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Author Topic: RCA Tube Mic pres...  (Read 14896 times)

bushwick

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RCA Tube Mic pres...
« on: June 08, 2005, 01:00:35 PM »

Has anyone ab'd or used RCA BA-1A's, BA-11's, or BA-21's?

I am curious as to the differences.

many thanks,
joshua kessler
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Joshua Kessler
bushwick  studio
brooklyn, ny
www.bushwickstudio.com

amwintx

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2005, 01:22:36 PM »

I have not AB'd the different models, but I own and regularly use two BA-1As. They are great - on par quality-wise with anything else I own (API 3124, Earthworks LAB 102, RNP) and slightly smoooover than all of the above.

Adam
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vernier

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2005, 03:12:23 PM »

On par quality? ..I'd get more RCAs and use the ss-pres for door-stops and paper-weights. HEE!
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J.J. Blair

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2005, 03:55:09 PM »

Josh!  You gear slut.  Stop eBaysing!  You're making it harder for me to win auctions.  Heh heh.
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They say the heart of Rock & Roll is still beating, which is amazing if you consider all the blow it's done over the years.

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

"The negative aspects of this business, not only will continue to prevail, but will continue to accelerate in madness. Conditions aren't going to get better, because the economics of rock and roll are getting closer and closer to the economics of Big Business America." - Bill Graham

bushwick

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2005, 05:47:06 PM »

Sheesh. Sorry bout dat....well if'n ya want them thar things on the ebay - they all for you.

Really I am just tryin to find out the different versions sound different. True, I am in need of counseling for my 'habit' and sadly I cannot spend the dough on the ebay RCA pres to find out. I mean barring them being screwed up (xformer or such) I am sure they are pretty cool.

Some point down the line I would like to at least the things out to see what they give that my other stuff doesn't. Bottom line - I would love to compare em to V72's  or V76's to see whats what.

Must....have.....more....money........helppp. Smile

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Joshua Kessler
bushwick  studio
brooklyn, ny
www.bushwickstudio.com

Brusby

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2005, 08:31:33 PM »

They're some of the best pres ever made IMO.  I own and use all of 'em.  Particular like the BA1A and BA11 which are octal models.  

I've also got several V76.  Did some blind comparisons between a V76 80 and RCA BA-11 a couple years ago with a close friend who has produced and engineered several gold records.  We liked 'em both a lot. Extremely musical.  But they're more of a pain in the ass to use than the V76 because there's no volume control on 'em and they are raw modules that need to be racked.

We didn't have time to do critical long term tests, but on a brief comparison the V76 and BA11 were much more similar than dissimilar.  In fact I was very surprised at how close they were.  Both were full, natural and very alive sounding, with zero harshness. Actually they're kinda like like looking at the world through rose colored glasses.  A little better than real.

They are Neve killers.  No, I'm not exaggerating.  When I got mine I sold several 1081s 1073s and 1272s.  Recently bought just a couple of 1064 Neves for when I need that transistor sound (certain types of music like some rock, where a little harder edge is needed).  

If you record acoustic music, the RCA tube stuff is hard to beat.

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bushwick

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2005, 09:13:20 PM »

Thanks for the throughput. That is what I was hopin to hear.

Must......land.....more....work.........gear....habit....... .hungry!

Best,
j
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Joshua Kessler
bushwick  studio
brooklyn, ny
www.bushwickstudio.com

vernier

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2005, 10:47:00 PM »

It isn't a pain ..you only need to have it racked once, or you can have a multi-slot rack for different pres.
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plughead

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2005, 02:26:51 PM »

I don't know if this is helpful, but I have a RCA BN5A tube mic pre: must be about 100 dB of gain (more than I've ever seen or used in ANY mic pre), and when the tubes are good, it's pretty quiet, but not in the same league of quiet as modern designs. Look like a brown bread-box, and has 3 tubes (I think they're AX, AT, and AY7's) with the huge bakelite gain knob. Got it years ago from a tube enthusiast, and I've never seen the model of it anywhere else...

Never used any of the others, so I can't comment - anyone ever heard, or seen another of these units?

regards,
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N. Jay Burr
PlugHead Productions

vernier

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2005, 03:01:26 PM »

Quote:

They are Neve killers. No, I'm not exaggerating.

This is true, and then there are tube pres that kill RCAs. Razz
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J.J. Blair

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2005, 03:05:16 PM »

I find my Vac Racs to be Neve killers.

BTW, Vern, have you tried the newest Inward Connections tube pres?  Steve told me that they built a 24 channel desk for somebody in AZ. I bet that sounds nice!
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studio info

They say the heart of Rock & Roll is still beating, which is amazing if you consider all the blow it's done over the years.

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

"The negative aspects of this business, not only will continue to prevail, but will continue to accelerate in madness. Conditions aren't going to get better, because the economics of rock and roll are getting closer and closer to the economics of Big Business America." - Bill Graham

EarVsGear

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #11 on: December 08, 2008, 04:03:45 AM »

Brusby wrote on Wed, 08 June 2005 19:31


They are Neve killers.  No, I'm not exaggerating.  When I got mine I sold several 1081s 1073s and 1272s.



Wow. How many Neve's did you buy off of ebay after this post. Jeez.
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EarVsGear

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #12 on: December 08, 2008, 04:03:46 AM »

Brusby wrote on Wed, 08 June 2005 19:31


They are Neve killers.  No, I'm not exaggerating.  When I got mine I sold several 1081s 1073s and 1272s.



Wow. How many Neve's did you buy off of ebay after this post. Jeez.
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EarVsGear

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #13 on: December 08, 2008, 04:03:37 AM »

Brusby wrote on Wed, 08 June 2005 19:31


They are Neve killers.  No, I'm not exaggerating.  When I got mine I sold several 1081s 1073s and 1272s.



Wow. How many Neve's did you buy off of ebay after this post. Jeez.
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compasspnt

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Re: RCA Tube Mic pres...
« Reply #14 on: December 08, 2008, 04:34:17 PM »

Three, apparently.
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