Comments on: LOFT recording consoles circa mid 1970’s: UPDATE

By: Jess

Jess — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 21:51:09 +0000

oh this is neat, so only the first Loft 800 had the TransAmp?
I have a mic pre card from this, and it is far different from Valley People’s own MP-1000 with ferrite beads and 2.2nF film caps along with a rectifier to direct the input into the fully differential Trans amp with the TL072 on the output buffer of the Loft, where the MP-1000 has the TL072 as an input buffer and TL082 as output buffer. It would make sense that these would sound so much like early Neotek consoles, because they all have a bunch of TL072’s. Even the TransAmp is a few transistors and another TL072 potted together

Anybody know of a schematic for the Loft 800’s? the mic pre gain and phantom power switch are a bit puzzling

By: Bill Hudak

Bill Hudak — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 17:12:27 +0000

Hi,
I’m Bill Hudak, co-owner of the former Reel Dreams recording studio in Bloomfield, CT. The 800 series photo above was taken at our studio.
I have kept the console and planned on refurbishing it to use in my current home studio. It was a beauty in it’s day and the sound was superb. John Roberts, the designer engineer at Loft, came up with a brilliant “current source summing” scheme that brought summing noise down to almost negligible. We had that retrofit installed and were amazed.
We’ve decide to move North and I’m afraid the console must be sold.
Any interest?

By: peter nimirowski

peter nimirowski — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 00:07:47 +0000

In reply to john rivers. I would love to hear from Richard. Do you know were he lives now.

By: john rivers

john rivers — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 16:43:36 +0000

i have a 10 reel with a Federman sticker on it and paperwork from the loft. where are you now, when your gone, low down, leave you in the past ,are the songs on it . but who is the band?

By: Peter Nimirowski

Peter Nimirowski — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 21:27:29 +0000

In reply to Christian Rubenbauer. Thank You for the kind comments. I enjoyed speaking with you. I dabbled a bit 20 years ago and built a studio/console in the basement of my home. It all sits idle. Maybe my Grandson's will use some of the equipment.

By: Christian Rubenbauer

Christian Rubenbauer — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 12:02:43 +0000

I met Peter through a varied list of mutual friends. Peter visited my shop in Colchester, Connecticut sometime in the Mid-2000’s. ( I was entertaing the idea of Producing a MI Combo Amplifier, with Telefunken in South Windsor, Connecticut.) As you had mentioned earlier in this piece, Peter had turned on his heel from the Audio Industry. Last I knew, Peter was remodeling Bathrooms, in Central Connecticut. Although, I have never seen any of his Remodeling Projects. I can only imagine his attention to detail and high standards of material usage. My impressions were then, and still are as follows. Peter’s mind is a shining example of American Entrepeneurial Spirit. God Bless him. I was honored to meet and speak with him.

By: Bob Lee

Bob Lee — Mon, 18 May 2015 22:09:24 +0000

I second contacting Larry Smetana at Accutech.

That top photo looks like it might be a studio that I once recorded at, on West Middle Turnpike in Manchester, Conn. I think it was called Eastern Recording.

By: Peter Nimirowski

Peter Nimirowski — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 11:50:18 +0000

In reply to jon-michael engard. Contact Larry Smetana owner of Accutech in E Hartford, CT 860-290-8979 Larry was my tech at Loft and Phoenix Audio

By: jon-michael engard

jon-michael engard — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:30:02 +0000

I recently “lucked” into a Loft 440 Flanger/delay. It does need a bit of servicing. I am looking for a competent technician who would not be intimidated by a unit like this. I would welcome and suggestions. Thank you.

By: Bob Lee

Bob Lee — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:37:31 +0000

John Roberts came up with some really innovative and fantastic designs for Loft/Phoenix Audio Labs. I learned a great deal from him. John later went on to Peavey and produced designs for their Architectural Acoustics line, which were very high-performance products but probably greatly underappreciated. He now has a company called Circular Science, whose web site is http://www.resotune.com.