Audek Console Restoration

[Alastair Reynolds]

Here we go , as requested the 1951 AWA Consolette serial Number 14,

DCP01923.JPG

It needs some serious restoration work, This came out of the old Bligh St Studios in the mid 60's.
There is a separate 8RU box that houses the power supply and Cue and Monitor Amps.
Frequency response is quoted as 50Hz to 10KHz , Distortion < 1%, nominal Output +8dB,for 0VU although it can do +16dB for 0VU. (The ABC used to run +16dB for line level everywhere)

[Ben M]

Drool.

And condition is nice for a 60 year old machine. Looks pretty clean.

[rick]

thats the one alastair,
there are still quite a few of these kicking around the country unloved , its a good size and the prices are still right for restoration projects and suprisingly there is nothing about them on the web

well there WAS nothing
now keep it off gearslutz .. huh guys ..?

[Chris H]

Nice one Alistair.That's about the same size as the RCA i had. And yes, keep it off gearslutzzzzzz. So much has changed since the old gear has got net cred. Just a few years ago stuff could be had at "realistic" prices for restoration....now, a lot of the gear that gets the vintage tag on ebay is priced way over the top.

[Alastair Reynolds]

Well if anyone finds another one, I have a complete original manual, and real Blueprint schematics. Happy to make copies for anyone (Turtlerockers that is)

[13thbeach]

I know where one is. I've had my eye on it for years. Its just sitting there doing nothing but the owner won't let it go. Can't win them all right.

[Chris H]

I know where one is.........or was but the owner wanted a ridiculous amount for it so i let it go.......i know where another is.......you never know.

[rick]

i know where 3 are but ...... yadda yadda ya

[stosostu]

Seeing that AWA mixer reminded me that I have something similar, an RCA Portable Mixer, though the label calls it a portable amplifier. It can be run from the mains but it also has a battery box, see photo 1, lower section, that takes 16 D Cells which probably weigh more than the unit itself. It is all in working condition, but no, it's not for sale.

[Chris H]

Nice bit of polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride there . Are the transistors germanium on that one?

[Alastair Reynolds]

You've gotta love old outside broadcast gear, built like a tank, basic, but everything you need to get the sound out. Best part is , unlike so much modern equipment, it's servicable. I'll dig up some more interesting old bits. I've got a nice old 2 channel portable Amplifier from AWA somewhere in the parts dungeon, appropriately named "BOB-2", complete with bakelite headphones and vintage Coles Lip-ribbon mic

[Chris H]

Bar up gentlmen. Appropriately named BAR-2

050920109773.jpg

Plenty of gain at +8.... germanium transistors, AWA transformers this one dirty's up real nice.

.......and here is a pic of my BOB-2. The AGC stands for automatic gain control, i assume. I haven't used it on any of my recordings as the noise floor is a bit high. Otherwise it sounds ok with a full bodied sound. Alistair, are these able to be quiet.....maybe there is a prob with mine?

050920109777.jpg

[Alastair Reynolds]

Hi Chris, I'd say probably the old transistors getting a bit noisy, It's been years since I gave much thought to the BOB-2 and Noise floor in the AM world on analogue broadcast lines isn't at the high end of spec anyway. I'll find a circuit and have a look. I reckon you could quieten it down a bit, and their Transformers , like any AWA gear is always good. Love the BAR-2, I'm Barred up like a prison window.
If you're after any manuals / schematics , send me the make and model and I'll check the archives, I've been collecting manuals and circuits for nearly 30 years and have some rippers in the libarary , e.g. complete Quad 8 Coranado manual, anything Studer or Revox going back to the late 50s, Original EMT 140 manual with Blueprints etc. I'm always getting hassled by the minister of war and finance(AKA Fun Police, The Enforcer, Her Indoors) as to why I keep so much old crap around the house.... still I'm probably not the only one on this forum doing that

[rob]

I've had a few BOBs and BARs and even one of those RCA field mixers through the workshop. The common theme with these seems to be that they have buckets of gain. All this gain leads to a high noise floor and limited input headroom. So a few simple mods have been done to lower the overall gain and the addition of input pad helps reign the units into a more modern performance structure. The resulting sound of these little mixers is pretty good.

