The holy grail of tube compressors

[Silver Sonya]

Here it is, folks.

Buy with confidence!

A conspicuous typo and zero item history in the description always make me feel like opening my wallet.

- c

[erikdrink]

Holy......

[yotonic]

Not sure if you Googled him, but he's a fairly well known Engineer from Denmark. I don't believe English is his first language.

[Jeff Hayat]

The typo is understandable, when you take into consideration the language. Tho I do agree about the item history - or lack therof - being an issue.

But according to UA, the "vintage price tag" is 30 grand:

Fairchild® 670 Compressor Plug-In | Universal Audio

Then there is this:

Fairchild 670 (Vintage Stereo Tube Limiter) - Odyssey Pro Sound

Which doesn't explain why this is 50, but maybe he is just starting off high? Curious to see what that unaccepted offer was....

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hayat

Which doesn't explain why this is 50, but maybe he is just starting off high? Curious to see what that unaccepted offer was....

I think "high" is the operative word.

-a

[T_R_S]

"It's morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money."
- W. C. Fields

[Aof]

US $50,000?!?
I can buy a new computer, some audio gear, lots of plugins and I would still have money to buy a car.
I mean, really, I know this is the holy grail of compressors, but there is a point where it is just not worth it.tutt

[Kingtone]

Originally Posted by Aof

but there is a point where it is just not worth it.tutt

not to you perhaps.

but to some it is.

[Doc Mixwell]

50K in Stereo compression buys me a lot more than that antique nostalgia. 50K buys a hell of a lot more than just compressors too!!! Man, I would have a rack of silly compressors, all worthy of any signal you slutz would pass through the gear.

[phillysoulman]

How much did a Fairchild cost when they were first
manufactured?

[Fletcher]

In the late 50's they could be had for as little as $875 dollars... about the price of a decent new car at the time. The thing is that they're more about status these days than anything else. I mean is a 1958 Les Paul really worth $250k? It is if you're a "collector" and are buying the thing as a vanity item that will appreciate in value... and yes, most are great guitars... BUT you can get the job done with careful selection and a few modifications from a new one off the rack... but that won't be a "vintage" unit so it will lack the "cool" factor.

I bought my first 670 in 1988 for about $2500 - a staggering amount for a compressor at the time but you could sell them for $3500 which made it an OK deal. In November of 1989 two 670's went up for auction when Record Plant NY closed. Jackson Browne bought both for $7500 each - a mind blowing number at the time... so much so Allen Sides passed on them. Within 6 months they were going for between $10-12.5k

Sometime during the mid 90's they passed the $15k mark and around the beginning of the "00"s they passed 20. By the middle of the last decade they passed $25k, then a few years ago they went to into the 30's. The supply of matched sets of 8x 6386 tubes passed the $2000 mark around the same time... last I heard a set of those tubes [properly matched] was over $3k USD... and they're getting rarer all the time. BTW - a set of those tubes has a life expectancy of about 4000 hours [functioning correctly - they'll live longer but won't be a peak performance]... so while the units will continue to appreciate in value... and will continue to be purchased by "professionals" who can write off A LOT of the cost of the units as "capital improvement" to their studios on their taxes... the fact remains that the vast majority will have the right face panel but probably won't be working correctly.

What's interesting is that their "street value" remains consistent with the price of a decent new car... new Camaro anyone?

Ain't it fun being in a fashion industry?

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

In the late 50's they could be had for as little as $875 dollars... about the price of a decent new car at the time. The thing is that they're more about status these days than anything else. I mean is a 1958 Les Paul really worth $250k? It is if you're a "collector" and are buying the thing as a vanity item that will appreciate in value... and yes, most are great guitars... BUT you can get the job done with careful selection and a few modifications from a new one off the rack... but that won't be a "vintage" unit so it will lack the "cool" factor.

