Month: November 2017

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This WKND! Nov 11+12 ! Bridgeport Open Studios

Bridgeport Open Studios 2017 is THIS WEEKEND Nov 11+12!   I’ll be hanging out in the ILSSA N/E Command Center at the American Fabrics Arts Building, 1069 Connecticut Ave, Bridgeport, 3rd floor.  I’ll be around most of the weekend 10A -5P

As per usual I will have stuff for sale from the Preservation Sound shop, including some odd n weird audio oddities (like the insane fuzz amp shown above), recording studio odds n ends, lotsa records, and some pretty incredible vintage clothes this year…  More info at http://amfabarts.com/events/

Categories
Connecticut Audio History

Gray Research, Hartford CT: 103-LP tonearm and 602 equalizer circa 1950

download the 4pp circa 1950 Gray Research sales flier for the model 103-LP Transcription Arm and the model 602 disc equalizer:

DOWNLOAD: GrayResearch_103_602

Gray was located in Hartford, CT, just a stone’s throw from here, from roughly 1950 through 1970.  feel free to correct me if you personally know otherwise.  I have come across very little original Gray literature and equipment in my 13 years here.

There seems to be very little information on the internet about this company, other than this nice archive.

If you or a family member worked at Gray, please drop us a line.

Categories
Radio Shows

Preservation Sound Radio WPKN FM 11.8.17: archive link and playlist

Last night’s show was a bit different than usual… instead of three hours of obscuritues from LPs, I played radio hits from 45rpm singles.. in alphabetical order… roughly 1965 – 1977.

Listen at this link until NOV 22 2018

Playlist:

 Ace “How Long”
Alive ‘N Kickin’ “Tighter, Tighter”
Herb Alpert “Rise”
America “Horse with no Name”
James Brown & His Famous Flames “Cold Sweat, Pt. 1”
The Box Tops “The Letter (Mono Single Version)”
The Beau Brummels “Laugh Laugh (Promo Single Version)”
Blue Cheer “Out of Focus”
Booker T “Soul Clap ’69 (Single Version)”
Bread “Guitar man”
Jim Croce “I Got a Name”
Climax “Precious & Few ”
Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose “Too Late to Turn Back Now”
The Delfonics “Somebody Loves You ”
Bob Dylan “I Threw It All Away”
The Five Stairsteps “O-o-h Child ”
Flaming Ember “I’m Not My Brother’s Keeper”
The Friends of Distinction “Love or Let Me Be Lonely”
Roberta Flack “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face”
Fleetwood Mac “Dreams ”
Marvin Gaye “Trouble Man”
Al Green “Here I Am”
The Grass Roots “Midnight Confessions”
The Guess Who “These Eyes”
Daryl Hall & John Oates “August Day”
George Harrison “Isn’t It a Pity”
The Honeycone “Want Ads”
The Lemon Pipers “No Help from Me”
Terry Knight and the Pack “You’re a Better Man Than I”
Gary Lewis & The Playboys “She’s Just My Style)”
The Lovin’ Spoonful “Darling Be Home Soon”
Marmalade “Reflections Of My Life”
Dave Mason “We Just Disagree”
Matthews’ Southern Comfort “Woodstock”
100 Proof (Aged In Soul) “Somebody’s Been Sleeping In My Bed”
Freda Payne “Band of Gold (Single Mix)”
The Sweet “Fox On the Run”
Raspberries “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)”
Stealers Wheel “Stuck in the Middle with You”
Dusty Springfield “Son Of A Preacher Man (Mono (original))”
Joe Tex “The Love You Save (May Be Your Own)”
Smith “Minus-Plus”
Shocking Blue “Hot Sand”
Three Dog Night “One (Single Version)”
The Tremeloes “Even the Bad Times Are Good (1967 Recording)”
The Troggs “Love is all Around”
Tyrannosaurus Rex “Is It Love”
Scott Walker “Jackie”
The Youngbloods “get together”
The Young Rascals “How Can I Be Sure”

Categories
Pro Audio Archive

Gotham Pro Audio : Complete 1981/1982 Catalog

Download the complete 1981/1982 Gotham Audio catalog:

DL:  Gotham_Audio_1981

Products covered, with text, photos, and limited specs, include: Neumann U89, KMR 82, USM 69 microphones; VMS 80 Disk Mastering System; SP 79C Disk Cutting Program Control Consolel MT 80 Preview/Playback Tape Machine; SAL 74B Cutter Drive Logic; and SX 74 Dynamic Feedback Stereo Cutterhead;  EMT 251, 240, 245 reverb units and 162TS solid-state reverb amp for the 140; EMT 422 ad 424 flutter analyzer, Neumann RUMS 77 Rumble Meter; BASF PW 384 splicing cassette.

