soundtracs

[champ]

hello

i'm looking for a mixer at the moment and somebody told me about soundtracs
are there people formiliar with these tables like the Soundtracs Solitaire


thnx

[Adria_BCN]

Got a solitaire at one of the places where i work frequently.

If you do a search you can find answers on your question as this has been discussed in the past.

For me, the only usable thing is the summing bus, which has some kind punch/color... which is tiring to me but i understand someone can find it cool.

The pres, and specially EQs are crap.

Be aware cause it's difficult to get parts for them, pay special attention at the condition of the in-board patchbay, as it is custom, gives a lot of pain and no more of them are floating arround.

Hope to help you.

[Doublehelix]

I have a Soundtracs Topaz 8 (32:8) that I like quite a bit. I know nothing about the Solitaire however.

[champ]

@ crossroad
thnx for the tip

its not like a really want soundtrac but it looked nice

i'm looking for a some what older desk because i like the old sounds better than nowadays

min. of 24 channels for a price around 5000,- euro

the preamps i wanna buy separetly but nice eq most be there to play with
i like it big not a desk where everything is right next to each other and small faders

so all tips are welcome

[champ]

i just saw this amazing picture of studer d950 WOW its like a dream its so beautiful

[GL Respect Due]

I've owned several Soundtracs desks. They're nice. They possess a nice balance of warmth and punch. They're smaller desk are a bity "cloudy" sounding. Some people dislike that, some people don't. If you don't, thiers modifcations that can be made that will give it a more sterile sound. They're larger desks are very nice. EQs are good, pres are no Neves, but they're no slouch ether. Parts are readily available contrary to what was said above. I am good friends with both the UK and US Soundtracs reps (Tim and Steve), they can take care of you no matter what the scenerio. You'd be suprised how many hits were done on desk like the CM4400/Quartz/IL/Jade. A short list: Emerson Lake & Palmer, Destinys Child, Disney, Frank Sinatra, Wu-Tang, etc. You get the idea. If you have any specific questions regarding Soundtracs desk, shoot me a PM.

[champ]

soundcraft ghost

who knows more about this piece looks ok and i can get this one very cheap

[eso]

Originally Posted by champ

hello

i'm looking for a mixer at the moment and somebody told me about soundtracs
are there people formiliar with these tables like the Soundtracs Solitaire


thnx

I've used the Soundtracs megas, 3632 and Solitaire in various studios. The Solitaire is okay for a mid-range studio console - nothing too special and not poor quality either. Eq's and pre's are functional, though will obviously not compare to good quality outboard. The Solitaire I used (over a period of about 3 years) was a 40/24/2 with flying faders on main channels and VCA automation on monitor faders and mutes/groups, aux, etc.

The console has a reasonable level of self-noise and enough auxes/channels, etc, to do some fairly comprehensive mixing. Main "issues" I found were reliability and build quality. It was delivered new and after about a month the control room monitor pot was scratchy (despite constant use) and a few other problems arose, mainly with the in-built patchbay (terrible quality) after a few months. Further issues were related to the automation. It was unreliable to say the least and I personally hate that more than anything else in a piece of equipment. Anything that distracts me from concentrating purely on my work is detrimental to the end product, let alone losing time and making the studio look bad in front of clients. If using the onboard automation alone it was more reliable, but when using the PC automation (provided by Soundtracs, pre-installed with their automation software and necessary for offline automation editing and further functions not available on the console) it crashed frequently. The moving faders started twitching after a year or so, and the studio technician and Soundtracs technician had to be called in with some degree of regularity for servicing and replacement parts.
The addition of onboard dynamics was handy for the gates and expanders, but the compressors were too poor to use on any important sources in the mix.

Similarly, the other Soundtracs consoles I used had VCA based Tracmix automation and they also both suffered from bugs, crashes and poor (worse than the Solitaire in these cases) automation reliability.

In all, it is a reasonable desk for what they are probably worth now. Any mid to large console will need maintanence.

[Stitch333]

I have an MRX 32x8x2 and its a great desk for the money. Def gota lil 'mush' factor but really will fatten a sound. The EQ's are very functional. The only problem Ive found is tech support on the older models.

[champ]

think i'll go with a soundcraft ghost 32 channel with automation
and then rebuild it with some more modifications
this will keep my coast below 5000,- euro and from what i heard these tables have good eq and when its completly modified it can be used for many years to come

so if someone has a ghost 32 channel with automation for sale let me know

[champ]

ok then

i won a soundcraft ghost 32 channel with automation on ebay

it has to be send from america all the way to the netherlands

is UPS a save way of shiping or are there better ways to do this ?

