Wtb. I have 4k. Sell me a mixer.

[Lee]

I'm looking to buy A toft atb 24. If anyone in Sydney has one now for sale that's great. Please pm me

[Manning]

Any particular reason for the Toft?

I started going down that road a few years back but was set straight by many of the good folks here. There are some infinitely better desks floating around for equal or even less moolah.

[Lee]

I would like a 24 channel analogue desk that has direct outs on each channel, has nice eq, and fits within the budget. I don't won't a digital desk, it has to have character, it will primarily be used to track rock bands. What would you suggest?

[Lee]

Im ready to go and would also like to buy ASAP. I'm trying to keep it under 4k as that's what my budget will allow ATM. I guess if a cool desk came along for more it would be considered. It would just mean less mics .

[Manning]

Well when I was in your shoes (back in mid 2011) I simply posted how much I had to spend and sat back.

Got numerous proposals, and Rick ended up pointing me to Steve Francis who sold me a truly glorious Auditronics. 100% juicy analog goodness and the best purchase I ever made (and he probably still regrets selling).

http://www.studiolaughingduck.com/wp-co ... 205932.jpg

Of course I've got no idea what is out there this very moment. Make a new thread - "I've got $4K. Sell me a desk" and see what happens.

[andygriffiths]

There's are Yamaha M1516 console on eBay at the moment with pickup down your way. Doesn't look as nice as the toft but it's full of iron & great api'ish opamps. Check it out

[mylesgm]

Look out for brands such as AMEK, Chilton, Auditronics, Sound Workshop, older Yamaha desks (that 1516 would be a great desk and is open for extensive modding), some soundcraft models, some D and R models, heaps of possibilities.

Here are two on ebay worth looking at

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SOUNDCRAFT-6 ... 876wt_1413

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SOUNDWORKSHO ... 500wt_1413

And if you are handy with a soldering Iron this auditronics might suit too:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gearslut ... ost8953981

And that was less than 5 minutes searching. The Toft stuff is pretty bland, pretty basic and automated assembly quality. For 4k you can get an excellent desk with years of life left that can be modded and/or repaired easily due to the modular construction older units used and was built to a much higher standard and price class than a current mid priced new console.

[HA_DA_JA]

Hey manning,
Just curious did you have to spend much on getting the auditronics desk fully working?
cheers
Dale

[Manning]

The Toft stuff is pretty bland, pretty basic and automated assembly quality. For 4k you can get an excellent desk with years of life left that can be modded and/or repaired easily due to the modular construction older units used and was built to a much higher standard and price class than a current mid priced new console.

And this is essentially word-for-word the same advice that was given to me two years ago. I am VERY glad I heeded it.

[Manning]

Hey manning,
Just curious did you have to spend much on getting the auditronics desk fully working?
cheers
Dale

The desk worked fine from the outset. However I've since spent another $2K getting the patch bay and some extra channels wired in, plus she got a total top-to-bottom wax and polish early in 2012. (All work by Colin Abrahams).

So for a bit over $10K all up, I've now got a desk which is pretty damn spectacular, IMO - certainly light years ahead of the Toft 32 I was seriously considering once upon a time.

[Sammas]

My 0.45% of a cent... Definitely consider a desks condition before taking the plunge. If you have time to tinker, read, learn, solder, recap, clean and wire a desk up it can be a very enjoyable experience. If you have projects lined up and clients getting antsy... a new desk with a warranty is probably a better option.

[Lee]

Ok manning I took your advise and edited the title. The space this console will go in was a studio in the 70' and was preserved buy long time owners and never used. It has a cool story and vibe. it will primerily be for tracking but because we are young funding is tough so we are looking for a great desk for a good price.

[Lee]

Thanks thanks for the advise everyone we will need all the help we can get setting this up. It's going to be Awesome .

[HA_DA_JA]

What about the new b eh ringer digital desks?

(can I hide my name from this post)


Not Dale

[Manning]

@ Not Dale - why even bother with a mixer? My M-Audio has 512 inputs and only cost $219, and I can mix everything in my computer. It's fantastic - I save so much desk space.

[Lee]

We would prefer to have an analogue desk. But if all else fails then maybe the presonus 24 mixer but we don't really want a digital mixer.

[Manning]

My 0.45% of a cent... Definitely consider a desks condition before taking the plunge. If you have time to tinker, read, learn, solder, recap, clean and wire a desk up it can be a very enjoyable experience. If you have projects lined up and clients getting antsy... a new desk with a warranty is probably a better option.

Nath - don't be such a doomsayer! I barely know how to plug a soldering iron in, but I've survived the "vintage desk" experience no problems.

Condition is certainly important obviously, but if a desk is coming out of a working studio, then there's a strong chance the desk has been loved very tenderly by someone quite clueful. I very nearly bought Matt (Coloursound)'s Soundworkshop desk, and it was common knowledge how diligently that desk had been maintained.

On top of that, with the TR community, there's a strong chance that someone here will have first-hand knowledge of the pro-grade consoles floating around.

It also looks like Lee is going for a vintage authentic vibe, and a vintage desk really adds to that. A new studio needs to offer something people can't have in a home studio, and a vintage console is not only a good audio investment, it's a marketing tool. I've had a few clients come to my place simply because they'd seen a photo of the console. (OK, so not the most clueful clients, but hey, money is money).

