Why so many Aurora GTQ2 for sale?

[Kubilay]

Just curious: I'm the ecstatic owner of serial #126, and have seen at least 3 units go on for sale on the gearslutz marketplace since I received mine in January.

Since I think the GTQ2 mark III is the tastiest pre I've heard in a long time, I'm a bit flabbergasted at how many units went up for sale in the last few weeks. Anyone care to enlighten me why they don't like their units? Or are these fire-sales?

I'm not looking for validation (God knows I ain't getting rid of mine, you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers!), I'm just really curious..!

[not_so_new]

WOW, it is like you are reading my mind.

It looks like I am closing the deal on one of these used GTQ-2 units tomorrow and I am just a bit scketched out about all the ones up for sale over the last few weeks.

Seems like everyone who has one talks about them like they are the second comming yet a bunch are on sale used.

I just don't get it and I would hate to get stuck with something that I don't like for that kind of cash (been there too many times)....

What gives??

[Kubilay]

Well, for what it's worth, I LOVE mine... They give you a week to evaluate, btw, so no worries.

Still curious about all the sales, though!

[not_so_new]

Originally posted by Kubilay
Well, for what it's worth, I LOVE mine... They give you a week to evaluate, btw, so no worries.

Still curious about all the sales, though!

Just the point, I am buying mine from one of he guys selling his that you spoke of so I don't get a week to evaluate.



Hope it is cool.... anyone??

[RoundBadge]

Don't worry . one guy is selling because he doesn't need 4 channels ,only 2 .It doesnt reflect on the quality of the gtq ,just current economics

[not_so_new]

Originally posted by RoundBadge
Don't worry . one guy is selling because he doesn't need 4 channels ,only 2 .It doesnt reflect on the quality of the gtq ,just current economics

Thanks man. For the record I always worry about $2,000 + gear purchases...



The guy that I am talking to said that he uses the real deal 1073's all the time and the GTQ-2 is just not the real deal "but it is really good." I don't know how to take that from a guy selling me his unit to pay for his 1073's that he just ordered. Sounds like a really honest cat and he did say he liked them but why order the real deal if the GTQ did not get him 95% of the way there??

Interesting.... Not sure what to think about this really. For $2800 I can't expect the world but on the other hand for that money there are allot of choices and the GTQ-2 is on the fringe right now. I suppose that will change now that Geoff has his production geared up but.. you know.....

Also seems like some people in the game have it in for Geoff. Like there is a big back story that no one is talking about. Now I AM NOT SLAGGING GEOFF because I have said more than one time I think his input here has been priceless but like everything in life there are two sides to every story and everything has a story.

Again interesting....

[Silver Sonya]

...that an item for sale means the item is not good.

My band is about to purchase a Pendulum Quartet II channel-strip (or possibley a Wunder PEQ1 and a Pendulum ES8 compressor), a high-end tube mic (possibly the Brauner VMA or the Korby multi-head mic, not sure which), plus the Benchmark ADC -1 when it becomes available.

The total cost, somewhere in the neighborhood of $10- $12K.

The plan right now is to keep this kit as a mobile recording rig for maybe 6 months to a year. We're going to do a lot of overdubbing, vocals, etc. in various acoustic environments. We wanted to have an excellent front-end for this. Then we wanted to sell the kit when we were finished for hopefully very little markdown.

I think, in the project studio age, there are a lot of people who think like this. I think a lot of eBay sales of pro audio stuff are from people who bought something nice for one or two projects and then sold it, with very little depreciation. The trick, of course, is to buy something that holds its value (if it is good, it should) and treat it well while you have it. It's actually a fairly economically cunning technique.

So don't assume that something that is for sale (especially the kind of stuff that's sold in the gearslutz classifieds: helios preamps, soundelux mics, royers, manley, etc.) sucks.

--- Chad

[RoundBadge]

Originally posted by not_so_new
Thanks man. For the record I always worry about $2,000 + gear purchases...



The guy that I am talking to said that he uses the real deal 1073's all the time and the GTQ-2 is just not the real deal "but it is really good." I don't know how to take that from a guy selling me his unit to pay for his 1073's that he just ordered. Sounds like a really honest cat and he did say he liked them but why order the real deal if the GTQ did not get him 95% of the way there??



Again interesting....

I've got original 1073's and 1084's among alot of other boutiqe pre's and the auroras weren't meant to be clones of the neves,they've got their own sound,albeit neve in flavor but they arent supposed to be 100% of anything other than themselves.My dakings ,wunders, chandler's ,v76's,helios are all the "real deal"If you want 100% of a neve than an ams or original unit is the way to go .If you want a great sounding pre on it's own merits the GTQ will do you well
And yes, I'm in the process of adding a gtm 822 mixer and GTQ to my arsenal as well..

[not_so_new]

Originally posted by Silver Sonya
...that an item for sale means the item is not good.

