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Post by jcoutu1 on Apr 18, 2014 8:58:20 GMT -6
Who is using their stuff? It looks killer and everybody seems to dig it. Optographs? Vandergraphs? SHMC? Gamms? nobtwiddler, you've got a bunch of their stuff right? How do the 500 series compare with the SHMC? |
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 18, 2014 12:39:54 GMT -6
The mono gama is good enough...Didn't particularly make a huge impression on me...I kind of thought of it being in API land...and I think jsteiger's stuff is punchier and more colored...and CHEAPER! |
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Post by jsteiger on Apr 18, 2014 13:00:27 GMT -6
...and I think jsteiger's stuff is punchier and more colored...and CHEAPER! Cough, uh less expensive might be a better description  |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Apr 18, 2014 13:23:22 GMT -6
It seems like the Gammas seem to be the one that people are meh about. I think people look at the unit and expect a ton of color, but ends up milder than expected. Haven't heard it though. jsteiger, less expensive is a much better term than cheaper. When are you going to make something with some bad ass bake-lite knobs to sit next to my VP28's? |
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 18, 2014 14:02:47 GMT -6
...and I think jsteiger's stuff is punchier and more colored...and CHEAPER! Cough, uh less expensive might be a better description Touché! |
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Post by unit7 on Apr 18, 2014 16:33:54 GMT -6
I have the SHMC Vintage King limited edition. I was looking for something SSL'ish for paralel comp at the 2 bus when Jeff L at VK talked me into it. Very versatile with the dual compressor layout, gain stages and multiple transformer options and sounds (and looks) great of course. Still haven't played with it enough on different sources etc but it works great as paralel on the bus.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Apr 18, 2014 16:43:10 GMT -6
I have the SHMC Vintage King limited edition. I was looking for something SSL'ish for paralel comp at the 2 bus when Jeff L at VK talked me into it. Very versatile with the dual compressor layout, gain stages and multiple transformer options and sounds (and looks) great of course. Still haven't played with it enough on different sources etc but it works great as paralel on the bus. The price of the SHMC is just so prohibitive. Even the used ones go for a ton. |
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Post by noah shain on Apr 19, 2014 10:42:59 GMT -6
I use a dual Vandergraph. It's nice on drums. Sure, controls are limited but I don't think about that. Has a nice thick tone and can get you some good smack.
I like it more on 2 bus. The band pass sidechain works good here.
I just finished a record that had it on 2 bus the whole time. I mixed in to it in combo with a Roll Super Stereo and a Retro 2a3. Hit the Vandy first for some smack and transient shaping...never more than 1-2 db reduction at 1.5 or 2.5:1, into the Roll for gentle glue and into the 2a3. Oh yeah, then a pair of western electric 111Cs before the Ampex 440B.
Colorful chain...
Vandergraph is a keeper for me even though it's controls are limited. It has weight. I like weight.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Apr 21, 2014 10:12:53 GMT -6
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 11, 2015 13:53:15 GMT -6
Hey bentley, what ya think of that Optograph? |
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Post by bentley on Jan 11, 2015 14:27:30 GMT -6
Hey bentley, what ya think of that Optograph? It's been a while since I had it (sold all my 500 series stuff years ago) but I recall always placing it after another compressor and never hitting it real hard. Seemed to give everything a bit of size but I never felt it was a "go to" for anything. Seems like I used it on vocals and bass when I did use it. I remember thinking it also sounded pretty spiffy on an acoustic guitar track or two. |
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outuvphaze
Full Member
Riders on the storm... Riders on the storm...
Posts: 33 
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Post by outuvphaze on Jan 12, 2015 1:47:33 GMT -6
I have one GAMA 500 series in my rack. I happen to love the pre amp. The dilemma was, that I was shooting for 4 of them yet I had great difficulty finding 4 that sounded even remotely close to one another, and those 4 had sequential serial numbers. One sounded rounder, one the other 3 seemed to have a touch less gain, and it was a disappointing experience so I went in another direction for my grand piano with 4 Great River 500's. They sound exactly the same. I love Shadow Hills and I would like to support them, but...
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Post by jeromemason on Jan 12, 2015 2:25:39 GMT -6
I have one GAMA 500 series in my rack. I happen to love the pre amp. The dilemma was, that I was shooting for 4 of them yet I had great difficulty finding 4 that sounded even remotely close to one another, and those 4 had sequential serial numbers. One sounded rounder, one the other 3 seemed to have a touch less gain, and it was a disappointing experience so I went in another direction for my grand piano with 4 Great River 500's. They sound exactly the same. I love Shadow Hills and I would like to support them, but... That is quite interesting...... Who makes their transformers?? |
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Post by Ward on Jan 12, 2015 7:59:48 GMT -6
Has the SH Gama become the latest version of the 'Emperor's New Clothes' syndrome? Previous candidates include but are not limited to Avalon's 737.
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Post by Randge on Jan 12, 2015 9:42:07 GMT -6
It was for me. I rented a Gama 8 from Blackbird once and Shadow Hills had put the phantom power switch in backwards. So, after zapping both of my SF1 Royer drum overheads a half an hr before a client session, I changed Mics and got through the session still using them. I was worried that they were going to make me change my mind on using vintage Ampex 350's,351,354,601's and RCA pres for color. The look of the Shadow Hills stuff says major vintage color, but for me, they sounded small when up against real vintage pieces in proper working order. Between that and that goofy website they had at the time, I was turned off.
