R/E/P Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 40   Go Down

Author Topic: Sontecs...  (Read 265666 times)

zetterstroem

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 765
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #45 on: February 02, 2006, 06:19:45 AM »

Ed Littman wrote on Wed, 01 February 2006 03:10

zetterstroem wrote on Tue, 31 January 2006 19:51

the last time i listened to the maselec it sounded %
Logged
Noting the music industry's complaints that illegal downloading means people are getting their music for free, he said, "Well, why not? It ain't worth nothing anyway." (b.dylan)

zetterstroem

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 765
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #46 on: February 02, 2006, 06:22:34 AM »

jazzius wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 08:32

OK, silly question of the day #1 coming up: If the Sontecs are so special, why isn't someone building something similar? Isn't the Massenburg mastering EQ similar?.....if it's not as good, why not (both were designed by Georgy-boy, weren't they)?

How does the Avalon 2077 stack up?

Or the SPL monster?

What about the new Manley EQ?

So many questions, so little coffee!

Darius


the eq's you listed have nothing in common soundwise imo.
Logged
Noting the music industry's complaints that illegal downloading means people are getting their music for free, he said, "Well, why not? It ain't worth nothing anyway." (b.dylan)

Ged Leitch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1057
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #47 on: February 02, 2006, 06:38:54 AM »

Yeh, but no harm in testing those EQ's either, just to see how they all compare, after all it's different strokes for different folks.
Personally i love these Hi end gear comparisons.
Logged
http://bitheadmastering.co.uk/

"...But I don't wanna be a pirate!"

Viitalahde

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1069
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #48 on: February 02, 2006, 07:52:50 AM »

I am already confused of who's doing what and am I doing something?  Rolling Eyes  

Maybe I'll just go and read more Chuck Norris facts:

http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/
Logged
Jaakko Viitalähde
Virtalähde Mastering, Kuhmoinen/Finland
http://www.virtalahde.com
   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Helsinki-Finland/Virtalahde-Ma stering/278311633180

bblackwood

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7036
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #49 on: February 02, 2006, 07:55:25 AM »

I don't know - were we comparing the sonic signatures of a Sontec and a clone?

Doesn't matter to me, I love mine!
Logged
Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

bblackwood

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7036
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #50 on: February 02, 2006, 08:00:05 AM »

jazzius wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 01:32

OK, silly question of the day #1 coming up: If the Sontecs are so special, why isn't someone building something similar?

Very few people know what's in the HS1000. That's the core of the sound.

Quote:

Isn't the Massenburg mastering EQ similar?.....if it's not as good, why not (both were designed by Georgy-boy, weren't they)?

Yah, they were both designed by GM, but they do not sound alike. At all. When one of my Sontecs was acting up about a year ago, I had a 9500 in to try out and shipped it back. Didn't dig it.

I've been looking for someone interested in building accurate HS1000 copies. It's really a matter of pulling info from as many sources as possible and seeing what happens. Only time will tell. If the HS1000 can be recreated accurately, nothing is stopping someone from building a new Sontec from scratch...
Logged
Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

nmw

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 102
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #51 on: February 02, 2006, 11:50:40 AM »

thats interesting you should say that brad,
i was just coming on to ask peoples thoughts ref the 9500 as ive been offered a very new one as a swap for my 430b.
i picked up my 430 in a rather sorry seeming state selling an 8200 to fund it. some inspection proved that short of a good clean, a dust out and some TLC it was fine. anyways i really like the sound, i find it more rewarding than the 8200 however the dark shadow lurking of the HS1000 and what a frazzle here will mean (expensive doorstop time) meant that my initial thoughts were that the 9500 isnt a bad eq and so it may be a nice swap out.
certainly the holding of breath each time i turn on the sontec wont be missed

i had always assumed the 9500 was a step up from the 8200 not only in terms of operation but also sound, given the 8200 wasnt bad it seemed there perhaps wouldnt be much in it. what was it about the 9500 that you didnt enjoy. perhaps a swap out isnt such a good idea even with the worries of ownership.
Logged

bblackwood

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7036
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #52 on: February 02, 2006, 11:55:44 AM »

nmw wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 10:50

i had always assumed the 9500 was a step up from the 8200 not only in terms of operation but also sound, given the 8200 wasnt bad it seemed there perhaps wouldnt be much in it. what was it about the 9500 that you didnt enjoy. perhaps a swap out isnt such a good idea even with the worries of ownership.

The 9500 had a glare in the upper midrange, even when everything was set flat, that I do my best to avoid - and it was there on everything. Just sounded hard and made gtrs zip too much.

Hold on to your Sontec would be my advice. You may consider leaving it on all the time (that's what I do) - my oldest one has been turned off only about 5 times since I got it in the mid 90's and it still has the HS1000's that came in it.

Hold on to your Sontec for now - perhaps there will be an HS1000 recreation soon...
Logged
Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

Mark Wilder

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 259
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #53 on: February 02, 2006, 12:59:12 PM »

OK, I'm back.  What did I miss?
Logged
Mark Wilder

Bob Boyd

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1133
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #54 on: February 02, 2006, 02:46:34 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 10:55

nmw wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 10:50

i had always assumed the 9500 was a step up from the 8200 not only in terms of operation but also sound, given the 8200 wasnt bad it seemed there perhaps wouldnt be much in it. what was it about the 9500 that you didnt enjoy. perhaps a swap out isnt such a good idea even with the worries of ownership.

