Review: Peach Audio m196se Tube Pre (w/ clips)

[bigfurry]

Based on personal experience, I would say keep in mind that some of what you're hearing is the knack beats' working has with guitar sounds, and the fact that he is a great player in a very well tuned room...

But that sounds sa-weet!

Between the two of you, I have found no better rationalizing force for gear expenditures!

[u b k]

Originally Posted by daniel c

No, he builds gear, not websites. Anyone who has dealt with Dave know that it's all about the gear, and everything else takes a back seat.

Unless I've been given bad info, my understanding is that Peach is no longer in business, hasn't been for some time now.

Originally Posted by bigfurry

Based on personal experience, I would say keep in mind that some of what you're hearing is the knack beats' working has with guitar sounds, and the fact that he is a great player in a very well tuned room...

Most definitely yes to all the above, he is the king of chimey tones. But at the risk of speaking for someone else, even Mr. Beats himself acknowledged, as I pried the Peach from his fingers, that it was the most detailed pre he'd ever heard, yet it still had an uncanny musicality.

Not finding a way to get an m196 while they were being made will probably be one of the few long-standing regrets of my audio career.


Gregory Scott - ubk
.

[Djembe]

OK, the latest info on Peach Audio is that Rode microphones made Dave an offer he couldn't refuse. He has gone to work for Rode developing new products which will come on to the market in about a year or so.

He still has a few of his M196se preamps left for sale, but seeing as they were always a limited edition, that will probably be the end of that version in it's current form.

He can be contacted here: davidpeach@rodemic.com

[daniel c]

Originally Posted by u b k

Unless I've been given bad info, my understanding is that Peach is no longer in business, hasn't been for some time now.

I stand corrected and better informed.

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by daniel c

I stand corrected and better informed.

I did appreciate the condescension though. That was nice.

- c

[davedempsey]

Peach Audio is back in business. David is no longer working for Rode Microphones and is currently setting up a facility in premises on Parramatta Road, Annandale in Sydney. Exact contact details will be posted shortly. It's still maybe a couple of weeks until doors open for business. Although he will not be making more of the 196 pres there will be some equally amazing sounding units which benefit from more recent advances in design and build principles that David has achieved. Can't say much more at this time but it's nice to be able to say that the legendary Peach Audio quality is back.

[sonicdefault]

Thanks for the good news!


-SD

[u b k]

Awesome news! I wanted a simplified (and cheaper!) 196 but he'd gotten whisked away before I could engage that conversation. I'm very curious to see what he's up to these days, the man's got serious ears.


Gregory Scott - ubk

[dave gross]

Originally Posted by u b k

Awesome news! I wanted a simplified (and cheaper!) 196 but he'd gotten whisked away before I could engage that conversation. I'm very curious to see what he's up to these days, the man's got serious ears.


Gregory Scott - ubk

Don't let it slip away this time!

[Kingtone]

That is amazing news!
I demoed some of the original savannah pres wayyyyyyyy back when. I almost bought a set of four just last year but couldn't quite get all the cash together. Peach used to service my Hammond when I lived in Sydney, but now I'm in Nashville I'm looking forward to hearing some more from him.
I might have to look him up when I'm back in Oz in march. If anyone has his latest contact perhaps you can PM it to me.

[davedempsey]

OK.. new workshop is at 97 Parramatta Road, Annandale, NSW. 2038.
That's in Sydney, Australia, of course.
Could be open for business in around a week from today. I only have Davids' private phone and email, so won't post that. As soon as it's up and running I'll get further contact details posted.

[WunderBro Flo]

imho it makes very little sense to present files of a preamp without comparison files of another one. One could as well say "hey listen to these files, doesn't my new power-cable going to the AD sound great?"

If the quality difference is so obvious, a meaningful side by side comparison would be easy to do.
Without changing the tested part of the chain against something else, there is no point of reference for judging it's strengths/weaknesses.
Maybe those sources in that room with those mics sound just as good with a Grace m101 for 699.- per channel. Who knows...

[u b k]

Originally Posted by WunderBro Flo

Maybe those sources in that room with those mics sound just as good with a Grace m101 for 699.- per channel. Who knows...

Can't argue with that, it's one of those things where you either trust what I'm saying or you doubt it, no harm no foul.

For whatever it's worth: I've recorded, and more often 'been recorded' in many sessions in that room, and am intimate with the sound of the half-dozen or so top shelf pre's that get used there as well as the old $ mics he tends to favor (iirc the 67 is what we're hearing on those clips).

Nothing I've ever heard come out of that room before or since (and I kicked it there for about 3 years after this review) could touch what the peach delivered. It was the whole package.


Gregory Scott - ubk

[MGA]

Originally Posted by davedempsey

Peach Audio is back in business. David is no longer working for Rode Microphones and is currently setting up a facility in premises on Parramatta Road, Annandale in Sydney. Exact contact details will be posted shortly. It's still maybe a couple of weeks until doors open for business. Although he will not be making more of the 196 pres there will be some equally amazing sounding units which benefit from more recent advances in design and build principles that David has achieved. Can't say much more at this time but it's nice to be able to say that the legendary Peach Audio quality is back.

A big bump! Anyword on this?! Would love to see the next incarnation of the 196 pres. Like UBK, I regret not getting some of those back in the day. Amazing pres 196's!

[Dr Benway]

I just got my rack of 8 m196's serviced by David a month or so ago. He is indeed back and doing great work as per usual. And they still sound fantastic by the way! I'm not sure if there is a new pre amp in the pipeline but he was/is working on a dynamic devise of some sort. Anymore than that I'm unable to say.