Dire Straits Communiqué record - Helion preamps?

[MrVelvet]

Does anyone know if they used a Helion board with its preamps? I'm asking because I just saw those Helion preamp reissues and wondered if it's that kind of sound - cause I love the way the Communiqué record sound and how the tracks blend with each other.

[ninjaneer]

found this at musicmoz.org

" Produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett Recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau Bahamas, and mixed at Muscle Shoals Sound in Sheffield, Alabama."

at the moment compass point is neve and ssl - not sure what was going on in 1978/79

muscle schoals has a couple of videos on their site - there are a few of shots of the mixing desk in both - looks like a mci desk.
i've also read on the PSW forum that they used a desk built by daniel n flickinger there but i don't know what year
(anyone with more info chip in)

http://www.muscleshoalssound.org/

tony

[mattallen]

In the both videos, they show a blackface MCI 416 series console in all except one fader shot. Muscle Shoals was always very MCI.

[ninjaneer]

string theory has more info on the album here:

Dire Straits, Communique

an article from melody maker.
looks like an mci was also involved at the tracking stage too.

tony

[RoundBadge]

You mean Helios?

[MrVelvet]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

You mean Helios?

Exactly. It was too late last night I guess Thanks for the info so far!

[ninjaneer]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

You mean Helios?

From MELODY MAKER, June 1, 1979, written by Ian Birch. Part 1.

THE GROOVE (and how to get it)

Dire Straits, 1979's band-most-likely-to, didn't get where they are by following fashion. So they're soaking up the sun in the Bahamas on the excuse of cutting their second album with R&B veteran Jerry Wexler. It's a hard life.
The GROOVE and how it works (Part One)
Outside it must have been the 80's but inside Compass Point Studios, Nassau, the air-conditioning was working so energetically that an extra layer of clothing would have been welcome. Daft, really.
The lights had been dimmed. In the control booth, Jerry Wexler, Barry Beckett, Mark Knopfler and Jack Nuber sat grouped behind the MCI mixing board. The atmosphere seemed unusually quiet. The studio staff had just gone home, and the normal congestion at the pool table down the corridor had died away.

just quoting.. could be a typo

[MrVelvet]

Are MCI channelstrips/preamps available these days? Something tells me I couldn't afford a whole vintage board

[mattallen]

You'd be suprised about the MCI's. They are exteremly afforable compared to what people spend on ONE mic pre or compressor!!

The main thing is to just be informed about the MCI boards and their quirks, mods, or hard to find parts. You can have no idea when you buy and then it turns out it has the wrong chips!! I've seen that a lot lately on 400's.