would this be difficult or worth it?

zarembo · 24th January 2007, 06:11 AM

in the basement I found a replacement Matchless spring reverb for our old studio amp that's long gone.

I wonder is it possible to wire this up to use as an outboard spring reverb?

how hard would that be?

I bet it would be noisy.

Tried hooking it up to my crappy digital mixer on a send via 1/4" to rca and nothing came through.

any thoughts, techslutz?

Wavebourn · 24th January 2007, 06:19 AM

May be for some kind of theatrical effects, like sound in tonnel or in a gas pipe?

max cooper · 24th January 2007, 07:03 AM

I really love the sound of a Hammond three spring (like from a Fender combo) on certain parts of a mix, but that's me.

The question is:

Are you a King Tubby fan?

If "yes" then go fer it.

If you said "Who's King Tubby?" then you might not like it.

Heck, try it anyway.

zarembo · 24th January 2007, 07:51 AM

oh Max, I certainly 'Tub' out and would love the sound from this little springform.

however, I'm a bit perplexed when I hooked it up already with a 1/4" send out of my mixer and returned it to a channel and fed it good signal and got ~nothing~

so what do I need to do to bring on the dub crashes?

Matt Syson · 24th January 2007, 02:09 PM

Hi
Was it a case of the reverb didn't work so you kept it and threw the amp out whereas in reality it was the reverb spring that was bust all along?
The reverb return level will be pretty small so you possibly need to use a 'mic' input. You could check with an ohmmeter that both the send and return coils (if they are the coil type) are still connected internally. I have seen one unit with a 'ceramic' transducer and this would need a DI high impedance input and would not register on an ohmmeter.
Matt S

7 Hz · 24th January 2007, 07:05 PM

you need a proper drive and pickup amplifier to make a spring reverb work - plugging a spring tank directly into a line out and into a line in will not work. The amplifiers need to generate a reasonable current to drive the spring. Some (most?) tanks come with a phono in/out, so i can see hoe it is easy to assume it doesn't need supporting circuits. Unfortunatly, it may be cheaper and easier to find a complete unit than to try to gety an amp for your spring.

zarembo · 24th January 2007, 07:45 PM

thanks for the replies fellas!

Matt--

this was a replacement for a Matchless Thunderchief or some such amp we had around here. My partner bought the replacement and never put it in the amp, and then sold it (I hope the buyer didn't mind). You know how certain things accumulate in the back room which aren't exactly junk, but....

yes, the phono inputs have deceived me into thinking it would be easy to use as an external reverb.

I should just probably give it to someone who needs a new spring reverb for an amp.....

Matt Syson · 24th January 2007, 10:05 PM

Hi
Given that you need to drive it with a decent output and that the return signal needs a fair bit of gain plus some EQ (channel input on a desk would be OK) you could use it virtually as it is. It's just not a 'line in, line out' box as you may have hoped.
Matt S

Wavebourn · 24th January 2007, 10:16 PM

Did you hear enything when you tap on the tank?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Difficult choices... need help!	Crashdown	So much gear, so little time!	2	15th January 2007 07:59 PM
Need help with my Ampex 440-8. Shouldn't be too difficult	Jonk	Geekslutz forum	2	17th October 2006 10:30 PM
What did you find the most difficult to get right?	Riad	So much gear, so little time!	5	2nd April 2006 06:58 AM
Need ideas for a difficult project	Rick DeGraeve	Remote Possibilities in Acoustic Music & Location Recording	8	22nd March 2006 04:39 PM
What's more difficult - A/D or D/A?	oldgearguy	Geekslutz forum	4	17th March 2004 03:06 AM

24th January 2007, 06:11 AM	#1
zarembo Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 633	would this be difficult or worth it? in the basement I found a replacement Matchless spring reverb for our old studio amp that's long gone. I wonder is it possible to wire this up to use as an outboard spring reverb? how hard would that be? I bet it would be noisy. Tried hooking it up to my crappy digital mixer on a send via 1/4" to rca and nothing came through. any thoughts, techslutz? __________________ hey tune into the doctor: http://lesterdiamondradio.com/

24th January 2007, 06:19 AM	#2
Wavebourn Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Walnut Creek, CA Posts: 949	May be for some kind of theatrical effects, like sound in tonnel or in a gas pipe? __________________ Hybrid amplifiers combine errors of current amplification by transistors with errors of voltage amplification by tubes Anatoliy Lisovskiy Walnut Creek, CA, U.S.A. Wavebourn@yahoo.com http://Wavebourn.com

24th January 2007, 07:51 AM	#4
zarembo Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 633	oh Max, I certainly 'Tub' out and would love the sound from this little springform. however, I'm a bit perplexed when I hooked it up already with a 1/4" send out of my mixer and returned it to a channel and fed it good signal and got ~nothing~ so what do I need to do to bring on the dub crashes? __________________ hey tune into the doctor: http://lesterdiamondradio.com/

24th January 2007, 02:09 PM	#5
Matt Syson Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,489	Hi Was it a case of the reverb didn't work so you kept it and threw the amp out whereas in reality it was the reverb spring that was bust all along? The reverb return level will be pretty small so you possibly need to use a 'mic' input. You could check with an ohmmeter that both the send and return coils (if they are the coil type) are still connected internally. I have seen one unit with a 'ceramic' transducer and this would need a DI high impedance input and would not register on an ohmmeter. Matt S __________________ Matt S www.mseaudio.co.uk

24th January 2007, 07:03 AM	#3
max cooper Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: tx Posts: 8,819	I really love the sound of a Hammond three spring (like from a Fender combo) on certain parts of a mix, but that's me. The question is: Are you a King Tubby fan? If "yes" then go fer it. If you said "Who's King Tubby?" then you might not like it. Heck, try it anyway.

24th January 2007, 07:05 PM	#6
7 Hz Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 901	you need a proper drive and pickup amplifier to make a spring reverb work - plugging a spring tank directly into a line out and into a line in will not work. The amplifiers need to generate a reasonable current to drive the spring. Some (most?) tanks come with a phono in/out, so i can see hoe it is easy to assume it doesn't need supporting circuits. Unfortunatly, it may be cheaper and easier to find a complete unit than to try to gety an amp for your spring. __________________ "You're going to AMPLIFY this crap?!?!?"

24th January 2007, 07:45 PM	#7
zarembo Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 633	thanks for the replies fellas! Matt-- this was a replacement for a Matchless Thunderchief or some such amp we had around here. My partner bought the replacement and never put it in the amp, and then sold it (I hope the buyer didn't mind). You know how certain things accumulate in the back room which aren't exactly junk, but.... yes, the phono inputs have deceived me into thinking it would be easy to use as an external reverb. I should just probably give it to someone who needs a new spring reverb for an amp..... __________________ hey tune into the doctor: http://lesterdiamondradio.com/

24th January 2007, 10:05 PM	#8
Matt Syson Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,489	Hi Given that you need to drive it with a decent output and that the return signal needs a fair bit of gain plus some EQ (channel input on a desk would be OK) you could use it virtually as it is. It's just not a 'line in, line out' box as you may have hoped. Matt S __________________ Matt S www.mseaudio.co.uk

24th January 2007, 10:16 PM	#9
Wavebourn Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Walnut Creek, CA Posts: 949	Did you hear enything when you tap on the tank? __________________ Hybrid amplifiers combine errors of current amplification by transistors with errors of voltage amplification by tubes Anatoliy Lisovskiy Walnut Creek, CA, U.S.A. Wavebourn@yahoo.com http://Wavebourn.com

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread: