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Author Topic: Sontecs...  (Read 265672 times)

24-96 Mastering

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #540 on: October 19, 2010, 12:51:27 AM »

Hey everyone, there's a few things I'm wondering about. Can anyone help?

- has anyone modded (or considered to mod) their Sontec 4x2 to have a "hardwire" (relais or switched) bypass? If so, can you give details?

- what dimensions are the 4x2 models? (depth and height)

- Phil (and whoever else has colored knob caps): where / how did you obtain / order them?

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24-96 Mastering
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Phil Demetro

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #541 on: October 19, 2010, 11:07:25 AM »

24-96 Mastering wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 00:51

Hey everyone, there's a few things I'm wondering about. Can anyone help?

- has anyone modded (or considered to mod) their Sontec 4x2 to have a "hardwire" (relais or switched) bypass? If so, can you give details?

- what dimensions are the 4x2 models? (depth and height)

- Phil (and whoever else has colored knob caps): where / how did you obtain / order them?




I got the knob covers through Elma many years ago. The salesman told me that that was the last of their stock. I'm sure they would have found another source by now?
It's worth it because I don't get the bands mixed up now.

For all the money I spent/wasted on mods I would say with certainty to don't bother with a bypass/relay/etc for the Sontec. It'll get used on everything you master so there's no point in bypassing it. I can't hear it when it's in anyway. Can you bypass it at your console?

I moved the PSU out of mine. New chips, new caps. I've got a good one.
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Phil Demetro
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bblackwood

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #542 on: October 19, 2010, 11:28:00 AM »

It appears Elma still makes the collet knob caps in six different colors: http://www.elma.com/Admin/ProductionFiles1//ProductTypeFile/ 137/English/MechanicalComponents.pdf
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Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

24-96 Mastering

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #543 on: October 19, 2010, 01:09:21 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 17:28

It appears Elma still makes the collet knob caps in six different colors:   http://www.elma.com/Admin/ProductionFiles1//ProductTypeFile/ 137/English/MechanicalComponents.pdf


Thanks! I came across this but assumed they're available in large quantities only.

Phil Demetro wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 17:07


I got the knob covers through Elma many years ago. The salesman told me that that was the last of their stock. I'm sure they would have found another source by now?
It's worth it because I don't get the bands mixed up now.



Was it a specific person or did you just phone them? On Elma's web site they state that switches & covers need to be ordered in quantities of 100... just asking in case it matters who you contact.

Quote:


For all the money I spent/wasted on mods I would say with certainty to don't bother with a bypass/relay/etc for the Sontec. It'll get used on everything you master so there's no point in bypassing it. I can't hear it when it's in anyway. Can you bypass it at your console?



I run a straigh chain, no console. But thanks for the advice, I think I'll indeed try it out first as it comes.

Quote:


I moved the PSU out of mine. New chips, new caps. I've got a good one.



Can I ask why you moved the CPU? Heat?


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24-96 Mastering
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24-96 Mastering

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #544 on: October 19, 2010, 01:13:46 PM »

Oh, I forgot to proudly announce:

I'm buying a Sontec 462-C9 Very Happy
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24-96 Mastering
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bblackwood

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #545 on: October 19, 2010, 01:23:26 PM »

24-96 Mastering wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 12:13

Oh, I forgot to proudly announce:

I'm buying a Sontec 462-C9 Very Happy

Very good, you'll love it.

As for Elma - call them directly, they sell in small quantities to individuals. It's how I've gotten all my Elmas...
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Brad Blackwood
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Laarsø

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #546 on: October 19, 2010, 02:20:34 PM »

Wook wrote on Tue, 17 August 2010 19:49

The Mastering Lab EQ has always been using solid state amp designed by Sherwood Sax from its start. We are using own transformer-less tube electronics but not on the EQ. And our EQ has nothing to do with Sontecs.

Sunny
The Mastering Lab.



Thanks for clarifying this, Sunny.  I was not making this up from scratch, however.  Our friend in this matter is under strong impression that while TML eq's development was not in cohoots with Massenberg or ITI, the Sontec HS-1000 amp was indeed auditioned and to some extent tuned by Massenberg (and Sax (D.?)) at TML.  It is all the more noteworthy that all three designers' eq's, who were shooting for cost-no-object performance, were each, early on, choosing the trafo-less and solid state tops, as you have indicated,  and with different sounding results, even though, the point about the voicing of the HS-1000 op amp being done at TML was that it was made to sound good there, and the room (amps and limiters?) was already tube/trafoless - even if the Sax eq was only partially that.  