[Lee]

Yes manning you're spot on with those comments we are going or cool vibe. I'm also aware that all analogue consoles (new and old) need maintainence so if the person we get the desk of can also give us the details of thier previous tech that's a bonus but with the wide range of skilled techs that are apart of this community I'm sure we will get looked out for.
I had a look at the console myles mentioned and it was too wide for the space.
If I can then I will post photos of the space but please keep the options coming if anyone sees something even if it's not there own (provided that's ok with Rick)

[Manning]

Lee - I'd be glad to hook you up with Colin Abrahams. He's a crusty old-timer who does excellent work at very decent rates. He's up on the central coast.
http://www.studioconnections.net.au/

If you ever want to swing over to Laughing Duck for a looksee and a yarn, you'd be most welcome. We're in Glenorie, about 10km past Dural.

[Paul Maybury]

There are a couple of Soundworkshops going around at the mo. I have been very happy with both the Series 30 at my studio and the Series 34 we re furbed for PBSFM. Great boards to work with,real headroom, nice eq, good routing. Horrible patch bays though! (Horrible to wire too, that is. They work okay. Bloody Molex connectors!)
Cheers,
Paul Maybury

[Sammas]

My 0.45% of a cent... Definitely consider a desks condition before taking the plunge. If you have time to tinker, read, learn, solder, recap, clean and wire a desk up it can be a very enjoyable experience. If you have projects lined up and clients getting antsy... a new desk with a warranty is probably a better option.

Nath - don't be such a doomsayer! I barely know how to plug a soldering iron in, but I've survived the "vintage desk" experience no problems.

Condition is certainly important obviously, but if a desk is coming out of a working studio, then there's a strong chance the desk has been loved very tenderly by someone quite clueful. I very nearly bought Matt (Coloursound)'s Soundworkshop desk, and it was common knowledge how diligently that desk had been maintained.

On top of that, with the TR community, there's a strong chance that someone here will have first-hand knowledge of the pro-grade consoles floating around.

It also looks like Lee is going for a vintage authentic vibe, and a vintage desk really adds to that. A new studio needs to offer something people can't have in a home studio, and a vintage console is not only a good audio investment, it's a marketing tool. I've had a few clients come to my place simply because they'd seen a photo of the console. (OK, so not the most clueful clients, but hey, money is money).

Hey Manning, not a doomsayer... more playing devils advocate! Manual, service docs, state/age of capacitors, availability of parts, cost of cabling & connectors, and the overall condition... know what you are in for before buying it. Do a whole lot of research!

There is no point spending a maximum budget of $4k on a console if it needs another $1500 of capacitors and $2000 worth of cables and 4 digital IC's that are harder to find than an honest politician to get into operation... unless of course you know that is required, and have the time and patience to pull it all together.

[andygriffiths]

You are right there are some hidden costs involved in setting up a console. I have spent over 1k on paying for a tech to recap & do a eq mod on one channel. They also replaced a alps fader on the master buss & they also replaced a sticky switch on the TB section. I have spent about another $800-$1000 on caps, faders, transformers, timber sides & arm rest. So in total about 2k & I'm still not finished, but I only paid 1k for the console. I don't mind spending the money coz I know the console will be one of a kind when it's done & I can see the value in keeping just based on workflow in the studio. So go find a older console if it needs a bit of work fix it up & enjoy the rewards, isn't that why those of us with consoles keep them coz we love them. I'm sure you'll find something out there that you like.

[Alastair Reynolds]

Another often forgotten brand is Soundtracs. British build ,British style 4 band eq.No it's not in the Neve ,SSL,Quad 8 class,but they are modular,easily serviceable and sound OK,look on the web for opinions some people hate them,some love them. Use a boutique pre for vocals and it would be a good start,way ahead of a cheap Chinese made thing.These were popular in the late 80's , early 90's in post production,broadcast production etc we had 3 of them with Otari MX70 16 tracks, Stella sound had them, I even remember seeing them in the National Library Oral History sound preservation dept.Amber Technology were the local agent.
I have a Megas 28 x 16 x 2 desk with full Bantam jackfield and it's a good mid size desk.Would have cost probably $25-30K when it came out. An SL4000G at the time was in the $300K range.
S/H Soundtracks in good nick can be picked up for as little as $1K and with a little TLC go quite well
For brochures checkout http://www.thesoundtracsguy.com. There's a bit of a following out there for them,anyway my 2c worth I'm sure someone will have a different opinion but I'm only referring to personal experience.
I think they're not bad value for money .

[mylesgm]

What physical size space do you have for the desk? This will determine what you can find far more than cash will.

[chribble]

Wasnt there a couple of little calrecs for sale on here a month or two back?

[mylesgm]

yes, but I don't think that it made up a 24 channel board.

[Milo]

Amek TAC can be a nice desk and good size

[Lee]

Yeah Chris I'm looking at the calrec mixer tonight from my old mate wade. What are people's thoughts about calrec?

[hangigntreestudio]

It's not a 24 but I have a 1975 Soundcraft series II Two mixing console with power supply.
16 channel 8 bus, sweepable eq, sowter transformers on each channel, P&G faders, direct outputs.
It has a loom but that will need repair, consoles has small footprint.


Cheers,
Tim

[Lee]

Thanks for the offer TIm but we really need 24 channels.