Who was making the Fairchild?

Perhaps naive questions, but (1) which part of the FC gives the most part of its characteristic sound? The traffos? The valve types? The whole circuit design?
(2) if you have to change major components like valves and traffos, isn't it just as good to build something different, cos you haven't really got a FC anyway.
Melon
P.S I've used a FC for tracking and mastering and the sound is not only great but very distinctive, very different to, say, my Chiswick Reach.
P.P.S Anyone compared a FC to the new Fairman? How are they made?

I am going to use original transformers if I can find them.
I have the UTC input.
I have the Triad output.
I think Sowter actually makes a better control output than the original, which had stability problems.
So the last missing link is that 1:17 control input.
It's in a can, so I don't know the make or model.
But I know someone who does!
cj

PRR would be the ideal interviewer if an audience could be arranged with this R.N. fellow. He'd certainly know the right questions to ask! If PRR doesn't wanna do it, I'd be willing, schedule permitting.

An in-person interview would certainly be more efficient than trying to do it by bouncing emails back and forth...

They have rewound one of the transformers, maybe you can ask them for some infos:
http://www.hestudiotechnik.de/english/repair/repair.htm

I asked PRR already, but he was only mildly interested due to commtiments and such.
Thanks for the transformer lead!
cj

Is anyone in touch with this fellow? Like I said, if a face-to-face is called for, I'll be glad to do it.

Still, if the guy's 83 years old and designed this thing decades ago... I'm considerably less than 83 years old, and I have a hard time remembering many details of things I designed less than ten years ago! :?

He is still as sharp as a tack.
I talked on the phone with him for about an hour.
He was into Field Recordings after WW2 , worked for Ampex for a while, use to live right down the street in Woodside,CA.
Really nice man.

...

I was guessing A10 also.
I know it is a small block UTC from pics, but they got an A33 can over it for shielding.
The real mystery is inside that metal box!

Oh, and the Sola bias transformer is kinda freaky.
I don't think Rein would use that pwr supply today!

But if you wanna recreate the original as close as possible....
ebay.

Well, I just talked to my Fairchild dood and it seems to be a go. He promised me the box for a few days and the original schems. I'm gonna price out cloning it for him and even if he baulks at the price I'll get some great pics and schem copies :grin: He paid 14 grand for the original so I'm pretty sure I can do one reasonably priced in comparison and still make some jing for my labor. Of course I'll have disappeared into the basement so the wife and kids won't see me for a while :sad:

more updates after I get my grubby hands on that box (I think I just quoted Ron Jeremy)

cheers,
kent

Yeah, but who does the 6386 replacements?

I´m afraid no one...

I've put a That's VCA into an ECC82.. no difference

I modified a Behringer Tube-Comp, sounds like FC670, no difference

Click to expand...

Hehe.. Its anything... I know one folk here,
he can modify your Fairchild and it will sound like Behringer
:grin: :grin: :grin:

Sorry, double post.