[Chris H]

[quote="Chris H"» Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:29 am ]Well the Amek has sold so time to bring its replacement back to life after being in storage for over 20 years. Everything works but the power supply has to be rebuilt, and
quite a few switches are a bit stiff. Allan Jenkins built the desk and is doing the restoration work with me helping out ( trying not to get in the way...) Should be up and going in about a weeks time.[end quote]



Thought I'd bring y'all up to date on the Audek's restoration. It's been a few years since starting this one! I feel a propper funnyman given the date the thread started, Nov 2007 Ha Ha! Wel it was up and going after a few weeks but not in a condition that would happily pass pristine audio so the real work began, and I'm happy to report that the end is in sight....... She is all systems go with new caps and quite a few mods with just a small issue with buss number 4 to sort out tomorrow. I will be doing my first full mix through the desk during the next week, so will let you know how it goes. Ah the things we do for love and music..........

[The Tasmanian]

And then the Optro compressors?

[Chris H]

And then the Optro compressors?

Absolutely! Those Gilbert Multipliers will again see some action. Most of the work has been done in troubleshooting and sussing out how they work but Alan has informed me there is still one little mystery to their operation he has yet to solve. I am seeing him tomorrow so will find out more and let you know pronto.
Alan has a new lifestyle as he has retired from full time work and is spending time enjoying what he loves doing. He returned from a trip around our great continent a month ago. I found out last week he has a copy of the first two recordings on vinyl, done on the Audek as the band involved had a reunion recently. I have put up the idea of recording them again through the restored desk to tape, maybe even cutting a vinyl disk.

[The Tasmanian]

Ahh - the old Gilbert Multipliers never ending mystery - I hope we can get them going - and I hope they sound good after all the reverse R&D
Let me know

[rob]

gilbert multipliers are very under-rated....

[The Tasmanian]

Why Rob?
let us in on why they are good - and how they work/compress?

[Drumstruck]

Dredging up an old thread - love that Audek and the little AWAs

- here's another AWA BAR-2 / BAR-B (dual 4->1 unit) that may be of interest plus some specs and a real invoice with prices from "back in the day":

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/9910326/AWA1970.pdf

[Paul Maybury]

I'll take two Big 1's and a Bob, thanks. So that's $1200 all up...

[EvLoutonian]

OK, hanging for an update on this one!
What's the band that was initially recorded on the Audek console?
Not Madder Lake, by any chance?

[EvLoutonian]

Any progress on the Audek restoration, Chris?
Is it all up and humming? .. er, running?

Ev

[Chris H]

Any progress on the Audek restoration, Chris?
Is it all up and humming? .. er, running?

Ev

Yes, it's seen a fair bit of action over the past while, a lot of it covered in this thread with a few recording examples:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7583&p=69782&hilit=Baha#p69782

As it happens it's a very quiet console with headroom for miles!


.......at the moment though the console is in my loungeroom at home while i search for the next chapter in my off and on again career as a recording person.

[NYMo]

Chris..I still have the hots for that Audek !

Cheers

[Chris H]

Chris..I still have the hots for that Audek !

Cheers

She's my sweet little thing, my pride and joy........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBZ2vUwDqw

[EvLoutonian]

Hey, I don't know if you guys caught the VIC SIMMS segment on TV this week, but it shows a few cut-away shots briefly, from a recording session in the late 60's or 70's, i think.

I wondered if the shots were from the actual session or not.. but the console shown in the footage looked interesting and thought it may be related to the old Audek? (Or the very same desk?)

But it was a session for RCA records, so maybe it would be more likely an RCA or AWA built console?

Jump in to 17:00 to see the desk in question..

(but the whole show is great, by the way!)

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/compass/RN1511H019S00

[EvLoutonian]

/\

I'm thinking the footage in the VIC SIMMS show is maybe just some stock footage from Armstrongs, actually?

Because the desk looks like it is probably the OPTRO from your that you've posted elsewhere, now that i look more closely..

download/file.php?id=2619&t=1

[Chris H]

/\

I'm thinking the footage in the VIC SIMMS show is maybe just some stock footage from Armstrongs, actually?

Because the desk looks like it is probably the OPTRO from your that you've posted elsewhere, now that i look more closely..

download/file.php?id=2619&t=1

It sure looks like the Armstrong's Optro. For several shots that showed close ups of the desk, the details all lined up as per that console. It would be good to get to see the rest of that footage and find out what it was about. I might do a bit of follow up on that one. I watched the repeat of that docco last night, and then saw this thread tonight....and the desk did catch my eye but I thought nothing more of it.
Good call Evan!