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R/E/P => R/E/P Archives => Whatever Works => Topic started by: J.J. Blair on February 23, 2006, 01:19:06 PM

Title: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: J.J. Blair on February 23, 2006, 01:19:06 PM
WTF?  First of all, I have to say that I never really cared for this piece of gear.  I think I described it as being "about as exciting as peeing my pants."  

But anyway, I've noticed that there's a $99 "Baby Face mod" being offered for this, that increases the attack time on the compressor.  Is this to help control the transients caused by excessive soul yodeling?
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: compasspnt on February 23, 2006, 03:37:03 PM
I've never cared for the 737 (or anything much Avalon) myself, but now that I know there's a "Babyface" modification, I am getting pretty darned real excited about it.  Yes I am.

Thanks JJ.

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Greg Dixon on February 23, 2006, 04:28:14 PM
I lived in Avalon, Sydney for a while, which is where the company started.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Tidewater on February 23, 2006, 04:32:16 PM
Avalons only work on booty tracks.


M
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: zmix on February 23, 2006, 06:32:16 PM
DivideByZero wrote on Thu, 23 February 2006 16:32

Avalons only work on booty tracks.M


AKA: "skid marks"
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Tidewater on February 23, 2006, 07:18:05 PM
Skid marks are always more dramatic when they lead to a brick wall.

Oh, excuse me.. a 'spatial limiter'.


M
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Vertigo on February 23, 2006, 07:45:42 PM
I know a lot of death metal dudes that dig them on vocals and snare...

-Lance
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: J.J. Blair on February 23, 2006, 09:15:05 PM
Is that before or after they sound replace the snare?
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: minister on February 23, 2006, 11:21:57 PM
i am not impressed with their pre's either.  i tried both the 737 and the 2022, and couldn't figure out what the hoo ha was about them.  there are better pres that cost less

but i ave really liked my 747 SP stereo cmp and eq.  the make up gain really drives the tubes.  but, the comp is USELESSLY slow!  i hope they come out with a mod for that.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Revolution on February 23, 2006, 11:32:38 PM
I don't understand the negativity towards Avalon.

They just look so dam cool.Who cares if they sound crap.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: wwittman on February 24, 2006, 01:17:01 AM
I shall offer the Wittman mod for free... take the Avlaon and examine the back panel

you will notice a large, black, cable with a three pin IEC type AC connector... take this plug and yank it from the back of the unit.

Your sound will improve dramatically.
I guarantee it.

if it will make you feel better, send me $99.

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Tidewater on February 24, 2006, 01:28:01 AM
Does this advice come with free updates?

Does anyone know where I can download this advice for free?

Is their similar cheaper advice, that sounds as good as the real advice?



M
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: J.J. Blair on February 24, 2006, 01:51:33 AM
Wittmann, you fucking kill me.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Vertigo on February 24, 2006, 12:39:10 PM
Quote:

Is that before or after they sound replace the snare?


Before of course. Right after they sound replace the vocals...

-Lance
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: rankus on February 24, 2006, 02:08:52 PM
DivideByZero wrote on Thu, 23 February 2006 22:28

Does this advice come with free updates?

Does anyone know where I can download this advice for free?

Is their similar cheaper advice, that sounds as good as the real advice?



M


Or a "plug-in" ?  Cool
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: compasspnt on February 24, 2006, 02:38:15 PM

Well, they may sound awful, but at least they look tastelessly terrible.

I like Dub-ya's mod.  We had one here for a while called the "Ocean Mod" for anything Avalon, except the album of the same name of course.

Nothing like a little salt water to improve things.

Occasionally, we actually have clients rent them, and ship them in!

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: rwj1313 on February 24, 2006, 04:46:29 PM
DivideByZero wrote on Fri, 24 February 2006 00:28

Does this advice come with free updates?

Does anyone know where I can download this advice for free?

Is their similar cheaper advice, that sounds as good as the real advice?

M


Hey Miles,

You don't need to spend anything I've already hacked the W.W. mod! PM me if your interested and I'll tell you a workaround that will give you the same effect but won't cost you $100.00!
Oh and BTW I'll update it for free as needed!

Rick
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: tom eaton on February 24, 2006, 11:02:03 PM
The Wittman mod is doing wonders here.  I've tried it on just a few things so far.  The most dramatic improvement was on a guitar amp while I was "soloing."  Really made my playing listenable.  I'm looking forward to trying it on some other gear around here.  I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but it also seems to make the gear much quieter.  Cool trick, man!

-tom

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Tidewater on February 25, 2006, 02:53:56 AM
This thread rocks.

The only good Avalons are Al Jolson's, and the salted ones.

I don't think I'll be needing the advice plugin!

index.php/fa/2455/0/


M
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: zetterstroem on February 25, 2006, 02:34:11 PM
anyone have the schematics of the 737sp??

there must be some way of getting it to sound better.... i believe it's a healthy construction.....

if only the knee could be changed

and somewhere there's probably some condensers or such responsible for the "shiny" topend

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: J.J. Blair on February 25, 2006, 08:10:05 PM
It's almost always the qulaity and type of transformer that is responsible for that top end, I have found.