Above: the Lyrec TIM 4B tape timer for Scully and Ampex multitrack tape recorders.  A couple of years ago we purchased a beautiful Scully 284 8-track 1″ machine for Gold Coast Recorders; the sound was superb but ultimately we decided to install more modern (IE., 1980’s-era) tape machines for a variety of reasons – a principle concern was that the Scully has no timing facility whatsoever.  The thought of spending time searching blindly cueing the tape for punch-in points and overdubs was a bit disorienting to me, and I imagine it would be frustrating to performers as well.  I can’t imagine that there are too many of these Lyrec units out there in the wild but if you do own a Scully or Ampex, this would be a good get…

earlier GOTHAM AUDIO coverage on PS dot com:

Download the complete 1972 Gotham Audio catalog

Download the complete 1979 Gotham Audio catalog

Categories
Pro Audio Archive

The McCurdy SS8900 Mixing Console circa 1980

There seems to be zero information on the web concerning this particular mixing console, so i guess that’s where i come in.  Download a 4-page sales flier/spec sheet for the McCurdy SS8900 mixing console:

DL: McCurdy_SS8900

McCurdy was a Canadian – based manufacturer of broadcast audio equipment.  They seem to have had US operations in Massachusetts and Illinois at various points as well. It’s easy to find their modular mic pre amps and various metering units on eBay, but I’ve never encountered one of their consoles.  Anyone?

Click here to DL specs on their earlier 7700-series consoles via AmericanRadioHistory

Categories
Early Digital Audio Pro Audio Archive

Eventide Pro Audio Gear circa 1980

Download 17 pages of Eventide promotional material / data sheets and price lists circa 1979 – 1981:

DOWNLOAD: Eventide_1980

Products covered, with text, photos, and some specs, include: Harmonizer HM80, H949 and H910; LU618 de-glitch board (ooops); HK940 keyboard, FL 201 instant flanger and BPC 101 phaser card; 2830 omnipressor; BD955 Broadcast delay line 1745M delay line;  JJ193 delay line; TIMESQUEEZE system with PTC 945 precision tape controller; RD770 Monstermat mon/stereo matrioxing unit; and the Eventide Real Time Analyzer systems THS 224 and VTU02.

I am a big Eventide fan.  We have their classic H3000 Harmonizer at our studio Goldcoast Recorders (one of only two digital processors we’ve kept in the main mix room).  At home (where I don’t have room for a big outboard rack)I heavily depend on my Eventide Space reverb pedal, which is pretty likely the greatest effect pedal ever made.  I use it on literally every electric guitar and electric piano I record at home, and most synths as well.

I’ve had my eye on these early ‘compact’ HM80 harmonizers for a while; seems tough to find but would def tie the vintage synth ‘rig’ together.

One of my favorite patches in the SPACE (#19 ‘NEBULA’) models the above OMNIPRESSOR – it reverses the attack envelope of any sound.  Simple in principle, but the crazy part is it actually works.  I’d love a ‘real’ Omnipressor for the mix room at GoldCoast but these seem pretty much impossible to find for a reasonable sum.

Commodore PET anyone?  Of little interest to most, the download package contains a ton of info on Eventide’s PET-based RTA system.

Using vintage Eventide in your system?  Drop a line a weigh in.

Categories
Synthesizers

Yamaha CP80M, CP70M, CP60M : full catalog 1985: Rare Acoustic-Electric Pianos with Midi

download the 6pp 1985 brochure for the Yamaha MIDI CP line:

DOWNLOAD: Yamaha_CP80m_CP70m_cp60m_catalog

This is pretty interesting.  I’ve seen plenty of CP80s and CP70s; we even had a CP70 at our studio Gold Coast Recorders for years, until we eventually ran out of space (with two Baldwin pianos, Rhodes, Wurli 200, Pianet, two hammonds, and a full size marimba, something had to give…).

But.  A CP with midi? Amazing. I was also unaware of the CP60, which seems v similar in format to the Kawai stage upright of the same era.

I’ve literally never seen one of these MIDI CPs, not even online.  Anyone using one? Drop us a line…

Categories
Microphones

Beyerdynamic Microphones Headphones ETC: Complete 1974 Catalog

download a scan of the entire 24pp 1974 Beyerdynamic catalog:

DL: Beyerdynamic_1974

Products covered, with text, specs, and photos, include ribbon microphones M160n, M260n, M500c; moving coil mics m 55 LM, M 550 LM, M550, M 101 N, M 111 N, M 67 N, M 69 N, M 88 N, M 201 N, M 81 LM, M 818 LM, Soundstar X1 N, X1 HL, M 810 N, M 57, M 64 SH, M 410 N, M 411 N, M 412 N; a full line of accessories including stands, clips, bases, transformers, and windscreens.

Headphones covered include DT 100, DT 100 RR, DT 900, Sound Juwel DT 480 DT 100 V Induction headphones, DT 204, DT 48, DT 96A, DT 98, DT 109, DT 49, DT 109V, DT 302, DT 301, 302, 303; and various headphone accessories.  Wireless mic systems TS 73, TS 83, SM 84, NE 75, NE 84, TE 20 are also covered.

We have a pair of older M 260 ribbons at Gold Coast Recorders and they hand above the drum kit at all times. I love them, and I’ve never wanted for other overheads.  Even recording to analog they sound wonderful.  We also have three of these M69 dynamics, and while I can’t say they are any better at anything than an sm58 or sm57, they certainly aren’t bad mics.

Beyer M 201s have always intrigued me but I’ve never come across a ‘deal’ and $300 new seems a bit rich.  Anyone?

I am a big believer in Beyerdynamic headphones.  Their DT 770 M is a miracle product, esp. for tracking rap vocals when the vocalist is not very loud and they like the track loud in their cans.  Highly recommended for any situation where bleed is an issue.