[champ]

i think a have a scam going on

anybody knows about safetytrade.net the site looks no good

this is the mail i recived

Hello ,
Thank you for winning the auction for my Soundcraft Ghost 32 x8 x2 w/ meterbridge, power supply.I will be able to make arrangements to shipp imediatly .I would like to use a service wich allows me to shipp the product first , prior than receiving payment.You have to register with www.SafetyTrade.net .After you'll register pls email me with the username that you used for registration so we can start transaction.You will deposit the amount of money in their account . Than I will be informed to deliver the goods onto your address. They will keep the money until you will inspect the item and agree with purchasing it. If something goes wrong like package won't arrive or description made by me doesn't mach you will have full money back policy. You will have five days for evaluation to decide after shipping reaches destination. The total amount will include shipping and handling.Thanks.


damn why are there so many scams on ebay

[Twanginalex74]

Hi, Just seeen your post on soundtracs consoles.... Thinking it´s gonna be quite cheap, it´s an 38 input channels console, but the routing computer won´t work. The console has been recapped already and the guy who sells it says it is in good condition( except the computer). Any ideas how much it´s worth nowadays ? What would be a n offer ? Are the pres/eq comparable to a mackie 8 bus or even worse ? I only run a small project studio and want to use the desk for tracking and DAW summing, so subgroups aren´t that necessary..... What do you think ? I already wrote TIM the serviceman, he has a spare computer board, but what actually does this computer ? Mute automation or bus routing or flying faders/VCA aut ? Don´t know..... A general INfo on this console would be appreciated !

Alex

[StudioKing]

soundtracs take a lot of stick on this forum and I always feel that i should defend it a bit because my desk has served me so well.

My desk is a il4832 with the automation

I use it all day everyday and have made many successful records on it.
I have not had any issues with the build quality, obviously it is quite a few years old now so occasionally it needs something small done here and there, but no more maintanance then you would expect on any console that gets used all the time.

The pres are ok, not neve obviously but a different league to what you get in a mackie, of course I use mainly external pres, but I would even if I was using a neve to get different flavours.

A well looked after soundtracs desk can serve you very well indeed.

[Darth Preamp]

Originally Posted by Adria_BCN

Got a solitaire at one of the places where i work frequently.

If you do a search you can find answers on your question as this has been discussed in the past.

For me, the only usable thing is the summing bus, which has some kind punch/color... which is tiring to me but i understand someone can find it cool.

The pres, and specially EQs are crap.

Be aware cause it's difficult to get parts for them, pay special attention at the condition of the in-board patchbay, as it is custom, gives a lot of pain and no more of them are floating arround.

Hope to help you.

I know this is an old thread, BUT I just have to set the record a little straight here, since people use this forum as a way to do research in the used market. Perhaps this person's experience with the Solitaire is legit, perhaps not, I don't know as I've never used a Solitaire. However, let me tell you my experience, so far, with the Soundtracs IL - In Line - console. I've been using mine now for about a month, was using a D&R board before that. The IL console is a completely professional, and even high end console, period. It is VERY exact in how it sounds, you get out EXACTLY what is coming in, almost no coloration, unless of course you want to. It is very quiet, I mean really quiet.The EQ's are absolutely incredible, from subtle changes, to almost complete transformation, you can dial it in with the EQ, which is fully parametric on both mid bands! The pre's are stunning, I don't know how else to say it, they are VERY 3d and lifelike, in such a pleasing way, that it makes everyone HAPPY!!!!!!!!!
As far as getting parts and servicing these boards, there is no other used console, that is no longer being made, that you can get such really great personal attention from the two Soundtracs guys, one here and one in the UK.

DP

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

I worked for a sound company that was also a rep for Soundtracs in the 1980s and I can tell you that there are an awful lot of junk Sountracs boards. I can also say that we had a great problem with how they were stored, in that the circuit cards rotted. (Rough if you leave your gear in a truck or set up in a basement with typical basement moisture). On top of that, these older Soundtracs had crosstalk issues. At one point they sent us a top of the line console to demo. The crosstalk was unreal. They sent a guy in to see what my complaint was, and I showed him the bleed across channels and across groups. Eventually we had enough problems with the Soundtracs line that we switched to DDA. (Of course, then DDA started to sell imports, too.... )

It has been a long time since then, and my point is not to trash Soundtracs, rather to point out that all products bearing a XXX name are not created equally, there may be good and bad. This thread is rather general in scope, and mighty lead a reader to presume, depending upon whom he choses to believe, that ALL Soundtracs products are great, or junk. Neither is true. You have to take the products on a model by model basis, and with used products, then there is the amount of care and the possible modifications that may have occurred over time which will impact the product. (Our techs were always fiddling with them for one reason or another, there were probably at least two in the shop at all times.)

