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Author Topic: Avalon 747SP  (Read 25649 times)

Hallams

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #15 on: August 28, 2009, 06:42:21 PM »

DarinK wrote on Sat, 29 August 2009 06:44

I have a question about the high eq on this unit, described on Avalon's website as 32kHz shelving.  Avoiding all discussion of the limits of human hearing, as it's a shelf and will of course affect lower frequencies, does this band of EQ on this unit do something that is hard to replicate with other units? .........................

-Darin K.

This is one of my favorite functions of the 747.
It would be interesting to have a list of other units that offer a similar function. One way i have come across to achieve something similar but no where near as effective or controllable is changing the loading of preamp transformers (air switch)as in the loading switch  in the Great River preamp. Here is an explanation i copied from their web page.

"In older tube and solid-state gear, the 600-ohm output transformer was designed to terminate into a 600-ohm load. When some vintage preamps were removed from their original consoles and wired into more modern systems, which nearly always had high input impedances (10K-ohm and above), the result was a very slight rise in high-frequency response. Because some engineers prefer that sound, we made the output transformer 600-ohm load resistor easy to switch in or out of the circuit."
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Chris Hallam.
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Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #16 on: August 29, 2009, 11:59:01 PM »

If I recall correctly the DW Fearn EQ has a 28khz shelf adjustment in it's high frequency selections. I read that in the manual...or something...somewhere. I say this in regaurd to the Avalon 747 having a 30khz shelf. Why? I don't know.
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JGauthier

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #17 on: September 01, 2009, 01:28:59 PM »

jetbase wrote on Wed, 26 August 2009 23:08


Which record is that?




The Crystal Method Vegas

I know its not the typical high end recording or traditional musicianship but that CD changed my life when it came out! And regardless of opinion- its one of the best sounding records Ive ever heard- emotionally. And I mean sonically emotional.

Every single thing they have recorded since has been nowhere near what that record was... But video games need music too. Funny, all the success killed their sound- so sonically homogenized now.



Ive always wanted to chase my SC2 with a 747 on the drum bus just to see... But not enough to buy one!

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Glenn Bucci

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #18 on: September 13, 2009, 08:17:49 PM »

In my studio where I mix in the box, my recordings can sound pretty crisp with the Apogee converters and Samplitude.

When my mixes sound a little too crisp, I found the tube button engaged on the 747 really helps at the mastering level to add a little more character. It also helps to remove the super clean sound I get in my studio for a smoother one. You do lose a little in the top end, but it adds a more analog type sound. I have also used 747 on my drum bus with a mid/fast attack which helped as well.  Really loving this box in my studio. The EQ is also very nice as well to fine tune things.
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route-electrique

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #19 on: December 23, 2009, 11:20:11 AM »

Very interesting. Thanks for the all who have participated. I'm thinking of getting 474 as little warmer for my DAW setup. Just need to make decision between 474 and Cranesong HEDD.
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J.J. Blair

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #20 on: December 23, 2009, 12:31:37 PM »

Avalon has always been the most boring sounding stuff to my ears.  If you are going for warm, and nice color, I would pick the Crane song.
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compasspnt

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #21 on: December 23, 2009, 12:48:30 PM »

Crane Song (and several others) WAY before Avalon.
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route-electrique

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #22 on: December 23, 2009, 03:01:52 PM »

..or then i just end up buying Great River MP-2NV Wink.
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jyurek

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #23 on: December 23, 2009, 03:23:46 PM »

route-electrique wrote on Wed, 23 December 2009 11:20

Very interesting. Thanks for the all who have participated. I'm thinking of getting 474 as little warmer for my DAW setup. Just need to make decision between 474 and Cranesong HEDD.


I would not describe the Avalon as 'warm' sounding at all. It has tubes in it but that doesn't necessarily make for 'warm' sound.

Other issues with that prevent me from choosing this piece as a 2-mix comp:
-hate the controls: rather have fixed input or threshold than have both variable and I'd rather select a specific ratio than have it continuously variable (all this is just too much to set)
-hard to recall: graphic is unlabeled and knobs are bad too- especially for ratio.
-I don't like the ballistics of their opto- it just never feels 'right' at any release setting to me.
-I don't often like linked stereo compressors on anything.

Agree with others that there are many, many more options that meet your described needs- Cranesong is indeed great even though it's also a bit of work to set (worth it for the sound).
Also, looking for something with transformers is probably a better hintas to potential 'warmness' than tubes- in my experience anyways.

minister

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #24 on: December 23, 2009, 08:42:31 PM »

jyurek wrote on Wed, 23 December 2009 14:23

route-electrique wrote on Wed, 23 December 2009 11:20

Very interesting. Thanks for the all who have participated. I'm thinking of getting 474 as little warmer for my DAW setup. Just need to make decision between 474 and Cranesong HEDD.


I would not describe the Avalon as 'warm' sounding at all. It has tubes in it but that doesn't necessarily make for 'warm' sound.

