Well jazzo, I think it's quite a wise decision. I don't know anybody that hasn't appreciated Studer's quality? Even though they are now owned by Harmon industries, I've never been disappointed with anything that Harmon has marketed. I think this marvelous piece of European engineering was probably designed with classical music and jazz in mind? So its probably perfect and the price sounds right?

When I was looking for a used multitrack machine, I did get a chance to sit in on a tracking session of Robert Palmer at Regent sound studios in NYC years ago. They were tracking through a much earlier Studer console to an Ampex MM 1000-16 track machine and it sounded bitchin'! I think you'll be quite happy with his desk.

Get them the role in some Swiss cheese fondue with the deal? Creamy console with creamy cheese. What could be bad?
Ms. Remy Ann David
Ms. Remy Ann David

Well Jazzo, it sure looks like a nice board for not a terribly lot of money, depending on what you want to do with it.

Is this for a commercial studio, or your own use? Will you see a return on this kind of invesment any time soon, or are you wealthy enough to just buy it because it looks/feels right? (No offense meant, it happens more than some folks will admit...)

I would try to do a project (or at least extensive listening) on it before buying anything over $1k or so. (That includes mics, preamps, etc.) While $10k isn't an obscene amount of $ in the world of high end consoles (you could easily spend 10x that of course on an SSL or others), it's still a lot of $ and I'd try to spend some time in a facility that already has one, or tack a project (portable multitrack, perhaps?) into their showroom and ask to spend a little time alone with it. An hour or two and you'll know. (Sometime less, actually!)

Reading the specs tells you nothing, other than: Yes, it sure looks like it will do what it says it will. Add to that the Studer name and it looks even better, although it's doubtful anyone that built their flagship gear back in the 1960's and 70's is still involved, remember that, too. It's now a brand name like any of the other gear out there (owned by another company now, to boot), no matter what the spin.

As you're probably well aware, this is "An Analog Mixing Console." I don't see any automation on it, either. What are you tracking to? Tape or DAW? If you're going to use it for only a dozen or so mics at a time (Jazz combo's to classical groups), you may not need all those inputs, aux sends and returns for simply TRACKING a group in the studio. (Most of those types of folks won't need extensive headphone mixes, remember).

How do you mix? With a DAW to HD and then CD, or do you stay with analog tape exclusively? If you're digital, you may be better off with a few racks of high end pre's, use a soundcraft or Yamaha or Mackie to monitor the band, while routing it right into a DAW and work from there for everything else, using a good stereo converter to hear what's going on. For that, you'd require far less in a monitoring console.

You could spend the same $ for some good pre's, a modest monitor console, and even a good multichannel DAW interface.

It's nice to have it all under one roof, of course, but I don't see what this is going to do for you for that kind of work in today's recording scenarios for Classical and Jazz.

I'm sure I'm not helping you decide, but at least look (er...listen) before you leap. Sonically, it's probably fantastic for Classical and Jazz (I might not turn it away at that price, either) but only you know what you're comfortable with, and what will feel right, with day-in and day-out use.

At the very least, do a test drive! 8-)

well, thank you Remy and Joeh for yours excellent answers!

So it is for a commercial studio where I will work soon, and I plan to record mostly on analog gears even if I do have DAW and digital interface.

The idea is to get a few of very good stuff to not have to change in the near future. I was looking for smaller Studer or Neve but they are very hard to find, the only one I can get today is the 928 (but I'm still looking for!)

You right when you say that I should listen and work a little with the console to have a better idea of what it is and I will :wink:

I'll keep you inform about my search. Thanks!

Hi.
I assisted a classical recording session in a studio with Studer A905.
Then I mixed the tracks. I was very happy with the sound. I write this because I know that this studio had recently bought Sony MCI. They needed more channels. They wanted to sell the Studer and I couldn't afford it :cry: .
I can check if its still for sale If you are interested.

Hi!
I work on studer(928 in different configurations) desks daily(although we're moving to digital, wich are sadly no studer vistas but ams-neve and Lawo).
and I loooooove the analog studers; the headroom is almost infinite on the preamps, and the eq is sweet, and they are STURDY!!!! they never break down..
If you find a studer with channel dynamics; these sound nice, but are a bit dirty, so their usefulness is limited, and the group compressors are simply awful..
cheers,
huub