CALREC Pre-Amp / EQ Channel Module PQ 1253

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:01 am

Hey everyone,

I just won one of these on ebay and was wondering how they sound? Are they good, bad, average? Build quality looks very good and seems in great condition, soooo what's it like? I might even be able to get a 2nd one if I'm lucky, should I buy it?

Cheers

by **13thbeach** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:49 am

I have some old calrec modules. They are the 1347-2's. They kick ass, I love them. The are the older blue face plate with small colourful knobs. Has a pre, eq, and filters.
Most of the old calrec stuff is great, you can't go wrong.

Wow rick! that was a quick 60 days. Thanks for getting my tubes back all in one piece.

by **ChrisW** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:06 am

Never heard them in person myself, but I've always heard around the business they were excellent units.
The PQ Calrec series is often linked with the magic N word (Neve) on the London gear scene.

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:48 am

Nice, hopefully he's willing to part with the other one for the same price, sequential serial numbers too.

by **wez** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:39 pm

umm, they're calrec eqs. they're awesome. buy.

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:02 pm

Ok I'm buying if he'll part with the other, hmmmm 3am in Ireland now, hopefully by 6pm tonight I'll know whether I'm getting the 2nd 1.

Can't believe there was no bidding war at the end, BARGAIN!

by **ChrisW** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:41 pm

In Europe the economy is in the toilet, especially UK and Ireland (so I hear).
Anyway, the Calrec's have always been a little sleeperish.
But the BBC replaced some classic Neve with Calrec and Audix back in the late 70's.
As a result, Audix and Calrec modules have a bit of Neve hoodoovoodoo about them, at least when UK audio dealers are selling them they liberally drop the N word.
I had a later pair of Calrec pre's/eq's that were very nice sounding.

by **13thbeach** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:27 pm

But the BBC replaced some classic Neve with Calrec and Audix back in the late 70's.
As a result, Audix and Calrec modules have a bit of Neve hoodoovoodoo about them, at least when UK audio dealers are selling them they liberally drop the N word.

Yeah thats right Chris, now lets change the subject before the price on Calrecs go through the roof.

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:41 pm

13thbeach wrote:
But the BBC replaced some classic Neve with Calrec and Audix back in the late 70's.
As a result, Audix and Calrec modules have a bit of Neve hoodoovoodoo about them, at least when UK audio dealers are selling them they liberally drop the N word.

Yeah thats right Chris, now lets change the subject before the price on Calrecs go through the roof.

Hmmmm good thinking.

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:43 pm

ChrisW wrote:In Europe the economy is in the toilet, especially UK and Ireland (so I hear).
Anyway, the Calrec's have always been a little sleeperish.
But the BBC replaced some classic Neve with Calrec and Audix back in the late 70's.
As a result, Audix and Calrec modules have a bit of Neve hoodoovoodoo about them, at least when UK audio dealers are selling them they liberally drop the N word.
I had a later pair of Calrec pre's/eq's that were very nice sounding.

Yeah the pound has dropped heaps. Cheers Chris I'll keep an eye out for a few bargains as they pop up while our dollar is strong.

by **Ben M** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 7:29 pm

Hi Heath
I had this same module + the compressor (DL 1656) that I was going to rack into something like the picture below.

I have the pinouts and full schematics if you need + there's a guy in the UK making these below

the slot loading power supply!

Chris is spot on with the comparisons to "N" due to the history with the BBC and I think some engineers worked with both companies. Not 100% on that one?$^

Let me know if you need pinouts and diagrams I can email them through.
all the best

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:46 pm

Hey thanks Ben much appreciated, would be great to get a copy. I'll send it/them to Rob when I have some cash and he's got the time, I've got some Telefunken pre's and eq's to get racked as well. So will probably get them all done at the same time, though that UK rack does look killer it looks way too expensive. :) Are going to do yours yourself?

I've seen Calrec modules on mixmasters site before so I reckon Rob will know his way around these, Rob???

Geez I wish the guy would get back to me, I really want to know if I can get the 2nd one now.

by **13thbeach** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:49 pm

You have to get the second one. Always buy in pairs right!!??

by **heathen** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:05 pm

13thbeach wrote:You have to get the second one. Always buy in pairs right!!??