I bought my first 670 in 1988 for about $2500 - a staggering amount for a compressor at the time but you could sell them for $3500 which made it an OK deal. In November of 1989 two 670's went up for auction when Record Plant NY closed. Jackson Browne bought both for $7500 each - a mind blowing number at the time... so much so Allen Sides passed on them. Within 6 months they were going for between $10-12.5k

Sometime during the mid 90's they passed the $15k mark and around the beginning of the "00"s they passed 20. By the middle of the last decade they passed $25k, then a few years ago they went to into the 30's. The supply of matched sets of 8x 6386 tubes passed the $2000 mark around the same time... last I heard a set of those tubes [properly matched] was over $3k USD... and they're getting rarer all the time. BTW - a set of those tubes has a life expectancy of about 4000 hours [functioning correctly - they'll live longer but won't be a peak performance]... so while the units will continue to appreciate in value... and will continue to be purchased by "professionals" who can write off A LOT of the cost of the units as "capital improvement" to their studios on their taxes... the fact remains that the vast majority will have the right face panel but probably won't be working correctly.

What's interesting is that their "street value" remains consistent with the price of a decent new car... new Camaro anyone?

Ain't it fun being in a fashion industry?

I once had a 1957 Les Paul Gold Top that my folks bought me for around $275.00.I made the mistake of putting glitter on it and then sanding the glitter of and painting it red!!!
Who knew??
What would it be worth today if it were still in good shape??

[bluejbill]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

I once had a 1957 Les Paul Gold Top that my folks bought me for around $275.00.I made the mistake of putting glitter on it and then sanding the glitter of and painting it red!!!
Who knew??
What would it be worth today if it were still in good shape??

$100K. Give or take.

[G-Spot]

Ha... a pity... I only buy gear in pairs, I'll pass

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

In the late 50's they could be had for as little as $875 dollars... about the price of a decent new car at the time. The thing is that they're more about status these days than anything else. I mean is a 1958 Les Paul really worth $250k? It is if you're a "collector" and are buying the thing as a vanity item that will appreciate in value... and yes, most are great guitars... BUT you can get the job done with careful selection and a few modifications from a new one off the rack... but that won't be a "vintage" unit so it will lack the "cool" factor.

I bought my first 670 in 1988 for about $2500 - a staggering amount for a compressor at the time but you could sell them for $3500 which made it an OK deal. In November of 1989 two 670's went up for auction when Record Plant NY closed. Jackson Browne bought both for $7500 each - a mind blowing number at the time... so much so Allen Sides passed on them. Within 6 months they were going for between $10-12.5k

Sometime during the mid 90's they passed the $15k mark and around the beginning of the "00"s they passed 20. By the middle of the last decade they passed $25k, then a few years ago they went to into the 30's. The supply of matched sets of 8x 6386 tubes passed the $2000 mark around the same time... last I heard a set of those tubes [properly matched] was over $3k USD... and they're getting rarer all the time. BTW - a set of those tubes has a life expectancy of about 4000 hours [functioning correctly - they'll live longer but won't be a peak performance]... so while the units will continue to appreciate in value... and will continue to be purchased by "professionals" who can write off A LOT of the cost of the units as "capital improvement" to their studios on their taxes... the fact remains that the vast majority will have the right face panel but probably won't be working correctly.

What's interesting is that their "street value" remains consistent with the price of a decent new car... new Camaro anyone?

Ain't it fun being in a fashion industry?

My mate Jason has a very nice 670 but then he bought an Aston V12 Zagato last week so I spose the 670 was really quite cheap to him.

[MrMegaEli]

50K with no pictures of the inside, tech reports, manuals, etc? 30k gets you a refurbished one, at least according to to techs I’ve talked to who’ve worked on them. Either way, I would never spend even 30K on a comp, its really just a status symbol, just have a faceplate made!

[mwagener]

Bob Olhson once told me: "Back then we only used the Fairchilds because we didn't have anything better."

[bcgood]

Save your money and buy an OCL-2 or VT-7.

[Aof]

Originally Posted by Kingtone

not to you perhaps.

but to some it is.

Oh, of course. In economy, the value of something is what a fo... eh, person is willing to give up to get it (including opportunity cost).

[EleKtriKaz]

I always wondered what one of these would sound like...until I used a very nice, well-maintained one at Blackbird here in Nashville. Pretty cool. Does a certain thing.

If it didn't know what a Fairchild was and I bought one for, say, $3000 I'd be a little disappointed. If I paid $50,000, well I'd be ready to murder someone. They're cool on room mics and sometime overheads, but they're way too slow to be useful on the mix bus. Certainly they're beautiful, complicated machines but a holy Grail of any sort they are not.

