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[Norm McCleary]

Approximately 12 months ago I purchased two U47 from an old Dutch recording studio. One was stated as working the other for parts. Surprise, surprise. When I opened the box not only the mics and accessories as described but an extra 10 VF14 tubes described as noisy or dead; among them were also a couple of the SaturnSound VF14 replacements.
These were in the mics. I had Gunter (Wagner) test all the tubes and he was able to rehabilatate 3 of the Tele tubes. One of the U47 was in good order but sounded quite harsh, this was with the replacement tube. We swapped it out for an original and
everything got better. The U47 for parts had a stuffed diaphram which I had re-skinned and then fitted another of the Tele tubes and now we had two very nice mics working to full specs.

For the fun of it we decided to cut up one of the replacement tubes, to see what was under the bonnet. Thats the story of the "Bulk Buy".
Regards Norm

[studiochap]

I have had experience of dealing with both Ashley Styles and Norm McCleary.

Many years ago I sent Ashley Styles an AKG capsule from an ELAM 251  microphone to be reconditioned with

[Phil Mayor]

I have tried on many occasions to do business with Saturn sound..they simply never reply. Actually I did get one call through to Ashley after weeks of trying. He said he would sort out my problem and send the part. He never did.

I wanted to find out about his C12VR mods. I tried again recently with a question and a request to buy something he was advertising. I left lots of emails, lots of answer phone messages...nothing. Never replied. I don't mean to upset anyone just telling you the facts.

Shame though, his page is interesting and he seems like a nice guy during the one time I spoke to him. I doubt I could do business with him even though I'd like to. Imagine sending your priceless mic in and never being able to get hold of him! A shame, really.

[Eric H.]

Yes, his web page is great. Valuable information is there.

[Saturn Sound]

Phil Mayor,
Re your reply on Prosoundweb,

From my Records, I have only ever received three e-mails from you, dated 10/01/07, 12/01/07 and 25/02/07, to which I gave you a reply to each, thus dated 11/01/07, 15/01/07 and 26/02/07 !

The last e-mail (26/02/07) stating that the item in question had just been sold, hence why you could not purchase it.

As for "Sorting out the problem" and "Sending a part", then I have no recollection on that. I would only sort out a problem, if the microphone was sent through for working on, and I would only supply a part if an "Order" was placed.

I hold my "Hands-up", I am difficult to contact via the telephone, hence why my site states that e-mail is the preferred method of contact. If I answered the telephone every time I received a call, then I would never do any work.
Plus like everybody else, I do have Holidays. I am not available 365 days a year !!!

As for any work sent in for servicing etc, I always give confirmation of safe arrival etc, for obvious reasons, and send "up-dates" of the progress of a job, as and when required.

Sincerely
Ashley C. Styles

SATURN SOUND Recording Services

[Markus Sauschlager]

Saturn Sound wrote on Sun, 01 June 2008 14:02

I hold my "Hands-up", I am difficult to contact via the telephone, hence why my site states that e-mail is the preferred method of contact.

I too have tried to contact Saturn Sound via email because I was interested to buy used mics offered on the website. Did that on several occasions, never got a reply!
Well, not a problem as I bought the models I wanted eventually elsewhere, but I think that ignoring inquiries/emails isn't really customer friendly. Kinda proves bad manners.

Anyway, I appreciate the website.

Markus

[J.J. Blair]

Well, if not bad manners, a bad mail server, perhaps.

[Markus Sauschlager]

Hmm, yes maybe that's the reason. As it seems that others didn't get any response too, that mail server would be a real business-killer. I sent emails from two different accounts to reduce the chance of being caught by a spam filter.

[aludra]

Hello,

I run a recording studio here in Nashville for over 25 years.
I have a U47 that is in perfect condition and had an excellent vf-14 tube that was very clean and low noise. But I had concerns about the life of the tube using the u47 on a daily basis....

So I purchased Ashleys replacement and it is FANTASTIC!!!!The only change in sound quality I could detect was a bit LOWER noise and a slight extension of high end...and I mean very slight....

I would put my u47 against any here in Nashville as I have rented all that I could find to compare other tube substitions and Ashleys tube was THE CLOSEST to my original tube PERIOD!

Also Ashley was very helpful and responded quickly to my MANY questions...

Sooooo...not sure why others have had problems, but I felt the need to express my great results with this replacement and I have recorded very difficult vocals using this tube replacement and everytime I have been very happy with the results.

Regards,
Mike Bridges
Germantown Studio, Nashville

[Phil Mayor]

Hi, has there been any more testing or info on this replacement for the VF-14? I ask as I have been offered an original U47 and U48 recently and one had the Saturn Sound replacement in it. The owner told me that the(one/all?) U47's at Abbey Road are using this Saturn sound replacement.

ALso I wondered how much it would affect the value of a U47/8

Thanks, Phil.

[Klaus Heyne]

There have been quite a few posts on how a replacement tube (or other substituted part) affects the value of a vintage mic.

The rule of thumb: The value reduction will be about on par with the amount of money it would cost to obtain a perfectly working, cosmetically clean, original part.

If circuit modifications or irreversible cosmetic alterations would need to be made in addition, then deduct quite a bit more.