My band is about to purchase a Pendulum Quartet II channel-strip (or possibley a Wunder PEQ1 and a Pendulum ES8 compressor), a high-end tube mic (possibly the Brauner VMA or the Korby multi-head mic, not sure which), plus the Benchmark ADC -1 when it becomes available.

The total cost, somewhere in the neighborhood of $10- $12K.

The plan right now is to keep this kit as a mobile recording rig for maybe 6 months to a year. We're going to do a lot of overdubbing, vocals, etc. in various acoustic environments. We wanted to have an excellent front-end for this. Then we wanted to sell the kit when we were finished for hopefully very little markdown.

I think, in the project studio age, there are a lot of people who think like this. I think a lot of eBay sales of pro audio stuff are from people who bought something nice for one or two projects and then sold it, with very little depreciation. The trick, of course, is to buy something that holds its value (if it is good, it should) and treat it well while you have it. It's actually a fairly economically cunning technique.

So don't assume that something that is for sale (especially the kind of stuff that's sold in the gearslutz classifieds: helios preamps, soundelux mics, royers, manley, etc.) sucks.

--- Chad

For the record I never said or implied the GTQ-2 sucked in any way, never even assumed it. I have never heard one and I have heard nothing but good things about it.

Your points about people buying and selling quickly are fair.

I know that there are not a bunch of GTQ units out there because of the production was not ramped up and there are allot for sale.

Just seems strange to me.

[maskedman72]

i am one of the guys selling my gtq.




my reason for selling is simply cause i ordered an ams neve 1073 dpa and in order to fund that purchase something has to go, and the gtq is the the piece of gear i have that will bring me the most cash to make it happen without maximum out of pocket expense.

-jay

[LittleDogAudio]

Be not affraid. I've had mine for almost 2 years and I'm still in love with it. It is NOT a clone per-say, but a really cool family member.

I wish I had several more on a daily basis.

Chris

[TonyBelmont]

The GTQ is an amazing preamp/ EQ... It's not meant to sound exactly like anything other than a GTQ. But, you can say that it sounds like a 1073 with a better top end. The EQ is amazing on the unit, most people just don't realize how great the EQ sounds until they get one for themselves...

Hey Jay, why did you go for the 1073DPA? It seems like a step down from the GTQ, since it doesn't have any EQ, etc...???

Also, I think Geoff should come on here and give everyone the history of the GTQ2... It's really a great story on how the EQ came about (with it's roots in a historic EMI console from Neve). It's a much better story than some other manufacturer's who have nothing to say other than they did the best they could copying some old Neve schematics and getting some transformers that are "kinda" like the one's Neve used..

[TonyBelmont]

Originally posted by not_so_new

The guy that I am talking to said that he uses the real deal 1073's all the time and the GTQ-2 is just not the real deal "but it is really good." I don't know how to take that from a guy selling me his unit to pay for his 1073's that he just ordered. Sounds like a really honest cat and he did say he liked them but why order the real deal if the GTQ did not get him 95% of the way there??

I could see buying 1073's over a GTQ2 because the person wants to have a more expanded EQ section. But, I've compared the GTQ directly with many different vintage Neve modules (1066's, 73's, etc.) and the sound is extremely similar. But, IMHO the GTQ wins with a better mic pre than the 1073 (that's right! I said it sounds better than the 1073). Did I mention it costs half the price of a pair of 1073"s???

[De chromium cob]

Originally posted by TonyBelmont
But, you can say that it sounds like a 1073 with a better top end.

Or more accuratly say that it sounds like a 1073 with a slightly different top end. Better is such a subjective term.... Only a real Neve will give you what I call that split harmonic compressed kind of top end thing the 1073 does....

[TonyBelmont]

Originally posted by De chromium cob
Or more accuratly say that it sounds like a 1073 with a slightly different top end. Better is such a subjective term....

OK.... I'll give you that. Better, in my opinion, however subjective that may be..

[Snatchman]

Hey guys. Must be nice to be able to "debate" over such wonderful pres. Just give me either one of them, and I'll be out of your way!.....

[maskedman72]

Originally posted by TonyBelmont
The GTQ is an amazing preamp/ EQ... It's not meant to sound exactly like anything other than a GTQ. But, you can say that it sounds like a 1073 with a better top end. The EQ is amazing on the unit, most people just don't realize how great the EQ sounds until they get one for themselves...

Hey Jay, why did you go for the 1073DPA? It seems like a step down from the GTQ, since it doesn't have any EQ, etc...???

Also, I think Geoff should come on here and give everyone the history of the GTQ2... It's really a great story on how the EQ came about (with it's roots in a historic EMI console from Neve). It's a much better story than some other manufacturer's who have nothing to say other than they did the best they could copying some old Neve schematics and getting some transformers that are "kinda" like the one's Neve used..

i have been waiting quite some time now for my dpa to show up with no luck,shipping has been delayed, so i decided to just keep the gtq and put the difference in cost in a different area.

so that is one less gtq for sale.