R
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Post by mobeach on Jan 12, 2015 10:21:34 GMT -6
I rented a Gama 8 from Blackbird once and Shadow Hills had put the phantom power switch in backwards. So, after zapping both of my SF1 Royer drum overheads a half an hr before a client session, Considering the price tag nothing should be backwards. |
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Post by ionian on Jan 12, 2015 13:50:24 GMT -6
I had a Dual Vandergraph twice and both times it didn't do it for me, sadly.
The first time was when they first came out, I got one. Although I really liked the 2.5 ratio a lot, I felt that overall regardless of the ratio, that the Dual Vandrgraph narrowed the stereo field way too much for my liking. No matter what compressor I shot it out against, in blind ABX tests I could always tell which was the Vandergraph because it always sounded like I pushed my speakers a foot closer together. So that, along with the fact that the little top hat switch covers - the ones for the ratio and sidechain - would never stay on. They had a ball of something or other - maybe silicone inside - but it never held. The little top hats would work their way up and fall off. For the price I wasn't digging that so I returned it.
Last year I decided to give it another go so I got another one. You know - tastes change and all in the 4 years since I tried it originally, so I thought maybe it would appeal to my current sensibilities. In the end I was still turned off by the narrowing of the stereo field and on top of that, the unit I had was somewhat noisy. When I turned the output up to around 19 or so, I could easily hear a hiss that I didn't quite remember from the old unit. It sounded like when you have too many of those waves plugins on your mix and you forget to turn off the "vintage" setting and then you're just like, "What's all that hissing? Oh, yeah, it's the waves plugs..." It was like that. I don't really remember if my old one had done that so that was a turn off.
Oh, and the fact that they silkscreen the graphics on the faceplate now instead of engraving it. The originals were engraved. Now it's silkscreened AND the units are more expensive than when they were released so I felt like they were just cutting corners which kind of turned me off the entire unit.
I have no opinion on any of their other stuff because I haven't used anything except the Dual Vandergraph.
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outuvphaze
Full Member
Riders on the storm... Riders on the storm...
Posts: 33
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Post by outuvphaze on Jan 12, 2015 15:28:45 GMT -6
I have one GAMA 500 series in my rack. I happen to love the pre amp. The dilemma was, that I was shooting for 4 of them yet I had great difficulty finding 4 that sounded even remotely close to one another, and those 4 had sequential serial numbers. One sounded rounder, one the other 3 seemed to have a touch less gain, and it was a disappointing experience so I went in another direction for my grand piano with 4 Great River 500's. They sound exactly the same. I love Shadow Hills and I would like to support them, but... That is quite interesting...... Who makes their transformers?? I'm uncertain as to who makes produces their trannies. I really want to love that gear. They eye candy factor is out of control. Totally out of control. The comment about the factory reversed phantom power really had me do a double take. As far as the SHMC goes, it's the ultimate piece of eye candy to end all eye candy, and for a old school knob twister like myself, there are ... many knobs to twist. The price tag has always left me cold. I realize that you cannot just give the stuff away. From across the CDN border, as of today every $1000 US spent implies an additional $150 tacked on for good measure due to a lousy exchange rate at the moment. In terms of build quality in the 500 series format I've never had either a structural or a sonic issue with Great River, Buzz, Lachappell. Shadow Hills.... It's been about the sonics and I believe that the trannies are the issue. But I could totally be in the potatoes. Emperor's new clothes...? |
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Post by Ward on Jan 12, 2015 15:49:25 GMT -6
The 'eye-candy' almost got me one day also... but then I came to my senses after a decent slap upside the head from CN.
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outuvphaze
Full Member
Riders on the storm... Riders on the storm...
Posts: 33
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Post by outuvphaze on Jan 12, 2015 23:31:05 GMT -6
The 'eye-candy' almost got me one day also... but then I came to my senses after a decent slap upside the head from CN. The bling factor is hard to resist at times. I love my STA Level, it sounds like a million bucks, looks like a tall glass of water in red stiletto pumps and reminds me of Jane Harlow. When you look at Shadow Hills you want (I want) to have that wet in the pants Retro experience. It just doesn't happen. The 176,the STA, they give you that euphoric buzz. Shadow Hills is great on a first date, but when it comes to the drive in, you get stuck holding hands. |
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Post by levon on Jan 13, 2015 4:29:00 GMT -6
The 'eye-candy' almost got me one day also... but then I came to my senses after a decent slap upside the head from CN. The bling factor is hard to resist at times. I love my STA Level, it sounds like a million bucks, looks like a tall glass of water in red stiletto pumps and reminds me of Jane Harlow. When you look at Shadow Hills you want (I want) to have that wet in the pants Retro experience. It just doesn't happen. The 176,the STA, they give you that euphoric buzz. Shadow Hills is great on a first date, but when it comes to the drive in, you get stuck holding hands. This made me lol, but you hit the nail on the head. Still trying to picture that glass of water in red stilettos.... |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2015 16:25:41 GMT -6
The 'eye-candy' almost got me one day also... but then I came to my senses after a decent slap upside the head from CN. The bling factor is hard to resist at times. I love my STA Level, it sounds like a million bucks, looks like a tall glass of water in red stiletto pumps and reminds me of Jane Harlow. When you look at Shadow Hills you want (I want) to have that wet in the pants Retro experience. It just doesn't happen. The 176,the STA, they give you that euphoric buzz. Shadow Hills is great on a first date, but when it comes to the drive in, you get stuck holding hands. Where abouts in Canada are you? |
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Post by allbuttonmode on Jan 13, 2015 16:52:50 GMT -6
I have the Dual Vandergraph. It's a fantastic comp. I use it extensively on vocals. If you have a rather anemic and uneven vocal take, run it through the DV and rejoice. If you have a great vocal take, run that through it as well. You can't lose.
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