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Post by nick8801 on Jul 6, 2018 23:06:51 GMT -6
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Post by yotonic on Jul 6, 2018 23:31:33 GMT -6
Pair of original Sphere 1200B modules racked by Tom Gruning. Completely outclasses the original Quad Eight channels I have owned. Love them. Attachment Deleted
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 5:13:18 GMT -6
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Post by tasteliketape on Jul 7, 2018 5:13:18 GMT -6
Please report back on the sound of these .
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 6:19:18 GMT -6
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Post by nick8801 on Jul 7, 2018 6:19:18 GMT -6
Pair of original Sphere 1200B modules racked by Tom Gruning. Completely outclasses the original Quad Eight channels I have owned. Love them. View AttachmentView AttachmentSick! I had some pm1000’s racked up by him several years ago. He does great work. I’m actually replacing my A Designs P1 (quad 8) since it doesn’t see much use.
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 6:22:43 GMT -6
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Post by nick8801 on Jul 7, 2018 6:22:43 GMT -6
Please report back on the sound of these . Will do. My main tracking pres are Electrodynes, so I’ll also make some comparisons between the two since they are sort of cousins.
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 8:19:06 GMT -6
Post by matt@IAA on Jul 7, 2018 8:19:06 GMT -6
Ive seen schematics for the old console M1200 pres, I thought they ran unbalanced out? Do you know what output transformer they're using for this?
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 10:15:50 GMT -6
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Post by nick8801 on Jul 7, 2018 10:15:50 GMT -6
Ive seen schematics for the old console M1200 pres, I thought they ran unbalanced out? Do you know what output transformer they're using for this? I believe they are recreations of the old reichenbach transformers. Probably made by cinemag but I could be wrong.
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 16:22:38 GMT -6
Post by matt@IAA on Jul 7, 2018 16:22:38 GMT -6
That would be cinemag. But my point was more - if the originals didn't have output transformers... how is this going to change the sound?
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Sphere
Jul 7, 2018 16:52:59 GMT -6
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Post by nick8801 on Jul 7, 2018 16:52:59 GMT -6
That would be cinemag. But my point was more - if the originals didn't have output transformers... how is this going to change the sound? That’s a great question, and one I’m definitely not qualified to answer!
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Sphere
Jul 8, 2018 10:21:03 GMT -6
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Post by notneeson on Jul 8, 2018 10:21:03 GMT -6
That would be cinemag. But my point was more - if the originals didn't have output transformers... how is this going to change the sound? Unbalanced out from the console, or just internally?
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Sphere
Jul 8, 2018 11:17:14 GMT -6
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Post by matt@IAA on Jul 8, 2018 11:17:14 GMT -6
Not sure, but the preamp itself fed directly to the EQ with no transformer in between. Perhaps they’ll use whatever output transformer was on the channel direct out?
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Sphere
Jul 8, 2018 12:55:41 GMT -6
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Post by nick8801 on Jul 8, 2018 12:55:41 GMT -6
That makes sense. I’ve heard they have an eq in the works too.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,934
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Post by ericn on Jul 8, 2018 13:08:32 GMT -6
Ive seen schematics for the old console M1200 pres, I thought they ran unbalanced out? Do you know what output transformer they're using for this? Many classic console pres are unbalanced but when racked a transformer similar to either one used for the direct out or the buss out put is added for some extra color or to offer a balanced out .
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Post by nick8801 on Jul 12, 2018 15:16:22 GMT -6
Got the preamp this morning, and had a chance to mess around a bit this afternoon. I dig it! It's very different than my Electrodynes. I have to do some more proper recording with it, but here's a few immediate impressions.....
The first thing I noticed was that the gain staging is different than my other pres. The pads are really useful. For example I just stuck my m160 in front of a little valve jr. The Electrodyne without a pad was on the first click which is 40 db of gain, with the output attenuator at 0. I got a nice full rich sound. The Sphere doesn't have an output knob, but I set the input till my meters were peaking about the same as the Electrodyne. When I hit playback the Sphere was distorting in a pretty unpleasant way. I engaged the 15db pad, and adjusted the gain. Boom. Nice pretty sound. Less bottom than the Electrodyne, but not lacking bottom in any way. Just tight. I also noticed the Sphere seemed to have more sparkle than the Electrodyne. Not like bright ugly sparkle, but like more of the harmonics pointed towards the upper end of the frequency spectrum. I could see doing very little eq'ing if I stacked a bunch of tracks with it. I also tested both pres with an SE T2 condenser on my voice. The results were pretty similar. The Sphere was nice and clear and sparkly, and the Electrodyne was a little noisier with that syrupy thing that I dig so much about it. I did engage the 30db pad and crank the gain on the Sphere and it was a pretty awesome sound. I think I wanna try that with some rock vocals. These were really informal tests. Just messing around, but I really dig it so far. It's a unique sound, and that's kind of what I was looking for. Once I record some proper stuff I'll post up samples.