BTW, I was reading this thread and thinking, there is some poor lurker in this forum who spent a bunch of dough on one of these things, and it's the pride and joy of his home recording setup, and we have just crushed his reality.  Sad
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: tom eaton on February 25, 2006, 09:06:05 PM
I feel more sorry for the person who reads these forums and takes everyone else's opinions as gospel.  I own a 747 and like it within the limitations of what it does well... no box solves every problem.  If you or I think something sucks, that doesn't mean someone else won't love thing, and find it perfect for the job they're trying to get done.

Shure hasn't stopped selling the 57 since Albini went on record bashing it...I have a couple of those, too.  They didn't stop sounding just like 57s when I read his comment on the Electrical site!

-tom

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Tidewater on February 25, 2006, 09:14:03 PM
Works great, for hyped sounds.


M
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: wwittman on February 25, 2006, 11:47:32 PM
Hey I was bashing 57's before Steve had even THOUGHT about engineering... I can't let him take credit or that.

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: RKrizman on February 26, 2006, 12:35:43 AM
J.J. Blair wrote on Sat, 25 February 2006 20:10

BTW, I was reading this thread and thinking, there is some poor lurker in this forum who spent a bunch of dough on one of these things, and it's the pride and joy of his home recording setup, and we have just crushed his reality.  Sad


Yeah, I feel sorry for the guy who will believes all the crap in this thread over the evidence of his own ears.

-R
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Hallams on February 26, 2006, 06:19:00 PM
Well i take seriously ALL the advice i read here without question. W W has inspired me with his 737 mod, to come up with a variant i fell compelled to try out, with my 747, on the next unsuspecting client. You can try it too.  Leave the black cord in so the pretty lights pulse but disengage the output lead from the 747's output and plug it into the Y cable you have previously placed in the units input. Next ,ask the client to help out with adjusting the top end fader on the EQ section untill they are satisfied with the result.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: brandondrury on February 27, 2006, 02:32:47 AM
Quote:

you will notice a large, black, cable with a three pin IEC type AC connector... take this plug and yank it from the back of the unit.



This is total bullshit!

This would not only lead to extremely poor frequency response in the high end, you'd probably lose your low end as well.  Then again, I've noticed that vocal pitch problems have COMPLETELY  went away with this technique.

Brandon
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Tidewater on February 27, 2006, 06:41:02 AM
Detailed high-end has a new friend. Mr. Detailed Highs, meet Mr. Catapult. Catapults help them hold pitch exponetially longer.

Just listen to the 'air'.. wheeeeee....


M
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Bluehorn on February 28, 2006, 11:48:37 AM
My two M5's have served me well. What's all the hub bub..bub?
This whole topic completly SUBjective. What matters is what you like, not what others think. Everything else is rambling egocentric fodder.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: juniorhifikit on February 19, 2011, 09:18:50 AM
Sorry to be a wanker and bring back an old boring topic, but these 737 things are everywhere!  I travel a good bit and often can't bring gear, and so am often stuck with the artist's pride & joy Avalon 737 -possibly the only thing they have.  While I can manage with the pre and EQ, the compressor's knee seems bizarre and unusable.

So far, I've opted for a variation on the W.W. mod, except I leave the unit plugged in but with the compressor disengaged.  I'd like to track with a compressor and I'd like this one to behave like other optical compressors I know and love.  I've heard of mod's with producer's name's on them, but have yet to find any factual information about the component changes and the (subjective) changes to the timing of the compressor.

I have no problem spending a half hour modifying some one else's gear if it makes my sessions easier.  Anyone have any more info about making these things useful?
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: New Orleans Steve on February 19, 2011, 06:39:06 PM
O.K.,
  There you go - I like the E.Q. I really think there is where the strength of this unit is. On the secondhand market....Worth is for the E.Q. alone. The rest, Take it or leave it.
Steve
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Hallams on February 21, 2011, 07:56:51 AM
juniorhifikit wrote on Sun, 20 February 2011 01:18

Sorry to be a wanker and bring back an old boring topic, but these 737 things are everywhere!  I travel a good bit and often can't bring gear, and so am often stuck with the artist's pride & joy Avalon 737 -possibly the only thing they have.  While I can manage with the pre and EQ, the compressor's knee seems bizarre and unusable.

So far, I've opted for a variation on the W.W. mod, except I leave the unit plugged in but with the compressor disengaged.  I'd like to track with a compressor and I'd like this one to behave like other optical compressors I know and love.  I've heard of mod's with producer's name's on them, but have yet to find any factual information about the component changes and the (subjective) changes to the timing of the compressor.

I have no problem spending a half hour modifying some one else's gear if it makes my sessions easier.  Anyone have any more info about making these things useful?


