
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Wed Sep 06, 2017 12:12 am

Okay that makes sense.
The later Neoteks, both the Elan and Elite, had an all aluminium frame with that step you mention
The earlier ones had timber side cheeks and meter bridge top.

I picked up an ex ABC Neumann U77, a Neve 3115 module and some AKG 451's and other gear very cheap through an ex ABC tape op friend of mine a long time ago.

rick wrote:ELANS
hmm the ones i am talking about were more modern with the step in them ,

all very expensive new , well regarded and nothing to do with anything I wanted except to turn them over cheap to guys that love them . which I did i got involved in at least 4 sales of abc ones in some fashion or another
elan-small.jpg
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby berkfinger » Mon Sep 11, 2017 10:45 pm

Wow that Elite looks fantastic! I bet the PSU will work great if you recap it.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:42 am

berkfinger wrote:Wow that Elite looks fantastic! I bet the PSU will work great if you recap it.

I'm not certain as I think this console was supposed to have two power supplies but only arrived with one.

It originally had two CPC style power input connectors fitted to the rear of the console but these had been removed and the power supply wires were just spliced together.

I ended up fitting two Neutrik Speakon 8 way connectors instead of just replacing the CPC's as the Speakons are far more robust and reliable and can carry more current.

Anyway once it's ready to go I"ll initially just power up the first 26 channels and master section and check the voltages as I go.

A guy in the US I've been in touch with has the same configuration (32 mono channels plus 8 stereo channels) and he has two supplies.

The second supply powers the channels to the right of the master section.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:34 am

Hi Rowan, is that going to replace ye olde Soundworkshops Series 30?
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:55 pm

Paul Maybury wrote:Hi Rowan, is that going to replace ye olde Soundworkshops Series 30?
Paul

Hey how's it going Paul?

It might but I would probably have to shorten it by about a metre.
I would need to remove what was formerly the producer's desk, now an internal 19" rack on the right, and maybe even remove and remotely locate the patchbay, on the left, into its own rack. (see pics)

Rowan

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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:48 pm

Hi Rowan, it's a big bugger all right. If it's not for the 8 track shack, were's it going?
Do you still have the SW series 40 as well? Or was that a 1600?
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:45 pm

Paul Maybury wrote:Hi Rowan, it's a big bugger all right. If it's not for the 8 track shack, were's it going?
Do you still have the SW series 40 as well? Or was that a 1600?
Paul

The Neotek is currently up in the hills at a friend's place where I am getting it up to scratch.
Not sure where the Neotek will end up long term but for now it's earmarked for some other work.
It's nearly 3 metres long unless I shorten it as mentioned.

I still have the SW which is a Series 40.
The Series 40 is similar to the Series 1600.
The actual signal path in the Series 40 is pretty short/clean but it also has some API transformers and I think some 2520 opamps fitted to the mix-bus which I think was a mod.

The Series 40 has more sends than the Series 30 and a full meter bridge with a built in analyser but is only 20 channels and the EQ is just 3 band bell (like the Series 30) which is a bit limited for my liking. It would be cool if it had a few more channels and better EQ.

My SW Series 40 originally came out of Armstrongs (AAV) where it was one of a pair of 20 channel consoles 'Frankensteined' together in a 'V' shaped console frame to make it a rather odd 40 channel board!

The Neotek EQ is very flexible and good sounding which was one of the reasons for getting it.
It's also had some recapping, upgraded op-amps and balanced inserts fitted to the mix buss.

I've had the Neotek in storage for a couple of years and just really started work on it in earnest recently.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:08 pm

Cool, consoles galore!
Let me know if you ever want to move the Series 40 on.
Yesterday I listened back to some stuff I did on the Series 30 (procrastinating when I should have been packing for moving house). It sounded really good. Well, not "good" in any objective or measurable way, but GREAT in a subjective, energetic, crunched to hell way. I miss how you could pummel the mix buss and have it all just gel together. My D&R wont do that.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:06 pm

I'll let you know if I want to move the Series 40 although it's still in bits ATM.

The plan was to get it back together after the Neotek is finished.

For the Neotek I'm going to build an optional second and maybe even a third switchable discrete mix-bus using some Jensen and API transformers along with some 990 and 2520 op-amps.

The Neotek has already had some mix-buss components upgrades and while Neoteks are generally on the cleanish side they aren't clinical but rather along the lines of punchy and open.

