Helios thread

[soundguy]

yeah, those arent the ones my friend has, totally different. hopefully I can get my hands on them this week or the next.

dave

 

[Guest]

helios eq up on ebay
it's one of the ones that run on 36v
I have got the seller to send me extremely detailed photos of the insides
(which I can't host - but they are being emailed to sismofyt right now)

 

[sismofyt]

I read that in a review. I thought it was in that George Shilling review I posted some pages back, but couldn't find it. Maybe it's in one of my ol' Studio Sound mag, I'll look it up.

If you're looking for metal can trannies, you're probably thinking BC109c, nice onces too.

I'll upload the pics uk send me in a few minutes.

I'm sorry I don't have much time for this project right now, but I'm currently in bed with 'cause I'm sick I also have a shitload of owrk to do... :sad:

 

[sismofyt]

 

[sismofyt]

Sorry for the big pics!

 

[sismofyt]

Doh, it was in the George Shilling review, I even highlighted the 1dB part in red

I'm only guessing it's the Lustraphone trannie doing it, unless the amps have half a dB bump each. The bump is still there with the eq switched out.

 

[CJ]

I think Tr15 is mounted backwards.

:wink:
Any boards available yet?
:guinness:

 

[sismofyt]

Ha! We're not clonning that one. Mr. Swettenham made more different Helios desk/eqs than I can keep track on. I don't think they're all _that_ cool. The 69 is the one to DIY.

I'm still fukkin' with that eq, but now I got one of them fancy sim apps, so I may do some progress, when I get up on my legs again...

 

[sismofyt]

I don't see any inductors and isn't that TO-5 an opamp?

 

[Joechris]

It seems to me that every helios shematics is different. Here is the hi eq section from a helios desk that once lived in norway.

jo

 

[sismofyt]

Yes, that's what I think too. Helios wasn't a Neve like company, they did one offs to various studios. Some alike some not. Some not so good, some really neat. I don't see anything unique in the Helios schematics though. But the consoles look FUKKING COOL

A totally irrational reason for DIying I guess :grin:

 

[Joechris]

No nothing unique, but the others I have seen the shematics off have less steps. The "arctic" also had balaced line input, with a pad infront of the mic trafo.
jo

 

[CJ]

Butta, that third link needs adjusting.
And the Stancor line to line looks very good at the bottom end, but rolls off quickly after 20 k hertz, which might explain why you like it.
Nice mellow top end with no peaks.
cj
haven't tried the Thordarson yet.

Just the name Helios is enuff to diy!
:guinness:
Besides, the Olympics are on in Greece!

 

[soundguy]

man oh man oh man, tonight has been one for the books...

Got an ear full from the horses mouth- was able to sit down for one drink with Mr. John Paul Jones this evening, the conversation was pretty focused on dick swettenham and helios consoles. Apparently after clearing the cobwebs, the helios that was in the stones truck had the "69" black eq's in it which inside the truck sounded slightly different than the big silver wrap around console at Olympic which inspired them to book the truck in the first place. REALLY interesting conversation and my god is he just the nicest most HUMBLE dude I think I may have ever met in my life. Oh, I saw him play too, he got better... FRIGHTENING... Hats off to JPJ, its so fucking rewarding when your heroes turn out to be ten million percent more than you ever imagined they could possibly be.

I guess you know you are a geek when you can get the answer to any question you've ever had about your favorite band EVER and you talk about helios consoles... That one is for you guys...

dave

 

[JustinS]

I am a newbie DIY'er (building my first 1176 at the mo - much thanks to the lab and group DIY) and am very much into building some Helios pres / EQ's for 1. cause the Nick Drake stuff recorded at Island sounds fab and 2. just cause its a little different than Neve / API stuff...

Anyway looking at the small collection of Helios info I have dl'ed from the Net... 1. Correct me if I am wrong, on the readable schematics there are 2 cards labelled (obviously) card 1 and card 2... Are these both the same cards - the Helios line amp??? If so, it makes the thing not too scary ... a trannie or 2, 2 line ams, and a passive eq... nice!! 2. Is there a relatively easily obtainable alternative to the Lustraphone trannie on the input?

 

[bluebird]

Holy smokes Dave :shock:

Thats incredible. I think I would just flub up anything I was trying to ask if presented with a situation like that.

you've touched something special there...

 

[JustinS]

Mental note to self,

Fully read all previous posts before posting... Sowter makes the Trannies...

Justin.

 

[SSLtech]

Hmmmm...

This is the old console that Iremember working on at Strawberry:
http://www.danalexanderaudio.com/danspics/redconsole.jpg

...and it appears to be the same console as this one:
http://www.sismofyt.net/Helios_36.jpg

 

[Bauman]

uhmm... tant caps all around. But they are bad right? :wink:

 

[Bauman]

Hey butta!

I told that cos I really like tants...
I'm using them on my hamptones... great stuff.

btw, I love the look of those Helios consoles!!!
I'm in this diy!!!