.....Sure just a thought..... use your ears and not your eyes when adjusting the comp settings as the meter's movement is a deceptive indicator of the amount of gain reduction that is happening.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Bubba#$%Kron on February 21, 2011, 07:09:04 PM
When I started out I bought all Avalon stuff just because it looked cool.   I ended up with 2 737's, 2 M5 and a bunch of portico units.  Thank god I bought all of them used because I sold them all shortly after that.   All my friends were wondering why I was not putting out any good shit when my rack looked so "PRO".    Its good stuff if you wanna sound like Mariah Carey.   It was a good lesson because I realized the ugliest gear sounded the best!!
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Bubba#$%Kron on February 21, 2011, 07:16:20 PM
But why do I read every where that direct bass into a U5 is very popular?!!?   John mayer and Norah jones both do this!!
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Extreme Mixing on February 22, 2011, 12:18:09 AM
The U5 really does sound great on bass.  Just don't use the filters.  Imagine how guilty all of those producers and engineers must feel for selling all those millions of records with those 737s on the vocals.  Must be hard to sleep at night.

I actually do like my 2055.  The top and bottom sound great.

Steve
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: compasspnt on February 22, 2011, 09:12:14 AM
I am not the world's biggest fan of Avalon, but their equipment certainly does NOT hold back anyone from making a good recording.

That is up to you.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Fletcher on February 22, 2011, 09:38:12 AM
I love Avalon stuff - I think it gets a bad rap because its mainly sold via music stores rather than the "high end specialty dealers" so they will often talk about the unit in less than glowing terms.  The compressor in the 737 is a bit "hit or miss" but the 2044 unit is absolutely top shelf as is the 2055 equalizer.

The "Babyface mod" makes the compressor in the 737 a lot less "hit or miss" [and by that I mean that its great for some things and worse than a DBX for others]... but on the overall, the equalizer in that is top shelf, and the mic pre/DI is a very [VERY] nice color of "clean" for using a tube.

Peace.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Extreme Mixing on February 22, 2011, 01:07:52 PM
I have the AD 2055, AD 2044, and the U5 that I use for bass, and I find them all very useful.  I have to say that I got amazing deals on all of them from composers/artists who found themselves "only using software" and were glad to see it go to someone who would use it when they sold their racks of hardware and moved on.

Steve
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: J.J. Blair on February 22, 2011, 08:39:53 PM
The Avalon gear gets a bad rap from me because I used it and didn't like it.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Fletcher on February 24, 2011, 09:00:04 AM
No argument JJ... I just had a differing experience... which I suppose is what makes the world go round... no?
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: compasspnt on February 24, 2011, 01:00:27 PM
Fletcher wrote on Thu, 24 February 2011 09:00

No argument JJ... I just had a differing experience... which I suppose is what makes the world go round... no?



Indeed.

The times I used their gear (has been several years now) I was not overly impressed, but several friends who should know really like some of the pieces.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Hallams on February 26, 2011, 07:04:53 PM
I was suprised to find out that Avalon had built a custom console for Sear Sound.
Here is a pic. Chris Shaw used it when recording Wilco's Gohst is Born.

index.php/fa/16259/0/

index.php/fa/16260/0/
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: ssltech on February 26, 2011, 08:02:16 PM
Looks like a Sony/MCI with newer sub-modules... -Did they re-do much of the other stuff I wonder?
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: thedoc on February 27, 2011, 01:41:32 PM
I think i remember something about Avalon making plug in modules for that console, but my memory is hazy.

Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: compasspnt on February 27, 2011, 07:25:22 PM
Does have a distinct MCI/Sony appearance.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Fletcher on February 28, 2011, 08:45:22 AM
It a Sony MXP-3000 fitted with Avalon designed [and built] modules... Fred Forssell Forrsell Technologies] builds modules for those frames as well.

The MXP-3000 frame is a very flexible platform for employing "aftermarket" modules... they ain't cheap, and you have to order them in bulk [like 24 -36 at a shot] but the end result is nothing short of amazing!!!

Peace.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: leonardo valvassori on February 28, 2011, 09:45:15 AM
I had an Purple knobed 737 that was the heart of my late '90's touring bass rig.

(I was in temporary Ampeg denial).

Then I had it at the Backroom for a few years and even though it wasn't 'special' it was handy when we ran out of API's and Dakings.

Had it refurbed and sold it to finance a 1957 Fender Precision a couple of months ago,
got a decent resale value after using it for almost 12 years.

I have to admit that in 1999 when I bought it I was not aware of any similar product you could buy new and take on tour.
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: compasspnt on February 28, 2011, 11:15:42 AM
Yeah, I knew of the Forssell modules, but not the Avalons. Interesting.

Either would have to be a serious upgrade to stock Sony (MCI).
Title: Re: Avalon 737 w/ "Baby Face mod"?
Post by: Hallams on February 28, 2011, 05:09:06 PM
Avalon has had other gear manufactured that most don't know about. An example is these modules of Michael Brauer's, quoted as:
AVALON RACK:
         A19-6I (MOD)
        (X4)E55 MODULES
        (X2)L44 MODULES


I passed on the option of buying a few last year.

index.php/fa/16261/0/