There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes.... many prototypes are being tested and evaluated. 8-)

The next Sebatron release is a unit called 'MAXIMUS' and will be out around late Jan or Feb2006.
The other units will follow , but specific times are difficult to state.
I don't want to give away anything too soon , all I can say is that there will be a new look to some of these upcoming units and an evolution in build and circuit design.

8)

Sebatron wrote: The next Sebatron release is a unit called 'MAXIMUS' and will be out around late Jan or Feb2006.

Ah, that would explain this from the website:
"Re: Maximus

We tried to understand where these two different personalities originated.

For the most part, what psychologists talk about as “identity,” although a useful construct, is a complete illusion.

There is nothing abnormal about this except the fact that we don’t notice such things more often."
My curiousity has been piqued... Is MAXIMUS going to be a dual topology pre?
The audio samples are a great idea as well! 8-)

hi

wish you a nice 2006 and very cool ideas on new products
You brazilian brother
Alécio Costa

Thanks Alecio ! You take care man ...... and don't go smoking too much of that Brazilian tobacoo ..... !!!

My curiousity has been piqued... Is MAXIMUS going to be a dual topology pre?

Freaky: 100 points :twisted:

We have some snapshots of the up and coming MAXIMUS on our website in the 'pipeline' section if you want to check it out: http://www.sebatron.com

Officially release is set for January/February.

Stay tuned for more details . 8-)

Sebatron wrote: Stay tuned for more details

How about some more details? :P
The Sebatron units a pretty high up on my list at this point. I looks to me like the Maximus is a tube/solid state mic preamp. Is this correct? And how much does it have in common with the VMP series, other than the addition of a solid state section?

Looks interesting Seb.
So this is the stereo pre you mentioned quite a while back?
Any idea on the price point? I imagine it would have to be more than the 2000e.

I looks to me like the Maximus is a tube/solid state mic preamp. Is this correct?

Yes . Single channel.

And how much does it have in common with the VMP series, other than the addition of a solid state section?

Well the valve channel runs two 12AT7 valves at around +300 vdc rail.
The configuration is similar to two channels of VMP hooked up in series.....
There's a lot of gain there in total .... around +70db. Able to be pushed into heavy colour.
The solid state section is not dissimilar to the front section of the neve BA284 as used in the 1073 however we run our transistors at +60 vdc whereas the neve , I think , is +24 vdc.
The low-cut , or variable high pass filter , runs from 40hz to 440 hz .
A quality toggle switch selects between these two circuits and this is followed by the final output level control.
Balanced XLR and unbalanced/balancedTRS inputs and outputs like the VMP.

Looks interesting Seb.

Thanks Mark.

So this is the stereo pre you mentioned quite a while back?

Kind of , although it's only single channel.
Orginally it was going to be called ' Cranium ' ..... but , alas , it has morphed into MAXIMUS. Following the trend we started with THORAX by naming some of our units after parts of the Human anatomy. MAXIMUS is actually short for the 'Gluteus Maximus' .... as we naturally think the unit is going to kick some ass. :lol:

Any idea on the price point? I imagine it would have to be more than the 2000e.

It will come on the scene at a very competitive introductory price just over or around the $1100 USD mark. 8-)
We hope to follow it with the single channel then two channel solid state compressors.....

8)

Sebatron wrote:
The configuration is similar to two channels of VMP hooked up in series.....
There's a lot of gain there in total .... around +70db. Able to be pushed into heavy colour.

Since getting the VMP 4000...I've noticed that with most of the mics I've tried...I have difficulty using the 0 dB Gain setting, and with the -15 dB setting, I'm usually setting the output level very low, otherwise, it is still too hot.
It is only with the -30 dB Gain setting that I have some room to move around in.

So...what's a person going to do with ALL THAT GAIN...?

Most of my signal sources are generally not too loud or too low...just about normal...so I don't believe I'm pushing the 4000 too hard, forcing me to turn the Gain way down.

I guess for some situations...a lot of Gain might be needed...but right now, for me to get any "color" out of the 4000...I would have to turn my sources WAY down, so's I can then set the Gain on 0 dB...and in some cases -15 dB...

I'll be playing around with source and mic combinations some more...maybe I just haven't dialed the 4000 in as good as I can...?

I stick a GT AM52 tube mic about 18" away from a single 12" Celestion in a closed cab, powered by a Traynor YCV40 amp running at maybe 1/3 of its 40 W output. It's just a bit loud...you can talk over it without shouting.
And yet...I have to put the Seb 4000 on -30 dB Gain, and around mid-point on the output level, otherwise I'll bury my meters on the recorders with a higher Gain setting.

With a Senn e609 right on the grill cloth...I can use the -15 dB setting...but then I have to turn the Seb output level down to maybe 2.
Heck...if I tried setting the Gain to 0dB...I would have to turn the amp down to almost nothing, which is not good.

For vocals...I use an ADK TT/CE tube mic...at about 6" away from the mic...I have to set the Seb for -30 dB with the output level at about 7.
I could use it at -15 dB...but then I would have the output level way down, below 3...and while it sounds OK...I just prefer to have the output level knobs somewhere where there's more "working room"...rather than j-u-s-t above the minimum point.

I had similar problems with my vmp4000e for a while until I realised that it had more to do with lack of headroom on my recording device. Sometimes this can be changed by software settings, usually it is a matter of using the right input or output.
Are you going into a line level input set to +4dB (professional level)? I have seen people running the output of one pre into the mic pre inputs on their recorder, giving excess gain and running through more electronics than is necessary...
If I want to really drive the pre, I sometimes use the TRS output, which is lower in level than the XLR, and if it's still too high, I run it unbalanced, which drops the signal level again. If it's a short run with a strong signal there is no loss of quality vs. balanced.

mute_transports wrote:
Are you going into a line level input set to +4dB (professional level)?

Depends...

If I'm going direct from the Seb to something that is -10...then yeah, it will be WAY too hot.
But often I'll come out of the Seb and go to a comp or limiter...and I will ultimately use them to tame the level as needed.

Again...
Maybe I haven't quite dialied in the 4000e...and I need to find the settings that sound the best, without looking so much at the dials...but I am having a bit of difficulty using the 4000e set at 0 dB...with any mic I've tired...without ending up with VERY hot output.
And I so wanted to see just how warm/colored the 4000e can get...but that seems to be possible if you really drive the input stage hard...like with the the 0 dB Gain setting...which ends up being hot...so I switch to -15 dB or -30 dB...which sounds good...but then the warmth/color disappears...and it's just another clean pre...

I already have a real nice solid state CLM Dynamics 4-channel, that is as clean as can be...and you can hit it hard, without getting a bit of distortion!
I was hoping the 4000e was going to be a bit more in the opposite direction...so lets see how much better I can dial it in before I make my final judgement.

I do like it on vocals...and I like the filters it offers...
... so far, I'm not able to hit it the right way to make those tubes work a bit more...without getting distortion or very hot ouput with the 0 dB Gain setting! :)

We recommend you running the unit at +4db professional level.
That was the level the unit was designed and calibrated for.
You're adding gain at the other end if you're running at -10db , that's why all your levels are out. :x