GML 8302/04 WOW!

I recently used an 8304 on a live record down in LA. I used the GML on Overheads and holy crap those things are amazing!! instantly wanted some for my own studio haha Anyone have a clue on whats happening in the circuit? sounded pretty different than other pres that I'm used to using (which is impressive considering most stuff just sounds like its standing on the shoulders of an older design). Super curious as to whats under the hood! It was so tight feeling and the way you could get the snare to crack the pre was to die for!

Oh yes. The GML preamp is amazing. It's equally amazing used as a DI for keyboards

I think GML gear uses remote power supplies, high voltage rails & discrete opamps to get the results

No-one talks much about GML gear any more but it is worth seeking out if you like things clean & transparent. Don't demo the 8200 EQ unless you have the money to buy it, because you will definitely want one!

Nick Froome

Used one at the studio I used to record at. Agree that they’re amazing pres. Massenburg claims that they’re  an all discrete BJT design w/a 28V supply. No ICs, Opamps, FETs in the signal path. They looked like a very complex discrete opamp using SMT components with servo outputs on a separate board. Didn’t have a magnifying glass to try to glean a clue what was going on though.  No pics for you.

The one I had would have predated SMD, I suspect. They were made under contract by a third party (Manley?) for many years. Manufacture stopped for a while but I think it is back in production

Nick Froome

pvision said:

I think GML gear uses remote power supplies, high voltage rails & discrete opamps to get the results

Nick Froome

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Yeah they definitely do! I had to lug in a large power supply with it haha

I did read somewhere that they were built by Manley too. Which is kind of interesting. Although I know a ton of history about lots of companies, GML is like a black hole to me as far as knowledge.

I did find one picture that looks like it has quite the opamp on the front end. I honestly don't think I've ever seen an opamp with that complex of a circuit on it. No wonder it sounds so different haha

Knotty said:

I did read somewhere that they were built by Manley too. Which is kind of interesting.

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Eva and George are friends now. At least according to a press release I saw a couple of years back. Apparently GML and Manley became a joint venture of some kind, and I believe GML was being made at Manley facilities. Not sure what the current state of their arrangement is.

Thanks!

Paul

Potato Cakes said:

Eva and George are friends now. At least according to a press release I saw a couple of years back. Apparently GML and Manley became a joint venture of some kind, and I believe GML was being made at Manley facilities. Not sure what the current state of their arrangement is.

Thanks!

Paul

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Oh thats super cool!

Hello

I totally agree, the GML 830x is a true great preamp !
I use a 4 ch version in a studio I work time to time.
Still waiting the day with 16 or 24 ch to track a full acoustic band... will never happen.
But I'm sure it will sound so "real"

And thank for the inside pic, never see it, the daughter board SMD opamp is freaking !!!

Best
Zam

I reckon its all those lovely gently curved tracks on the PCB that give it its great sound - no sharp corners for the electrons to bang their heads on. WHere do you get PCB software that  does that kind of layout?

Cheers

Ian

ruffrecords said:

WHere do you get PCB software that  does that kind of layout?

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IIRC eagle allow this.
Don't know about kicad (the one we use ?) I never check this...
Best
Zam

Letraset done by hand?

Nick Froome

Knotty said:

Yeah they definitely do! I had to lug in a large power supply with it haha

I did read somewhere that they were built by Manley too. Which is kind of interesting. Although I know a ton of history about lots of companies, GML is like a black hole to me as far as knowledge.

I did find one picture that looks like it has quite the opamp on the front end. I honestly don't think I've ever seen an opamp with that complex of a circuit on it. No wonder it sounds so different haha

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That’s exactly what I saw when we opened up the unit we had. Thanks for posting!

ruffrecords said:

I reckon its all those lovely gently curved tracks on the PCB that give it its great sound - no sharp corners for the electrons to bang their heads on. WHere do you get PCB software that  does that kind of layout?

Cheers

Ian

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Yep, EAGLE will do that, but you better get your layout REAL close because the curves can be a PITA to move around IIRC.
YMMV
Best,
Bruno2000

Potato Cakes said:

Eva and George are friends now. At least according to a press release I saw a couple of years back. Apparently GML and Manley became a joint venture of some kind, and I believe GML was being made at Manley facilities. Not sure what the current state of their arrangement is.

Thanks!

Paul

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Manley stopped manufacturing GML at least 4 years ago, maybe 5. 

I have an 8304 preamp up until last year and loved it, couldn't not justify keeping it as a mastering guy...

ruairioflaherty said:

Manley stopped manufacturing GML at least 4 years ago, maybe 5. 

I have an 8304 preamp up until last year and loved it, couldn't not justify keeping it as a mastering guy...

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Also of note, that's about the time I got into DIY and found this place, so I had mostly stopped paying attention to some aspects of the audio manufacturing industry. I didn't realize it was that long ago.

ruffrecords said:

I reckon its all those lovely gently curved tracks on the PCB that give it its great sound - no sharp corners for the electrons to bang their heads on. WHere do you get PCB software that  does that kind of layout?

Cheers

Ian

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I’ve been enjoying curved traces in Proteus 8.6 lately.  8.x has a teardrop option too. However I mainly use it so I can get things done, rather than learn another app and make new custom packages.  I find it’a Curved traces works fairly easily with a click of the control button while you drag the mouse around to route.

How does the GML compare to other clean pres like Forssell or Gordon? I've only used the Forssell,  which is very nice.

john12ax7 said:

How does the GML compare to other clean pres like Forssell or Gordon? I've only used the Forssell,  which is very nice.

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I haven't used the Forssell or Gordon so I can't offer much there. I did own 9 channel of the Millennia pres for many years and the GML beats it in every way. I've briefly used the Hardy too which was nice but the GML is the best all round clean pre I've used.

The EQ on the other hand was not something I loved. I understand that it was groundbreaking back in the day but I had one available to me for years and used it maybe twice.

I'd like to try the compressor sometime in mastering.

john12ax7 said:

How does the GML compare to other clean pres like Forssell or Gordon? I've only used the Forssell,  which is very nice.

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I've never used either of those either. I've used the grace a lot and the GML blows them out of the water for me as well. Funny how the GML are crystal clear but still add some great character (oxymoron?). But they add beef and character while sounding just like the input audio, kind of awesome haha

afaik it's a simple trsansformerless one opamp circuit, no surprises in the basic design. The secret ingredient is the opamp... It might be interesting to discuss the circuit and guess why the opamp suits the task so well or why it sounds so good. Maybe there is a suitable opamp availble nowadys? I don't have any confirmed information on the original opamps I only know  that they are potted and like to explode once in a while.

Michael