PC MIDI SPECS:
You've got yourself a Digital Setup and you now need :
- Good solid modular console with discrete mic. amps.(4x
transistor front end) that give loads of dynamic headroom.
- Classic "British EQ": warm as toast (Hi and lo shelf with
two swept mids) with those all important cross over points.
- 4 Aux sends, stingy, but think about it.
- Dual input modules: "in line" format, where channels 1>8
double up as groups : probably the best value modular console" for 24 Trk
monitoring: 24/8/24 selling for around 800 quid
- ALPS faders and switches and Midi Mutes all round
- Omeg pots, (same as Amek Einstein/Tac Mattress/A+H Sabre
- Meter bridge monitoring 8 group outs and the 16 tape returns:
comes with separate rack mount 4u power supply
- The 24/8/24 s' give 48 inputs : great for 24 Trk monitoring,
would be an ideal companion for the new 24trk HD systems coming out.
- The PC Midi 32 input gives 64 inputs for around £1300
- Various formats
January
2010: Read a rather interesting post on GEARSLUTZ about how some chaps reckon the
PC MIDI has better MIC AMPS and EQ than the £5000 ATB. Well theres a thing,
Just had an email from Mac from Groutfinger records in Didcot, he uses the
PC Midi for hi s very busy operation, loads of local musos bands use his
place. Loves his PC Midi to bits (mind you Im trying to sell him a Jade right now
! :) Please check out Groutfingerrecords
ALSO : Supplied Tristian O ' Dwyer with a PC Midi 24 ,and here are his thoughts
on "The SOUND of the PC MIDI"
Sent: 14 November 2007 14:33
To: tim jones
Hi Tim,
Thought Id just send you some thoughts on the PC Midi (Pictures below).
The best thing about these desks is the construction, it looks and feels like
a Pro Console. The real shame in the audio industry these days is that with
everyone concentrating resources on digital equipment nobody is manufacturing
decent affordable modular consoles.
ME : I guess its just too expensive to recreate
I found the construction of this desk reminiscent of something like a DDA and
definitely a step above something like the Soundcraft Ghost, which always felt
cheap to me.
I was really blown away by the E.Q on this desk. Perhaps Im imagining things
because its been about two years since I did a mix on one but the EQs reminded
me of the Amek Einstein, which is, as you know, a fairly serious console.
I dont have much call to use the preamps but I thought Id give them a try. I
was surprised to find that they sounded, to my ears at least, every bit as good
as some outboard preamps Ive used in the 300 range-and you get 24 with the PC
Midi! I found them clear and detailed but with enough character to make them
interesting.
That's good input for the web site
Theres still a bit of tweaking to do, I have yet to bring all of the inserts
onto the patchbay and intend to start optimising the monitoring set up when
I get time.
ok
I have very few criticisms of this desk. The routing is perhaps less intuitive
than on a split console and the +48v switches are hidden under the meter bridge.
At least the phantom power isnt global-a pet hate of mine!
I was wondering if, in your experience, there is any way of calibrating the
meters. Im sure this is a common complaint in analogue/digital hybrid systems
but I would really like to try and match the metering to Pro Tools in so far
as is possible.
Well have you seen the +4 /-10 option? STEREO JACK +
4 on TIP , -10 on RING?
I bought this mixer to work on some live projects I recorded over the summer.
Im a broadcast engineer by trade and while my job has many parallels with my
hobby and allows me to work with pro audio and video gear, Ive found that in
recent years I have less and less time to work with music. Perhaps there is
no connection but Ive found since I installed this desk last weekend Im actually
sitting down and writing songs again. Im not claiming that the desk had made
me more creative but maybe sub-consciously Im trying to justify owning such
a great console by writing music again-who knows.
Well that’s just the sort of stuff that keeps the
Analogue flag flying!, I get this kind of feedback all the time ,and you being
a broadcast engineer just about puts the icing on the cake for me. Hope you get some good results, love to get a CD one
day?
Have you got a MySPACE going ??
I've attached a link to
my website. Tristans
web site
There's a track on the Music page called Dingle Regatta which I mixed on the
desk at the weekend. Its a traditional instrumental recorded in a pub. I didn't
do anything crazy with it, simply ran the eight channels through the Soundtracs
and added some EQ. I applied some limiting to the mix but it hasn't been mastered
professionally.
By way of comparison there are two more polished performances- Greenland Whale
Fisheries and Jock Stewart also on the page which I mixed on my Alesis rack
mixer and had professionally mastered for a demo CD.
I think you'll agree that the mix I spent half an hour on with the Soundtracs
is far superior to the mixes I slaved over for hours and had professionally
mastered.
I'll continue to add new songs over the coming months, with more controlled
production as opposed to live takes. I'm confident that the new tracks will
compare favorably to stuff I've mixed on DDAs and Ameks, which you can hear
on the "Other Artists" page on the website.
Regards,
Tristan O' Dwyer
Head of Studio Engineering
Bang Media (London) Ltd
Jan 2007: Just repaired Paul O'Duffys trusty old
PC Midi 24 , Hes had this thing turned on for 12 years!!! I Installed it for him ! and this is the only fault
he ever had (Bridge Rectifiers blew,for you tech 'folk out there) I cheekily asked him what hes been working on : His
reply:
I did Swing Out Sister amongst others - recently
I've been working with Amy Winehouse and I'm just finishing off an album with
a girl called Amanda Ghost ( who co-wrote that god awful James Blunt record!)
You can find more details here and here.
Knock yourself out...
Best
Paul
My Soundtracs rocks (if I plug it in!)
APRIL 2007: Just delivered a lovely old PC MIDI 24 to James in Bradford:
Sent: 18 April 2007 12:33
To: tim jones
Subject: Re: PC Midi to Bradford
Hi Tim,
Great mixer love the sound.
Good to know there are people still into preserving
the quality equipment of yesteryear.
Thanks again.
James
That’s great James , glad it arrived in one piece !!! Ill paste you onto the web site
Regards Tim |
