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Tape Trail Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats. |
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Tape Trail Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats. |
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In Reply to: Ampex PR-10 as mic pre? posted by jsn on January 5, 2006 at 12:11:51:
Hi, jsn:I know the electronics for the PR-10. The best description of them is something like "an explosion in a sphagetti factory". I personally do not recommend the effort it would require to get them to be thoroughly reliable. I believe that they are perhaps filled with a lot of early wire-wrap or push-on connectors, which develop problems unless they are permanently soldered in place.
The Ampex MX-10 / MX-35 are better units, comparatively speaking. Once you replace all of the coupling caps, and check on the tubes and resistors, update the power supply, and remove the existing Beyer trannies and replace them with Jensen 115's, these can sound impressive. There is only a basic cosmetic difference between the two models, as far as I remember. These days, some studios are using these to "sweeten" digital recordings. In my opinion, it is better to use an MX-10 as a standalone unit for making masters.
Another thing that I have heard is that the stock MX-10 and probably the electronics in your PR-10, do not feature pin 3 as "hot", so they are not up to current standards.You would have to rewire the XLR sockets so that they are properly configured for a balanced line. I think you can find discussions of this on the web somewhere.
I modified my own MX-10 mixer over twenty years ago and used mine for a good number of years when making location recordings of classical music and some choral works. It generally sounded decent.
I want to highly endorse and recommend a fabulous sounding two-channel professional mic preamp to you which though kind of costly, provides oodles of benefits over what you are considering, unless you like to tinker a lot.
The unit in question (which I currently use on location) is an Aphex 1100. This mic pre uses a pair of special low-noise/low distortion Russian tubes called 6N1P and also offers great converters so you can go straight to digital at the output at high sampling rates. You can also substitute other tubes in the circuit, allowing comparisons, but I use the tubes which were furnished with the unit and simply love it!
Otherwise, lots of people prefer those old Ampex 600 series tube mic pres and generally still lust after the original 351 electronics.
I just like something a bit more compact and up-to-date for my present work.
My .02
Richard Links
Links Sound
Berkeley, CA
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Follow Ups
- Re: Ampex PR-10 as mic pre? - Marantzguy 15:26:36 01/06/06 (0)
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