Recording the Beatles Book, EMI RS124 / Altec 436 Mods?

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but who's to say how authentic his circuit is?

. . or any others that might show up = chasing phantoms


If the various plaudits are valid then reversing a known rebuild unit would seem worthwhile. Tweaking is usually an ongoing process anyway.
 
From what i've heard even of the crap plugin...the thing sounds beautiful. For those with the 436, it would obviously be worth locating the modifications.

Otherwise, i'd say, just build Greg's 660? Thing sounds amazing...that of which the 436 was trying to sound like anyway? If the "436 emulating Fairchild" statement is anywhere near the truth...

Also, he's got a 436-type coming out....media gallery is coming soon i think. Maybe Greg knows the timeless secret? Hmph..
 
desol said:
From what i've heard even of the crap plugin...the thing sounds beautiful. For those with the 436, it would obviously be worth locating the modifications.

Otherwise, i'd say, just build Greg's 660? Thing sounds amazing...that of which the 436 was trying to sound like anyway? If the "436 emulating Fairchild" statement is anywhere near the truth...

Also, he's got a 436-type coming out....media gallery is coming soon i think. Maybe Greg knows the timeless secret? Hmph..

I haven't heard the 436 plug-in yet, but I'd be curious to demo it. See if it exhibits some of the strange behavior I've seen in the hardware.

Claims of the 436 being at all related to a Fairchild, aside from them both being vari-mu, are new to me. The design and sound are worlds apart. Just the attack and release speeds alone are orders of magnitude different (e.g. attack speed of 0.2ms vs ~20ms or more).

I'm keeping an eye on Greg's 436 project. I'll be curious which variations and mods he includes in his version.

cheers,
Leigh
 
leigh said:
I'm keeping an eye on Greg's 436 project. I'll be curious which variations and mods he includes in his version.

cheers,
Leigh

I think I've managed to miss that, linky?
 
The 436 is so simple, I can't imagine needing a circuit board to build it.  Especially an expensive circuit board.  A circuit board also makes it a total bitch to mod or experiment.    Wait, there's already a publicly posted circuit board layout here somewhere, that no one ever did anything with. 

A lot of people have made a lot of money in the last 15 years hawking the EMI mods, correct or incorrect.  I think Lassoharp is right, until EMI publicly shares, we can forget about knowing what the real mod list is.  The disclosed outline of the mod list is all pretty basic stuff that one can take guesses at pretty easily, and mod on a PtoP build.  Unless you have the right Peerless iron, or a 436 to hack, you should forget about it and use the plug-in.  If you need hardware, come up with something of your own, to your own taste, and stop feeding the snake oil salesmen.  I like the Beatles/Pink Floyd/Pretty Things too, but come on, F$%#'em, it's 2010. 

;D Another swell idea; 'group buy' one of the Hinson mod units and reverse it, re-sell it, publicly disclose.    ;D
 
With Greg's manual here on the forums: http://dripelectronics.com/community/showthread.php?tid=403

Looks like he's including mods for both cathode and plate balancing (actually, 2 different versions of plate balancing as options).

Interesting note too about not needing a center-tapped transformer for the input.
 
emrr said:
The 436 is so simple, I can't imagine needing a circuit board to build it.
Amen, I built the audio path on the tube sockets alone, the GR path on a 4 lug strip, done!
 
leigh said:
desol said:
From what i've heard even of the crap plugin...the thing sounds beautiful. For those with the 436, it would obviously be worth locating the modifications.

Otherwise, i'd say, just build Greg's 660? Thing sounds amazing...that of which the 436 was trying to sound like anyway? If the "436 emulating Fairchild" statement is anywhere near the truth...

Also, he's got a 436-type coming out....media gallery is coming soon i think. Maybe Greg knows the timeless secret? Hmph..

I haven't heard the 436 plug-in yet, but I'd be curious to demo it. See if it exhibits some of the strange behavior I've seen in the hardware.

Claims of the 436 being at all related to a Fairchild, aside from them both being vari-mu, are new to me.

Hey Leigh. I guess i should have been more clear. The RS124(modified altec) is rumored to have been a stab at emulating the Fairchild. That's what i've read a few times... Whether it's true or not, i have no idea.
 
emrr said:
The 436 is so simple, I can't imagine needing a circuit board to build it.   Especially an expensive circuit board.  A circuit board also makes it a total bitch to mod or experiment.    Wait, there's already a publicly posted circuit board layout here somewhere, that no one ever did anything with.  

A lot of people have made a lot of money in the last 15 years hawking the EMI mods, correct or incorrect.  


I'm assuming Greg's 436 is not an average 436..hence the reason for designing a board...or even releasing it in the first place? I guess it's my fault for referencing Greg's 436 to the RS124...so that negates anyone implying that anyone is hawking, full of BS, etc..

I guess we'll find out.
 
mushy said:
$150??????  Absolutely insane.

Yes, but it's art.

All kidding a side, a super large sized PCB with those heavy transformers with no external support must be approached with the knowledge that your equipment either can't be moved ever, or it will break either sooner or later.

The sheer number of those screw terminals just scream that this should have been point to point to begin with.

The one thing that all the fighting with poorman taught me is that a vari-mu compressor is a point-to-point project. There are so many variables and exciting modding vectors that there's simply no better way.
 
I did a fair amount of cursing at the PM670 circuit boards last night.  Not a replacement friendly environment. 
 
And I was thinking of buying a second audio PCB to do a stereo version... guess I can try it P2P.  My660 is still in pieces though.  ::)

A P2P 436 would be cool. gotta add it to the (ever-growing) list..
 
RANT :

It could make a slight difference that the Beatles were one of the best bands ever, superb
song writers and musicians working with a world class producer/arranger and using/abusing
whatever was "around" to get their ( at the time ) ground breaking sound ( now hissy and LoFi )

Obsessing over inadequate and "knackered" old bits of kit is for sure MUCH less important
than the above ...... right ???

Lets make some great music with all the lovely modern stuff we have available now !!
( or at least stuff that is designed and built well and requires no total re-build just to sound OK )
MM.
 
From what i've heard of Greg's Fairchild (media clips)...it's amazingly great, however it's put together.
I've sent him an email regarding the structural integrity of it, as this does concern me aside from it sounding like it does.

Will be interesting to hear the clips of the 436 type when they arrive.
 
Ok, Greg's reply regarding the Fairchild. I'm sure he won't mind me posting it here:


"ah , good point , i know there was some folks discussing this somewhere .

The pcb is a .093 inch fr4 (epoxy glass) with a 3 oz copper top plane
used as shielding and protection.

using standoffs underneath the pcb is essential for it's support of
transformers and very reccomended ,
there are probably over 40 holes for standoffs if you had any doubt .

every transformer is supported and the tensile strength of .093" FR4 and
3oz copper
top plane  is very high .

the pcb is solid and the craftsmanship is unrivaled .

rest assured , i have thought of these things long ago at the beggining
of the design ."

in other words the pcb would support your weight if you rested it
between two bricks."
 
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