Comments on: Consoles of the 70s : part 2

By: David Domanich

David Domanich — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:40:09 +0000

I believe this was my old trident a range in photo 30 in 24 monitor 16 buss

By: TomC

TomC — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 10:58:40 +0000

Robbie:
Precisely! That is an ADM NRC recording console – perhaps it is the one designed and manufactured for Fine Recording.
TomC
Audio Designs and Mfg./ADM Design Engineer

By: Quentin Meek

Quentin Meek — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 21:19:54 +0000

I worked at Studio Six in Montreal in the 1st half of the 1970s. In 1972 we field tested Olive Electrodynamics “automated” mixing system. 16 faders controlling VCAs. The levels and movements were encoded into one digital signal and recorded on a track of the multitrack. Played back faders did not move but all levels tracked. Then you could press an update button update and record the old levels/movements plus changes on a new track. Then you bounced back and forth with each update. Yes, this reduced our 16 tracks to 14 but then you could easily record stuff here and there on tracks and use the 2 extra faders muted most of the time to “extract” these bits onlto extra input channels. I did the first “automated” mix of an album with that system. I believe it was the first in the world but certainly the first in N.A. A year later, summer 1972, we installed the system in our Neve 8024 changing to DBX VCAs (best at the time). With a 24track recorder and 32 programmable faders it was quite usable. Best thing that Olive made! This was the first “automated” Neve board. Rupert and his wife came to see what we had done. We gave him the $5 tour 😉 and had supper. Very nice man. I think he probably looked at the clumsy update method and thought (hmm? moving faders).

By: Robbie Connolly

Robbie Connolly — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 05:20:41 +0000

This website is so great! Thanks for all the gathering you’ve done! One thing I noticed on this page is that the console marked as ADR actually looks like an ADM 770 series console. Coincidentally I’ve lately been thinking about the similarity in their names because I recently required a bit of equipment from both brands, haha. Anyway, keep up the great work. I’m currently piecing together what will hopefully be a very cool ADM console and I’ll share my impressions once everything is up and running 🙂 🙂

By: Eric Roe Johnson

Eric Roe Johnson — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 18:26:20 +0000

A few more console/mixer brands;
Tangent
Canary
Malachi
Raindirk
Eela
Soundtracs
D&R
Focusrite
AMEK
Sudiomaster
Pandora Systems
Eltec
Gately Electronics
2025AD
Philip Drake Electronics
WalkerAV
Mavis
AudioDesign
Tascam
Neotek

Plus about 20 more that I can see in my minds eye but can’t recall the names of … yet!

BTW last I knew was the Olive from the Univ of Colorado was bought out of storage about 10 years, made operational and in a working studio in Franklin, TN. Also Dan Flickinger got crosswise with the law over illeagal substances, not appropriating another’s circuit designs. He was a pretty brilliant designer in his own right, just not adept at business.

By: Christopher Dean

Christopher Dean — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 06:52:37 +0000

I worked as the technician at Thunder Sound for a while until the doors were locked.
The Olive console was hated by everyone that came into contact with it.
When it worked, it sounded quite good.
The studio was busy making albums and remixing disco.
The biggest ongoing problem with Olive was a persistent oscillation at about 16 to 18KHz. The level and frequency would change as faders were moved. It was a rare day that all channels could be used and it wasn’t predictable which ones would work and which combination of things would set off the oscillation.
Each channel strip was on a plug in frame and then, to add to the problems, each strip had a whole bunch of small plug in cards with specific functions. For example there was a card with line driver op amps, a card with a DBX vca, a power supply regulator card, and a few more types.
After a very thorough cleaning of every contact on the mainframe and every contact on the channel strips, the mixer improved, slightly…
It was still a constant battle swapping the function modules on channel strips to keep the mixer usable at all.
After much testing and hours with the ‘scope I found that the power regulator modules on the channel strips were breaking into oscillation! The early dual tracking regulator chips were not up to the task and were a poor design. Because everything in the mixer was controlled by vca, as faders were moved, current draw changed and these unstable regulators changed their frequency.
I started a project to replace all the capacitors on the regulator modules with tantalums and added additional bypass caps.
As the number of rebuilt and modified modules increased, the mixer became more and more stable and sounded better.
A further project was planned to use a totally redesigned home brew regulator module using a more modern, quieter, more stable chip but, alas, I showed up to work one day and the doors were padlocked with a notice on them.

Wish I could find that mixer today, or at least some parts from it.

By: Jamie Goldsmith

Jamie Goldsmith — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 03:10:04 +0000

I used to own a 1″ Scully with the 280 electronics and it was not what I would call a “location” recording device, so I totally get the “beast” description. I replaced it with a Scully model 100 16-track which was even heavier. Also, as a guy that was trying to build a commercial studio on a budget, the Japanese boards’ performance was enticing even if it meant being ribbed about having a mixing desk that was made by a company that also produced transistor radios or other consumer electronics.

By: Eminem – Cleaning Out my Closet Case Study | Jackson Parker

Eminem – Cleaning Out my Closet Case Study | Jackson Parker — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 11:14:06 +0000

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By: Eric Seaberg

Eric Seaberg — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 04:26:15 +0000

I purchased one of the Audio Designs and Manufacturing consoles (ADR console) back in 1976 and, OMG, what a SOUND that thing had! All discrete, the first console with reed-relays used for buss & aux assignment, GREAT sounding EQ. I listen to mixes done on that thing 40-years later and they’re still big and fat!!

By: Stu

Stu — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 23:03:35 +0000

In reply to Tom Fine. Caribou Ranch's Olive console was not so much a debacle as it was the forward thinking of owner Guercio to fulfill a need. That need was full creativity without distractions. While it was ahead of its time , it was put into the studio prematurely. More R&D and time to fully develop the protocols was needed for flawless operation. as far as the ranch itself destination recording studios were just coming into acceptance yet there were few. Caribou was one of the first with All Inclusive @ $16,000. a week for up to 15 persons : Engineer if needed ( tape xtra) , Studio instruments, Historic lodge and cabin accommodations, 24/7 meals, phone calls, Horses, vehicles to run into nearby Nederland or Boulder, various Pool tables, Foosball, Pinball games. Fresh air and elbow room .