Jeff Steiger (CAPI) in the US sells various PCB's and components to DIY your own summing amps. (maybe that could be an option for your D&R?)

I have all the parts so I'll experiment with various configurations.

I may even make a seperate +24/-24 volts supply just for the mix bus for some extra headroom.

The 990's will like this but I'll have to work out what 2520 opamps will cope with 24 volt rails and make sure these higher voltage rails are kept totally isolated from the rest of the board.

All good fun!

BTW how have you been?
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:08 pm

I'm good Rowan, I love the D&R but it's clean, clean and more clean. Having the a80 16 track is helping with that.
The D&R isn't really modifiable like older consoles, and it would be a bit weird to change it's almost zero phase shift, high headroom and vanishingly low noise floor to an architecture and components that perform less well.
Once I get my a810 two track going, that might help.
Hope you and Matt are doing well and making hits!
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:12 pm

Fair enough.
How is the A80 going?
Didn't you buy a second one as well?

Paul Maybury wrote:I'm good Rowan, I love the D&R but it's clean, clean and more clean. Having the a80 16 track is helping with that.
The D&R isn't really modifiable like older consoles, and it would be a bit weird to change it's almost zero phase shift, high headroom and vanishingly low noise floor to an architecture and components that perform less well.
Once I get my a810 two track going, that might help.
Hope you and Matt are doing well and making hits!
Paul
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:26 pm

Yes, I have three now.
One came as a spares machine. The other two didn't work.
So now I have one working machine and shitloads of spares. The 24 track may live again, but that's a while off. And the 16 track sounds so F@#$ing good, I don't care either way.
As a side note, one of the all time great engineers, John Fry who started Ardent, quit engineering when studios went 24 track. Too many options and it became too much about the engineer and less about the musicians ability and the quality of the material. I think he may have been on to something....
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:53 pm

I've toyed with the idea of a 2" 16 track but the tape costs and maintenance is what puts me off.

Our Otari 1" 8 track hasn't been used since you were over about three years ago.
Electronically it's not an issue for me to maintain but it's pretty clapped out mechanically.

Apparently Jack White records exclusively to a custom 2" 8 Track Studer A800.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:59 pm

16 tracks feels right to me. It forces you to get it right on the way in, plan ahead and it allows for bouncing without too much degradation. 8 track is fun but a tough call. 24 doesn't sound as good and bouncing is more of a compromise.
I archive to digital when I'm done, then re use the tape.
No worries.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:56 pm

The joys of wide track widths!
Also the A80 has transformers versus the A8** series which do not AFAIK.

If remember the story correctly about your D&R was it decommissioned from SBS and offered to a community radio station but after it was delivered to them they found it too much to deal with?

Paul Maybury wrote:16 tracks feels right to me. It forces you to get it right on the way in, plan ahead and it allows for bouncing without too much degradation. 8 track is fun but a tough call. 24 doesn't sound as good and bouncing is more of a compromise.
I archive to digital when I'm done, then re use the tape.
No worries.
Paul
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:20 pm

Not exactly.
It was in poor shape and nobody wanted it.Too big and everything it does can be done with a laptop now. It was about to go in a skip. I had to rescue it from such an ignominious fate.
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby rowmat » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:38 pm

I'm about to discover what the pots and switches are like on the Neotek.
Generally the pots can come good when they get worked a bit.
The switches often don't.
Your old Series 30 gets some work every few weeks.
I think I've replaced most of the pcb Molex connectors.
They develop corrosion within the solder joint around the Molex pins.
They eventually fracture right round the pin and develop a bad connection.
This is a common issue with many older Molex connectors in a lot of gear.
The round pins seems to be the issue.
The square one's are generally okay.
I can change a 10 way PCB Molex header in about three minutes.
A vacuum desoldering station is essential. :)

Paul Maybury wrote:Not exactly.
It was in poor shape and nobody wanted it.Too big and everything it does can be done with a laptop now. It was about to go in a skip. I had to rescue it from such an ignominious fate.
Paul
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Re: Neotek Elite's - How many in Oz?

Postby audioio » Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:22 pm

Paul Maybury wrote: It was in poor shape and nobody wanted it.Too big and everything it does can be done with a laptop now. It was about to go in a skip. I had to rescue it from such an ignominious fate.

That we should all make such discoveries. I move in the wrong circles!
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