Other issues with that prevent me from choosing this piece as a 2-mix comp:
-hate the controls: rather have fixed input or threshold than have both variable and I'd rather select a specific ratio than have it continuously variable (all this is just too much to set)
-hard to recall: graphic is unlabeled and knobs are bad too- especially for ratio.
-I don't like the ballistics of their opto- it just never feels 'right' at any release setting to me.
-I don't often like linked stereo compressors on anything.

Agree with others that there are many, many more options that meet your described needs- Cranesong is indeed great even though it's also a bit of work to set (worth it for the sound).
Also, looking for something with transformers is probably a better hintas to potential 'warmness' than tubes- in my experience anyways.


I agree with a lot of this.

The Compressor was REALLY SLOW, yet "grabby".  The Release time control I don't even think was connected.  The attack was really touchy.  BARELY useful for any GR more than 2dB. And even at 1 or 2, it never sounded "better". The EQ was Sizzly on the top and soft and boomy on the bottom.  The EQ was also noisy, and the mid-range was kind of boring.  Just basically running audio through it, I give it a "meh".


I occasionally found turning up the Gain Makeup was cool, but other than that, there are way better options out there.

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tom hambleton C.A.S.
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route-electrique

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #25 on: December 24, 2009, 01:26:18 AM »

Quote:

 but other than that, there are way better options out there.


Not wanting to hijack thread, but i love to hear some recommodations ?. My guess is, the gear you're going list is atleast 2x expensive Smile.
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minister

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #26 on: December 24, 2009, 01:56:23 AM »

route-electrique wrote on Thu, 24 December 2009 00:26

Quote:

 but other than that, there are way better options out there.


Not wanting to hijack thread, but i love to hear some recommodations ?. My guess is, the gear you're going list is atleast 2x expensive Smile.

Pendulum OCL-2
Cranesong STC-8
Purple MC77

Heck, I like the Portico 5043 on a track or a bus better than I ever did the Avalon.  And those are pretty affordable.

I would also audition a Buzz SOC 1.1  ... I am not a big fan of 500 series, but the Buzz Audio Potion is used by someone whose ears I trust.
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tom hambleton C.A.S.
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Glenn Bucci

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #27 on: December 26, 2009, 08:17:38 PM »

minister wrote on Thu, 24 December 2009 01:56

route-electrique wrote on Thu, 24 December 2009 00:26

Quote:

 but other than that, there are way better options out there.


Not wanting to hijack thread, but i love to hear some recommodations ?. My guess is, the gear you're going list is atleast 2x expensive Smile.

Pendulum OCL-2
Cranesong STC-8
Purple MC77

Heck, I like the Portico 5043 on a track or a bus better than I ever did the Avalon.  And those are pretty affordable.

I would also audition a Buzz SOC 1.1  ... I am not a big fan of 500 series, but the Buzz Audio Potion is used by someone whose ears I trust.


I have the Portico 5043; I love it for tracking, for a drum bus, and a 2 bus mix. However it does not have the gentle touch and character that the Avalon 747 has nor other mastering compressor such as the Pend, Cranesong, DW Fearn, and others like it. Many of the mastering compressor are optic while the Portico is V.C.A.

I also agree that the 747 is not warm. It can be very clean and neutral or a tad smoother if you engage the tubes. I would only consider it for a 2 bus mix or at the matering stage. This is the area it excels at. It's attack time goes between 2mS to 200mS. I have found it to be fast enough for my music that I master. By the way the STC-8 is a cleaner compressor than the Avalon 747.  
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djwaudio

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #28 on: December 27, 2009, 08:13:22 PM »

I sold the 747 because the compressor was hard to control.  I did like the tone of the box and the versatility with the gain controls.  I immediately changed out the stock tubes for some NOS and was happy.  The side chain EQ is actually quite good too.  If that box had the kind of control over the opto the way the Pendulum OCL does, it would be a home run.

In the end, I need gear that gives me a good sound without having to hunt so much.  


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Marcus Black

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Re: Avalon 747SP
« Reply #29 on: December 29, 2009, 07:37:06 AM »

I changed the tubes in mine to NOS Amperex (NY) from the 60´s and to me it gave it a nice little tone and vibe. Definitely a step up from the stock tubes. I´ve grown to really like the unit, now that I think I know how to dial it in.

Personally, I think the input gain is a very useful and nice touch. There´s 18dB available (in high gain mode) which is enough to use it as make-up gain device for 8/2 passive summing networks as an example. In fact, I´ve done just that with good results.

Further, the thing clips at +36dB, so hitting the ceiling is quite unlikely. I think many of us are used to hear when a piece of gear is about to start crapping out, and that may even be the sound one is looking for. That is very much not happening with the 747 as there is headroom for days. Which is good in my book.

I agree that the ballistics of the opto are a little weird. I´m wondering if the opto cell is easily replaceable with something different... anybody know ?

At the very least you should audition the 747 with nice tubes before ruling it out. The eq alone is very useful IMO.
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