Vintech makes a great Neve 1073 clone and they are very close to releasing thier own version of the Neve 33609 compressor. While the Vintage real Neve stuff can be great, you take big chances that your able to get one in very good condition and that has been maintained and refurbished which they ALL are in need of by now.

The current AMS/Neve version of the 33609 is the same as the original 33609, same amplifiers, same circuit boards, same everything.

The real question is why the hell do you want a "Neve"? Myth? Legend? Because it's the magic bullet that makes hit records? Because I'll be cool if I have a Neve? Because I'll sell more time? ...or get more pussy?

M-A did "vintage" gear for 10 years, we did "vintage" gear because there was a real need for better hardware than was being produced by the "new equipment manufacturers".... but a funny thing happened during the middle 90's... some pretty kick ass hardware started to be made by some small "boutique" manufacturers that pretty much erased the need for 30-40 year old stuff.

I'm not talking about "clones", I'm talking about fresh designs that achieved the stuff the designers of the "vintage" gear had in mind but didn't have the available components or technology to achieve.

I'm on "home phone number" basis with Rupert. We've talked about this stuff over and over. He doesn't understand the "legend" surrounding the 1972 version of the company that bears his name. He still sees what he considers to be the flaws and the warts... and now people are copying it [for the most part poorly... with wrong transformers and wrong board layouts that are done for lessening the cost of manufacture vs. the quality of the audio but that's a discussion for another day].

I have always found it amusing that in 1967 and 1968 and 1969 Jimi Hendrix would walk into a music store and buy off the shelf Stratocasters... but somehow the "vintage" ones now go for tens of thousands of dollars like they're some kind of 'magic bullet'. I humbly submit that if Jimi Hendrix were alive today he'd still be walking [or sending a runner] into the same music store and buying off the shelf Stratocasters. He'd probably have a couple of Paul Reed Smith's and ____ and ____ as well... my point being that the music doesn't come from the tools, it comes from the operator... and it might be a wiser choice for each operator to choose their tools from their own experience rather than "myth" and "legend".

Fletcher,
I love your honesty and your straight to the point attitude. Thank you for spending time on RO.

Thaks for the input !

The real question is why the hell do you want a "Neve"? Myth? Legend? Because it's the magic bullet that makes hit records? Because I'll be cool if I have a Neve? Because I'll sell more time? ...or get more pussy?

he,he :P Forget the sales and the pussy, but I must admit that it is the mythlegend of Neve that attracts me to it.

When engineers and producers whose work and sound I like, rave reccomend specific gear, it tickles my interest. When people I trust speaks warmly of artists I haven't heard about, I feel like checking it out !

And right now I want to find out as much as I can about Neve gear. From people who likes loves it, and from people who hates it.

".... but a funny thing happened during the middle 90's... some pretty kick ass hardware started to be made by some small "boutique" manufacturers that pretty much erased the need for 30-40 year old stuff.

That's right on the money !
Could you mention some examples ?

I am quite fresh when it comes to hardware stuff. I try to navigate and learn as much as i can from boards like this.

... my point being that the music doesn't come from the tools, it comes from the operator... and it might be a wiser choice for each operator to choose their tools from their own experience rather than "myth" and "legend".

True. I am not thinking a Neve insert alternative here box will help me make better songs. I know how to write songs :wink: 8) (after all, that's why i now can afford a NEVE box) But I hope it will help me make better mixes, or at least make it more pleasant to listen to for a longer period of time...Now my mixes runs straight from my daw to my monitors.

I guess nothing beats hands-on experience, but my problem is that there is no distributors of such gear where I live.
I have to geat an idea of what's going to suite my needs by talking to people who actually uses the gear.

My music is mainly sample based, but we record guitar (accoustic and electric) , vocals and percussion. i want a box to run every stereomix through. A box that adds color and air...and a lot of people have reccomended NEVE outboards

cheers!
K

We need more Fletchers in the World.. Specifically in Politics !!

Klusenwiig wrote: My music is mainly sample based, but we record guitar (accoustic and electric) , vocals and percussion. i want a box to run every stereomix through. A box that adds color and air...and a lot of people have reccomended NEVE outboards

An analog box through which you'll run every mix... an analog box where you can get a little 'thunder' and a little 'air'... so, what kind of converters are you planning to use to get to this analog box?

As much as you might gain by going through an analog box at the end of your mix chain, you may very well be losing whatever you hope to gain with the analog outboard processing if you're not going through a pretty serious set of converters on your way out of the digital domain, through the analog unit, then back to the digital domain.

With all due respect, you might want to take a looke at the Crane Song LTD. "HEDD-192" which can add the forementioned processes to your music while the music remains in the digital domain [and is a pretty righteous set of converters in it's own right... so if you really wanted to come out to an analog device you'd at least be running through a class act along the way].

The "[[url=http://[/URL]="http://cranesong.co…?"]Phoenix[/]="http://cranesong.co…?"]Phoenix[/]" is also a pretty damn cool event that occurs in the digital domain... it's only for Pro-sTools [Mix, HD, or HD Accel], but it helps make Pro-sTools sound like music in no small way.

As someone who has owned more than a few Neve consoles, who has been working around the "N word" for more than a couple decades while I don't think you'd be disappointed, I do think that there are a whole lot more productive ways to burn through your earnings than following "myths" and "legends"

Peace.

I am currently using Apogee converters, and I am planning on getting the new Benchmark ADPre 1 ADC. That should do the trick.

With all due respect, you might want to take a looke at the Crane Song LTD. "HEDD-192" which can add the forementioned processes to your music while the music remains in the digital domain [and is a pretty righteous set of converters in it's own right... so if you really wanted to come out to an analog device you'd at least be running through a class act along the way].

Umm...I had a peak at it. Box of mystery that is...and it's somewhat more of a digital machine, no ? :?

What does the "Phoenix" do that the other high-end "vintage" "warmifiers" plug ins (in whatever format, TDM, Powercore or UAD-1) don't ?

Cheers !

Klusenwiig wrote: What does the "Phoenix" do that the other high-end "vintage" "warmifiers" plug ins (in whatever format, TDM, Powercore or UAD-1) don't ?

What does the Phoenix do that the others don't... IMNTLBFHO, sound good.

Besides, it's not a "vintage warmer" of any kind, it adds the harmonic content and structure of the music, it's not some distortion device.

The link I gave in the other post was to the free demo... check it out yourself... maybe it'll work for you, maybe it won't.

Peace.

Fletcher wrote: Because I'll be cool if I have a Neve? Because I'll sell more time? ...or get more pussy?
.

I though only a Neumann would do that :P

:P ..but then again..There's usually nothing wrong with gear with a legendary status..480l, Neumann mics, urei compressors, studer, neve....Usually love that stuff..Apart from the ams-neve digital stuff...crashes a lot...
What's YOUR most used micpre b.t.w. fletcher?
huub

huub wrote: What's YOUR most used micpre b.t.w. fletcher?

Hell if I know... lately I'd say it's either been the Great River MP-2NV, the Chandler TG-2, or the D.W. Fearn VT-2... but the TAB-funkenwerk V-78 has been getting quite a bit of play too.