Colins 212B & Canadian Made Colins/Marconi C12-HA

[matriachamplification]

Hello GroupDIY

This completes my life story "Ramble On: Search for the One True Tone".

yesterday "ish" marked my 1 year anniversary without a hospital stay with a vintage gear shopping celebration!

My wife and kids bought a old beat up RCA BE-1B Passive Line Equalizer.
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-CATALOGS/IDX/RCA/RCA-Broadcast-Equipment-1948-OCR-Page-0063.pdf

Like many, I was constantly reprimanded for purchasing a wide variety of vintage tube gear. Being a non-Hockey playing Canadian, which is my goto argument, and a recluse (6 years on the inside), my wife has allowed me some latitude in this area with one rule. No more guitar tube amps.

With a full lesson plan laid out starting hard DEC. 2020, mostly built around Mr. Thompson-Bells Custom Tube Console designs I have been actively purchasing old items to tie together a storyline for learning historical elements of analog audio. Canada, outside of Sir Samuel Edward Rogers Sr., had no real historical relevance and we were working around that given all the great RCA, Colins, Gates etc. products  already very well documented with many existing in our partners library of items to showcase hands on.

Not to glaze over this Canadian made Marconi Colins C12-HA Console (link below with Mr. Hensley's description) with a real history, we are working with Mr. Hensley to make the trip to Baton Rouge to secure and bring the C12-HA back to Canada for full restoration all to be filmed for historical relevance. I will have to  make the trip at some point myself to secure and drive home the console as I have not found a reliable console shipping company I trust with these consoles. As a recluse this is a concern.

With Mr. Hensley wishing for his consoles to end up in the right place, we have also made arrangements to pick up and bring back with us a Colins 212B console, again to be restored and filmed for historical relevance.

If possible, we are likely going to do some sort of "Vintage Tube Gear" pickers route as we drive back.

If any Vintage Audio Techs with experience and stories about gear they are willing to share on film interviewed about Vintage Audio, please contact me. The more people involved the more fun this trip will be.

PM me if interested and I can begin storyboarding.

Banton Rouge LA to Prince Edward County Ontario. Large trip to cover.

Wall

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Marconi-of-Canada-C12-HA-Audio-Broadcast-Console-Canadian-Marconi-for-CBC-WW2-/163884487334?nma=true&si=8D0WwyaGhiLyhs7t1G3WvF1HctU%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Collins-Radio-Co-212B2-Audio-Broadcast-Mixer-Console-w-p-s-Ready-to-Service-/163648517575?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20190711095549%26meid%3D199a54a656c34c3e9e53b58c1e990ce8%26pid%3D100047%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D163884487334%26itm%3D163648517575%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=8D0WwyaGhiLyhs7t1G3WvF1HctU%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc

 

[Rocinante]

Those Colins pieces are beyond beautiful. Truly master class pieces of audio art

 

[emrr]

Hensley purchased that C12 console from me about a dozen years ago, I imported it from Canada in the early 2000's.  I made various notes about it at the time, never moved forward on restoration.  Nothing much to add that he can't fill you in on.    Except maybe that there are a pair of program amps in it, rather than a single program amp and a monitor amp as original. 

You'll find the picture used is the one I took when I had it, if you look around the interwebs.

You should drop by and pick up my restored RCA BC-2B while you're at it....

 

[matriachamplification]

Hensley purchased that C12 console from me about a dozen years ago, I imported it from Canada in the early 2000's.  I made various notes about it at the time, never moved forward on restoration.  Nothing much to add that he can't fill you in on.    Except maybe that there are a pair of program amps in it, rather than a single program amp and a monitor amp as original. 

You'll find the picture used is the one I took when I had it, if you look around the interwebs.

You should drop by and pick up my restored RCA BC-2B while you're at it....

Thank you EmRR. I appreciate not having to look any further for the lineage of the console. For that I owe you.

RCA BC-2B: https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=53576.0

One of these two you refashioned? I am at a loss of words at the moment. I would be in favour of discussing this, if GDIY members wish to see this included in the documentary?

I will PM you and we can talk more.

 

[matriachamplification]

Those Colins pieces are beyond beautiful. Truly master class pieces of audio art

Being in Canada, I have never seen any of these types of larger vintage consoles in person. This is a very exciting time. Great to have you involved at the ground level!

 

[matriachamplification]

I found this link and reached out to the site proprietor. Turns out the pics are from Mr. Hensley. Reaching out to CBC next to inquire about their possession of a C12-HA. There is an apparent graveyard of vintage gear they have in storage.

http://www.jproc.ca/marconi/c12ha.html

 

[mjrippe]

If you are interested in Canadian broadcast/recording history you might want to talk to the folks at THD Labs.  I believe they are trying to acquire the McCurdy brand and IP.  There will be a ton of technical documents and history involved.

 

[matriachamplification]

If you are interested in Canadian broadcast/recording history you might want to talk to the folks at THD Labs.  I believe they are trying to acquire the McCurdy brand and IP.  There will be a ton of technical documents and history involved.

Thank you for sharing this connection. THD-Labs is only a short 3 hour distance from our farm. I would be thrilled to hear their thoughts and have just sent a email regarding this project.

Wall