How early on were third party "store-bought" processors added to the rack?  Are any of these run stock?  (e.g., EAR)
 



Best regards,
    Laars
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jdg

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #547 on: October 19, 2010, 04:59:33 PM »

24-96 Mastering wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 10:13

Oh, I forgot to proudly announce:

I'm buying a Sontec 462-C9 Very Happy



new or used?
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john mcCaig
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Ben F

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #548 on: October 19, 2010, 06:56:09 PM »

The bypass is quite transparent, certainly no cause for modification.

Congrats on purchasing the best mastering EQ ever made!
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TotalSonic

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #549 on: October 19, 2010, 07:31:52 PM »

Ben F wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 18:56

The bypass is quite transparent, certainly no cause for modification.


fwiw - I'm not sure what is stock on the 4xx series - but the bypass that came stock on my MEP-250EX was a "soft" one and certainly not "transparent" by any means.  I had mine modded by Dan Zellman to replace the 2 per channel soft bypasses buttons with a single button true "hard" bypass - but now that I have the Manley Backbone I never use this as I can bypass it from the insert controller instead.  

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Adrian Morgan

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #550 on: October 19, 2010, 08:29:18 PM »

No hard bypass on the new 432's either, although to me the 432 bypass does sound a lot more transparent than the 250EX.  The 432 here is on it's own insert on the Dangerous Master to alleviate the problem.
I would recommend trying a 432 before a buying 462 if you can.  The ability to dial a different setting for L vs R or M vs S is one of the most powerful uses of the Sontec sound in my opinion.  With the right support EQ you won't feel like extra bands are needed.
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Adrian Morgan
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24-96 Mastering

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #551 on: October 19, 2010, 09:20:09 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 19:23



As for Elma - call them directly, they sell in small quantities to individuals. It's how I've gotten all my Elmas...


I've gotten in contact with them, thanks so much for your help (in the PMs too)!


jdg wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 22:59


new or used?


(Slightly) used. I'm told the unit is in great condition.


Adrian Morgan wrote on Wed, 20 October 2010 02:29

No hard bypass on the new 432's either, although to me the 432 bypass does sound a lot more transparent than the 250EX.


That's encouraging. My 250C has a relay bypass mod, so I don't know what its original bypass sounds like, but when patched in with all pots at 0, the unit certainly isn't completely transparent.

Quote:


I would recommend trying a 432 before a buying 462 if you can.  The ability to dial a different setting for L vs R or M vs S is one of the most powerful uses of the Sontec sound in my opinion.  With the right support EQ you won't feel like extra bands are needed.


I don't have the option to try a 432 first, but I'm actually liking the idea of having a 462, not because of the number of bands, but because of ganged controls. The ability to operate the EQ without having to match sides should make for fast, intuitive fiddling. With my eyes closed and the other hand on the compressor, if I want Smile

Lack of separate L/R & M/S settings (in one of 4 EQs) is a price I'm willing to pay for that.
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24-96 Mastering
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24-96 Mastering

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #552 on: October 19, 2010, 09:35:45 PM »

PS: now I have to figure out if and how I want to colorize my Sontec. There are 8 bands and 6 knob colors (red, yellow, green, grey, black, blue). Does anyone have any ideas?
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Jerry Tubb

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #553 on: October 19, 2010, 11:00:35 PM »

24-96 Mastering wrote on Tue, 19 October 2010 20:35

PS: now I have to figure out if and how I want to colorize my Sontec. There are 8 bands and 6 knob colors (red, yellow, green, grey, black, blue). Does anyone have any ideas?


perhaps follow GM's color scheme?

index.php/fa/15670/0/

JT
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Terra Nova Mastering
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24-96 Mastering

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Re: Sontecs...
« Reply #554 on: October 20, 2010, 02:39:16 AM »

Jerry Tubb wrote on Wed, 20 October 2010 05:00


perhaps follow GM's color scheme?



Heresy!

Fun aside, thanks for the suggestion, I'll sketch it up to see what it'd look like. Actually, Burgess recently told me he has been asked to dress up a 250 as a GML before.

Come to think of it, it's a bit vain to ask you and the forum for gear decoration ideas... I'll experiment a bit and will post some pics once the unit is done Smile
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