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Sphere
Jul 12, 2018 23:08:43 GMT -6
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ericn likes this
Post by nick8801 on Jul 12, 2018 23:08:43 GMT -6
I just thought of a good analogy....The Sphere feels like a Vox ac30 and the Electrodyne feels like a super reverb.
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Sphere
Nov 7, 2019 13:00:16 GMT -6
Post by m03 on Nov 7, 2019 13:00:16 GMT -6
Any more thoughts on these, 16 months later? I noticed a few popped up for sale on the second-hand market and I was curious about them.
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Sphere
Nov 7, 2019 18:41:19 GMT -6
Post by gar381 on Nov 7, 2019 18:41:19 GMT -6
Got the preamp this morning, and had a chance to mess around a bit this afternoon. I dig it! It's very different than my Electrodynes. I have to do some more proper recording with it, but here's a few immediate impressions..... The first thing I noticed was that the gain staging is different than my other pres. The pads are really useful. For example I just stuck my m160 in front of a little valve jr. The Electrodyne without a pad was on the first click which is 40 db of gain, with the output attenuator at 0. I got a nice full rich sound. The Sphere doesn't have an output knob, but I set the input till my meters were peaking about the same as the Electrodyne. When I hit playback the Sphere was distorting in a pretty unpleasant way. I engaged the 15db pad, and adjusted the gain. Boom. Nice pretty sound. Less bottom than the Electrodyne, but not lacking bottom in any way. Just tight. I also noticed the Sphere seemed to have more sparkle than the Electrodyne. Not like bright ugly sparkle, but like more of the harmonics pointed towards the upper end of the frequency spectrum. I could see doing very little eq'ing if I stacked a bunch of tracks with it. I also tested both pres with an SE T2 condenser on my voice. The results were pretty similar. The Sphere was nice and clear and sparkly, and the Electrodyne was a little noisier with that syrupy thing that I dig so much about it. I did engage the 30db pad and crank the gain on the Sphere and it was a pretty awesome sound. I think I wanna try that with some rock vocals. These were really informal tests. Just messing around, but I really dig it so far. It's a unique sound, and that's kind of what I was looking for. Once I record some proper stuff I'll post up samples. gar381 here with Just a quick note .... The original M1200 (5 transistor version) /M1200B (6 transistor version) cards were un balanced but they will drive a transformer. Using the Sphere 7393PC or the modern Jensen JT123SLPC (same transformer BTW) wired 1:1 will work fine. A note on the pads... The -30db switch is a true pad before the Sphere 7341 Input transformer. The -15db switch is not really a pad. This switch drops the gain of the M1200s DOA by 15 db and that is located after the Sphere 7341 input transformer. These are my favorite pres but then I am biased lol Gary
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2019 13:01:39 GMT -6
I got to make a couple records on this specific console when it was located in Upstate NY years back. Absolutely the best thing I've ever tracked on. Those graphics are so sick.
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Sphere
Nov 8, 2019 13:31:24 GMT -6
Post by johneppstein on Nov 8, 2019 13:31:24 GMT -6
Sick! I had some pm1000’s racked up by him several years ago. I've never been able to understand the interest in those. I have a PM-1000 -16 in storage that was the monitor console at The Stone nightclub in SF for many, many years. Horrible, horrible console. Pretty crappy channel modules - Yamaha cheaped out on every possible thing they could cut a corner on. Several times people have offered to buy modules from it but I always refuse to sell because I would not want to be responsible for taking advantage of unsuspecting people who have been snowed by internet hype. I keep the console because it's a real historical artifact - so many people played through that piece of junk! Of course when it was originally purchased there was nothing else off the shelf available on the market to speak of....
Apologies for the digression...
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Sphere
Nov 8, 2019 15:41:20 GMT -6
Post by gar381 on Nov 8, 2019 15:41:20 GMT -6
I got to make a couple records on this specific console when it was located in Upstate NY years back. Absolutely the best thing I've ever tracked on. Those graphics are so sick. That Sphere Eclipse A now belongs to a buddy of mine in Chicago at Shirk Studios. I designed several upgrades to that particular desk that Shirk has implemented in this guy. Balanced Receivers are now on all line level inputs plus 8 Balanced line level direct outs. gar381interests.com/Shirk_Receivers.jpg That desk is very well maintained and is now a total sonic monster !! Plus all those 920 graphic EQs are indeed killer. Gary Attachments:
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Deleted
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Sphere
Nov 8, 2019 16:10:50 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2019 16:10:50 GMT -6
I got to make a couple records on this specific console when it was located in Upstate NY years back. Absolutely the best thing I've ever tracked on. Those graphics are so sick. That Sphere Eclipse A now belongs to a buddy of mine in Chicago at Shirk Studios. I designed several upgrades to that particular desk that Shirk has implemented in this guy. Balanced Receivers are now on all line level inputs plus 8 Balanced line level direct outs. gar381interests.com/Shirk_Receivers.jpg That desk is very well maintained and is now a total sonic monster !! Plus all those 920 graphic EQs are indeed killer. Gary Rad!
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