The 9500 had a glare in the upper midrange, even when everything was set flat, that I do my best to avoid - and it was there on everything. Just sounded hard and made gtrs zip too much.

Hold on to your Sontec would be my advice. You may consider leaving it on all the time (that's what I do) - my oldest one has been turned off only about 5 times since I got it in the mid 90's and it still has the HS1000's that came in it.

Hold on to your Sontec for now - perhaps there will be an HS1000 recreation soon...

Since getting the Maselec  MEA-2, I'm using my 9500 less.  It can be great but like most boxes, it doesn't work on everything. The 9500 can quickly bring something out in a mix which can be good or bad depending on the content.  

As far as "glare" goes when set flat, I definitely don't have that impression at all.  If the bands are bypassed, it's extremely transparent to the signal path.
Logged
Bob Boyd
ambientdigital, Houston

http://ambientdigital.com
http://myspace.com/ambientdigital

Twitter: @bobboyd


Look, I know it's mean.  But sometimes the end justifies the mean.

ammitsboel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1300
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #55 on: February 02, 2006, 04:15:39 PM »

Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 20:46

As far as "glare" goes when set flat, I definitely don't have that impression at all.  If the bands are bypassed, it's extremely transparent to the signal path.

Maybe Brad got a funky unit?
What do you think of the MEA-2 in bypass?

To me the MEA-2 is SSL/industrial sounding even in bypass. Maybe you have to work in a more complex way when using units like this? to me it sounds like the circuit design and all the feedback is weakening the sound so you will need some serious juicy shit to make up for it.
Logged
"The male brain is designed for ecstasy" -Dr. Harvey "Gizmo" Rosenberg

Bob Boyd

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1133
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #56 on: February 02, 2006, 04:53:31 PM »

ammitsboel wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 15:15

Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 20:46

As far as "glare" goes when set flat, I definitely don't have that impression at all.  If the bands are bypassed, it's extremely transparent to the signal path.

Maybe Brad got a funky unit?
What do you think of the MEA-2 in bypass?

To me the MEA-2 is SSL/industrial sounding even in bypass.

The MEA-2 doesn't have the absolute transparency that the 9500 has in bypass.  I feel a very subtle presence boost when I engage it but it's rarely a problem and just provides a little "openness" to most material.  I almost hate to mention this because I would never want it to keep someone from listening to it.  I like the Maselec EQ.  I have run material through it with no EQ.

Definitely not the most colored item in the analog rack.  If I need transparency, there's always the Weiss LP.
Logged
Bob Boyd
ambientdigital, Houston

http://ambientdigital.com
http://myspace.com/ambientdigital

Twitter: @bobboyd


Look, I know it's mean.  But sometimes the end justifies the mean.

bblackwood

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7036
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #57 on: February 02, 2006, 05:27:34 PM »

Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 13:46

As far as "glare" goes when set flat, I definitely don't have that impression at all.  If the bands are bypassed, it's extremely transparent to the signal path.


Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 15:53

I feel a very subtle presence boost when I engage it but it's rarely a problem and just provides a little "openness" to most material.

Sounds like you're hearing what I heard...
Logged
Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

Bob Boyd

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1133
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #58 on: February 02, 2006, 05:53:06 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 16:27

Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 13:46

As far as "glare" goes when set flat, I definitely don't have that impression at all.  If the bands are bypassed, it's extremely transparent to the signal path.


Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 15:53

I feel a very subtle presence boost when I engage it but it's rarely a problem and just provides a little "openness" to most material.

Sounds like you're hearing what I heard...

Ah...  Just re-read my post above and it seems I used too many pronouns!

For the record, the Maselec is the one with the subtle presence boost when it's engaged with no EQ dialed in.  You can't bypass the individual bands of the MEA-2 like you can on the 9500.  If you turn your monitoring up (with nothing playing) on the 9500 you will hear the noise floor change considerably as you switch the bands in and out (with gain set to "0").  That might be one explanation for the bloom you perceived in your program material.  I never have a band "in" if it doesn't have any gain.

This is a classic case of why someone should spend some time with the units before deciding.  The 9500 / Maselec question seems to be a logical comparison when there really is none.  They are completely different.
Logged
Bob Boyd
ambientdigital, Houston

http://ambientdigital.com
http://myspace.com/ambientdigital

Twitter: @bobboyd


Look, I know it's mean.  But sometimes the end justifies the mean.

compasspnt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16266
Re: Where are those Sontecs?
« Reply #59 on: February 04, 2006, 02:53:16 PM »

All of this talk about the great old Sontecs, and the potential obsolesence of same, made me wonder about the Tim de Paravicini 825Q.

http://mercenary.com/ear825dualma.html


I know I absolutely LOVE his other pieces, of which I have many.

Outside of our own gear (about which I cannot objectively speak, and comparisons to which are invalid coming from me, for that reason), I think it is the best, or at the very least amongst the best, anywhere.

Does anyone here use this 825?

Has anyone here compared it to a Sontec?
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 40   Go Up