NEVE 1072 1081 or clones

[sarza73]

Hi !

There are quite alot of discussions around the subject. Use the search engine and i´m sure you´ll find a lot of threads around this subject.

Welcome to Gearslutz !

[echorec]

Opinions differ on this but I think that the 1272 and 1073 sound exactly the same. I have both types and I can´t hear a difference. The sound is in the transformers and the amplification card which are identical. The 1081 is a different design though.

[Jules]

Coldplay was mixed on an SSL J

[Kestral]

Neve 1217? Neve 1072?

Geez, I didn't realize there were so many Neve modules I had never heard of

[Family Hoof]

Gee, there seems to be a lot of misinformation in this thread. Let me try to clarify...

The 1081 is a full featured input module from the old 80series Neve consoles, which people have been removing and racking for stand alone use ever since. It has an incredible EQ, a mic preamp that gives up to 80dB of gain, and a separate line input section. A similar and equally sought after input module is the 1073. Its EQ has fewer features, but the mic pre circuitry is entirely different and said to sound sweeter by some engineers. In those same consoles you will find general purpose line amp modules called 1272 and 1271. Since 1272 modules contain the same mic input transformer, same output transformer, and two out of three of the same amplifier stages as a 1073 they can be modified to function and sound just like a 1073 mic preamp section. The catch is that you can't go above 50dB of gain is you want to maintain the same quality of sound (because the 1073 has a third amp stage for that exta 30dB). Also, there are many fine details in the conversion process, at least one of which all the companies selling "1272 mic preamps" manage to mess up or leave out. The 1271 is indentical to a 1272, except lacking one of the amplifier stages and thus provides about 30dB less gain. Very easy to fill in the missing components, however. In addition, it should be known that the only thing a 1081 has in common with the 1073 and 1271, 1272 is the mic input transformer. The 1081 and 1073 as preamps do not sound the same in practice.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Family Hoof

Since 1272 modules contain the same mic input transformer, same output transformer, and two out of three of the same amplifier stages as a 1073 they can be modified to function and sound just like a 1073 mic preamp section. The catch is that you can't go above 50dB of gain is you want to maintain the same quality of sound (because the 1073 has a third amp stage for that exta 30dB). Also, there are many fine details in the conversion process, at least one of which all the companies selling "1272 mic preamps" manage to mess up or leave out. The 1271 is indentical to a 1272, except lacking one of the amplifier stages and thus provides about 30dB less gain.

There is also some sacrifice in distortion, bandwidth and noise when using 1272's as mic preamps.

[Family Hoof]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

There is also some sacrifice in distortion, bandwidth and noise when using 1272's as mic preamps.

If we're talking about all of the commercially available implementations, I wholeheartedly agree. But with an ideal conversion setup, and the gain switch not past the -50 position, how can you argue this? Please be specific, I am intimately familiar with the inner workings of these modules.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Family Hoof

If we're talking about all of the commercially available implementations, I wholeheartedly agree. But with an ideal conversion setup, and the gain switch not past the -50 position, how can you argue this? Please be specific, I am intimately familiar with the inner workings of these modules.

As am I, I've played around with building my own preamps using 283 cards, 31627's and L01166 transformers....

I was referring to gains over 50db.

[fuzzface777]

THanks for the info. Any misinformation is just what ppl on previous replied to me or what I searched out so far. As far as the portico 5012, is it 1272 based or 1081 or a new animal altogether??? Are the brent averill or vintech 1272 good units? Is the best choice to save a couple years for a 1081?

thanks

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by fuzzface777

THanks for the info. Any misinformation is just what ppl on previous replied to me or what I searched out so far. As far as the portico 5012, is it 1272 based or 1081 or a new animal altogether??? Are the brent averill or vintech 1272 good units? Is the best choice to save a couple years for a 1081?

thanks

Why do you want to buy a 1272 clone when you could get something like this?


Much better than a pair of 1272's... It's built by Geoff Tanner who worked for Neve during the "glory years" and designed a lot of this gear we are all talking about (Neve 33609, etc)...

www.auroraaudio.net

[fuzzface777]

what is that? NEve? or another product?

[max cooper]

batta batta batta suh-WING!

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

www.auroraaudio.net

[heyman]

Tony, you are a gear pimp extradoniare...

[84K]

That is super sexy... Why do I now find myself looking for a dark Grey skirt and red sweater for my girlfriend for Xmas...

[tubejay]

Haha, can't sell the old Neve stuff anymore, so of course the sales guy thinks the new stuff is better. Having said that, I have no idea which is better, but I own some 1272's and have worked extensively with 1073's and 1081's...and I KNOW they sound fantastic. The tanner box sure looks like a Neve though...what that does for sound, I don't know........but as cool as it looks he may have been better served to come up with his own look.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by tubejay

Haha, can't sell the old Neve stuff anymore, so of course the sales guy thinks the new stuff is better. Having said that, I have no idea which is better, but I own some 1272's and have worked extensively with 1073's and 1081's...and I KNOW they sound fantastic. The tanner box sure looks like a Neve though...what that does for sound, I don't know........but as cool as it looks he may have been better served to come up with his own look.

You have absolutley no idea how much "old" Neve stuff I have sold.. Anyway, regardless of old vs new, the GTQ is better than the various incarnations of 1272's that have been floated around.

[Peter Montessi]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

You have absolutley no idea how much "old" Neve stuff I have sold.. Anyway, regardless of old vs new, the GTQ is better than the various incarnations of 1272's that have been floated around.

Hi Tony,

Don't mean to cut in but he may aslo want to look at this

http://www.adesignsaudio.com/pacifica.htm

If he is looking for something different than a Neve or API.

Just a suggestion:

Thank you,
Peter Montessi
A Designs Audio
www.adesignsaudio.com

[fuzzface777]

hi tony i am new. thanks for you suggestion. CAn please answer me. I am curious about that unit you feel is really good


thanks

[TonyBelmont]

I'll send you a PM...