[ARIEL]

ok this is an old post , but i have to chime in regarding all this neve stuff - I would not buy one as i prefer the modern sound of the newer stuff - just go to 3d audio and get the preamp test cd of 24 different units - it will really reveal a lot - well I think the neve stuff is overpriced and there is newer units that have more open high end which i like - and tight low end - Everyone seems so obssessed over Neve - lol

[George Necola]

Originally Posted by ARIEL

ok this is an old post , but i have to chime in regarding all this neve stuff - I would not buy one as i prefer the modern sound of the newer stuff - just go to 3d audio and get the preamp test cd of 24 different units - it will really reveal a lot - well I think the neve stuff is overpriced and there is newer units that have more open high end which i like - and tight low end - Everyone seems so obssessed over Neve - lol

neve is cool. a lot of socalled technical designflaws.. but the sound is great.

I dont know what your point is, but you should get one yourself and test it (I dont care witch brand). I would never buy a preamp test CD...

:D

doesnt make sense to George.

[baikonour]

Originally Posted by George Necola

neve is cool. a lot of socalled technical designflaws.. but the sound is great.

I dont know what your point is, but you should get one yourself and test it (I dont care witch brand). I would never buy a preamp test CD...

:D

doesnt make sense to George.

I like your quote!

[kellyd]

I have to agree with Tony. I much prefer the GTQ2 to both an orig 1073 and esp the BAE. Now of course if you must have the exact sound of a 1073 then you can only find it with a real 1073. If you are looking for that N thing, want more detail and headroom then the Aurora can't be beat.

[TonyBelmont]

Wow... This is an old thread.

Strange to revive this 3 1/2 years later.

[lakeshorephatty]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

So don't assume that something that is for sale (especially the kind of stuff that's sold in the gearslutz classifieds: helios preamps, soundelux mics, royers, manley, etc.) sucks.

--- Chad

Exactly. when i see something i like or want thats up for sale i buy it.

I do lots of research. Its never lead me wrong before.

I love that people are fickle, its helped me get half of my pre's (2 of my germs and a couple of tg channels) a few mics among other things : )

[ARIEL]

Originally Posted by George Necola

neve is cool. a lot of socalled technical designflaws.. but the sound is great.

I dont know what your point is, but you should get one yourself and test it (I dont care witch brand). I would never buy a preamp test CD...

:D

doesnt make sense to George.

Sorry need to clarify , I would not buy name brand neve , I would get the newer "copies" of it - I do have the ISA 110 stuff and Milleinia - so i am looking for another flavour - I am foocusing on the Aurora audio or Great River pre- amp - Heard a bit of the GR and I am curious to the Aurora - so any one compared both and be able to describe the differences for me ? Also George that Preamp test cd done with the full band and using 24 different units was very well done - and really showed the subtle differences - You pretty much can use any high end pre amp it will all sound good ;) Lynn fuston did a great job on it !!

[NoEgo]

I think the Aurora is a fine piece of gear. It sounds really nice and full of iron, but it doesn't lose detail in the process. I am not one to tweak the crap out of stuff going in and I have a lot of eq for feeding tracks back into, but I have to admit the eq on the unit is plenty functional.. Even a switchable centre frequency. A choice of three mids to cut or boost. That is plenty for me on a pre if they work well...and they do. I like that fact that I get at the sound I want now, and not spend the time tweaking . Sometimes we are just toooo slutty. Sometimes you need simple functional set it and get it tools.. It's a great unit. In my opinion. I think it's Neve like because we always categorize gear...It's not a tube pre, it's not a clean pre, it's a "real Nevey" Pre.. OOOO!!! .Yeah that's it! You can't go wrong with it in my opinion.

[ARIEL]

Actually I never use eq on any thing when i record - so my main interest is the pure tone of the pre amp - so anyone else have thoughts on the great river vs The Aurora for tonal description of each in a comparission ? thanks

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by ARIEL

Actually I never use eq on any thing when i record - so my main interest is the pure tone of the pre amp - so anyone else have thoughts on the great river vs The Aurora for tonal description of each in a comparission ? thanks

I've compared them... They are both very high quality units.

The big difference I heard was... The GR was cleaner/ clearer sounding (especially in the low end)... the GTQ2 had more roundness in the lows, and a bigger sound.

In general, the GTQ sounded more like my Marinair equipped 1073's but with a more open top end.

[ARIEL]

Excellent! thank you ! decision time ;)

[Kronos147]

I'm hoping it works on the mix buss for me. That is the advantage of the EQ after tracking, if you don't use it on the way in.


Anyone tried it on the 2 buss?

[Kronos147]

Last night we used the GTQ2 Mark II, recently re-built by GT and family, for kick and snare. We used a new Mk III on rack and floor toms.

SWEET!

Funny, there is a different character to each box. The EQ was really nice on kick and toms. A touch added to the lows and a bit of the 400 taken out.




Thanks again Geoff. You rock!