Yeah Mat I want it, even more now you guys have g'd me up. :)

by **13thbeach** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:46 pm

haha!, Like that'll help. She'll just say we're all just as crazy as you.............gotta go, missus getting angry at me.

by **Chinagraf** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:50 am

Form memory these had the output transformer on a seperate board, so you need to add output trannys and a drive circuit between the module and the trannies. There is a reason for the drive circuit as opposed to just hangin a tranny straight off the output but I can't remember why...buffering maybe?

by **mylesgm** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:07 pm

so yep as everyone has said you should get the other module. For drool factor look at Altantissound.com.au and check out the calrec polar console UA8000 series. 64 channels of really sweet loveliness that thankfully I get to use pretty often. Dave even racked up an extra pair of the pre/eq modules for the 'b' room so they could maintain the sound from one room to the next. Neat idea I thought but anyway I would love to have a set of them so congrats on nabbing them. also check out this link regarding that same series of console and see what price they are going for...

http://www.funkyjunkfrance.com/typelist-1-en.html

Myles

by **heathen** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:43 pm

mylesgm wrote:so yep as everyone has said you should get the other module. For drool factor look at Altantissound.com.au and check out the calrec polar console UA8000 series. 64 channels of really sweet loveliness that thankfully I get to use pretty often. Dave even racked up an extra pair of the pre/eq modules for the 'b' room so they could maintain the sound from one room to the next. Neat idea I thought but anyway I would love to have a set of them so congrats on nabbing them. also check out this link regarding that same series of console and see what price they are going for...

http://www.funkyjunkfrance.com/typelist-1-en.html

Myles

Hey Myles that would be great to work on. Yeah I nabbed 1 so far for a good price, though I still could'nt see him selling the 2nd for the same price, doh!

Anyway I made him a reasonable counter offer so hopefully he accepts, anyway there is definitely 1 on the way and I've found others areound the globe, so I'm sure I can get a 2nd, just won't be consecutive serials, no biggie.

Andy yeah I noticed that after doing some research, though I'm sure it should be reasonably easy to get done, umm hopefully. :)

by **ChrisW** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:45 pm

THe BBC spec compressors are supposed to be good too.
http://vintageking.com/Calrec

by **davemc** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:24 pm

I had some 1347's. nice pres/eq. Mine were already racked. I got a few emails over the years asking how to rack them. As said above two boards, if you got one can be harder to setup.

by **heathen** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:18 pm

Cheers Dave, hopefully both come with it, if not though I'm sure someone can get them running right, hopefully Rob will chime in when he's got some spare time. Me and soldering = not good.

Looks like this will have to be one of the first things I get racked, now just hoping for the second 1.

I'm sure theres some type of JLM thing to help. :)

by **13thbeach** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:20 pm

Hey Dave,
Yeah I have your old ones. They are great. I got them in a trade. I love trades.

by **heathen** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:22 pm

13thbeach wrote:Hey Dave,
Yeah I have your old ones. They are great. I got them in a trade. I love trades.

Lucky bugger, hmmmm I got Daves ES8, it still has a good home Dave.

by **Chinagraf** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:55 pm

I got Dave's Neve 32254/e's as well as his Shep pre. Sounds like there's a little bit of Dave in all of us..
Hi Dave.

by **ChrisW** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:09 pm

I once sold Dave a couple of Calrec channel strips (racked).

by **davemc** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:15 pm

ChrisW wrote:I once sold Dave a couple of Calrec channel strips (racked).

Chris , they are now with 13thbeach :) Matt what did you swap for them

Andy (Chinagraf), Do you still have the shep as well as the 2254's.
The ES8 and the 2254 were my fav compressors.

Yeah lots of old indent gear around the place. A lot here
My Buzz pre up on ebay now. Last of the big stuff.
Maybe in a year or two I might get back into looking for more work, baby #2 is 4 months now.
Still doing some home recording help stuff which I enjoy. Amazing how a little bit of knowledge can help people who are overwhelmed by it all.

by **13thbeach** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:34 pm

Ha! hey Andy I was very close to getting the Neve's. I was kind of kicking myself when they were gone. Let me know if you want to get rid of them (nudge nudge wink wink....!!!!)
Dave I traded for an SSL Duende (which I had never actually used) and some cash I think.

by **Chinagraf** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:36 pm

Hey Dave, yeah still got the Shep. Still awesome. What brand was baby2? M/F?
Matt sure, you can have em soon as I've finished with them. Right after you come and pry them from my cold dead hands. Hoohoohoohahaheeyaaa. (spooky laugh)
I wouldn't mind a 3rd to fill that other space in the rack.

by **davemc** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:03 am

Andy, A second boy Connor. So prob go for a third sometime for a girl :) Still working fulltime in IT.
Yeah I always kept my eyes open for a third 2254 that empty slot calls to you.

Out of all the gear I had and sold. The 2254's, calrec, es8 where my fav as well as the Buzz so sad to see it go soon too. I liked my neoteks, royer stereo ribbon and API's as well. I did have way to much gear now looking back :)

by **13thbeach** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 2:29 am

Matt sure, you can have em soon as I've finished with them. Right after you come and pry them from my cold dead hands

Ok then Andy its a deal, ......so .........when will it be convienient to begin prying? Ha ha! .......no seriously whens good?

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