[seaneldon]

Chandler TG-1 and Thermionic Culture Phoenix = best parts of a 670 in two separate boxes that can cover way more ground...and the Phoenix will only need service every 3 years instead of every 6 months.

Just sayin'...

If anyone wants a 670, I can supply one for way less than $50k! If you wanna pay $50k, I'll send a couple virgins in the box...

[jindrich]

When €1M Studios can be booked for just €400-500/day (those that haven't closed yet BTW), I don't see any considering investing 50k in just a damm compressor.

IF someone buys such things at such prices, it isn't going to be audio professionals, but rich doctors and lawyers playing the home studio thing.

[jackinthebox]

Originally Posted by bluejbill

$100K. Give or take.

if it was mint, maybe $65000 for an all original example?

the paf pickups would be worth 10k alone!

[Joram]

The 670 is not just a piece of audio equipment but also a collector's item, that represents the history of music recording. The value of such an item has not much to do with contemporary gear.

For those who look for a hightec stereo tube compressor, this might be another "holy grail".

[IMG][img]******//farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/5747254669_b65f6ca525.jpg[/img]
IMG_9818_2 by Joram3, on Flickr[/IMG](it's not for sale, but well worth the search)

[dandeurloo]

That would be the most expensive couple of DB of compression. I think I will pass I like sleeping in my bed. If I bought that either my wife or my mortgage company would kick me out..probably both, and rightfully so.

[bee]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

Chandler TG-1 and Thermionic Culture Phoenix = best parts of a 670 in two separate boxes that can cover way more ground...and the Phoenix will only need service every 3 years instead of every 6 months.

Just sayin'...

If anyone wants a 670, I can supply one for way less than $50k! If you wanna pay $50k, I'll send a couple virgins in the box...

Are you running the Phoenix into the TG-1?

[Dirty Halo]

And what happens when something like the Anamod 670 does a perfectly convincing job of the SAME thing (if you're truly in it for the sound)?

Massive Fairchild market crash coming?


-andrews

[Le Lab]

Originally Posted by jindrich

When €1M Studios can be booked for just €400-500/day (those that haven't closed yet BTW), I don't see any considering investing 50k in just a damm compressor.

IF someone buys such things at such prices, it isn't going to be audio professionals, but rich doctors and lawyers playing the home studio thing.

Comment: The one advertized and quoted here (Odyssey Pro Sound) was sold to a pro recording studio in Montreal, not to a rich doctor or a bunch of lawyers...

With all the ''in the box mixes'' around and the new trend of IPAD 2 mixes, its a good business to charge $200 per day extra to ''refresh'' your mix with a pristine Fairchild 670 on the stereo buss...There's a market for that here because its a trend and everybody dreams of using one in their life.

So at $200 times 175 days = purchase
10 extra days of rental = $2000 (interest rate of 6% on the capital)

So roughly the second year its paid.

You could also buy for the same price an SSL4000 to refresh mixes of clients and try to charge $200 more per day for your room...but there are plenty of those in Montreal...only one Fairchild 670...

Just my 2 cents opinion

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Le Lab

Comment: The one advertized and quoted here (Odyssey Pro Sound) was sold to a pro recording studio in Montreal, not to a rich doctor or a bunch of lawyers...

With all the ''in the box mixes'' around and the new trend of IPAD 2 mixes, its a good business to charge $200 per day extra to ''refresh'' your mix with a pristine Fairchild 670 on the stereo buss...There's a market for that here because its a trend and everybody dreams of using one in their life.

So at $200 times 175 days = purchase
10 extra days of rental = $2000 (interest rate of 6% on the capital)

So roughly the second year its paid.

You could also buy for the same price an SSL4000 to refresh mixes of clients and try to charge $200 more per day for your room...but there are plenty of those in Montreal...only one Fairchild 670...

Just my 2 cents opinion

I see the idea, but is there really enough business that it is (or will be) booked literally every other day of the year? (Not sure there's even that much business here in L.A.)

-andrews

[Le Lab]

Ok Andrew, you are right...I'm too optomistic over one year...Do the same calculation over 5 years and its 35 days a year...and over here there's only one Fairchild not like the quantity of 670s you have in LA...

Cheers