Vintage preamps - Altec 1567a tube mixer - help?!?

I just purchased an Altec 1567a Tube mixer on ebay. I use an apple powerbook w/ mbox. I'm one of "those guys" who don't know $*^t about the schematics of vintage gear (yet), but am in love with their sound. I've been recording on everything TUBE and 2" machines at a few studios ... just never ran the stuff. I've used these as preamps before, and they definietly kick some ass... gives you some nice tape emulation / saturation.

Anyway, all the 4 xlr inputs work fine, except a few are a bit dirty and noisy when i turn the knobs.

My 3 question are this:

1) This thing sounds kick ass with sm 57s on guitars etc... but when i go to do vocals on a phantom powered Audio Technica 4040 Cardioid condenser microphone, i get nothing but faint am radio sounding signal in pro tools. Is there like some kind of impedence problem? Same thing happens when I try to run the Altec through the TRS inserts loop.

2) There is a recorder output and a line output. Which one should I use? I hooked it up to the recorder output, but the master volume and 2 Eq's don't do anything. And i guess i can't even use the line output anyway, until i get the transformer for it

3) is there a way to install an XLR output so I don't have to keep ripping up old chords Know any good vintage pro's that refurbish this stuff?

Any advise or help on this piece of gear would be much appreciated.
Thanks!!!
Jeff

 

This unit may not have phantom power

as for the other questions
:roll:
you need a tech
or
you need to do some research here and other forums
it is all possible but do the research and then decide what you want

 

Nope....no phantom power. When this unit was built, most condenser and ribbon mics had their own power supply.

Ditto on the tech.

 

thanks guys. ya i figured i was going to have to get a pro to check this thing out. i have been reading the manuals and schematics back and forth for a few days now. i got it figured out for the most part.

i did have my at4040 condensor mic powered BEFORE i had it going through the altec mixer. the impedence on that mic is 100ohms and the input channels are set to handle that. so i dont know, maybe it's because i was using "recorder out" instead of the main "line out" [which if anyone has a spare 15095 line transformer please let me know ]

thanks,
jeff

 

Well Welll Well, a fellow 1567 user! It's like finding a long lost brother. I scored mine at a garage sale for $5, and didn't realise what it was til I got into recording years later. I'd almost thrown it out, but...I liked the smell when you opened it up...

First of all, Kev's right. Start calling electronics guys until you find one that knows his stuff AND is willing to work on the thing. It's not complicated at all, just most guys aren't interested.

U sez:

1) This thing sounds kick ass with sm 57s on guitars etc... but when i go to do vocals on a phantom powered Audio Technica 4040 Cardioid condenser microphone, i get nothing but faint am radio sounding signal in pro tools. Is there like some kind of impedence problem? Same thing happens when I try to run the Altec through the TRS inserts loop.

I sez:

I don't have that problem, though dynamic mics are a bit weak on the signal.

U sez:

2) There is a recorder output and a line output. Which one should I use? I hooked it up to the recorder output, but the master volume and 2 Eq's don't do anything. And i guess i can't even use the line output anyway, until i get the transformer for it

I sez:

My master volume and EQ don't work either, and the Vu only works on channel 1. The reason is it's designed as a 4 into 1, and when my tech transformed it into a 4 into 4, one of the sacrifices was that the master, and EQ had to go, so all channels are direct out now, using only the individual attenuators. If your unit has already been transformed into a 4 into 4, that may be why. If it hasn't been modified to be 4 into 4 yet, GET IT DONE ASAP! You can't get 4 channels of tube for the price anywhere!

U sez:

3) is there a way to install an XLR output so I don't have to keep ripping up old chords Know any good vintage pro's that refurbish this stuff?

I sez:

techie man did it for me. Once again it's pretty basic stuff

Good luck. And yes, it is a butt kicker unit, especially for the dough.

Keith

 

$5!!!!!!! lucky bastard! haha. thanks for all the advice. i know this piece of gear, but i'm still new at how it operates. it does seem farily simple though after reading the manuals back and forth. i know a few guys who may be able to help me out with all that other stuff. i just got the 15095 line transformer off ebay and running the main out kicks even more ass. except i'm trying to now figure out why it's so damn noisy and peaking the $*^t out of my mbox. is there a lower output level i should set it to? thanks again. jeff

 

For any other questions you have about connecting to the mixer, you can check the manual at this link:

 

Yeah, they are pretty cool in a warm kind of way. I got a pair of those and am actually getting ready to sell them. So if anybody is interested? I haven't used them in years and I'm not even certain that they are still operable? They are a pair, in a custom cabinet, with a specialized rear panel with the input and output connections.

Thanks MadScientist139 for the link to the manual! I needed that too!

Tuned in. Tubed out.
Ms. Remy Ann David

 

He Sez:

If it hasn't been modified to be 4 into 4 yet, GET IT DONE ASAP! You can't get 4 channels of tube for the price anywhere!

I Ask:

Does each channel have enough gain like that (without the master)? Did your tech give you a schematic for what mods he did?

 

The Tech who built this up passed away a few years back. There were no operational/circuit modifications made, to the best of my knowledge. Its stock except for the custom back panel with XLR connectors instead of the barrier strips. And no, it has not been modified to have 4 tube outputs from the 4 microphone preamps. I think I even have documentation for this thing/things?

Let me know if you are still interested as I have not posted it on eBay yet?
Ms. Remy Ann David
703-532-7335 office/home
703-608-2381 cellular