[ddageek]

Im going to take issue with some of what Bill said, of the thousands of consoles and mixers I sold between 91-98 I don't remember Soundtracs being any more problematic than any any other brand, other than shorting out cables on the smaller topaz stuffs line warts! They were your typical mid priced console nothing WOW, although the topaz and almost every other console built at that price was far better sonically than a mackie 8 bus.
The Topaz line was made in the UK until it was revived by Warfdale
The only NON UK DDA's were made in Germany in the Dynacord factory (The Dynacord designed Interface which can be found Branded with Every Mark IV brand except KT/Midas, a Few CS3s were made here as well and the MIDAS Venice/Verona). while this was off othe UK shore I don't think anyone wouod argue about the quality of this factory, I remember being amazed at the quality of some of the few pre EV Dynacord desks I saw in the US. They mazy have been som funky layouts and some of the features were puzzling, but the were built like tanks!
As far as Soundtracs the bigest problem in the US was the importer SAMPSON! Parts and consoles were always hard to get. In the UK Soundtracs has always had excellent support and would still be a good investment. I have Heard a Jim Willams Modded M that wowed me years ago!

[The Rage]

I was wondering if that was a decent desk as well say, for live. Reason I ask. I can get one in excellent shape for 100 US.
Stay away from it?. Give it a try?. OR look for something such as a Ramsa 4424 instead?
Thanks

[jeremyglover]

just a heads up .. the soundtracs solo that i own has the inserts reversed.
not sure if all their consoles are like this but it's a pain to have to re-wire all your cables.

jeremy

[joeq]

Originally Posted by jeremyglover

just a heads up .. the soundtracs solo that i own has the inserts reversed.
not sure if all their consoles are like this but it's a pain to have to re-wire all your cables.

jeremy

or you could just flip your patch bay over!

[ddageek]

Originally Posted by jeremyglover

just a heads up .. the soundtracs solo that i own has the inserts reversed.
not sure if all their consoles are like this but it's a pain to have to re-wire all your cables.

jeremy

As any old road warrior will tell you there is no standard for TRS inserts !
Which over the years has always been a PITA ! The only bigger pain was cables labeled send, return rather than tip sleeve !

[jeremyglover]

Originally Posted by ddageek

As any old road warrior will tell you there is no standard for TRS inserts !
Which over the years has always been a PITA ! The only bigger pain was cables labeled send, return rather than tip sleeve !

[Metro]

I've just bought a soundtracs FM.

Its a great 16 channel desk (apart from the fact that I now have to modify the 'inserts' on every channel to make them direct outs, but hey ho).

The desk sounds great.

Why is though, that when I send directly out of my MOTU into the 16 'Line' ins on the soundtracs, and then solo a channel on playback... it doesn't bloody solo it?

Any ideas?

[asylumdigital]

Is there an IPS (in place solo) switch in the master section?

[Mo Facta]

Had a PC MIDI 24 for about a year and liked it very much. Does rock and reggae VERY well. Not a great high definition console but it has grit which is good for some stuff. Drums sound great through it. People describe the preamps as "dark" but that kind of gives off the impression that it sounds bad. It doesn't. I would describe the top end as smooth with a high tolerance to extreme processing. The EQ's are absolutely fantastic, though. You can boost 15dB at 12kHz and it doesn't sound harsh.

I have a lot of respect for Soundtracs consoles after using it on a couple of albums. It definitely improved my situation quite dramatically.

My only complaint is that it was quite noisy but that could have had something to do with the power supply. Tim from Studio Systems UK makes an upgraded power supply for all Soundtracs models so if you get one, be sure to make getting one a number 1 priority. Also, you may consider a re-cap if you're buying a relatively old console. May as well, eh?

Cheers

[radioshark]

I use Soundtracs Jade 48 for almost a year. I modded every single track with OEP TRX. I used Soundcraft 2400 before, superb beast for a specific sound and whatpeoplesocalled "genre". Without TRX would be a decent "vanilla" console, but with trx? Should hear by yourself

she makes my studio come with a lots or any of possibilities.

[binman_uk]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the Soundtracs Topaz 24 / Project 8 (I believe they should be the same size). I can't seem to find the manual anywhere to check. I did join the Yahoo group but it's pending approval.